Photo: GWM
We are used to Chinese manufacturers copying popular models from American and European brands in the past, but some of the most recent offerings could actually turn out to be competitive. Drivers in the U.S. would probably raise an eyebrow at this Chinese pickup truck from Great Wall Motors (GWM), but it seems to have gained some popularity in Australia in New Zealand.
The GWM POER (it’s supposed to be pronounced “power”) was officially announced at Auto China 2020, as a new-generation pickup truck, the first one in the company’s history to come with automatic transmission and advanced safety technology. This showed, right from the start, GWM’s intention to conquer the international market.
The name is an acronym for powerful, off-road, enjoyable and reliable. And, according to the Australian media (following a recent test drive event for several GWM models), the GWM POER seems to live up to its name.
The Chinese car maker is betting on the truck’s versatility. The large cabin and leather seats are supposed to be comfortable enough for a nap-break during long journeys, while the vehicle itself is big enough to bring along bicycles, tents, or even a motorboat. And it comes with 4 all-terrain driving modes (standard/commerce/sports/4L), so that it can perform just as well on sand as on muddy gravel roads.
As we mentioned, advanced technology is one of its strongest assets. An emergency brake assist feature, hill-start assist control, traction control system, tire pressure monitoring, plus a reversing camera and reversing sensor are part of the safety system that upgrades this pickup truck to a higher-class level. In fact, POER even got a five-star safety rating from the independent safety agency ANCAP.
The L2 level automatic driving is another important innovation for the Chinese pickup truck, including features such as automatic emergency brake, adaptive cruise control, all-around blind spot monitoring and traffic sign recognition.
All in all, the GWM POER’s design (both exterior and interior), smart technology and off-road performance seem to have earned it a good reputation so far. We’ll have to wait and see how far its reputation will extend.
The name is an acronym for powerful, off-road, enjoyable and reliable. And, according to the Australian media (following a recent test drive event for several GWM models), the GWM POER seems to live up to its name.
The Chinese car maker is betting on the truck’s versatility. The large cabin and leather seats are supposed to be comfortable enough for a nap-break during long journeys, while the vehicle itself is big enough to bring along bicycles, tents, or even a motorboat. And it comes with 4 all-terrain driving modes (standard/commerce/sports/4L), so that it can perform just as well on sand as on muddy gravel roads.
As we mentioned, advanced technology is one of its strongest assets. An emergency brake assist feature, hill-start assist control, traction control system, tire pressure monitoring, plus a reversing camera and reversing sensor are part of the safety system that upgrades this pickup truck to a higher-class level. In fact, POER even got a five-star safety rating from the independent safety agency ANCAP.
The L2 level automatic driving is another important innovation for the Chinese pickup truck, including features such as automatic emergency brake, adaptive cruise control, all-around blind spot monitoring and traffic sign recognition.
All in all, the GWM POER’s design (both exterior and interior), smart technology and off-road performance seem to have earned it a good reputation so far. We’ll have to wait and see how far its reputation will extend.
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