Driving report: GWM Wey 03: Next module

How do you succeed in a highly competitive market? The Chinese car manufacturer Great Wall Motor is asking itself this question on its way to Central Europe. First of all, the Chinese continue to rely on plug-in hybrids, which have fallen out of favor with many car manufacturers. The Chinese logic is simple but plausible. We simply pack such a large battery in the car that the charging stops are significantly reduced. So the GWM Wey 03 has batteries on board with a capacity of 34 kilowatt hours, which enable a range of up to 139 kilometers. Interestingly, the all-wheel drive version manages nine more electric kilometers than the variant with just front-wheel drive. The reason is the higher recuperation performance thanks to the second electric motor on the rear axle. To ensure that recharging takes as little time as possible, the Wey 03 offers DC charging with a maximum of 50 kW, which most part-time electricity users cannot currently manage. At an AC charging station it is a standard 11 kW.

The second answer is a strategic one that German manufacturers also use: Instead of many names, no matter how successful they may be (for example Ora Funky Cat), the individual previous brands are brought together under the GWM umbrella as individual product lines. GWM Wey stands for SUVs with a certain premium quality and the number is an indicator of the size. So the GWM Wey 05, with a length of 4.87 meters, is one segment higher than the GWM 03, which is 4.67 meters and is seven centimeters narrower than the Wey 05. Simple and understandable. Coffee here, coffee there.

But that doesn’t mean that you’ll get claustrophobic attacks in Wey 03. Quite the opposite. Even in the “small” one there is enough space thanks to the wheelbase of 2.74 meters. However, the steering wheel column is too short, which makes it difficult to find a good seating position. The interior with the 14.6-inch central touchscreen, the 9.2-inch digital cockpit and the nine-inch climate control screen basically corresponds to that of the Wey 05. In keeping with this display triad, the infotainment also offers a setting and menu opulence, which you first have to find your way around. In terms of look and feel, the interior offers more than the standard compact class fare. You feel comfortable on the ventilated leather seats and the control units in the steering wheel spokes have a noticeable pressure point that triggers the desired action.

The path through the digital jungle is necessary in order to keep the many acoustic and visual warnings, some of which are wanted by the EU, under control. Otherwise it’s as lively as a casino in Las Vegas. For example, a stern female voice warns the driver to stay focused or as soon as the speed limit is exceeded. In the basic version with front-wheel drive, which is not available in its bigger brother, a 2.0-liter turbo petrol engine with 150 kW / 204 hp is combined with a 120 kW / 163 hp electric motor. This means that the GWM Wey 03 has exactly 270 kW / 367 HP and a maximum system torque of 500 Newton meters. We also tested this version and found that this power is completely sufficient.

The all-wheel drive top model even has 325 kW / 442 hp and 685 Nm, which are achieved by another electric motor with 135 kW / 184 hp on the rear axle. This means that the GWM Wey 03 reaches country road speeds in 5.3 seconds and, like the front-wheel drive version, can reach speeds of up to 230 km/h. The fact that the electric rear axle only takes part in propulsion when necessary minimizes consumption. During our longer test drive, which took us along motorways and in which we also tested the potency of the entire drive train with intermediate spurts, the on-board computer reported a consumption of 2.6 l/100 km, which is 2.1 l/100 km more than the factory information. The all-wheel drive model offers a cornucopia of driving modes with eight alternatives, including off-road-specific ones such as mud and a manually activated all-wheel drive mode, which virtually simulates a center differential with a locking effect.

One of the features that makes a Wey one is comfort. This applies both to the low noise level in the interior and to the tuning of the chassis, which is on the comfortable side. However, the springs and dampers cannot completely eliminate very bad asphalt. The steering could also be more communicative and the brakes could be applied a little more precisely. Relaxed long-distance stages are the strength of the GWM Wey 03 and the equipment with the adaptive LED light, the arsenal of assistance systems and the Infinity sound system is generous. However, with a starting price of around 47,500 euros, the SUV is not a bargain. If you order the tested all-wheel drive version in the Luxury equipment, you add another 7,500 euros. In addition to the already mentioned rich equipment. GWM also offers a five-year guarantee on the vehicle and eight years or 160,000 kilometers on the battery. For campers, it is not entirely unimportant that the GWM Wey 03 can tow a trailer load of two tons.