Once next to the GWM Poer KingKong, it becomes clear why the Chinese company chose such a pretentious name for it. The vehicle is over 5.6 meters long – 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.

“Looks like a Ford F-150, only from AliExpress”,

– said a colleague, a fan of American cars, with whom we discussed the appearance of KingKong.

Common features can indeed be found in the combination of the headlights with the grille and front bumper, as well as the stampings on the hood. The Americanized image is complemented by a curving side line, which visually cuts the pickup into three parts and gives it massiveness, but otherwise the KingKong is a utilitarian working device, albeit with an application for comfortable movement.

On asphalt roads near Moscow, the pickup truck is unexpectedly maneuverable, sharp steering movements (as in the “elk test”) are accompanied by strong body rolls. However, in emergency situations, the driver will be helped by a rollover prevention system and an emergency brake booster (as ESP elements).close 100% Haval

The suspension pleasantly swallows small bumps, works out harshly on serious bumps. The design feature of all pickups is also typical for Poer KingKong – with an empty body while driving, the rear part with leaf spring suspension, as they say, is a goat. With a loaded cargo compartment – the car gives more confidence behind the wheel.

The payload weight 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, which cannot be said about the stern, behind the rear window of the cab there is almost a third of the entire pickup truck (the length of the cargo compartment is 1820 mm). As compensation, parking sensors and a surround view system allow maneuvering in narrow spaces.close 100% Haval

Comfort is added by acceptable noise isolation, which creates the feeling of driving in a business class car – in the cabin you can hardly hear the engine and the rumble from the wheels.

The cockpit is both minimalist and a little chic: large control keys, air ducts resemble Renault Duster deflectors; soft and pleasant to the touch finishing materials, a leather interior is offered in a rich configuration; 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.close 100% Haval

There is enough space in the cab for large and tall passengers – even in the back seat, a 180-cm rider has plenty of headroom. On the other hand, the GWM Poer KingKong got the ergonomic nuances typical of Chinese cars: if a tall driver sits comfortably behind the wheel, then when he turns his head to the left, the central pillar will appear in front of his face. The downside is that the steering wheel is not adjustable.

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, is solved with the help of dealers, but I would like a regular version. Electric seat adjustment is available only to the driver; in China, a panoramic sunroof is offered in rich configurations; in the Russian Federation, this option, which is useful for off-road vehicles, is not yet available.close 100% Haval

GWM is preparing a line of accessories for KingKong: for example, dealers can install a kung or a cover on the cargo compartment for an additional fee.

The range of engines 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 installed on the Haval F7 and Tank 300, but it has good traction and a confident set of speeds.

Both engines are paired with a 6-speed manual with single plate clutch. The gear ratios of the box from the second to the sixth stage are identical for both versions, but for a diesel engine, the first and rear ones have a larger gear ratio.

In China, modifications with an automatic gearbox are available, but they will not be brought to us yet,

representatives of Great Wall told. Versions with “automatic” in any case would 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. Under normal asphalt and dirt conditions, the 2H mode with rear-wheel drive is preferable, the 4H and 4L modes will help to overcome difficult sections. To switch between them, there are three large buttons on the center console.close 100% Haval

The pickup’s off-road potential is unleashed in the 4L transmission’s low mode, which we spent most of our time behind the wheel climbing 60-degree grades, wading through deep ruts and wading through. By the way, KingKong provides preparation for installing a snorkel.

In “4L” mode, the low gear is automatically engaged and increases the torque by 2.5 times.

At first it looked like an adventure awaiting to pull heavy pickups with ropes and boots full of sand, but for an off-road truck, the journey turned out to be an easy walk through the forest at a speed of 10 km/h. With downshifting on, the driver only has to do what to slightly add gas, and on the descent from the mountain there is no need to touch the pedals at all – the KingKong will do the rest on its own, thanks to the automatic descent from the mountain. In this situation, it may be difficult for an inexperienced off-road driver to overcome himself and remove his foot from the brake.close 100% Haval

New GWM Poer KingKong starts at 2.8 million up to 3 million rubles, depending on the configuration.

When asked about the planned sales volume, representatives of the Chinese company answer evasively, emphasizing that this is a very niche car. The automaker sees the target audience as middle-aged men who are engaged in agricultural and repair work, as well as corporate clients. There are no plans to localize the model in Russia, which is not surprising, because the pickup truck market in the Russian Federation is very small (about 1 thousand cars are sold per month).