Nissan Patrol vs GWM Tank 500

A proper head-to-head in South Africa — we cover price, performance, petrol economy, safety and what it'll actually cost you to own each one long term.

Includes a historical vehicle

Current, upcoming and historical vehicles can be compared side by side. Historical records keep their verified specifications, while price labels show last-listed context rather than current new-car availability.

Nissan Patrol Discontinued model
Nissan Patrol in South Africa

Nissan Patrol

5.6 V8 Platinum 4x4 7AT Petrol 7-Speed Automatic Discontinued model
ZAR 1,949,900 last listed
Discontinued model Verified historical specifications remain visible for owner and used-car comparisons.
⚡ 298 kW 🔧 560 Nm ⛽ 9.0 km/l
VS
GWM Tank 500 in South Africa

GWM Tank 500

3.0T Hi4-T Luxury Plug-in Hybrid 9-Speed Automatic Current
ZAR 1,149,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 340 kW 🔧 750 Nm ⛽ 40 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance Tank 500
Fuel Economy Tank 500
🛡 Safety Tank 500
📦 Practicality Patrol
🔑 Ownership Not enough comparable data
Recorded price context Patrol: last listed from ZAR 1,579,900 · Tank 500: current from ZAR 1,149,900

Key Specs Side by Side

The specs that matter most — highlighted where one car leads.

Spec Patrol Tank 500
Maximum Power 298 kW 340 kW @ 5500 rpm
Maximum Torque 560 Nm 750 Nm
Engine Size 5552 cc 2999 cc
Combined Fuel Economy 9.0 km/l 40 km/l
Ground Clearance 272 mm 224 mm
Boot / Load Bay 490 l 580 l
Airbags 9 8
Kerb Weight 2660 kg 2680 kg
Seating Capacity 8 seats 5 seats
Warranty 3 Years / 100,000 km 5 Years / 100,000 km

= leads in this spec

Archived vehicles remain available for comparison. Verified specs stay visible; historical fields that were not source-confirmed are marked Not confirmed instead of being guessed.

The Bottom Line

Patrol and Tank 500 are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Tank 500 +3 pts
Efficiency Tank 500 +60 pts
Safety Tank 500 +2 pts
Practicality Patrol +8 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Patrol

Strengths
  • Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Fewer listed safety features
Best suited to: Published Practicality
Catalogue-index leader

Tank 500

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger listed safety equipment
Weak Spots
  • Lower published practicality figures
Best suited to: Published Performance Published Efficiency

Which One's Right for You?

Patrol

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

Tank 500

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use
  • Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment

Full Specs, Side by Side

Archived cars use verified historical spec records. Rows remain comparable; unavailable historical values are shown plainly rather than estimated.

Spec Patrol Tank 500
Model Introduced Year 2013 2025
Facelift History 2019 mid-cycle facelift with revised front fascia and updated technology Recently launched into the SA market in 2025; no facelift to date. Software updates expected to refine hybrid system behaviour and adaptive air suspension calibration based on early SA fleet feedback.
Facelift Launched Since 2019 2025
Tare Mass Kg 2660 kg 2680 kg
Generation Not confirmed First generation Tank 500, launched globally in 2023 and brought to South Africa in 2025. Local specification leans toward maximum equipment loading and softer suspension calibration versus the Chinese-domestic version.
Facelift Version Ending Not confirmed Current
Body Style Not confirmed SUV
Color Note Not confirmed Crystal White, Hamilton Black, Pittsburgh Silver, Cosmos Grey, Atlantic Blue and Adventure Olive Green. Two-tone roof options available with selected base colours.
Dealer Stock Note Not confirmed Flagship grade in the South Africa lineup
Model Year Not confirmed 2026
Production Status Not confirmed published
Segment Not confirmed SUV
Vehicle Type Not confirmed SUV
Spec Patrol Tank 500
Length 5165 mm 5060 mm
Width 1995 mm 1996 mm
Height 1940 mm 1905 mm
Wheelbase 2850 mm 2950 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 272 mm 224 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 140 l 80 l
Boot/Cargo Space 490 l 580 l
Kerb Weight 2660 kg 2680 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 3560 kg 3200 kg
Towing Capacity 3500 kg 3000 kg
Seating Capacity 8 seats 5 seats
Minimum Turning Radius 6.2 m 13 m
Doors Not confirmed 5 doors
Front Headroom Not confirmed 990 mm
Rear Headroom Not confirmed 960 mm
Front Legroom Not confirmed 1050 mm
Rear Legroom Not confirmed 890 mm

Source-backed Catalogue Index

A transparent specification index shown only when every vehicle clears the minimum comparable-data threshold.

