This is the new Great Wall Steed, a new truck launched recently here in the UK set to take
the pick-up market by storm. Great Wall are a Chinese company that has been making pick-up
trucks for over thirty years.
This will be their first UK release, their motto for the Steed is more spec, less spend.
So we thought we'd have a look at it and tell you what we really think.
So is this truck really great value for money at 15,998 or is it cheap and nasty.
Let's take a look.
The Great Wall Steed has a high specification; it has a range of gadgets and gizmos you might
not expect on a truck of this price.
It's got rear parking sensors, chrome side bars, body coloured rear hard canopy, body
coloured spoiler and a tough load liner in the back.
The rear cargo area is a good size and I can get as much gear as I need in here for a two
week hunting trip, plus my sandwiches, a camera man and of course a few dead animals.
You could even use it to move house if you wanted, it's a great size for hunting and
everyday use.
Your wife could probably use it to get in the weekly shop, maybe.
It's got chrome trim daytime running lights.
It has 16 inch alloy wheels.
Anti-lock brakes with electronic brake distribution.
Galvanized steel body panels and a rust proof chassis.
Plus this, its water cooled four stroke direct injection 2 litre diesel engine.
So that's not all, inside there's even more goodies to play with
You have heated leather seats, electric windows an Alpine stereo with CD player and IPod connection,
Bluetooth connectivity and steering wheel controls plus twin airbags.
It's also got plenty of room in the cab, an alarm and keyless entry as well as air con
for those hot sticky days hunting.
So that's enough of the gizmos and gadgets, let's see how it drives.
The Steed is a leaderin its field in terms of running and insurance costs offering an incredible 34.4 mile per
gallon fuel efficiency and the cheapest insurance of any truck here in the UK.
You may think that for under 16 grand it's not built to last and the interior may look
a little plastic, but don't be fooled. It's built to last and will outlive most other
decorative interiors.
Great Wall are confident it can stand the test of time; they even offer a whopping six
year anti-perforation warranty on the body work.
So you may be thinking 'How does it drive?' Well the six speed box offers superb fuel
efficiency and the ride quality is surprisingly good.
But remember, this is a pick-up truck so you're not going to glide smoothly and effortlessly
across the road.
So I've been asked on numerous occasions, what does the Steed really like to drive?
Well I've only had mine for about a week, so I thought what can I do to really get to
grips with it?
Well I decided to take a two week hunting road trip all across Europe taking in 2647
miles of the finest European roads.
So starting in the UK we took in France, Holland, Belgium, Germany, Poland, Czech Republic,
Slovakia and finally Hungary.
You could say we've spent a lot of time together.
So the Steed was as steadfast on the road as it was through the sticky stuff. But keep
your eyes peeled for upcoming episodes of Team Wild TV so you can see how it coped with
the really tough terrain.
Overall I felt the Steed performed phenomenally well and I had to keep reminding myself it
was only £15,998.
However I did have one minor issue on the Autobahn on the way home, but it was a clear
case of pilot error.
I'd zoned out cruising down the Autobahn, surrounded by Porches trying to blast me off
the road and I failed to pay enough attention to the fuel gauge.
As I sailed past fuel station after fuel station I failed to see my indicator was in the red
and I hoped I could make it to the next one.
Unfortunately it wasn't the case.
I sat at the side of the motorway for two hours, miserable, waiting for fuel. But luckily
I don't think anybody saw me in my inconspicuously wrapped Realtree Camo truck.
However if you do run out of fuel it's surprisingly easy to re-prime the fuel system. All you
need to do is squeeze this pump and it primes the engine. Ingenious.
Off road the Steed has a low range four wheel drive system that can easily be switched between
two wheel drive and four wheel drive using these switches on the dash board.
It works smoothly and it also automatically reverts to two wheel drive when you shut of the engine,
this is fantastic for fuel consumption just in case you forget.
So are the guys at Great Wall really telling the truth when they say the Steed has more
spec for less spend?
Well I think so. Before getting into my Great Wall Steed my vehicle of choice was a Mitsubishi
L200 Barbarian, it's a great truck and did everything I needed it to do. To be honest
when getting into the Steed I thought there would be a massive step down in terms of quality,
but there isn't.
The Great Wall Steed has all the functions and gadgets of other trucks on the market
and in this regard can definitely compete with other trucks that are twice the price.
So if you're looking for a capable working vehicle with high-end specification that costs
less brand new that most other second hand pick-ups there really is only one choice.
To find out more about the Great Wall Steed go to greatwallmotor.co.uk