The GWM Cannon-L is a pretty big Ute that I get asked about A LOT! Finally, I get to drive one and put it through our family testing, let's see how it gets on…
First step when I pick up the Cannon-L is to install my daughters' Infasecure child seats for our week with the vehicle. I have to say, and maybe it's because I am becoming a pro, it wasn't too painful!! Let's see how we got on…
I am totally converted to Utes. I think it should come as part of the becoming an Australian test, instead of questions about cricket or the Premier there should be questions like “Name the two most popular Utes!!!” or “When and how do you let down the tyres on a Ute?” It would be much more useful for everyday life in Australia!!
There are ISOFix and top tether anchorages for the outer two rear seats. This means you can only install two child seats in the GWM Cannon using top tether straps, which is a shame because it is really spacious in the back and if there was a third top tether anchorage then three child seats would fit across.
Installing the child seats comes with the usual ute-related difficulties with utes because accessing the top tether anchorages is difficult because they are on the wall behind the rear seatback. But at least they are solid metal ones that connect directly rather than the fabric loop type arrangements in a HiLux, D-Max/BT-50 and Navara.
The lack of space behind the headrest also makes tightening the tether strap really difficult, as is the case with most utes.
In the Cannon ute, the whole rear seatback folds forward and you can reach down to connect the top tether strap, but when you put the seat back firmly into position I did then find it difficult to sufficiently fasten the top tether strap on the forward-facing Infasecure Roamer II child seat. The rear-facing Attain More seat was easier because the adjuster is on the side so it's easier to get it sufficiently tight.
Legroom is really impressive in the GWM Cannon-L ute. We found with rear-facing child seats installed, we could fit a 186cm driver or passenger in front of it.
Storage is good throughout the Cannon ute too, with two cup holders in the front, a phone tray and good size glove box.
There are no cup holders in the back seats but the door bins in the front and rear are generous in size and will hold iPads and water bottles.
There is a tray on the dash as well as coin trays below the steering wheel too.
As you can imagine, the tray of the GWM Cannon will carry multiple prams if you need it to! I found it will hold 29 shopping bags when empty, which is the same as the previous model Isuzu D-Max, five more than the Nissan Navara that holds 25 bags, one less than the Mazda BT-50 and almost matching the Mitsubishi Triton that holds 30 shopping bags.
A twin pram fits in the front of the tray and is easily slid in and out when you need it, there is a step that slides out of the top of the tailgate when you press the ‘PUSH' button. I found I could reach to put prams in and out without the step but it would be useful for getting up into the tray and tying things down.
I found that where our daughter was in a rear-facing child seat, our compact stroller fitted neatly in the footwell behind the front passenger seat and kept it in out of the rain.
The media system in the GWM Cannon dual cab-ute is quite basic and easy to navigate.
It has Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which is fantastic. It's odd that the menu screen is on the left when in all other cars it's on the right?!
You can adjust the volumes and beeps of some things in the Cannon, which is great for families, but while on the go it seems to sometimes get confused about which you are adjusting the volume for with the main volume control as it might be trying to change the phone call volume when you really want to change the volume of music or podcast you're listening to.
I was particularly impressed with the quality of the camera images in the GWM Cannon.
You can turn the parking cameras on and off at any time with a button on the central dash too, which is really handy when manoeuvring.
There is a good seatbelt removal visual in the driver's display so you can see if anyone in the back removes a seatbelt.
This is a lot of ute for the price tag. Considering that the top-spec of the Cannon dual cab costs around the same as where most other brands of dual-cab 4×4 utes start. There are only a couple of things that let the Cannon down for me; firstly the drive is rough! It is quite slow, unrefined and tractor-like and very loud and secondly, the indicators are incredibly loud too and the two together can be a bit much! The steering feels quite stiff as well.
The Cannon dual cab ute does a lot of things really well and comes with seven airbags as standard and a full suite of safety features like blind-spot monitoring (BSM) and adaptive cruise control (ACC) which you expect to find in a family SUV and only recently have these become common on utes. This is great to start to see utes taking the safety of their occupants just as seriously as regular cars and SUVs. The Cannon Ute has now scored a 5 Star ANCAP safety rating but only for models produced from August 2021 onwards. Earlier models have to be adapted by a GWM dealer (for free) to qualify for the five-star rating.
BabyDrive Indepth
BabyDrive Indepth - Storage
How big is the tray of the GWM Cannon Dual Cab Ute?
The tailgate of the GWM Cannon Dual Cab Ute is quite heavy but unlike many other utes it has little struts like the boot of a car that slow it down to prevent slamming downwards and unlike any other ute I've tested, it has a handy step that pops out when you press the button at the edge.
Its tray is pretty big too and the GWM Cannon Dual Cab Ute will hold 29 shopping bags, which is the same as the previous model Isuzu D-Max, five more than the Nissan Navara that holds 25 bags, one less than the Mazda BT-50 and almost matches the Mitsubishi Triton, which holds 30 shopping bags.
The boot space and its functionality are really important. I like to have a big boot space and little side wells or areas I can divide things into. So something I don’t want to move around while I’m driving such as Tulsi’s lunch bag or her wet swimming gear can be sectioned off in a little well where it’s not going to spill or get squashed by the rest of the things in the boot.
Hooks for securing shopping bags to are also favourites of mine, I like being able to secure the bag containing more fragile things like eggs so they don’t move around on the journey.
