Rent Tank 300 2023 in Dubai

Retro looks, real off-road hardware, a price that undercuts the established names: that's the pitch for the Tank 300 2023, and we rent it across Dubai with a no-deposit option so the boxy 4x4 with the spare on the tailgate doesn't tie up a chunk of your card before you've turned a wheel. This is GWM's body-on-frame off-roader, five seats, 2.0-litre turbo, all-wheel drive, and it's built for what a softer crossover only pretends to do. The question this page settles is whether the character and the genuine dune-and-Hatta ability are worth the value badge and the thirst, or whether you're better off with an established 4x4 or a road-only SUV.

What you're actually renting

The Tank 300 is the rare thing in this rental class: a proper ladder-frame 4x4 dressed in retro styling, not a tall hatchback with plastic cladding. The 2.0-litre turbo puts out 220 hp, drives all four wheels through an automatic gearbox, and gets to 100 km/h in about 10.6 seconds. Quick enough to merge onto Sheikh Zayed Road without drama, though it's the low-speed, off-tarmac stuff where this car earns its keep, not the traffic-light sprint.

The numbers in that table are reference. What matters is how they play out on a Dubai week, so here's the honest read.

Hatta, the dunes and why the hardware matters

This is the part where the Tank 300 separates itself from every crossover at the rental desk. It runs a low-range transfer case and differential locks, the actual off-road kit, not a "Sand" button on a touchscreen. With 224 mm of ground clearance and short overhangs front and rear, it climbs Hatta's rougher tracks and drops into soft sand without the nervous scraping you get from a road-biased SUV.

If your plan involves dunes, drop the tyre pressures, switch to low range, and it digs through soft sand confidently. For Hatta day trips, wadi tracks, or a desert camp run, this is one of the few cars in our value range we'd hand over without a caveat about getting stuck. Just respect the basics: a 4x4 buys capability, not invincibility, and recovering a bogged car in 45-degree heat is nobody's good afternoon.

Living with it on Dubai roads

Off the trail, the Tank 300 drives like the heavy ladder-frame truck it is. The steering is light and a bit vague at speed, with body lean through fast corners that a unibody crossover wouldn't have. On Sheikh Zayed Road or the E11 it cruises fine and overtakes without strain, but it never feels eager. That's the trade for the off-road toughness, and it's a fair one if you know it's coming.

Fuel is the real running cost. Expect somewhere around 9.5 L/100km on a gentle combined run, and noticeably worse in stop-start city traffic or after a sandy morning out. The 75-litre tank gives genuine range, so a normal week of city driving plus an airport run won't have you hunting for stations, but this isn't an economy car despite what the listing category says. Budget for fuel accordingly.

Heat, parking and the Dubai basics

The AC pulls a parked cabin down at a steady rather than instant pace. Park this tall, dark-grey body in open sun on a 45-degree afternoon and the first couple of minutes are warm before the front vents take hold. There are rear vents, so back-seat passengers aren't left to suffer, which matters if you're carrying family to the airport or out to the desert. Crack the windows for thirty seconds first and it settles quicker.

On size: this is a wide, tall car, 1930 mm across and just over 1900 mm tall, so tight Marina multi-storey bays and packed mall parking ask for a bit of care. The upside is the high seating position and big glass, which make placing it easier than the dimensions suggest. Speed bumps and steep mall ramps are a non-issue with that clearance; you'll clear things that bottom out a sedan.

Two practical Dubai notes. Salik tolls are charged to you as the renter, and any RTA fines during the rental pass to you, so keep to the limits on the E11. Seat belts are required in every seat, and children under four need a child seat.

Boot and passengers

Five seats, and the boot is a usable square shape behind them, fine for a family's luggage on an airport run or camping gear for a Hatta weekend. The side-hinged tailgate with the external spare swings out to the side rather than up, so leave room behind the car when you load in a tight bay. Pack soft bags over hard cases and you'll fit more.

Who should rent it, and who shouldn't

Rent the Tank 300 if you want real off-road ability and a car with character for the money, and you've got Hatta, the dunes, or a desert camp on the plan. The low range, the diff locks and the clearance are the genuine article, and the retro look is a bonus you don't pay a premium for here. Go in clear-eyed about the value badge, the fuel bill, and the soft on-road steering.

If your week is all Sheikh Zayed Road, airport runs and mall parking with no sand in sight, you're paying for hardware you won't use; a road-focused crossover will be lighter on fuel and easier to place. And if off-road reliability for a serious remote trip is the whole point, an established 4x4 with a longer track record is the safer call. For everyone in between, who wants the dunes and the desert without a luxury 4x4 rate, the Tank 300 is a genuinely good shout.