Weighted / 100
Catalogue-index readout

Tank 500 leads by 6 points

Patrol and Tank 500 are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Index leader 90 /100
Lead 6 points
Data 96% source coverage
90
#1 Index leader

Tank 500

96% source coverage 4 strong categories
Best at Performance 100 Check Ownership 65
Performance 100
Efficiency 97
Safety 100
Practicality 83
Ownership 65
Leads by 6 points
84
#2

Patrol

78% source coverage 3 strong categories
Best at Safety 98 Check Efficiency 37
Performance 97
Efficiency 37
Safety 98
Practicality 91
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Tank 500 +3 Efficiency Tank 500 +60 Safety Tank 500 +2 Practicality Patrol +8

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Catalogue-index leader

Tank 500

Performance 100/100
Efficiency 97/100
Safety 100/100
Practicality 83/100
Ownership 65/100

Patrol

Performance 97/100
Efficiency 37/100
Safety 98/100
Practicality 91/100

How to Read This Comparison

🏆 GWM Tank 500 leads the catalogue index with 90 pts vs 84 pts for Patrol

In Hagalu's source-backed catalogue index, Tank 500 leads. However, Patrol may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

Buyers Also Looked At These

Other comparisons that people in the same boat tend to check out.

Questions Buyers Usually Ask

There is no universal winner. Use the comparison table to match the exact South African derivatives on price, safety equipment, space, powertrain and ownership cover. The category indicators summarise published catalogue data; they are not a road test or customer rating.

Compare the published consumption or mileage rows for the exact derivatives using the same unit and test basis. A catalogue figure is useful for like-for-like comparison, but traffic, speed, load, weather and driving style can change actual fuel use.

Compare only equipment explicitly listed for each derivative, including airbags, stability control and driver-assistance systems. Confirm the exact trim with the manufacturer, and treat any independent crash-test result separately because equipment and ratings can differ by market.

A reliable five-year total cannot be calculated from catalogue data alone. Add the exact purchase and finance cost, fuel or electricity, insurance quotes, scheduled servicing, tyres and expected resale value. Check whether the selected derivative includes a service or maintenance plan.

Use the seating, boot or load-space, ISOFIX and safety rows as a first check. Then test the exact cars with your child seats, passengers and typical luggage, because published dimensions do not show every access or comfort difference.

Compare the published power, torque and 0–100 km/h rows when they are available for both exact derivatives. Vehicle weight, gearing and power delivery also matter, so catalogue outputs alone do not establish real-world overtaking or response.

Hagalu does not publish a guaranteed resale winner. Depreciation depends on age, mileage, condition, derivative, colour, supply and demand. Compare several current used-market listings and obtain trade-in valuations for equivalent examples before relying on a resale estimate.

Check the exact derivatives for drive type, ground clearance, tyres, approach and departure angles, wading depth and low-range gearing where officially disclosed. SUV styling or all-wheel drive alone does not prove that a vehicle is suitable for demanding off-road use.

Calculate each exact derivative using your monthly distance and a current fuel or electricity price, then add finance, insurance, scheduled service, tyres and licence costs. Hagalu does not claim a fixed monthly saving without those buyer-specific inputs.

It is worth more only when the exact price difference buys equipment, space, performance or ownership cover that matters to you. Compare like-for-like lifecycle states and derivatives; a current offer and a historical last-listed price are not directly equivalent.

In Depth — Breaking It All Down

This Patrol and Tank 500 comparison uses the exact South African derivatives selected above. The catalogue index covers performance, efficiency, safety equipment, practicality and ownership cover only where comparable source-backed fields are present.

Performance index: Patrol 97 vs Tank 500 100.

Efficiency index: Patrol 37 vs Tank 500 97.

Safety-equipment index: Patrol 98 vs Tank 500 100.

Practicality index: Patrol 91 vs Tank 500 83.

Ownership-cover index: Patrol not separately scored vs Tank 500 65.

These figures are Hagalu catalogue-comparison indicators, not customer ratings, crash-test scores, resale guarantees or a substitute for a road test. Each page shows its weighted source coverage beside the result.