Great Wall no more: GWM Ute comes in under $34,000

Great Wall has revealed a new dual cab ute under a new name and a fresh brand, with the GWM Ute Cannon kicking off at a very competitive price.

The dual-cab Cannon ute is the entry point to the newly minted GWM nameplate and will offer an eight-speed automatic teamed with a 2.0-litre diesel engine for $33,900 drive-away.

It’s not quite the cheapest dual-cab ute on the market with an automatic transmission – take a bow, LDV T60 Pro at $30,990 – but spec for spec it’s around $20,000 cheaper than a base Toyota HiLux in automatic WorkMate trim.

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The Cannon also comes standard with active safety aids like AEB with pedestrian detection, lane-keep assist and seven airbags, as well as colour multimedia touchscreens, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, switchable drive modes and a nicely trimmed cabin, if images of overseas-spec cars on the local website are any indication.

As well, our previous reports on the Cannon reveal that 5G connectivity, a claimed level three autonomy and the option of a coil-sprung rear end are also on the table.

The base car will be joined by the Cannon L and Cannon X, which will (depending on spec) add leather-accented interior trim, sports bars, alloy rims and more.

The in-house 2.0-litre turbo diesel engine produces a claimed 120kW of power and a handy 400Nm of torque. It’s still shy of category leaders like the Toyota HiLux (150kW/500Nm with a six-speed auto), but the eight-speed ZF auto transmission is a nice addition.

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The move to the GWM branding is a global shift for the company, with the new ute – which has been on sale in other markets for more than a year - a good opportunity to realign the brand with its giant Chinese parent.

GWM’s $24,990 Steed will remain in the fleet for those looking for the cheapest ute they can find, but the Cannon be aimed more at private buyers than at the primary sector.