What’s this new car all about then?
A ‘shot across the bow’ relates to a naval tactic of firing a warning shot across the pointy end of a ship in order to force it to stop or alter its course. Now although the GWM (Great Wall Motors) isn’t of a naval heritage, nor (obviously) is their ute a ship, but their new Cannon is definitely a warning shot to NZ’s increasingly popular ute market, that GWM really means business.
GWM has made its way into the top 10 brands in Australia and now has New Zealand firmly in its crosshairs. With the Cannon leading the charge, they are planning to release no less than seven new model additions this year, followed by the same number in 2026.
The Cannon has been one of the volume pillars of the brand on both sides of the Tasman. This is the second generation of the GWM ute, and is clearly a leap forward in virtually all areas, with improvements to the engine, the interior and exterior, and the technology - even its name has now been trademarked "GWM Cannon" as opposed to its previous, rather bland "GWM ute".
First and foremost is what lies under the bonnet. GWM has continued to invest in and improve its internal combustion engines and that includes the beefier new diesel powertrain that drives the Cannon. The ute now boasts a new 2.4-litre turbo diesel engine that has been mated to a 9-speed automatic transmission. The engine has had in power and torque over the old one, now producing 135kW (+15kW) and 480Nm (+80Nm) all while offering an 11 percent improvement in combined fuel efficiency (8.4L/100km vs 9.4L/100km).
For those who like to drag things around, the braked towing capacity has also been upgraded from 3200kg to 3500kg and for those that like to ‘chuck it in the ute’, it has a 995kg payload.
The exterior is slightly more sizable than before, however not enough to trouble its larger Cannon Alpha sibling and it’s been given a spruce up with more chrome accents, a smarter grille and an embossed tailgate with whopping GWM lettering, underlining their desire for GWM world domination.
On the inside you get a Cannon branded faux leather steering wheel, an "Aviation style" gear shifter, a wireless phone charger and slicker tech, with a 7-inch digital driver instrument cluster and 12.3-inch infotainment screen that you can now talk to. GWM have also made off-road accessorising simpler, with three 12-volt pre-wired switches for you to connect the likes of spot lights and winches.
How much is it?
Make no mistake, the 2025 GMW Cannon is well-kitted out and feels well bolted together, which makes its sticker price of $43,490 quite the statement. For value seekers it’s got plenty on offer and will make the likes of the JAC T9, LDV T60 and even the Mitsubishi Triton have a gulp moment.
What’s it like to drive?
GWM invited us to Holden’s (remember them) old proving ground in Lang Lang, Victoria to put the Cannon through its paces, both off and on-road. The new ute, sorry Cannon, comes with a smart and highly functional Torque On Demand (TOD) 4x4 system which essentially means that when venturing off-road, the driver barely does diddly-squat.
The route had certainly been devised to show off the Cannon’s capabilities, using and sometimes exceeding all its angles. We crawled over very rough Aussie terrain, climbed dusty hills and waded into deep billabongs, thankfully with the Cannon not struggling for grip at any stage. I say thankfully as ‘beware of snakes’ signage meant I was staying inside the upgraded cab regardless. What’s more, should we have taken things more extreme, we still had 4L (Four-Low) and a rear diff lock to play with.
One point of note, the Cannon did drag its belly on the ground a couple of times, which had me question its 220mm ground clearance or ramp-over credentials, but either way, it’s more than sufficient for most general use. Oh, and to further demonstrate its ease of use torque, GWM set us a lane-change gravel course, which had us tail-wagging in economy mode (2H mode) and well-planted in Normal (4-auto).
The on-road test was an hour(ish) loop outside the facility gates, with a mix of tarmac and gravel sections. Here the Cannon sat on the road well, even unladen as we were. Aside from the expected diesel clatter hum, the cabin is quiet, with a hint of wind noise from the passenger side window. Steering is arguably a tad numb, but certainly positive and the extra power and torque is evident, especially when combined with the Sports-mode’s quicker throttle response.
Although yet to be confirmed, it’s expected that the new GWM Cannon will achieve 5-Star ANCAP status and as such does come with a suite of ADAS trinkets, spanning traffic sign recognition and 360-degree camera views, to front and rear collision warning and blind spot/lane change assist. The good news is that most are not too intrusive or naggy, however, the adaptive cruise control seems to have a fixed distance space that’ll have other vehicles nipping in front.
What’s the pick of the range?
Across the ditch in ‘stralia, GWM are hitting the market with four models, ranging from the Cannon Lux, Cannon Ultra and Cannon Vanta, to the more off-road capable Cannon XSR. However, here in NZ we’re just getting the one grade, the GWM Cannon Lux, 2.4L Dual Cab 4X4 Auto. And did I mention what great value it is?
What other cars should I consider?
The aforementioned Chinese competition like the JAC T9 ($49,990) and LDV T60 ($34,990 to $69,990) are the most obvious alternatives, as well as the KGM Musso ($39,990 to $49,990).
While the likes of the segment-leading Ford Ranger and Toyota Hilux are considerably more expensive than the Cannon, the other top-selling ute in New Zealand, the Mitsubishi Triton ($38,690 to $59,990) isn't far off the GWM's pricing, although the equivalently-specced double cab AWD models are still more expensive, sitting between $50,790 and $59,990.
