Updated styling and additional grunt breathe new life into GWM’s capable, value-packed double-cab. Here are our thoughts after putting the bakkie through a road test.
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GWM P300 2.4TD LT 4X4 AT Fast Facts
- Price: R649 900
- 0-100 km/h: 10.68 seconds
- Top speed: n/a
- Power: 135 kW
- Torque: 480 N.m
- CAR Fuel Index: 9.60 L/100 km
- CO2: 226 g/km
After its debut on the South African double-cab bakkie scene in 2020, the GWM P Series made quite the impression on the CAR team in our Bakkie Shootout in November 2021, thanks to its generous specification and comfortable ride. Its talents were further appreciated when we tested the range-topping LTD model in August 2023, which catered to adventure seekers with pukka off-roading features.
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Four years in, and the GWM has decided it’s time to give its double-cab a mid-cycle update that ushers in, among other things, an all-new powertrain. The update also sees the P Series nameplate make way for the P300 monicker that aligns with SUV stablemates such as the P500. In a welcome departure from its chrome-grilled predecessor, the new P300 has dark grey plastic cladding around a black grille and the brand’s chrome logo. The restyled bumper has new recesses with black plastic inserts and round foglamps instead of the rectangular items on the previous model. Along its profile, the wheelarches feature a new design and house updated multi-spoke alloys wrapped in 265/60 R18 rubber. At the rear the GWM logo is embossed into tailgate, replacing the P Series lettering from before, with the model designation on the bottom right.
Stepping inside the P Series’ cabin is a massive departure from the previous model, with a new steering wheel sitting in front of a 12.3-inch instrument cluster that sits atop a new multi-tier facia. Another 12.3-inch infotainment display sits in the middle of the facia, with the HVAC vents moved directly underneath an array of quick access buttons for the climate control system – a welcome physical interface. Although they remain both sizable and reasonably supportive, the leather-wrapped seats don’t quite match the sense of occasion of the pre-facelift model’s quilted-finished pews.
An uprated wireless mobile phone charger and dark metallic trim with a fighter-jet-inspired shifter sits on the transmission tunnel, along with switches for the auto-hold parking brake, low-range four-wheel drive, electronic differential lock and a 360-degree camera.
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There are also a trio of 12 V switches for the fitment of aftermarket accessories, should the owner choose to go that route. In the rear, occupants are well catered for with class-leading headroom and kneeroom, while dual USB-A ports provide charging for additional devices like tablets or smartphones. With plenty of soft-touch surfaces, and a stylish new execution, the P300’s cabin has been lifted just that bit closer to the likes of the Ford Ranger and Volkswagen Amarok.
The new 2.4-litre turbodiesel produces 15 kW and 80 N.m more than the outgoing 2.0-litre unit, sending its 135 kW and 480 N.m of torque to all four corners via a new nine-speed automatic versus the P Series’ eight-speed unit. Our testing saw the 0-100 km/h sprint take a segment-respectable 10.68 seconds, with overtaking acceleration from 80 to 120 km/h dispatched in 7.26 seconds. This equates to improvements of 1.28 seconds and 2.02 seconds, respectively, over the previous model.
Despite the improvements in performance, GWM claims that the P300 with larger turbodiesel engine is more efficient than the 2.0-litre, and our real-world fuel consumption corroborated this, as the 2.4-litre turbodiesel unit returned an average of just 9.36 L/100 km, besting the CAR fuel index of 9.60 L/100 km – likely an upshot of the new transmission’s additional ratio.
Unfortunately, the new model’s extra mass contributed to a poorer braking performance during our 10-stop, 100-0 km/h to zero procedure, with an average of 3.20 seconds now registering an “average” rating versus the 2.0’s “excellent” 2.99.
On the road, the P300 displays the same composure as the pre-facelift model, with a pleasing degree of weight and feedback from the electrically assisted steering that makes it feel substantial at both low-speed manoeuvres and open-road driving. Mechanical refinement is also impressive, contributing to overall NVH suppression that matches the best in the segment. The suspension set-up, however, remains on the soft side; at times soaking up bumps ably, and at others feeling as though it’s going to bottom out. During the test period, some weight on the load bed improved the sensation somewhat, though it’s unlikely to be a deal-breaker for most buyers of leisure-focused double cabs.
Although the P-Series has lost some of its market share in recent months, GWM is hoping the P300 revision to the model line-up breathes new life into the product. Even in LT guise, sans the additional specification such as the front differential lock, a snorkel and protective underbody plates that the LTD will bring, the P300 makes a strong case for itself. At R650 000, there’s little approaching it in terms of performance and overall value.
Find the full feature in the April 2025 issue of CAR Magazine.
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