Why these affordable utes are taking over NZ

Kiwis and utes – name a more iconic duo. Every year, selling figures affirm our love for these beasts, with the Toyota Hilux and Ford Ranger consistently landing within the top three slots of New Zealand most popular vehicles.

But there’s a newcomer to this highly favoured market – one whose surging popularity may be enough to topple these long-reigning utility kings. GWM has replaced their Great Wall Steed (a staple in the affordable utes category) with the Cannon range – an all-round achiever that has caught the eyes of many car experts around the country.

The GWM Cannon range

The GWM Cannon is equipped with a 2.0-litre turbo-diesel engine, boasting 120kW of power and 400Nm of torque. There are three models in the range – the Cannon, the Cannon-L and the Cannon-X. As you go up the range, you get more gadgets and features, as well as extra oomph under the hood. But even the top model is still stunningly cheap compared to your standard Hilux or Ranger, despite delivering a comparable performance. 

What do the reviews say?

One common factor across the long-standing popular models is expensiveness. Car manufacturers are all too aware of how well-suited the ute is for New Zealand’s roads and countryside – and the price points reflect this demand.

But the GWM Cannon is a breath of fresh air. As Radio Hauraki’s Chris Key cheekily put it, “the best part about this ute is if you squint, it kind of looks like a sixty-grand ute – and if you stop squinting, it still looks like a sixty-grand ute.” 

He’s right. Despite costing far less than a Hilux or a Ranger, the GWM Cannon is set with all the specs and features you’d expect from more premium models. In fact, its towing capacity of 3,000kg is more than a Ranger Raptor.

It’s also incredibly safe for its price point, packed with technology like lane-keep-assist, rear and front parking sensors, automatic emergency breaking and more. That explains why it was recently awarded the highest ANCAP safety rating – 5 stars. 

Chris, who took the Cannon-L out for a spin, noted that the 8-speed automatic or 6-speed manual options were “pretty damn economical” – but it was the interior that proved to be one of his biggest highlights. Ergonomic leather seats, along with a host of cutting-edge tech features, were a big plus – something that Chris speculated could be ten grand more in a Hilux and twenty grand in a Ranger.

This was a fairly common opinion amongst reviewers. Nile Bijoux, motoring reporter for Stuff, said, “make no mistake, the Cannon is a seriously well-equipped piece of kit.” He considered the GWM Cannon a significant step up from the Steed, boasting enough grunt to handle all the needs and wants of your typical ute driver. Once again, value was seen as a big advantage, as not many vehicles in the ute category could offer this level of reliability and performance at a comparable price point – a verdict echoed in a review from AA Motoring, which highlighted how the Cannon offered far more than its cost would lead you to expect.

Reviewing the GWM Cannon for Drive Life, Alistair Weekes’s first impression was the ute’s size – a deceptive notion, as the Cannon is only marginally larger than other vehicles in its category. Alistair also notes that this sense of largeness also signals “a tough and well-built product.”

Across the pond, Car Expert’s Scott Collie took the Cannon-X for a spin on Australian soil. He also lauded the premium-feeling interior – a surprise, considering the price – and came to the conclusion that it was “a solid performer on and off the road, and still represents great value compared to a Hilux or Ranger.”

The GWM Cannon looks like it’s filling a much-wanted gap in the ute market – offering Kiwis an option where affordability meets durability and performance. If you’d like to find out more, don’t hesitate to reach out to our team of experts.