GWM Tank 500 vs Hyundai Tucson

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.

GWM Tank 500 in South Africa

GWM Tank 500

3.0T Hi4-T Luxury Petrol Automatic
ZAR 1,149,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 340 kW 🔧 750 Nm ⛽ 2.5 km/l
VS
Hyundai Tucson in South Africa

Hyundai Tucson

2.0D AT Executive AWD Diesel Automatic
ZAR 764,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 137 kW 🔧 416 Nm ⛽ 14.5 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance Tank 500
Fuel Economy Tucson
🛡 Safety Tank 500
📦 Practicality Tank 500
🔑 Ownership Tie
Tucson starts ZAR 1149900 cheaper Tank 500 from ZAR 1,149,900 · Tucson from ZAR 568,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Tank 500 Tucson
Engine Power 340 137
Torque 750 416
Engine Size 2999 1995
Claimed Mileage 2.5 14.5
Ground Clearance 224 181
Boot Space 580 540
Airbags 8 6
Kerb Weight 2680 1720
Seating Capacity 5 5
Warranty 5 5

= leads in this spec

The Bottom Line

Both Tank 500 and Tucson are extremely closely matched, making the final choice dependent on buyer preference.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Tank 500 +13 pts
Efficiency Tucson +30 pts
Safety Tank 500 +8 pts
Practicality Tank 500 +10 pts
Ownership Equal

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

🏆 Overall Winner

Tank 500

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Stronger safety package
  • More practical for daily use
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
Best suited to: Highway Driving Family Usage

Tucson

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Less comprehensive safety features
  • Less practical in daily usage
Best suited to: Fuel Efficiency

Which One's Right for You?

Tank 500

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power
  • Families prioritising stronger safety equipment
  • Large families needing more practicality and usability

Tucson

  • Buyers looking for better fuel efficiency

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Tank 500 Tucson
0–100 km/h 340 sec 9.5 sec
0-100 km/h 340 sec 9.5 sec
Acceleration 0 100 340 sec 9.5 sec
Active Exhaust Not Available Not Available
Engine Aspiration Twin-Turbocharged Turbocharged
Battery Capacity 27.0 kWh Not Available
Combined System Power 320 Not Available
Combined System Torque 750 Not Available
Compression Ratio 10.5:1 Not Applicable
Cylinder Layout V6 Not Applicable
Cylinders 6 4
Displacement 2999 cc 1995 cc
Engine 3.0L GW4C30D V6 Turbocharged Petrol + Front Electric Motor 2.0 R2 CRDi Diesel
Engine Code GW4C30D Not Applicable
Engine Config V6 twin-turbo 2.0 R2 CRDi Diesel
Engine Cylinders 6 4
Engine Displacement 2999 cc 1995 cc
Engine Displacement Cc 2999 cc 1995 cc
Engine Displacement Litres 3 l 2 l
Engine Position Front Transverse Front
Engine Power kW 340 kW 137 kW
Engine Torque Nm 750 Nm 416 Nm
Engine Type V6 Twin-Turbo Petrol Hybrid Diesel
Engine Type Config V6 (V6) DOHC 24-Valve Twin-Turbocharged Inline
Engine Valves 24 16
EV Range 135 km Not Available
Fuel Grade Required Petrol Diesel
Fuel System Direct Injection Common Rail Direct Injection
Induction Twin-Turbocharged Turbocharged
Max Power kW 340 kW 137 kW
Maximum Engine RPM 5,500 rpm -
Max Torque Nm 750 Nm 416 Nm
Maximum Power 340 kW 137 kW
Maximum Torque 750 Nm 416 Nm
Engine Oil Capacity 7.5 l -
Power 340 kW 137 kW
Power Assisted Steering Electric Power Assisted MDPS Electric
Power 456 bhp 184 bhp
Power kW Rpm 5,500 rpm 3800
Power @ RPM 5,500 rpm 3800
Top Speed 210 km/h 195 km/h
Torque 750 Nm 416 Nm
Torque Nm Rpm 2,000-4,000 rpm 2000
Torque @ RPM 2,000-4,000 rpm 2000
Turbo Type Twin-Turbocharged Turbocharged
Turbocharger Yes Yes
Valves per Cylinder 24 16
Variable Valve Timing Yes Yes
Cylinder Bore Not Applicable Not Applicable
Piston Stroke Not Applicable Not Applicable
Charging Port - Not Available
AC Charging Time - Not Available
Motor Position - Not Available
Motor Power - Not Available
Motor Torque - Not Available
Motor Type - Not Available
System Output - Not Available
Spec Tank 500 Tucson
360 Degree Camera Yes Yes
Adaptive Cruise Control Yes Yes
Adaptive Cruise Control Yes Yes
Around View Monitor Yes Yes
Attention Assist Yes -
Autonomous Emergency Braking Yes Yes
Automatic High Beam Yes -
Auto Highbeam Yes Not Available
Auto Lights Yes Yes
Auto Park Assist No -
Auto Wipers Yes No
Blind Spot Monitoring Yes Yes
Blind Spot Warning Yes Yes
Cruise Control Yes Yes
Drive Modes Yes Eco / Normal
Driver Fatigue Alert Yes Not Available
Eco Mode Yes Yes
Emergency Braking Yes Yes
EV Mode Yes No
Forward Collision Warning Yes Not Available
Front Camera Yes -
Lane Departure Warning Yes Yes
Lane Keep Assist Yes Yes
Park Assist Yes Not Available
Parking Distance Sensors Front and Rear Front & Rear
Parking Sensor Front and Rear Front & Rear
Parking Sensors Front and Rear Front & Rear
Pre-Collision System Yes Yes
Rain Sensor Wipers Yes No
Rear View Camera Yes Yes
Rear Cross Traffic Alert Yes Yes
Rear Parking Sensors Yes Front & Rear
Rear View Camera Yes Yes
Reverse Camera Yes Yes
Reverse Camera Type Yes Yes
Reversing Camera Yes Yes
Sport Mode Yes No
Surround View Camera Yes Yes
Traffic Sign Recognition Yes No

