GWM’s ute has moved quickly from ignore list to watch list – maybe even want list!
Overview
IT WASN’T too long ago that I remember typing the words, “it’s not too bad, for a Korean car”. Now, I find myself almost beyond the point of thinking, “it’s not too bad, for a Chinese car” or even, “it’s not too bad, for the price”.
Instead, I find myself writing, “this is actually quite good” and “if this keeps up, stalwart Japanese utes could be in for a very hard time”. It’s amazing how quickly things change.
It’s also amazing how quickly GWM’s utility offerings have gone from copping what is perhaps not-so-well-meaning “constructive criticism” to being applauded for getting so much right – which is exactly the kind of territory where the Cannon X now finds itself.
Is it the best ute on the market? No, it is not. Is it the worst? Not by a long shot.
The nuts and bolts of the GWM Cannon X see it top a three-tier ‘Cannon’ range ahead of the Cannon 4×2 ($35,990 drive-away), Cannon 4×4 ($38,990 drive-away) and Cannon L 4×4 ($42,490 drive-away). The full-fruit Cannon X 4×4 on test is priced at $45,490 drive-away.
Primarily, the GWM Cannon range is primed to challenge rivals including the LDV T60 (from $36,832 drive-away) and SsangYong Musso (from $35,790 drive-away), as well as any number of ‘mainstream’ competitors – chiefly the Mitsubishi Triton that has long been a bang-for-buck champion.
All Cannon variants are offered in just one body style: a dual-cab pick-up that measures 5410mm long, 1934mm tall and 1886mm wide with a 3230mm wheelbase, making it marginally larger than the equivalent Toyota HiLux in all dimensions.
The range is powered by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel producing 120kW and 400Nm, driving all four wheels exclusively via an eight-speed ZF automatic transmission. Fuel economy is rated at 9.4 litres per 100km on the ADR combined cycle.
Those numbers place the Cannon down slightly on the 4×4 ute industry standard (somewhere around 140kW/450Nm), which likely contributes to the model’s lower tow rating (3000kg), down 500kg on segment leaders. Payload is listed at a respectable 1050kg, and the tailgate even offers a handy built-in ladder.
The GWM Cannon range rides on double wishbone front and leaf-sprung rear suspension with stopping duties falling to disc brakes all-round – something many rivals in the class still don’t offer.
Off-roading is aided by a low-range transfer case, hill descent control, hill start assist, and a rear differential lock. Approach, break-over and departure angles are listed at 27.0, 21.1 and 25.0 respectively. Wading depth is just 500mm and ground clearance 232mm. All figures quoted are for an unladen vehicle.
Interestingly, safety equipment for the Cannon range is up there with the very best in the class.
All variants feature auto emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, lane departure warning and lane-keep assist, lane change assist, rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, traffic sign recognition, tyre pressure monitoring, reversing camera, passenger-kerbside camera, rear parking sensors and seven airbags.
The model received a five-star ANCAP safety rating in 2021.
For the Cannon range, we find an exceptionally long list of equipment, with more details available here.
Top-tier Cannon X feature highlights include leather upholstery, tilt/slide adjustable steering, 7.0-inch colour instrument cluster display, wireless charging, four-way adjustable passenger seat, power assist steering modes, door open warning, second-row 60:40 folding seat, and voice recognition.
All GWM vehicles, including those within the Cannon ute range, are backed by a seven-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty with five years’ roadside assistance.
Driving Impressions
Jumping in the Cannon X from a cold start, you’ll notice a significant lag between hitting the starter button and the engine firing. It’s almost as if it is running through a series of checks, warming the glow plugs and then eventually firing.
It only happens on a cold start, but it is quite a delay – somewhere in the vicinity of five seconds. It is quite strange at first but is one of those quirks you get used to after a little while, and eventually learn to circumvent by hitting the remote starter as you approach the vehicle.
And that nifty feature is just one of many the Cannon X offers as standard.
There is an incredible amount of technology in the vehicle considering the price, especially when you take into account the safety aids and digital dashboard, shift paddles for the automatic transmission, single-zone climate control, seat heaters, leather upholstery, electric front seat adjustment, a self-dimming mirror, electric park brake with auto-hold function, steering weight adjustment and a lot of other items you simply won’t find in mainstream competitors for this price.
