GWM POER

Cabin

The cabin is a mix of practicality and comfort with enough space and tech. The dashboard steps away from a typical work-truck layout, built around a 9-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto on both variants. The High variant gets a 7-inch digital trip computer ahead of the driver, along with a 6-speaker audio setup. The Platinum, on the other hand, makes do with a smaller 3.5-inch display and 4 speakers, the first sign that GWM has drawn a clear line between the two variants on cabin tech rather than just badges.

A leather-wrapped steering wheel with paddle shifters is fitted across the range, an unusual inclusion on a pickup built primarily to work. A sunroof is fitted to the High variant, another equipment gap that runs counter to what the trim names would suggest.

Front Seat

• High variant: 6-way electrically adjustable driver seat, 4-way electrically adjustable passenger seat
• Platinum variant: 6-way manually adjustable driver seat, 4-way manually adjustable passenger seat
• Leather upholstery fitted to both variants
• Intelligent key with push-button start across the range

Paying more for Platinum actually means giving up the powered seat adjustment that comes standard on the cheaper High; it's worth knowing before choosing a variant on brand alone.

Rear Seat

• Bench seating for three across the second row
• Rear air conditioning vents fitted as standard
• ISOFIX child seat anchors are included on both variants

The rear bench trades some outright cushioning for a flatter base, a sensible compromise on a vehicle that spends part of its life carrying tools rather than just people. The headroom stays generous even for taller passengers, helped by a roofline that doesn't taper aggressively toward the tailgate the way some coupe-styled double-cabs do.

Climate Control

Dual-zone automatic climate control comes fitted to both variants, a real comfort feature that many rivals at this price still restrict to a single-zone manual system. Rear vents keep the second row from feeling like an afterthought on longer drives.

Storage

• Door pockets sized for bottles on both front doors
• Centre console armrest with storage beneath
• Glovebox for documents and small items

Nothing unusual here, but everything a driver needs within easy reach during a working day is present and accounted for, from a phone to a site permit folder.

Charging

• Wireless phone charging pad, fitted only to the High variant
• USB ports front and rear on both variants
• 12V accessory outlet in the cabin

The wireless charger is one more line item that separates High from Platinum, despite Platinum's higher list price, and it's worth checking a dealer's current stock before assuming either variant has it.

Cargo Bed

This is the most important element for buyers of pickup, understanding it better is key. The Poer has a load bed that is 1,520 mm long, 1,520 mm wide, and 540 mm deep, with sides tall enough to stop loose cargo like tools or crates from sliding out on a rough road. GWM rates the Poer's payload at 1,050 kg, a properly useful figure for anyone hauling building materials or equipment rather than just weekend gear.

Both variants have the same bed dimensions and payload rating, so the choice between High and Platinum is about cabin equipment rather than hauling ability, not how much either can carry.

That consistency matters for anyone who regularly loads the bed to its limit rather than treating it as an occasional extra, since the cheaper High doesn't ask for a compromise on capacity to get there.

A spare wheel is fitted to both variants as standard, worth knowing for anyone planning a trip away from a paved road where a puncture can't wait for roadside assistance.

The Poer's basic safety net, covering ABS, brake assist, electronic brake-force distribution, stability control, tyre pressure monitoring, traction control, hill descent, hill-start assist, and an electronic parking brake with auto-hold, is shared across both variants.

• High adds a fuller driver-assist suite: adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keeping assist, lane departure warning, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, rear cross-traffic alert, and a 360-degree camera system
• 4 airbags on High versus 2 airbags on Platinum
• Reverse parking sensors and a rear-view camera are fitted to both variants, useful given how much of the tailgate blocks a direct view backward
• A locking rear differential helps in traction on loose or uneven surfaces regardless of variants.

That gap in airbag count and driver-assist tech between the two variants is significant enough that safety-conscious buyers should treat High, not Platinum, as the one worth the extra look despite its lower list price. Families using the Poer for daily school runs alongside weekend work trips have the most to gain from that extra layer of protection, given how much time the truck likely spends carrying passengers rather than cargo.

Front

A wide, slatted grille dominates the nose, flanked by angular headlamps that carry LED daytime running lights as standard on both variants. The bumper below rides high and chunky, with enough black cladding to shrug off the odd kerb scrape without showing it. Undoubtedly, its face is built to look tough in a showroom rather than blend into a job site. Looks like GWM leans into that with the brand mounted proudly and centrally. Steering-responsive fog lights swivel into a turn at low speed, and a follow-me-home function keeps the headlamps on briefly after locking up, useful in an unlit driveway or car park after dark.

