The Rezvani Tank hails from a tiny shop in Irvine, California. Rezvani the company is only five years old, but already its outrageous SUV occupies the garages and Instagram pages of celebrity owners like Jamie Foxx and Xzibit (yo, dawg, I heard you like military vehicles). It even has a small role in the upcoming film Men In Black: International movie probably because it looks like something from another planet.
One tough Tank:
But what those celebrity Instagram accounts won't show you is what's underneath. The Tank's bones are that of a last-generation Jeep Wrangler, its 6.4-litre V8 is an FCA-sourced Hemi crate engine, and its barely warmed-over interior is relatively bland. Yes, the Tank is essentially a Wrangler with a fancy body kit and a V8 engine. But if you can overlook its Frankenstein complex, you’ll find there's a reason it's such a social media star.
The Rezvani Tank's post-apocalypse-meets-Mars-Rover styling screams “Look at me!” emphatically. The SUV's macho face, penned by current Genesis designer Samir Sadikhov (weirdly), is unmistakable. The gaping mesh grille, slim headlights, and distinctive crossbar logo make it one of the meanest-looking vehicles on the street. And the full-glass rear hatch replete with slim LED taillights adds a slight upscale quality to the otherwise utilitarian-looking SUV. It's one of the most of the most photogenic vehicles we've driven. Stop for more than a few seconds, and people surround it with cameras.
Gallery: 2019 Rezvani Tank: First Drive
But we can't hand over the same impressive accolades to Rezvani's lackluster cabin treatment. Obvious components from the JK Wrangler carry over: the centrally located window controller, gauge cluster, shifter, and steering wheel – save for a tacked-on Rezvani logo – are all Jeep. The optional sports seats (roughly £2,700) are one of the justifiable increases to the Tank's six-figure asking price.
The well-bolstered, hyper-comfy leather buckets are a nice addition and came finished in an “F1” red-and-black, diamond-stitched leather on this spec. But buyers can choose from six different colours and patterns, including custom-named options like Platini, Elegante, Gladiatore, F458 Malletage, and Standard (beige). An extra £350 adds heaters to the seats, and £5,000 covers the whole dash in leather and stitched Rezvani logos.
Rezvani swaps the factory Jeep infotainment for an aftermarket Alpine system. The clean and responsive 7.9-inch touchscreen adds necessary tech to the Tank's otherwise rudimentary cabin. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity are standard, and apps like Spotify and Stitcher, among others, are available. But the Tank's pièce de résistance is its forward-looking infrared (FLIR) night vision camera – a £4,300 option. Unfortunately, we didn't get to test it in our short time with the Tank, but here's a video showing off its capabilities (and a handful of the Tank's other expensive options).
'Rezvani forgoes pedestrian driver assist features like front collision warnings and radar cruise control for something more extreme: bulletproofing. Splurging on the £230,000 Military Edition gets you AK-47-resistant glass and body armour, and additional features like underside explosive protection, a smoke screen (because why not), military-grade run-flat tyres, and even electromagnetic pulse (EMP) protection. Yeah, try getting that on your Jeep.
Our Tank tester is less equipped than its battle-ready brethren but still impressive. Even on the entry-level Tank, Rezvani offers optional features like the night vision camera (£4,300), a tow package (£6,600), and an off-road kit complete with a six-inch lift, huge 37-inch tyres, and Fox 2.5-inch reservoir shocks (£4,300). Not to mention the 6.4-litre Hemi V8 under the bonnet – a £25,000 option.
The 500 bhp Hemi moves the two-tonne Tank with surprising force. Mash the accelerator pedal and the massive SUV lunges forward, while a Hellcat-esque exhaust note emanates from the rear. Even with Jeep's now-outdated six-speed automatic, Rezvani clocks the Tank to 60 mph in about six seconds flat.
Rezvani forgoes pedestrian driver assist features like front collision warnings and radar cruise control for something more extreme: bulletproofing.
The 6.4-litre Hemi V8 is one of three engine options offered on the Tank. Rezvani rips the base 3.6-litre V6, which produces a modest 285 bhp and 260 lb-ft of torque, from the Wrangler. At the top of the spectrum is a supercharged 6.2-litre Hellcat V8 with 707 bhp. But that engine option is an extra £50,400 on top of the asking price.
Not even the more-powerful Hemi, though, can make up for the mass of this absolute unit. It is unexpectedly quick in a straight line, but it’s unrefined in the corners. The taller ride height and extra weight make it wobblier than your average Jeep, and the huge off-road tyres aren’t the most road-friendly.
The added ride height makes it tough to get in and out off, but the optional automatic folding side steps (as tested), are hugely helpful. The extra bodywork makes it difficult to see out of, too, but mirror-mounted cameras that engage with the blinker alleviate much of that stress.
By now, you might have noticed a theme: this SUV ain't cheap. The standard Rezvani Tank starts at around £130,000 – that's for the base V6 with little-to-no accessories. The Hemi-powered model goes for just over £150,000, and the Hellcat version is nearly £180,000. But the Tank Military Edition includes all of the aforementioned options – and the 707 bhp Hellcat engine – for a little less than £230,000.
For what you pay, the Rezvani Tank offers a lot. It looks good, it's powerful, and with optional features, like bulletproofing and thermal vision, outdoes more expensive SUVs in the accessories department. If you can swallow the steep six-figure asking price and overlook its obvious Jeep ties, the Rezvani Tank makes a statement.
2019 Rezvani Tank 6.4