GWM Poer 300 drive by Steve Rogers
After the great exodus of five years ago it’s game on as the pick up paddock starts to fill.
Five brands took their leave of the UK under the threat of fines for not meeting stricter emission levels. We lost some big players, notably Nissan Navara and Mitsubishi L200, both companies had partnered with Mercedes and Fiat respectively so their presence was short-lived as well.
That left Toyota, Ford, Isuzu and SsangYong, now rebranded as KGM, to keep the pick up fires burning. It opened up an opportunity for the two lesser brands and Isuzu with its D-Max and the Musso from KGM have flourished. I even ranked the D-Max over the mighty Toyota Hi Lux in a back to back road test last summer.
So what’s the state of play now? Well, VW returned with Amorak, now virtually a Ford Ranger in all but name after they partnered up, Mitsubishi is making a comeback and Kia has shown its take on the lifestylers favourite transport.
Here we meet the GWM Poer, pronounced power, and for some reason its Chinese masters think the name is cool. It’s not. In Australia, where it sells with the speed of a bush fire, it is called Cannon. There is a hint there…
Haven’t we been here before? Yes, I drove the Steed back in 2013 when it was sold under the company's old name of Great Wall. That was a ridiculously cheap rugged pick up. I only drove it on normal roads and the only good thing about it, apart from the low price, was the Steed name which, come to think of it, is also better than Poer, but let’s move on.
First up, let’s distance the two. They are apart as the earth is from the sun. GWM hasn’t made the same mistake twice and this time has come up with a strong contender, with cut throat pricing and bulging with kit.
Keyless entry and start, heated and ventilated front seats, heated steering wheel, powered seats, auto dipping LED headlights, 360 degree camera, A and C charging ports and three 12V sockets. With proper leather, ambient lighting and some snazzy design touches the roomy cab has a premium feel so this is the way to start building a reputation.
Right, GWM is Chinese so you think I’m going to be moaning again about everything going through a touchscreen. Yes there is a 12.3in screen but the Poer has switches, a whole bank of them below the screen giving quick access to fan speed, heating, heated back window, and heated seats and hill descent, and there is a button on the steering wheel to turn off lane assist. All very welcome and sensible.
The technology is a mixed bag, logical enough but sometimes a bit slow if you don’t dab in the right place like the heated seat display which is too small and fiddly. This is a pick up with a bouncy ride so fingers tend to jump around.
My one big irritation is trying to tune the radio to BBC stations. They are there somewhere but I could not find them, and it took days to fathom how to adjust the radio volume from the passenger seat. Why do simple functions need to be hidden?
Poer will, I am sure, be a capable off roader with its switchable all wheel drive, low range gearbox and differential lock when the going gets really tough, but GWM has an eye on the lifestylers who have taken to double cab pick ups like surfers to the sea.
With 480Nm or torque from the turbo diesel engine, performance, if not the quickest in the pack, is more than acceptable with a good lump of power when overtaking.
Economy is a strong suit and I was clocking 34mpg on longer journeys, that beats some big name rivals. Poer has a nine speed auto box but changes while smooth are not lightning fast. Throttle lag when pulling from a standstill is an irritation and needs looking at.
After my experience with the bucking bronco ride of the Steed the Poer is a revelation. The ride is still a bit too lively and does not cope with B roads as well as the D-Max and Ford Ranger but it is light years ahead of its predecessor and settles nicely on good surfaces, in fact a motorway stint is quite relaxing.
As a workhorse it does the job as well as its rivals with a payload of 1050kg although the heavy duty community might prefer the option of a single cab in the range.
GWM has cleaned up its act and made the Poer 300 a capable machine. If its first job is to shake up the market it has won that round hands down.
Favourite feature: The pop out step on the tailgate. Gives easier access to the load bay.
Fast facts
Poer 300 Ultra
£35,430 exc VAT (starts £31,495 exc VAT)
2.4 turbo diesel; 180bhp
9-speed automatic
0-62mph 11 secs
32.7mpg combined
221g/km
Towing: 3500kg
Warranty: 5 years/120,000 miles
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