As the veritable avalanche of new utes - particularly from Chinese manufacturers - gathers more pace, it is often easy to forget the ones that were already here, often overshadowed, as they are, by the big sellers in the segment, the Ford Ranger and Toyota Hilux.
That includes the GWM Cannon, which was also recently overshadowed by its own bigger Cannon Alpha brother that made waves by being the first full hybrid ute on sale here.
GWM was one of the first Chinese manufacturers to sell utes in our market, by way of the Great Wall V200/V240 that was a budget ute powered by Toyota and Mitsubishi engines that launched here way back in 2016. It later became the Steed (although sadly it never wore its domestic market name of “Wingle” here) and remained a remarkably cheap, if very, very basic and quite poorly built vehicle.
But with the shift from “Great Wall Motors” to GWM came an all-new ute, one that was a significant upgrade over the old Steed, yet still remained remarkably well-priced while avoiding the shoddy build quality of its predecessor.
Originally just called the “GWM Ute”, the Cannon that launched in 2021 was a properly convincing package that boasted a luxurious interior to go with that impressive build quality, with really only a slightly wheezy and turbo lag-inflicted 120kW/400Nm 2.0-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder diesel engine letting it down. But even then, for the money, it was an impressive package.
Now GWM has addressed the biggest problem with the Cannon by replacing the old diesel with the shiny new 135kW/480Nm 2.4-litre turbo-diesel four straight from the bigger Cannon Alpha.
And what a difference it makes. While there is still a touch of turbo lag, the new engine is considerably more responsive and flexible than the old one, with a nicely strong mid-range and a considerably more refined nature.
Noticeably perkier off the line and happy to rev out further than the previous engine, the Cannon now feels strong and capable on the open road, effortlessly keeping up with the flow of traffic, rather than having to be rowed along like the old one. Overtaking is also easier thanks to that more generous mid-range grunt too.
The Cannon Lux is broadly specced similarly to a Ford Ranger Sport, but is - as you probably guessed - is priced considerably lower than the Blue Oval offering.
The addition of the new engine hasn’t just seen big improvements in driveability and refinement, with the towing capacity also benefiting from a 500kg bump up to the full segment-standard 3500kg, while tray payload is 995kg.
The updated Cannon is only being sold in New Zealand as a single specification Lux model, standard with 4WD, a nine-speed automatic transmission with a low-range transfer case, and an electronic locking rear differential.
The Cannon Lux is broadly specced similarly to a Ford Ranger Sport, but is - as you probably guessed - is priced considerably lower than the Blue Oval offering, with the Ranger landing at $69,990 while the Cannon retails at $43,490.
This price difference does show up in the Cannon’s ride, handling and performance, but only because the Ranger has shifted the goal posts so far in all those regards. Compare the Cannon to a Hilux or Navara and it matches them, even exceeding them when it comes to interior appointments.
And that interior is particularly impressive given that budget price tag, with good quality synthetic leather throughout the slick and restrained cabin. Stylistically, the Cannon’s dash looks like it comes out of a luxury SUV, while the materials used aren’t quite up with the high-end look, they are certainly better than what we are traditionally used to in a ute.
It just feels like the ute version of a big, friendly dog; comfortable, docile and happy to do whatever you want.
The excellent build quality is another highlight of the interior, while one oversight is the fact that when the light catches the digital instrument display in just the right (or should that be wrong?) way it looks like every warning light has illuminated. A momentary irritation, to be sure, but an irritation none the less.
On the road the Cannon has a typical ute-ish ride, with a slightly firm, brittle edge at low speeds, but it smooths out considerably at higher speeds, making it a pleasant open road cruiser.
Yes, it is afflicted with typically over-active driver assists, but they are easily turned off via handy shortcuts on the main touchscreen and even though you have to do it every time it starts, they are quick and easy enough that it quickly becomes second nature.
With the likes of the LDV T60 Max Plus and Jac T9 making waves in the budget ute segment, the GWM Cannon could well have fallen behind, but the new interior and vastly better engine do more than enough to not only keep it competitive, but also arguably take the lead in the segment.
How much is the GWM Cannon Lux?
While our Australian cousins get a full range, the GWM Cannon comes comes to New Zealand as a single model specification - Lux - and costs $43,490.
What are the key statistics for the GWM Cannon Lux?
The Cannon gets a new 135kW/480Nm 2.4-litre turbo diesel four-cylinder engine hooked up to a nine-speed automatic transmission with low range, and an electronic rear diff lock is standard. The Cannon can carry a payload of 995kg and has a braked towing capacity of 3500kg.
Is the GWM Cannon Lux efficient?
GWM claims a combined average fuel consumption figure of 8.4l/100km for the Cannon in this part of the world, but that is calculated under the outdated and inaccurate NEDC test that the Australian ADR81/02 standards frustratingly still use. The 3P-WLTP converted figure is 10.2l/100km, which is far closer to reality.
Is the GWM Cannon Lux good to drive?
It's a very traditional ute, so don't expect Ranger levels of ride quality and handling, but it is certainly better than a lot of its competitors in this regard, particularly those in its price range.
Is the GWM Cannon Lux practical?
The Cannon boasts a decent amount of rear leg room for a ute and if you want more, then there is the bigger Cannon Alpha. And, of course, it's a ute, so there is a big tray out the back, although it does lack its bigger brother's very clever split, two-way tailgate that is remarkably useful.
What do we like about the GWM Cannon Lux?
It just feels like the ute version of a big, friendly dog; comfortable, docile and happy to do whatever you want. Big comfortable seats and impressive interior quality make it a very compelling package in the sector.
What don’t we like about the GWM Cannon Lux?
The weirdly yellowish dash lights are often genuinely difficult to see in certain light conditions, while some of the menus in the infotainment system are dense and confusing to navigate.
What kind of person would the GWM Cannon Lux suit?
Someone in the market for a capable workhorse with a surprising amount of interior quality, and who doesn't want to spend Ranger or Hilux money to get it.
