The Great Wall Wingle is the company’s long-running pickup line, built since 2006 and sold as the Steed in Britain and Italy and as the V-Series in Australia. It began as a single model, was renamed Wingle 3 when the Wingle 5 arrived in 2010, and has since grown into a range that ran to the Wingle 7.
Great Wall Wingle at a glance
| Maker | Great Wall Motors, China |
|---|---|
| Production | since December 2006 |
| Also called | Great Wall Steed in Britain and Italy, V-Series and V240 in Australia |
| Wingle 3 | 2006–2010, originally just the Wingle |
| Wingle 5 | from March 2010 |
| Wingle 6 | 2014–2021 |
| Wingle 7 | from 2018 |
| Wingle 3 petrol | 2.4 litre, 100 kW (134 hp), 200 Nm |
| Wingle 5 diesel | 2.0 litre turbodiesel, 105 kW (141 hp), 305 Nm |
| Wingle 7 diesel | 2.0 litre GW4D20D, 107 kW (143 hp), 315 Nm, six-speed manual |
| Body basis | shell resembling the Isuzu Rodeo |
| Crash ratings | V240 two stars in ANCAP; basic Steed 5 zero stars in Global NCAP |
Based on one source, the English Wikipedia article on the Wingle.
History of the Great Wall Wingle
Wingle 3 (2006–2010)
The first Wingle, known in Chinese as 长城风骏, went into production in December 2006. Its body shell heavily resembles the earlier Isuzu Rodeo, and even the steering wheels are Toyota designs of the kind used in the Camry and Sienna. In 2009 it became the first Chinese-made pickup sold in Australia, where it was marketed as the V-Series; in Italy it was sold as the Steed. The Australian V240 version came with a 2.4 litre four-cylinder petrol engine producing 100 kW (134 hp) and 200 Nm, supplied by the SAIC-Mitsubishi joint venture in Shanghai, while the diesels were of Great Wall’s own design. The V240 had alloy wheels, an AM/FM CD radio, electric windows, leather-trimmed seats, disc and drum brakes and air conditioning as standard.
Wingle 5 (from 2010)
A new pickup called the Wingle 5 was released in March 2010, and the original model was renamed the Wingle 3. The Wingle 5 was available with a new 2.0 litre turbodiesel developing 105 kW (141 hp) and 305 Nm. In the United Kingdom it was marketed as the Great Wall Steed from 2012, the first Chinese vehicle sold there, and it stayed on sale until 2017. In Italy the Steed remained available with a 2.4 litre LPG engine. In Australia the Wingle 5 continued as the V240, and a single-cab model released in 2010 replaced the SA220, the Sailor.
Wingle 6 (2014–2021)
The Wingle 6 arrived in April 2014 with LED headlights, a rear differential lock, a reversing camera, parking sensors and a tyre pressure monitoring system. It used the same 2.0 litre diesel and 2.4 litre petrol engines as the Wingle 5. An updated version reached Australia in 2017 with the 2.0 litre diesel only, and production ended in 2021.
Wingle 7 (from 2018)
The Wingle 7, launched in 2018, is a full-size pickup offered with a standard bed and short wheelbase or a long bed with a long wheelbase. It comes only with the 2.0 litre GW4D20D diesel, producing 107 kW (143 hp) and 315 Nm, matched to a six-speed manual gearbox, with four-wheel drive available.
Safety
The results varied widely by market and equipment. The Great Wall V240 received two stars out of five in ANCAP testing. The African version of the Steed 5, without airbags or ABS, received zero stars for adult occupants and one star for toddlers from Global NCAP in 2020, and the basic Latin American Wingle 5 with two airbags but no pretensioners or stability control also scored zero stars from Latin NCAP in 2021.
Design and features
- One line, several generations: the Wingle 3, 5, 6 and 7 were sold alongside each other as the range expanded.
- Own diesel engines: Great Wall built its diesels itself, while early petrol units came from a Mitsubishi joint venture.
- Sold as the Steed: the first Chinese vehicle sold in Britain, from 2012 to 2017.
- Equipment growth: LED headlights, a diff lock, a reversing camera and tyre pressure monitoring arrived with the Wingle 6.
Great Wall Wingle versions
- Wingle 3 (2006–2010): the original model, sold as the V-Series in Australia and the Steed in Italy.
- Wingle 5 (from 2010): new body and a 2.0 litre turbodiesel.
- Wingle 6 (2014–2021): updated cabin and equipment, same engines.
- Wingle 7 (from 2018): full-size pickup with standard or long bed.
- Great Wall Steed: the British and Italian name for the Wingle 5.
The Wingle replaced the Sailor and was sold alongside the Hover SUV. More cars are in the Great Wall collection.
Video: 2014 Great Wall Wingle review
Video on YouTube.
Sources
- Great Wall Wingle, English Wikipedia: generations, engines, markets, safety