Overall Verdict Score

Decision-grade view of the winner, score gap and category strengths.

Weighted / 100
Verdict readout

Tank 500 leads by 2 points

Both Tank 500 and Tucson are extremely closely matched, making the final choice dependent on buyer preference.

Winner 74 /100
Lead 2 points
Data 97% confidence
74
#1 Winner

Tank 500

97% data confidence 3 strong categories
Best at Safety 100 Check Efficiency 28
Performance 82
Efficiency 28
Safety 100
Practicality 83
Ownership 65
Leads by 2 points
72
#2

Tucson

91% data confidence 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 92 Check Efficiency 58
Performance 69
Efficiency 58
Safety 92
Practicality 73
Ownership 65
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Tank 500 +13 Efficiency Tucson +30 Safety Tank 500 +8 Practicality Tank 500 +10 Ownership Level

Very close match. Final decision depends on buyer preference.

Why this score View full breakdown
Overall Winner

Tank 500

Performance 82/100
Efficiency 28/100
Safety 100/100
Practicality 83/100
Ownership 65/100

Tucson

Performance 69/100
Efficiency 58/100
Safety 92/100
Practicality 73/100
Ownership 65/100

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 GWM Tank 500 wins with 74 pts vs 72 pts for Tucson

In structured scoring, Tank 500 emerges as the stronger overall package. However, Tucson may appeal to buyers prioritising different factors. 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

On our scoring the Tank 500 edges ahead overall. That said, the right choice depends on what you actually use the car for — the breakdown above shows exactly where each one wins and loses.

Efficiency scores: Tank 500 28 vs Tucson 58. In the real world, diesel variants of either car will beat the claimed figure on long highways and fall short in Joburg traffic.

Safety scores: Tank 500 100, Tucson 92. Check each model page for NCAP ratings and which trim levels include AEB and blind-spot monitoring — those features aren't always standard.

Long-term ownership scores: Tank 500 65, Tucson 65. Service intervals, parts availability in SA, and whether a service plan is bundled all factor in — check the individual variant specs for that detail.

Practicality scores: Tank 500 83, Tucson 73. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Tank 500 82, Tucson 69. This looks at real-world pace — 0–100 kph, highway flexibility, and how either car feels when you actually need to overtake on an N-road.

Resale varies with colour, spec, and market timing, but Japanese brands — and Toyota specifically — have a strong track record in SA. Check current used prices for both on AutoTrader to see the real gap right now.

Ground clearance and 4WD availability are what matter most here. Scroll to the spec table above to compare both side by side — if either model offers a 4WD variant, that's the version worth comparing.

Fuel, insurance, and service costs are the big three. Diesel variants of both models typically save R800–R1,500/month in fuel at current SA pump prices. The Tank 500 edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

The Tank 500 scores better overall, but neither car is a bad buy here. It comes down to what features matter to you — check the full spec table above to see exactly what you gain and lose at each price point.

In Depth — Breaking It All Down

The comparison between Tank 500 and Tucson in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: Tank 500 scores 82 vs 69.

Efficiency: Tank 500 scores 28 vs 58.

Safety: Tank 500 scores 100 vs 92.

Practicality: Tank 500 scores 83 vs 73.

Ownership: Tank 500 scores 65 vs 65.

Final structured scoring gives Tank 500 the advantage in this comparison.