Next to GWM Poer KingKong, it’s understandable why the Chinese company chose such an ambitious name. The vehicle is longer than 5.6 meters – almost a third of a meter longer than the Toyota Hilux, Isuzu D-Max, Mitsubishi L200 and other popular pickup trucks. A real light truck.
“It looks like a Ford F-150, only on AliExpress”,
– said a colleague who is a fan of American cars, with which we discussed the appearance of KingKong.
Common features can indeed be found in the grille headlights and front bumper combination, as well as the prints on the hood. The Americanized image is complemented by a curved sideline that visually divides the collector into three parts and adds mass to it, but apart from that, the KingKong is a utilitarian work device, albeit with an app for comfortable movement.
On asphalt roads near Moscow, a pickup truck is unexpectedly maneuverable, sharp steering movements are accompanied by powerful body rolls (as in the “deer test”). However, in an emergency, the driver will be assisted by an anti-roll system and an emergency brake booster (as ESP elements).
The suspension pleasantly swallows small irregularities, runs rough in serious potholes. The design feature of all pickups is also typical for the Poer KingKong – with an empty body when driving, the rear is a goat, as they say, with leaf spring suspension. With a loaded cargo compartment – the car gives more confidence behind the wheel.
The payload is 975kg, much more than the Toyota Hilux and DongFeng DF6, and on par with the Mitsubishi L200, Isuzu D-Max and JAC T6.
Getting used to the dimensions of the car in front of the hood comes quickly enough, this cannot be said about the stern, behind the rear window of the cabin there is almost a third of the entire pickup truck (the length of the cargo compartment is 1820mm). As a compensation, the parking sensors and surround vision system allow maneuvering in tight spaces.
Comfort is added by acceptable sound insulation, which creates a feeling of driving in a premium car – the noise from the engine and wheels is almost inaudible in the cabin.
The cockpit is both minimalist and somewhat stylish: large control keys, air ducts resemble Renault Duster deflectors; soft and pleasant to the touch finishing materials, a leather interior in a rich configuration is presented; a large heated steering wheel, numerous niches for small things, hooks for bags and two screens. The multimedia system supports Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
There’s plenty of room in the cabin for hefty and tall passengers – even in the back seat there’s plenty of headroom for a 180cm driver. On the other hand, the GWM Poer KingKong had ergonomic nuances typical of Chinese cars: if a tall driver is sitting comfortably behind the wheel, when he turns his head to the left, the middle pillar will appear in front of his face. The disadvantage is that the steering wheel cannot be adjusted.
There was a feeling that the declared full-fledged climate control works like a single-zone air conditioner. So far instead of the engine start button there is a plug, which in principle was solved with the help of dealers, but I want a normal version. Power seat adjustment is only available to the driver; In China, the panoramic sunroof is offered in a wealth of configurations; This option, which is useful for all-terrain vehicles in the Russian Federation, is not yet available.
GWM is preparing a range of accessories for the KingKong: for example, dealers can install a kung or hatch in the cargo hold for an additional fee.
The engine range includes two turbocharged two-liter units: diesel (150 hp; 400 Nm) and gasoline (190 hp; 360 Nm). The first consumes 9.4 liters per “hundred” and is known for the Great Wall Poer, which has been on the Russian market since 2021. Gasoline is not so economical (almost 12 liters per 100 kilometers), it is also in the Haval F7 and Tank 300, but it has good traction and a confident speed set.
Both engines are paired with a 6-speed manual with a single-plate clutch. The gear ratios of the box from the second to the sixth stage are the same for both versions, but for a diesel engine the first and rear have larger gear ratios.
Modifications with automatic transmissions are available in China, but they will not be brought to us yet.
Great Wall representatives said. In any case, the “automatic” versions will be even more expensive.
All modifications of the novelty come with Part-Time all-wheel drive with a rigidly connected front axle using the popular and reliable BorgWarner transfer case. In normal asphalt and soil conditions, the rear-wheel drive 2H mode is preferred, while the 4H and 4L modes help tackle tough sections. There are three large buttons on the center console to switch between them.
The truck’s off-road potential is revealed in the low mode of the 4L transmission, where we spend most of our time behind the wheel climbing 60-degree slopes, driving through and through deep ruts. Meanwhile, KingKong provides preparation for snorkel setup.
In 4L mode, downshift engages automatically, increasing torque by 2.5 times.
At first, pulling heavy trucks with ropes and boots filled with sand seemed like an adventure, but for the off-road truck, the journey turned into a 10km/h hike through the woods. With downshift on, the driver only needs to add gas lightly and there’s no need to touch the pedals when descending the mountain – KingKong will take care of the rest on its own thanks to the auto-downhill. In this case, it may not be easy for an inexperienced “off-road” driver to get over himself and take his foot off the brake.
The new GWM Poer KingKong costs from 2.8 million to 3 million rubles, depending on the configuration.
When asked about the planned sales volume, representatives of the Chinese company evasive, emphasizing that this is a very niche car. The automaker sees its target audience as middle-aged men engaged in agriculture and repairs, as well as corporate customers. There are no plans to localize the model in Russia, which is not surprising because the market for pickup trucks in the Russian Federation is very small (about 1 thousand cars are sold per month).