We spoke to GWM head Toby Marshall in late 2025 to ask him why the brand who’s last pick-up offering the Steed, were launching a diesel model, the POER300 when others are looking at PHEV & EV options. He told us that GWM have successfully sold this model in other markets such as Australia & that there is GWM feel a market in the UK for a value for money hard working diesel pick-up. We got to grips with one recently & here’s what you need to know.
Model choice & price
GWM are offering three versions of the POER300; The Lux at £31,495, Ultra costing £34,830 & range topping Vanta at £36,830 all + vat.
Engine & power
It’s powered by a 2.4 litre 4 cylinder turbo diesel unit with 183PS & 480Nm. Transmission is via a 9-speed automatic gearbox which offers full time 4X4, plus low range gearing & several drive modes. On road you get Normal, Eco & Sport while off road Mud, Sand & Snow are offered.
Payload & practicality
This is competitive with a 1,000 kg payload, , up to a 3,500 kg braked towing capacity & a load bed with liner that measures 1,520mm X 1,520mm. A useful integrated tailgate step is fitted to Ultra & Vanta models. When the tailgate is folded down you push a button & hey presto the step emerges & with a 150kg load it’s no gimmick either. Expect others to take note.
Off road capability
Again this hits the mark. Decent 230mm ground clearance & approach & departure angles of 27 & 25 degrees with a rear diff lock, selectable low range & full time 4X4.
Outside
A large GWM logo sits on the centre grille, with large GWM lettering adorning the tailgate. Otherwise it looks like pretty much al pick-up’s.
Cabin & specs
GWM have taken the trouble to make sure that even the base Lux model comes with a 12.3” touchscreen, 7” drivers display, wireless charging, LED lights, leatherette seats & wireless connectivity for Apple CarPlay & Android Auto. Ultra adds even more with heated & ventilated front seats, a manual sunroof, 360 degree camera, the afore mentioned tailgate step & ambient lighting. Vanta has body coloured extras in black; alloys, front grille, badge, sports bar, fixed side steps, mirror covers & door handles.
Compared to pick-up’s of old it’s very car like if not quite as luxurious as a Ranger or Amarok. The dashboard top, front, centre binnacle, steering wheel & internal door finishes are all well put together with the cheaper stuff hidden much lower down.
Comfort & seating
You climb aboard using the side step & grab handles & settle into a welcoming cabin finished in black & chromes. The drivers seat offers plenty of adjustment, the steering wheel four & aft & the heated seats & heated steering wheel were a bonus in a very cold November. The cabin lining is light with a small manual sun roof that slides open to brighten things up.
Forward & side views are good & looking behind is made easy by the clever reversing cameras viewed on the touchscreen. Unlike the Ranger the gear selecter is easy to use & in the rear the bench is wide enough for three. Leg space in the back feels a touch compromised by the highish floor but headroom is acceptable. Twin USB’s, a fold down armrest & separate air-vents also feature on the back.
Cabin practicality
Whilst this is more basic than some competitors it’s very easy to use, to reach from the drivers seat & comes with logical options. Good news are the row of short cut buttons underneath although for climate they just give you access to the screen where you’ll need to adjust the temperature & directions on the screen which is fiddly as is the heated- cooling seat adjustment.
All of your off-road & drive mode functions are accessed separately via buttons & a circular dial all located next to the gear selector. Steering wheel controls are for the phone & infotainment, heated steering wheel, volume & cleverly a useful short-cut button to enter an on screen driver safety menu whee you can adjust lane departure & other driver safety to your preference. Adaptive cruise control is also offered via a left mounted stalk, but it’s hidden. To turn it on you pull it towards you & set the speed by pressing down.
Performance & drive modes
This is decent as well with 0-62mph taking 11 seconds. The main caveat we found is that the 9-speed gearbox is slow from the off, so you’l need to give yourself time when exiting a junction. The power kicks in but not immediately.
Fuel economy
Official combined fuel economy is 32.7 mpg WLTP combined. With 170 of our weeks miles driven on the motorway we averaged 28.3mpg. Still a 540 mile range courtesy of a 75 litre fuel tank means less stops than you’d expect
Warranty
Five-years or 125,000-mile warranty, with annual servicing or every 12,000 miles.
Safety
Ten active & passive ADAS safety systems, including Front & Rear Collision Warning, Lane Keeping Assist & Lane Centring Assist, Smart Dodge System & a 360-degree camera, plus seven airbags, has earned the POER300 a five-star ANCAP safety rating.
Driving on road
Like all pick-up’s even the lifestyle ones, you’ll need to account for what is a long, wide & heavy vehicle that’s been built to carry a load. Unladen you will find that the 300 does bounce & wobble over poor tarmac but for us that’s to be expected. Add rear passengers & a load & things definitely settle down especially if you’re driving in town.
On the motorway we found the 300 comfortable & surprisingly quiet if not quite as refined as a Ranger or Amarok. Two longish trips meant connecting wirelessly to CarPlay & listening to podcasts none of which required high volume adjustment. Hands-free calls were also similarly made with no noise issues. Furthermore the seats were comfortable & the driving position pretty good to, although the lack of steering reach was disappointing.
Off road
To be fair we didn’t venture off the beaten track so turned to our Northern Group Motoring colleague Damian Turner at http://themudlife.co.uk
One of our regions premier green-laner’s Damian said this about the POER300.
“On wet fields, rutted tracks & some steeper greasy inclines, the Poer300 just gets on with it. Even on fairly tame all-terrain tyres it rarely spun a wheel. Most of the time I didn’t need low-range or the locking diff – torque management did its job well enough.
Then there’s the anti–driveline wind-up release mechanism. Yes, it’s as technical as it sounds. When you’re turning on grippy surfaces in 4WD and you hear a clunk from underneath, that’s the system unwinding itself to prevent stress in the transmission. It’s a bit disconcerting if you’re not expecting it, but perfectly normal.
There’s plenty of grunt for towing & on soggy ground the POER300 pulled away cleanly with minimal fuss. It’s rated to tow 3,500kg, & while I didn’t subject it to a full test of that limit, it showed the right kind of composure and confidence.Ground clearance of 230mm is plenty & the approach and departure angles are good enough that I didn’t so much as graze the underneath. If anything, the limiting factor is the width on tighter trails, but that’s true of most modern pickups. All told, it’s far more capable off-road than the price tag suggests. ”
High praise indeed.
Pros
ConsVerdict