It still has value on its side, but the GWM Ute has lost some lustre with price hikes and flaws exposed in our most recent drive of the Cannon-X dual-cab
- How much does the GWM Ute Cannon-X cost?
- What equipment comes with the GWM Ute Cannon-X?
- How safe is the GWM Ute Cannon-X?
- What powers the GWM Ute Cannon-X?
- How fuel efficient is the GWM Ute Cannon-X?
- What is the GWM Ute Cannon-X like to drive?
- How good is the GWM Ute Cannon-X off-road?
- What is the GWM Ute Cannon-X like inside?
- Should I buy a GWM Ute Cannon-X?
The Chinese-built GWM Cannon has created quite a following in Australia since its launch in 2021. Appealing to value-conscious buyers – including tradies and families – the high-series Cannon-X offers a sub-$50,000 price, an arsenal of standard features and moderate payload and towing credentials. That said, the value equation isn’t as strong as it was just a couple of years ago, while living with the Cannon-X for a couple of weeks also exposed some important shortfalls.
How much does the GWM Ute Cannon-X cost?
The 2023 GWM Ute line-up opens at $35,990 drive-away for the 4×2 Cannon fitted with an eight-speed automatic transmission and 2.0-litre turbo-diesel engine found across the range.
Moving up the model walk we enter four-wheel drive territory (still including an eight-speed auto) with a 4×4 version of the Cannon available from $38,990 drive-away, followed by the Cannon-L ($42,490 d/a), the Cannon-X tested here ($45,490 d/a) and the Cannon Vanta ($47,490 d/a).
The GWM Ute is offered in six different colours, each commanding a $595 premium with the exception of Pearl White (offered standard).
At the mid-$40,000s mark, which is up $4500 from its $40,990 drive-away launch price in 2021, the Cannon-X competes with the likes of the LDV T60 Max Luxe (from $45,780 drive-away), the top-shelf SsangYong Musso (from $43,590 drive-away) and the Mitsubishi Triton GLX 4×4 auto dual-cab ute (from $44,690 plus on-road costs).
What equipment comes with the GWM Ute Cannon-X?
Equipment levels are still highly competitive for the 2023 GWM Ute outlay.
The Cannon-X comes armed with 18-inch alloy wheels, heated front seats, leather upholstery, wireless phone charging, a 360-degree camera, 7.0-inch digital instrument cluster, auto-dimming rear-view mirror and three selectable power-assist steering modes.
Also standard is keyless entry and push-button start, dual-zone climate control, a 220-volt power outlet in the rear and an electric park brake.
The Cannon-X offers no native sat-nav of any kind, but does have smartphone mirroring software we’ll detail below.
The GWM Ute is backed by a benchmark seven-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty in Australia, as well as free roadside assistance for five years or 100,000km.
There’s also the option of capped-price servicing that costs $1700 over 4.5 years or 45,000km – six months/5000km for the first interval and 12 months/10,000km thereafter.
For the record, those provisions are slightly more frequent than the 12-month/15,000km industry norm.
How safe is the GWM Ute Cannon-X?
The 2023 GWM Ute is very safe, according to crash test authorities.
The Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) awarded all variants of the GWM Ute a maximum five-star safety rating in 2021.
Standard driver assist systems include autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian and cyclist detection, forward collision warning, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control and traffic sign recognition.
The Cannon-X has seven airbags, LED headlights, tyre pressure monitoring, front and rear parking sensors and a 360-degree camera – all worthy inclusions.
The caveat here is the intervention, tolerance and tuning of these systems in everyday driving.
The lane keep assistance function in particular is overbearing with its interventions and alarms, tugging at the steering wheel in a bid to bully you back into the lane.
What technology does the GWM Ute Cannon-X feature?
Headlining infotainment on the 2023 GWM Ute Cannon-X is a 9.0-inch centre touch-screen display with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and wireless phone charging.
It is matched by a seven-inch digital instrument cluster.
What powers the GWM Ute Cannon-X?
A 2.0-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder does duty under the bonnet of the 2023 GWM Ute Cannon-X, outputting 120kW and 400Nm and matched standard to an eight-speed ZF automatic transmission.
Payload comes in at 1050kg and maximum braked towing capacity is rated at 3000kg, 500kg down on the segment benchmark.
Four-wheel disc brakes are standard fitment too, which is still a noteworthy feature in this segment.
The Cannon-X is underpinned by the usual coil-spring front/leaf-spring rear suspension arrangement.
Now, tray space. The GWM offers some really redeeming features in some respects, such as tailgate damping and a handy ladder integrated into the tailgate.
Yet it misses some other essential items, like tray space lighting and the installation of only four tie-down points.
The tray is lined with durable plastic and is one of the most accommodating in its segment, measuring 1561mm long, 1614mm wide and 563mm high.
How fuel efficient is the GWM Ute Cannon-X?
GWM Australia claims an official average fuel consumption figure of 9.4L/100km on the combined cycle for the 2023 GWM Ute Cannon-X.
With a 78-litre fuel capacity, that equates to a total theoretical range of more than 800km.
In practice, we averaged about 8.7L/100km in mostly country driving, which is quite competitive. Throwing a load in the tray or in tow understandably increased that number.
What is the GWM Ute Cannon-X like to drive?