And unlike some Chinese-made cars we’ve reviewed in recent times, we’re very pleased to report that we found the vast majority of the technology offered in the GWM Cannon X to be user-friendly and well calibrated. The adaptive cruise control even maintains a steady speed downhill, something the system found in a Toyota HiLux (as one example) does not.
We especially like the 360-degree camera technology, the keyless entry and start and the handy number of USB-A and 12V outlets scattered about the cabin.
More impressive still is that we had no loose trim, no squeaks and no rattles, and no misaligned panels. In fact, the fit and finish of the Cannon X was pretty hard to fault, the interior being especially well presented with quilted leather on the door cars, contrasting stitching, a leather clad steering wheel and a big infotainment screen flanked by vertically set ventilation outlets.
Interestingly, the badge on the steering wheel of the Cannon X is GWM’s old logo and doesn’t match the plethora of badges elsewhere across the car. It’s a very small criticism (if you’d call it that), but one we found odd all the same.
But not everything is peachy up front. Sure, the Cannon X offers good outboard visibility with generously sized wing mirrors while the seating position in relation to the primary controls is about what you’d expect.
The issue is that the non-adjustable shoulder point for the seatbelt means you may find the belt rubbing on your neck, while the absence of an A-pillar grab handle – coupled with shallow side steps – can make jumping in and out tricky, particularly when it’s wet.
We also found the quality of the audio system rather disappointing, especially at low to moderate volumes. It’s hollow and quite tinny, even when connected via cable to a high-quality streaming service such as Tidal. No amount of adjustment from the head unit seemed to improve the situation, either. Perhaps this is something GWM can improve in the future.
The only other qualms from the driver’s seat is that there’s a little wind rustle off the wing mirrors at freeway speeds. It’s a shame considering the vehicle is otherwise very quiet.
Finally, we note that the cup holders on the centre console can’t hold two drinks of the same size at the same time – best you pull rank over your apprentice or co-pilot and get your coffee in there first.
Oddment stowage is otherwise very good, the sliding key tray in the centre console bin an especially handy feature.
On the road, and for the most part, the GWM dual-cab is actually very good indeed. But there is no getting around the fact that it is ultimately underpowered. While it may offer sufficient hustle to cruise around unladen and at urban speeds, the two-litre donk struggles to keep pace with fast-flowing traffic, especially in undulating terrain.
And as excellent as the eight-speed transmission is, it can’t perform miracles. The lack of torque in relation to the vehicle’s weight is abundantly evident, most especially when attempting to overtake or accelerate up a steepening grade at 100km/h or more, while the turbo lag off the line is more than a tad frustrating, worse in fact than we’ve noted previously from the Mitsubishi Triton.
Working as hard as it does, the smaller capacity GWM engine also tends to get a little thirsty, and on test we averaged 9.4 litres per 100km – exactly the same as the ADR figure. That might seem good to some, but it’s still a tad more than rivals like the Isuzu D-Max (8.3) and Toyota HiLux (9.0) when sampled in the same style.
Underfoot, the ride quality and handling of the Cannon X is actually pretty good (well, for a leaf-sprung ute). It might be a little firm, but is no worse than class competitors, and offers handling that is better than you might expect, assuming you can dial yourself into the model’s somewhat vague steering.
On the plus side, the braking performance on offer from the four-wheel discs and consistency – almost SUV-like – pedal stroke makes the Cannon X easy to live with during the morning commute. While we didn’t test the vehicle heavily loaded or with its maximum 3000kg hitched to the tow ball, we did find the braking performance as good as most rivals we’ve sampled – excluding perhaps the HiLux Rogue and new Ford Ranger line-up.
Of course, the GWM Cannon X doesn’t quite have the standing or reputation that some of its rivals do. But it’s backed by a very decent warranty and, for our short time with the vehicle at least, appears to be quite a good rival to some of the better recognised brands.
Give it another generation and we think the Cannon will be well and truly one to watch – maybe even want in the same way as a HiLux or Ranger – especially if GWM can continue to bring it into the country at this sort of price. The future looks bright indeed.
Keyword: 2022 GWM Cannon X Review