Test drive SUV TANK 300

Winter Khakassia appeared to me in neutral colors. Abakan shrouded in muddy smog, white steppes, gray mountains. The test orange TANK 300 looks all the brighter here. Handsome, good-looking. The exterior is brutal, expressive, characteristic of a real SUV. At the same time, it is original, without explicit design quotes. Are you bored with a series of identical crossovers? Get a custom car.

The technique is serious and largely traditional. The base is frame, rear axle, full drive with a rigid connection of the front axle, in addition there is a reduction, inter-wheel differential locks and a set of modes for different off-road conditions. Unless diesel is provided. Available only petrol 220-horsepower turbo engine 2.0 with a classic 8-speed automatic.

There is enough off-road on the route. Here is a deep and pitted track through snowdrifts. I connect the front axle, razdatka – to lowering. And I choose the appropriate mode with the selector washer. The “Snow” settings here are for rolled coverage. And before loose, it is better to activate “Sand”, then the car will respond more actively to the gas pedal and allow intense slippage. At the same time, you can switch to a “creeping” cruise control, which allows you to move in the range of 4-12 km / h.

Confidently crawl to the observation deck. After enjoying the picturesque view, I try the “tank turn” function. You press a special button, turn the steering wheel all the way, the inner rear wheel slows down, and the TANK turns almost on the spot. Cool!

But what if you try to storm the earthen ridges left by the bulldozer? The declared geometry allows a lot: the ground clearance is 224 mm, the angle of entry is 33 degrees, the exit angle is 34. Of the modes, the “Stones” setting is now appropriate, which strictly suppresses slipping.

TANK heroically climbs obstacles. The suspension is long-stroke, and diagonal hanging does not occur for a long time. But still hung, finally. I block the rear differential, and the earthen heap is overcome at once. Only gravel scraped through the powerful lower protection. So, offset. Before you is a convincing conqueror of difficult rough terrain.

However, on ordinary highways, TANK almost does not show the uncouthness characteristic of frame SUVs. It rides quite nicely. Even in areas of broken asphalt, it regularly keeps its course. It shakes, of course, such is the specificity. But the “filtered” vibrations are not sharp, and the steering wheel is perfectly decoupled from vibrations. The buildup is moderate. Passengers sitting in the back, where the bridge is under the body, do not complain either.

It is also possible to drive actively along the winding grader road. In control, the TANK resembles an ordinary assembled station wagon. On the rear-wheel drive, the car smoothly tends to skid, and when the full drive is connected, it rests slightly on the arc – everything is predictable.

Turbo engine – praise. He added gas, and the weighty TANK immediately vigorously accelerates. The automatic box plays along in a timely manner and discreetly. Through the menu, it is proposed to set sports settings with partial or almost complete shutdown of safety electronics. But, of course, not the model to be worn. And at high speeds, the reserve for accelerations is already without excess. But the acoustic comfort is preserved. The cabin is surprisingly quiet, except for the noise of the ram air.

The salon is not boringly organized, the atmosphere is diverse. There are very creative elements: a space-like automatic transmission lever, illuminated “turbines” of air ducts and a round remote control with a clock in the center. There are fashionable screens: digital devices and a large touchscreen. At the same time, to the delight of conservatives, many physical buttons are left, grouped into thematic blocks. The turn signal lever would also be kept normal, but for some reason it is made non-fixable, and when pressed, it returns to its original position.

The configuration of the instruments is changing, both proposed options are without traditional dials and are difficult to understand. And the touchscreen was a success: the responses are fast, the menu is user-friendly. On one of the tabs, it is allowed to add a personal “hot” set of virtual buttons. I like pictures from external cameras: if you want, you can look at the TANK from the side, and for off-road there is a “transparent hood” angle – you see the road under the front wheels.

With my average build, I select the optimal driving position in a matter of seconds. Then I move the chair farther back, sit down behind him on the sofa – there is still enough freedom there. But there is not much space in the trunk, the volume is 410 liters, like a golf-class hatchback. It is curious that legs are screwed to the raised floor of the compartment, and a picnic table is obtained.

The TANK is richly equipped. The list of equipment includes: LED headlights, ventilation of both front seats and a massager for the driver, a heating package prepared specifically for Russia, advanced “music”, adaptive cruise control, a hill-descent assistance system, contour lighting (64 colors!), leather upholstery and so on. Further. I remember pleasant little things: trays to the left of the steering wheel, a retractable hook at the passenger’s feet to hang a bag, a USB slot for a DVR, a washer at the rear camera. And I also note the solid execution of the finish – the Chinese have tried.

Now for the cons. The seat belts are not height adjustable. The mentioned non-fixed turn signal lever is too sensitive and requires getting used to. Luggage curtain missing. And the SUV has a decent appetite. The combined consumption of gasoline during the trip was 14–16 l/100 km. However, for the sake of economy, it is also allowed to fill in the AI-92.

There are definitely more pluses. The TANK 300 is truly versatile. On it, even in the city, even on the highway, even on the rocky Khakassian slopes. True, this neoclassical genre costs from 3.6 million rubles. Let’s assume that part of the amount is for uniqueness. So far, other Chinese firms officially represented in Russia have nothing similar.