2024 GWM Cannon Alpha Ultra Hybrid: Off-road review

GWM’s Cannon Alpha Hybrid was the first proper hybrid 4x4 ute to hit the mainstream Australian market when it was launched earlier this year.

We were pretty impressed with the big ute when we had a short drive of it at the launch and were keen to get into it for a longer evaluation.

A bit of background on the newish model; the Alpha is the bigger version of the popular GWM Cannon midsize ute and the Ultra is the top specification model. The Alpha is still midsize… but at the big end of that segment. It’s akin to a Ford Ranger/VW Amarok as it’s not as big as a full-size F-150 or Ram 1500.

JUMP AHEAD

• What you get
• Safety
• Powertrain
• On- and off-road performance
• Practicalities
• Verdict

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What you get

The Cannon Alpha measures 5445mm long (35mm longer than Cannon Ute), 1991mm wide (57mm wider than Cannon Ute) and is 1924mm high (38mm taller than Cannon Ute), while the 3350mm wheelbase is 120mm longer than that of a Cannon Ute.

The Alpha is more than just big and hybrid, it’s also exceptionally well appointed, probably more so than any other midsize 4x4 ute and more akin to the higher-spec US pick-ups.

Slip inside via the large, wide-opening doors and you’re met with plush leather, big screens, a huge sunroof and a swag of features. The Napa-leather-covered seats are ventilated and heated front and rear, with massaging on the front pews.

The rear seats also have an electric slide and recline function that does away with the upright backrest that is customary in double-cab utes, improving comfort for passengers in the back, however this is restricted depending on how far back the front seat occupants have their seats.

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If a tall driver has his/her seat all the way back it doesn’t leave a lot of space for the seat behind to slide forward and recline, however, in a normal, upright position, there’s plenty of leg and head room in the back.

On the dash the 14.6-inch infotainment screen is both big and easy to see and use. It is home to all the usual system settings and controls, with Apple Carplay and Android Auto mirroring functions. Unfortunately the only volume adjustment is via a slow-acting toggle on the steering wheel and the cabin temperature adjustment is all within the screen as well.

This is annoying, and verging on dangerous; if you are like me and drive with CarPlay on most of the time, and you want to adjust the cabin temperature, you need to go into another menu to find the appropriate control and make the adjustment.

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When doing this the driver monitoring system will tell you to pay attention to your driving and to drive carefully, which is bloody annoying.

This driver monitoring system would be a deal-breaker for me if I was considering a GWM equipped with it. Such systems will become essential if manufacturers want their vehicles to achieve a five-star safety rating using the latest standards, but personally I find the GWM system not just annoying, but an added distraction to driving.

Not only does it nag you when you glance away from the straight ahead, but it also tells you what’s coming up ahead, which you can see with your own eyes anyway! “Curve head, please drive carefully” and “Merging Lane ahead, please drive carefully” are totally unnecessary because they are only telling you what you can see anyway.

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Not only unnecessary but annoying as each time they butt-in they quieten the 10-speaker sound system which I would prefer to be enjoying.

Yes, you can turn these systems off and adjust their sensitivity in the many menus available in the multimedia screen, but they default back to on again each time you restart the vehicle. Plus, these are potentially lifesaving systems that you shouldn’t want to turn off, but the incessant nagging will be too much for some, myself included. Mitsubishi has shown that a driver monitor doesn’t have to be so invasive with the system in its Triton ute.

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Safety

Safety features in the Cannon Alpha Ultra Hybrid include AEB, front, side centre and curtain airbags, ETC, forward collision and lane departure warning, front and rear cross traffic alerts, and a TPMS.

Speaking of the TPMS, during our drive of the Cannon over gravel roads, the system came up with a low pressure warning in one of the rear tyres. I stopped to check it and sure enough the hissing of a slow leak could be heard and we had to swap it out for the spare.

Having the TPMS alert us to the tyre pressure dropping, and then stopping to investigate, meant we were able to replace the wheel and tyre before the pressure dropped to a dangerous level and/or the tyre overheated and destroyed itself.

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We later had the tyre professionally inspected, patched and put back into service which was a lot cheaper than replacing it with a new tyre.

I was a bit disappointed to find that the spare tyre is mounted to a steel wheel but thankfully it is a full-size tyre so there was no speed restriction with its use.

Powertrain

The big difference with the Cannon Alpha hybrid to the existing midsize 4x4 utes on the market is its hybrid powertrain. This comprises a turbocharged 2.0-litre petrol engine and an electric motor that is located within the transmission bell-housing along with the torque converter. Combined they deliver a claimed output of 255kW and 648Nm, and this is fed to a dual-range, on-demand 4x4 system via a nine-speed automatic transmission.

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The popular diesel-fuelled 4x4 utes can only dream about those sort of torque figures from the factory and the Cannon Alpha’s petrol/electric powertrain is far more refined than an oiler.

On and off-road performance

Both of these characteristics are appreciated when driving; the abundance of torque gives you plenty of pick up under your right boot and it is delivered in a smooth and relatively quiet manner. Full electric drive is only available for light throttle driving such as parking and low speed manoeuvring with the combustion engine kicking in as soon as you apply the accelerator to any degree.

The quiet and torquey turbocharged petrol engine and auto transmission are smooth and seamless in their operation and when combined with the boost of the electric motor there is plenty of performance available.

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As mentioned, the four-wheel drive system is an on-demand one, with high and low range, and off-road capability is boosted by locking differentials both front and rear. The only other ute in this class to offer front and rear lockers is the Ranger Raptor.

Also helping the cause when you get off sealed roads is the use of relatively sensible 18-inch wheels and 60 aspect tyres. We say reasonably sensible as it wouldn’t have surprised us to find 20-inch wheels and stupidly thin tyres on such a highly-specced vehicle, and the 18s are not so bad and offer better ride quality and a decent choice of replacements.

The suspension is your typical ute fare with coil-sprung IFS and a live-axle rear riding on leaf springs. The leaf pack used has just three leaves per side and these give a supple ride at low speeds while off road, but the quality is a bit harsh at higher speeds on rough roads, both sealed and unsealed.

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Practicalities

The Alpha hybrid still retains the 3500kg towing capacity of the other utes in the range but the payload is a relatively low 735kg.

The cargo tub is big and spacious with lighting to it from the roof of the vehicle, four tie down points and a spay-in liner, but no power outlet for running accessories such as a fridge.

The tailgate is another unique feature of the Cannon Alpha in that it can be opened both barn-dooor style with a split one-third of the way across or in the traditional drop-down method common on ute tubs.

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Verdict

The GWM Care 777 ownership package offers a 7-year unlimited kilometre warranty, 7-year roadside assist and 7-year capped price servicing, and this will be introduced on the Cannon Alpha Hybrid.

You could say that GWM is still finding its place in the Australian market but it’s already gaining popularity thanks no doubt to the price point and level of equipment on offer.

The up-spec features that you find in the Cannon Alpha are usually reserved for luxury cars, not utes, and along with the hybrid powertrain, this vehicle brings new features and interest to the ute segment that will ensure even more buyers take a look at GWM products… and we can only expect them to get better with further refinement.