First Drive: 2020 GWM P Series
GWM has been around for 36 years, it’s a brand that has dominated most of the global market. But it seems that growing a big fan base in South Africa hasn’t gone as quickly as expected. It appears locals are still sticking to the brands that they are familiar with, such as Toyota, Volkswagen, and Ford to name a few. GWM is still considered to some as a newcomer in the SUV and bakkie market, and justifiably so, it only came to Mzanzi in 2007, which means that it has only been around for 13 years. Now make no mistake GWM, has left a mark within the bakkie market with its all-popular Steed. But its newcomer the P-Series will certainly be shaking things up. We recently got the pleasure of attending the launch of GWM’s P-Series and let’s just say that the P-Series maybe a force to be reckoned with. The event was hosted by the GWM team and took place in the ADA training and outdoor center in Hartbeespoort.
The P-Series will be available in two trims ranging from the Commercial grade to the Passenger grade. The commercial version will only be available in a single cab while the Passenger trim will be available in both single and doublecab. The Commercial trim consists of both an SX and DLX grade while the range-topping Passenger trim has both an LS and LT trim. Under the hood, the P-Series range will share a 2.0-litre turbocharged diesel engine that produces a neat 120Kw of power and 400 Nm of torque. The Commercial range will come with an option of either a six-speed manual gearbox or an eight-speed automatic gearbox. The Passenger range however will only be available in automatic. The P-Series range will come available in both 4x2 and 4x4 derivatives. The 4X4 derivatives being more than capable off-roaders featuring 232mm of ground clearance as well as an entry angle and exit angle of 27 degrees and 25 degrees.
The P-Series made quite the eventful entrance and from first glance, I have to say, it is certainly a looker. This could be thanks to its six vibrant colours that it comes available in. In terms of range variation, it’s easy to tell the two apart as it comes with its own set of distinct designs, most noticeably in the grille, front bumper, headlamps, and wheels. All Passenger grade models will come with a large, eye-catching chrome grille with LED lighting and gets around on 18-inch alloy wheels. While the Commercial grade comes with more entry-level features as it comes standard with a black grille that has an angular mesh pattern on it and rides on 17-inch alloy wheels.
The inside of the P-Series is quite comfortable and offers exceptional room space. The Commercial grade does offer a fair number of standard features but it’s the Passenger grade that gets the biggest boost. The interior design of the Passenger model is absolute bakkie luxury as it features a 9-inch touchscreen interface infotainment system that gets surrounded by a copper colour plastic. It comes with a 360-degree camera system as well as wireless smartphone charging. The interface infotainment system comes with all your luxury entertainment features such as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It also features a multifunction steering wheel and some comfortable artificial leather covering seats. The Passenger range is by far the most impressive interior-wise and GWM has certainly set a new bar for their next generation of bakkies.
From first impressions, one can defiantly see that the P-Series is competing with the likes of the Toyota Hilux, VW Amarok, Ford Ranger, and Isuzu D-Max. It’s a smooth drive on the road and is very capable of getting itself a bit dirty when it needs. But the big question remains, how sustainable will the P-Series be, will it still be as smooth on-road and off-road in five years’ time? Guess time will have to answer that, but for now, all one can do is simply applaud GWM for making a worthy bakkie competitor.
Pricing
Commercial 2.0TD Single Cab
SX 4X2 6MT R339 900
SX 4X4 6MT R384 900
DLX 4X2 6MT R359 900
DLX 4X4 6MT R404 900
Commercial 2.0TD Double Cab
SX 4X2 6MT R369 900
SX 4X2 8AT R404 900
SX 4X4 6MT R414 900
SX 4X4 8AT R449 900
DLX 4X2 6MT R389 900
DLX 4X2 8AT R424 900
DLX 4X4 6MT R434 900
DLX 4X4 8AT R469 900
Passenger 2.0TD Double Cab
LS 4X2 8AT R434 900
LS 4X4 8AT R479 900
LT 4X2 8AT R499 900
LT 4X4 8AT R544 900
The P Series range will come with a 5-year/100 000km warranty, as well as a 5-year/100 000km service plan.
