Bakkies are a staple of the South African car market, and they have evolved throughout the years to cater to the wide variety of needs of their customers.
First, they were billed as utilitarian vehicles perfect for the job site or a demanding 4×4 trail where a sedan or hatchback simply wouldn’t suffice.
Today, they are far more than that.
Money no object, you can get an all-out 4×4 like the Ineos Quartermaster Fieldmaster Edition, a flashy city-slicker like the Ford Ranger Platinum, or a solid all-rounder like the Toyota Hilux Legend.
Recently joining the ranks is a completely fresh face for the local market, taking the form of the new GWM P500.
GWM saw the demand that other competitors in the R1-million double cab segment enjoyed and wanted to get in on the action.
It thus introduced the P500 to the nation which not only aims to dethrone darlings like the Hilux and Ranger, but also to get in on the ground floor of a budding sector – that of hybrid vehicles.
The key selling point of the GWM is a semi-electric powertrain consisting of a turbocharged 2.0-litre petrol engine with 180kW and 380Nm, paired with an electric motor that throws in an extra 78kW and 268Nm.
Combined, the drive units generate a substantial 255kW and 648Nm, putting the GWM well ahead of its biggest challengers in terms of pure grunt.
Gear changes are handled by a nine-speed automatic box and it features an intelligent torque-on-demand four-wheel-drive system with low range and electronically controlled front and rear differential locks.
Further assisting drivers when tackling tricky 4×4 tracks are systems such as hill-start and hill-descent control, as well as a “transparent chassis view” function that uses the magic of cameras and computing to display a picture of what’s going on underneath the bakkie’s nose on the central screen.
With a price tag just shy of seven figures, the new P500 is primed to give many of the country’s most prestigious (and expensive) double cabs a run for their money.
Big-ticket bakkie battle
Below, you can see how the priciest bakkies on the South African market compare to the new GWM P500.
We did not include models like the Ford Ranger Raptor and Isuzu D-Max AT35 as they are special-edition vehicles with their own unique attributes and selling points.
Engine and power
| Model | Engine | Power |
|---|---|---|
| GWM P500 2.0T HEV Ultra Luxury 4×4 | 2.0l turbo-petrol hybrid | 255kW/648Nm |
| Jeep Gladiator 3.6 Rubicon | 3.6l petrol | 209kW/347Nm |
| Ford Ranger 3.0TD V6 Platinum 4WD |
3.0l turbo-diesel | 184kW/600Nm |
| VW Amarok 3.0TDI V6 Aventura 4Motion | 3.0l turbo-diesel | 184kW/600Nm |
| Ineos Grenadier 3.0TD Quartermaster Fieldmaster Edition | 3.0l turbo-diesel | 183kW/550Nm |
| Toyota Hilux 2.8GD-6 48V 4×4 Legend RS | 2.8l turbo-diesel mild-hybrid | 150kW/500Nm |
| Isuzu D-Max 3.0TD V-Cross 4×4 | 3.0l turbo-diesel | 140kW/450Nm |
Towing and payload
| Model | Towing capacity | Payload capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Isuzu D-Max 3.0TD V-Cross 4×4 | 3,500kg | 970kg |
| Ford Ranger 3.0TD V6 Platinum 4WD |
3,500kg | 944kg |
| VW Amarok 3.0TDI V6 Aventura 4Motion | 3,500kg | 942kg |
| Toyota Hilux 2.8GD-6 48V 4×4 Legend RS | 3,500kg | 790kg |
| Ineos Grenadier 3.0TD Quartermaster Fieldmaster Edition | 3,500kg | 782kg |
| GWM P500 2.0T HEV Ultra Luxury 4×4 | 3,500kg | 735kg |
| Jeep Gladiator 3.6 Rubicon | 2,721kg | 693kg |
Dimensions
| Model | Dimensions (LxWxH) | Wheelbase |
|---|---|---|
| Jeep Gladiator 3.6 Rubicon | 5,591mm x 1,894mm x 1,909mm | 3,488mm |
| GWM P500 2.0T HEV Ultra Luxury 4×4 | 5,445mm x 1,991mm x 1,924mm | 3,350mm |
| Ineos Grenadier 3.0TD Quartermaster Fieldmaster Edition | 5,400mm x 1,930mm x 2,019mm | 3,227mm |
| Ford Ranger 3.0TD V6 Platinum 4WD | 5,350mm x 2,015mm x 1,886mm | 3,270mm |
| VW Amarok 3.0TDI V6 Aventura 4Motion | 5,350mm x 1,910mm x 1,884mm | 3,270mm |
| Isuzu D-Max 3.0TD V-Cross 4×4 | 5,333mm x 1,880mm x 1,810mm | 3,125mm |
| Toyota Hilux 2.8GD-6 48V 4×4 Legend RS | 5,325mm x 1,900mm x 1,815mm | 3,085mm |
Ground clearance and maximum wading depth
| Model | Ground clearance | Max water wading depth |
|---|---|---|
| Toyota Hilux 2.8GD-6 48V 4×4 Legend RS | 286mm | 700mm |
| Ineos Grenadier 3.0TD Quartermaster Fieldmaster Edition | 264mm | 800mm |
| Jeep Gladiator 3.6 Rubicon | 249mm | 800mm |
| Ford Ranger 3.0TD V6 Platinum 4WD | 237mm | 800mm |
| VW Amarok 3.0TDI V6 Aventura 4Motion | 234mm | 800mm |
| Isuzu D-Max 3.0TD V-Cross 4×4 | 232mm | 800mm |
| GWM P500 2.0T HEV Ultra Luxury 4×4 | 224mm | 800mm |
Approach and departure angles
| Model | Approach angle | Break-over angle | Departure angle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jeep Gladiator 3.6 Rubicon | 43.4° | 20.3° | 26.0° |
| Ineos Grenadier 3.0TD Quartermaster Fieldmaster Edition | 36.2° | 26.2° | 22.6° |
| Ford Ranger 3.0TD V6 Platinum 4WD | 30.0° | 22.0° | 23.0° |
| VW Amarok 3.0TDI V6 Aventura 4Motion | 30.0° | 21.0° | 26.0° |
| Isuzu D-Max 3.0TD V-Cross 4×4 | 30.0° | 22.5° | 18.0° |
| Toyota Hilux 2.8GD-6 48V 4×4 Legend RS | 29.0° | 23.0° | 26.0° |
| GWM P500 2.0T HEV Ultra Luxury 4×4 | 28.5° | 19.0° | 23.0° |
Price and warranty
| Model | Price | Warranty |
|---|---|---|
| Ineos Grenadier 3.0TD Quartermaster Fieldmaster Edition | R1,862,100 | |
| Jeep Gladiator 3.6 Rubicon | R1,364,900 | |
| VW Amarok 3.0TDI V6 Aventura 4Motion | R1,228,100 | |
| Ford Ranger 3.0TD V6 Platinum 4WD | R1,120,100 | |
| Toyota Hilux 2.8GD-6 48V 4×4 Legend RS | R1,023,400 | |
| GWM P500 2.0T HEV Ultra Luxury 4×4 | R999,900 | |
| Isuzu D-Max 3.0TD V-Cross 4×4 | R916,400 |
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