The 2023 GWM Ute Cannon-X isn’t the most memorable driving experience in the popular 4×4 dual-cab ute segment – especially amid polished new offerings from Ford and Volkswagen – but it covers the basics.
If anything, GWM needs to return to the drawing board to revisit tuning and modulation of its controls.
Firstly, the engine is beset with throttle response issues that materialise as soon as we drive it out of the car park and are ever-present across a two-week loan.
The throttle response itself is delayed upon first applying the accelerator pedal: to the point where it feels like nothing happens upon that first opening. Apply some more accelerator, and a little bit more again and then boom, you’re away.
This trait, compounded by some turbo lag, means taking off can feel quite jilted and snatchy.
Against the well-weighted, precise steering of the new Ford Ranger, the GWM’s steering feels quite approximate, and while light at low speed, doesn’t provide the driver with the same levels of feedback and weighting on the road.
The GWM Ute Cannon-X is afflicted by the same ‘tremoring’ that impacts all dual-cab utes, but the primary ride feels just that little bit busier unladen than it should, jiggling over imperfections at all speeds and lacking grace over larger hits.
On a rough country B-grade road, the sum of these traits is a ride that takes longer to recover from obstacles than most of its peers.
Another small oversight is the tuning of the cruise control, which tends to surge in a bid to maintain speed; another noticeable detraction on longer journeys.
The engine feels quite linear in building speed once moving; progressive, around-town speeds pose little issue and open-road driving is relatively straight-forward.
While the oiler won’t win any awards for refinement – underpinned by a fairly rattly, agricultural soundtrack – fuel efficiency is an obvious strength.
But herein lies a more fundamental issue: the little 2.0-litre’s 120kW of power and 400Nm of torque are ultimately inadequate for the GWM’s 2.2-tonne kerb weight.
This places an overreliance on the ZF automatic eight-speed gearbox to keep the engine in its sweet spot, and with limited outputs, it is made to work hard for it – constantly peddling back and forth as you accelerate, particularly on inclines and out of corners.
With a 600kg load on board (well within the GWM’s 1050kg payload), the engine’s dearth of grunt is compounded, while the chassis lacks the stability of well-sorted rivals like the Ranger and the HiLux.
We’ve also previously towed with the GWM Ute Cannon-X and found the engine had to work hard (and loudly) to increase pace, while the gearbox isn’t always the sharpest with its downshifts.
How good is the GWM Ute Cannon-X off-road?
We’ve done some light off-roading in the 2023 GWM Ute Cannon-X and found it will venture a considerable way from the tarmac if asked.
Fitted with a torque-on-demand centre differential, the Cannon-X can engage 4WD automatically at speeds up to 100km/h. It also features a switchable rear diff lock, together with an official water wading depth of 500mm (class standard is quickly becoming 700-800mm).
Over craggy, rutted surfaces, the Cannon-X offers decent wheel articulation and ground clearance.
However, once again it is beset with poor throttle response, which undermines its ability to quickly ramp up speed for immediate obstacles.
Moreover, the traction control system and on-demand 4×4 system feel quite reactive in their interventions, making transitions to sand or over obstacles quite crude.
What is the GWM Ute Cannon-X like inside?
GWM has done an admirable job of cramming the equipment levels it has into the 2023 GWM Ute Cannon-X for this price point.
Soft furnishings at the contact points, comfortable seats up front and stitched leather impart a sense of luxury and occasion.
Contrasting with that theme, however, are the lashings of matte silver grey accenting dotted across the dashboard and centre console, bringing down the overall perception of quality inside the cabin.
Another disappointing feature in our test car, which had amassed 15,000km before it reached our hands, are some notable squeaks and rattles from different parts of the cabin.
There are also some shortfalls when it comes to technology execution, including two-stage processes for basic commands such as activating the heated seats.
The biggest quibble, however, is the tiny size of the lettering and numbers in the digital instrument cluster – it’s so small that older eyes will find it illegible and drivers of all ages and eyesights will find they have to gaze more intently to pick up on key driving information.
The digital instrument cluster is also incompatible with polarised sunglasses.
Door pockets and occasional open cubbies and consoles equate to middle-of-the-road storage options inside the cabin, while the rear seat space offers separate air vents, USB charging points and the very handy 230-volt household power outlet.
One bone of contention is the child seat anchorage points. While the GWM Ute Cannon-X has two ISOFIX attachment points on the outbound pews, as well as three top tether points, the latter are facilitated by a looping system to a central carrier, which isn’t as rigid in practice as three dedicated hard mounts.
Rear seat proportions are quite generous, with enough space for forward-facing child seats (and rear-facing at a pinch), or two adults.
Should I buy a GWM Ute Cannon-X?
The 2023 GWM Ute Cannon-X manages to acquit itself in a decent manner in day-to-day scenarios, or as a lifestyle ute, offering compelling value and ownership credentials.
However, as a tool of trade, we reckon there are decidedly better options on the market. It lacks the towing and payload strengths many Aussies desire, offers a fiddly ride and suffers from a lack of final execution and polish with its key controls.
This is a case of the old adage that you get what you pay for, and taking into account the price rises since launch, the GWM Ute Cannon-X doesn’t quite stack up.
2023 GWM Ute Cannon-X at a glance:
Price: $45,490 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel
Output: 120kW/400Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel: 9.4L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 246g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2021)
Keyword: GWM Ute Cannon-X 2023 Review