Side Profile

The Poer is 5,410 mm long; the wheelbase is 3,230 mm. This size puts it firmly among the bigger double-cabs sold in the UAE. Wide wheel arches wrap around 18-inch alloy wheels on both variants, filling the arch perfectly. A subtle character line runs the length of the doors, breaking up what would otherwise be a slab-sided profile on a body this high. A shark-fin antenna replaces the traditional mast aerial on both variants, tidier to look at and less likely to catch on a low branch when reversing under a tree.

Alloy Wheels

Both High and Platinum get the same 265/60 R18 tyres on 18-inch alloys, a size chosen to balance a comfortable ride with enough sidewall for rougher tracks. It's a sensible middle ground rather than a show-truck wheel that would ruin the ride the moment the tarmac ends. The rain-sensing wipers come fitted across the range, a small convenience that matters more than expected during a sudden downpour.

Rear

The tailgate carries the Poer branding at its centre, flanked by LED tail lamps that echo the angular theme of the front. The rear fog lights are fitted alongside the standard front pair, useful when following another vehicle through dust or heavy rain on the way out of the city.

Colors

• White
• Black
• Brown
• Grey
• Blue

Five exterior colours are available for the Poer in the UAE. This gives you a reasonable spread between practical white and black, and the two-tone brown and blue options.

City Performance

• The 8-speed automatic shifts smoothly enough that the Poer never feels like it's hunting for the right gear.
• The standard rear camera earns its place on a vehicle this size with a bed of this length.
• Pulling away from a red light on Sheikh Zayed Road with an empty bed, the turbo delivers enough shove that keeping pace with city traffic never feels like an effort.
• Parking between two SUVs at a Dubai mall requires more care than a regular sedan; the Poer's width demands a wider bay than its double-cab shape first suggests.

Highway Performance

• Merging onto the E11 near Abu Dhabi, the torque-heavy engine pulls cleanly without needing a downshift to build speed.
• Cruising toward Al Ain with a loaded bed, the ride firms up noticeably compared to running empty, a trait common to leaf-sprung double-cabs carrying real weight.
• Wind noise around the door mirrors becomes noticeable at high speed, but the highway trait gives away the Poer's boxy, load-carrying shape.
• The 80-litre tank comfortably covers a Dubai to Abu Dhabi round trip without needing a fuel stop along the way.

Ride and Handling

• On rough roads or speed bumps inside an Al Ain compound, the empty bed registers a firm thump because the rear leaf springs are designed for carrying loads rather than providing cushioning.
• The steering weight builds progressively with speed, remaining light enough for tight car park manoeuvres without feeling nervous at highway pace.
• Braking bite is firm and predictable, reassuring the moment a slower vehicle appears unexpectedly on a busy Sharjah interchange.
• Through the easier bends approaching Hatta, body lean stays reasonably controlled for a vehicle built on a ladder frame rather than a car platform.

High is, despite the name suggesting an entry point, the better-equipped of the two on paper. It comes with the full driver-assist suite, 4 airbags, powered front seats, a wireless charging pad, and a larger digital trip computer, all while carrying the lower list price of the two.

Platinum (4WD) costs more but strips back several of those extras, including running manual seat adjustment, 2 airbags, and the extended driver-assist package. Buyers drawn to the Platinum name expecting a step up, should cross-check the actual equipment list with a dealer before signing.

Zigwheels Recommendation

Clearly, the High is the variant worth considering first; it costs less than Platinum while carrying more safety equipment and comfort features, an unusual position for a nameplate that normally implies the opposite. Only buyers with a specific reason to prefer Platinum's exact spec sheet should pay the premium for it.

Pickups are one popular category in the UAE and are largely dominated by established brands. Like every other segment, Chinese brands are trying to offer compelling choices to gain an entry. GWM's Poer is one such attempt, where it is trying to say that torque figures don't always translate into a truck that feels genuinely capable. But here, with higher power, it clearly shows up how easily it pulls away, loaded or empty.

Additionally, the 1,050 kg payload and properly sized bed give it real work credentials, not just double-cab styling borrowed for the school run.

Where it feels underwhelming is variants logic: paying more for Platinum buys less safety and a plainer cabin than the cheaper High, an odd trade GWM should fix.

But against rivals like the Hilux and Tasman, the Poer wins on price and torque but has no resale history yet, offset somewhat by a 6-year, 150,000 km warranty.

Other Pickups to Consider Instead of the POER