2024 GWM Cannon Alpha Hybrid Ultra review

GWM rolls out more Cannon offerings with the arrival of the Alpha. This is a bigger, glitzier machine, and one that comes with hybrid power, the first in the segment.

With the Government’s removal of fees on higher emitting vehicles, sales of utes have again taken off.

Guess you could call it a green policy; trees love carbon dioxide after all. Pity us humans don’t fare so well when breathing in the more harmful emissions that a diesel engine produces (and in far greater amounts) than an equivalent petrol-fired donk.

But utes and other commercial vehicles do the hard yakka to keep the gears of the economy turning. And a diesel engine is easy to refuel and range isn’t an issue.

There are few alternative power sources if you genuinely need the capability of a pick-up to do your job. There has been an electric ute but LDV’s first effort was a dog.

More are coming, and so too are plug-in hybrids to balance capability and lower overall emissions.

There are now a couple of hybrid options on the market. The Hilux hybrid is of the mild variety, a 48v system added to the diesel to offer around a 10 per cent fuel saving.

The first full hybrid ute is this here unit before you, the Cannon Alpha. It runs a high-voltage (338v) set-up, a parallel full-hybrid system of the self-charging variety.

There’s a combined output of 255kW and 648Nm, enough to make a Ram 1500 worry. However that’s a hybrid maximum, available for a brief moment and at certain speeds.

The engine is a 2.0-litre turbopetrol with 180kW and 380Nm, the motor helping with 78kW and 268Nm, drawing power from a small lithium battery.

Alpha a new top dog

This powertrain is only available in the new Cannon Alpha, which is something quite different from the regular Cannon.

The Alpha is not simply a stretched version of that. Rather it is underpinned by the same bits as the Tank 500. The Alpha is also available with turbodiesel power, a 2.4-litre unit producing 135kW and 480Nm.

That’s a better oiler than the 2.0-litre 120kW/400Nm in the Cannon, and while that uses an eight-speed auto, the Alpha has a nine-speed. The AWD driveline comes complete with separate 4H and 4L settings, and adds a front and rear diff lock.

As to size, it’s not actually that much larger, only 35mm longer than the Cannon at 5445mm, yet it has a 120mm longer wheelbase at 3350mm.

It’s a bit wider too, closing in on 2m across. So it’s big, earning its Alpha tag.

Economical but?

Hybrids generally help cut fuel consumption, yet this Cannon Alpha you’d not rate as a particularly fuel-efficient machine.

GWM states average consumption at 9.8L/100km, the urban average (8.9) better than the extra-urban figure (10.4) on account of its ability to do some running on the electric motor, and it switches off when stopped up.

The diesel Alpha is rated at 8.9L/100km, with a better extra urban number too (8.2L/100km). It weighs a substantial 2575kg, with less than ideal aeros, so it was never going to be a fuel miser.

The figures we saw on the trip readout weren’t great either, averaging 13L/100km. If you haul with this, expect those to rise ever higher.

On that note, the Alpha comes with 3.5 tonnes of tow for both diesel and hybrid models. The payload rating for this hybrid is 735kg.

Its tray measures up at 1520mm at the floor and at the top of the well side. The tailgate is interesting; a quick push on the button residing in the big Cannon logo opens one side of the 60/40 split tailgate.

A longer push drops it down in the traditional manner. The 60/40 aspect allows for the loading of a pallet with a hoist.

The opening measures 1100mm wide, which is the same as the width between the arches.

Big but not OTT

While big it’s not Americana large. Those full-size pick-ups close in on 6m long, with harder to manage dimensions.

GWM reckons that the Alpha has a slightly smaller turning circle than the Cannon at 13.0m, so it’s not too bad in that regard.

In some ways this drives more like the American pick-ups than the Ranger or Hilux mob. The low-end torque of the hybrid is key, feeling V8-like in its pull below 80km/h.

However that urge tapers off from there. It’s generally smooth (though the introduction of the petrol engine can cause a sudden surge) while the two motivators work in tandem most of the time, motor-only running a rarity.

There’s that higher-set driving position and the light and breezy steering has a relaxed attitude. Alpha rolls into the bends, but is stable, the rear non-threatening.

A pity it can’t mimic the ride quality of the big rigs. The solid rear axle is located via leaf springs, and the ride is okay around town, chassis shake and shimmy minimal.

But on highway roads at 80km/h and above, the rear end gets jiggly and it crashes over the big bumps. The brake pedal is overly soft while the blending of the regen and friction brakes needs sorting.

Fit for a king

The Alpha has a first class cabin for a ute. This is more the SUV with a tray type. There’s very little hard plastics evident, lots of soft-topped surfaces with real stitching, and even a posh suede headlining with a full sunroof.

The seats are sumptuous for the class with plenty of powered adjustment (there’s tilt and reach adjustment on the wheel too), and are heated, ventilated and come with a massage function.

Fewer menus and submenus would help simplify the operation of the big touch screen, which controls most functions.

Big rear doors open up to generous backseat accommodations for either a pair of adults or a trio of kids. Seat comfort is top notch, the squab being powered to allow for a recline function.

It’s heated and ventilated too, while even back here the door pockets are flocked, the door tops soft.

Loaded load hauler

This has all the extras with a great surround-view camera, privacy glass, ambient lighting, puddle lamps and LEDs front and rear.

There’s leather trim, seats are powered on both sides of the cabin, there’s an auto reversing assist, an Infinity sound system (radio receptin isn’t great but), two charge pads (one in the back) and wireless CarPlay and Android Auto.

There are seven airbags and a whole heap of ADAS stuff too. We noted that a quick access to the emergency lane keeping function has been added to the touch screen, reducing the taps needed to disable this feature.

It’s super intolerant, demanding you stay dead centre in the lane at all times. Someone had also disabled the incessant speed warning alert, though this still manages to mute the radio briefly when you stray even a tiny amount over speed.

We blinded the annoying driver monitoring system by stuffing our jumper over it.

Worthy then?

The Cannon can be had from just $37,490 in 2WD guise, the top spec 4×4 X being $44,490. It’s a bit of a jump to the Alpha diesel that starts at $54,990.

The top spec Ultra is $59,990 while the hybrid is $68,990. With that premium, and its real-world consumption, it’s hard to see the Alpha hybrid being the answer to those looking to lower the emissions of their work horse.

The usual ute buyer will likely opt for the diesel and enjoy the luxury fit-out of the Ultra, which gazumps everything in the market at this price point.

This story first appeared in the August 2024 issue of NZ Autocar magazine.