I measure the boot space in freezer shopping bags, prams and dogs. Not because I think all there is to a mum’s life is food shopping, prams and dogs. (Although it can feel like it sometimes!!) But because these are visually mesurable items we can all associate with. For me, the car company boot measurement of litres ia not an amount I can easily visualise and 400L in one car may differ in usability to that in another due to the configuration or shape of the space.
Accessing the tray actually was a bit tricky over the sides for me, I'm 162cm, I did find I needed a step!
With a twin stroller in the tray, I can fit 20 shopping bags in around it.
The tandem pram fits in the tray of the GWM Cannon Ute with 20 bags around it.
A single pram fits in the tray with 20 shopping bags around it.
The compact stroller fits in the boot with 23 shopping bags around it.
And of course, you could easily fit any size dog in the tray of the GWM Cannon Ute.
How good is the storage in the GWM Cannon Dual Cab Ute?
Inside the dual cab of the GWM Cannon Ute, there are two cup holders in the central console. They will hold a reusable and disposable coffee cup and in front of them is another space that is good for storing the key.
There is a phone tray in front of the gear lever with a USB and 12V socket.
The central console box is quite small in the Cannon Ute.
The glove box is a really practical size and will hold my iPad and wallet with the manual.
There is a storage tray on the dashboard and two underneath the steering wheel that reminds me of the previous-model D-Max and my little ones love filling these up with the shells and rocks they find at the beach!!
The door bins in the front will hold a large refillable water bottle and an iPad fits easily too.
There are also little wells in the door handles too which are fab!
I find the door wells really handy for keys or little things my daughter has in her hands when I'm putting her in and out of the car.
The door bins in the back are slightly smaller but they still hold a reusable water bottle and iPad.
There are map pockets on the back of both front seats that will hold and conceal an iPad.
That's it for rear storage, it is minimal but practical and there are no rear cup holders.
BabyDrive Indepth - Noise
How noisy is the GWM Cannon Dual Cab Ute? How good is the media system in the GWM Cannon Dual Cab Ute?
The GWM Cannon Dual Cab Ute is a noisy beast of a ute!! The engine noise is very loud and especially bad when accelerating uphill (which it does slowly). It is also a beeping ute with a very loud indicator noise too!! These can all be disturbing for little passengers.
Becoming a parent I soon realised there are some noises and sounds I feel are unnecessary and I could happily live without if it meant my baby stayed asleep!!
That often the distraction of my screaming, distressed baby is more dangerous when driving than not having a lane departure warning for example.
If it is the lane departure warning beeping that creates distress with my baby then which is safest?
It’s where I think we need to be able to strike a balance and choose when we can mute the warnings or swap them to a vibration in the steering wheel or flashing light perhaps?
A lot of these noises come with the increase in technology and especially linked to safety features and alerts. For me these all have their place.
Another thing I have realised is I spend my time in a lot more places where small children roam, parks, beaches, play gyms, swimming lessons, daycare centre etc. I have become more aware that when I’m reversing or manouvering in the car parks I have to tripple check for small children running around behind me or being in my blind spot when reversing. For this I LOVE reversing cameras, I just don’t like their beeping sounds!!
I have become so much more aware of safety and potential accidents or hazards since having a child and so I love the peace of mind that I get from the cameras and sensors combined with my own vision from windows and mirrors as I don’t trust cameras alone.
The window mechanisms are not the quietest in the GWM Cannon either. That said, compared to some utes I found the doors of the GWM Cannon were not especially noisy to close so they would not disturb a sleeping child!
With baby asleep you want to be able to get in and out without worrying the doors will be too noisy and wake Bub up!
There is a seatbelt visual on the driver's display screen which is great for knowing if a rear passenger removes their seatbelt.
I find the media system in the GWM Cannon ute quite basic to use and simple to navigate. It does have a slight delay between you pressing your selection and it happening, which you have to account for.
You can adjust the climate control within the media screen…
…As well as being able to customise some of the sounds, beeps and noises.
The GWM Cannon Ute has Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
And the Cannon Ute also has fantastic quality reversing cameras….
…that you can make fill the full screen too.
In the digital display in front of the steering wheel, you have a useful digital speed reading.
There is a USB socket in the unit behind the rearview mirror which is great for plugging in your dashcam if you use one.
BabyDrive Indepth - Car Seats
How many child seats fit in the GWM Cannon Dual Cab Ute?
The GWM Cannon Dual Cab Ute has ISOFix points in the two outer rear seats and although they're not within plastic guides they are clearly labelled and easy to connect to.
There are two solid metal (yay) top tether anchorages behind the rear seatback, for the outer rear seats.
The rear seatback comes forward as one whole piece (which can make it trickier for installing more than one seat compared with some utes that had a split-folding design) and I could install two Infasecure child seats in the back using the top tether anchorages. I installed the Infasecure Attain More rear-facing and the Infasecure Roamer II forward-facing.
I could fit the Infasecure Versatile Folding Booster seat in the central seat because its lightweight design means it does not require a top tether strap.
Attaching the top tether straps was not too difficult because there are only two child seats so I had the central seat space to work in, however, tightening the top tether straps was difficult because there is not enough space behind the headrest to do it, as is the case with most utes.
With two Infasecure child seats installed in the back of the GWM Cannon there is room between them for someone to sit there comfortably.
The GWM Cannon Dual Cab Ute is very spacious and we had room for a 186cm driver in front of a rear-facing Infasecure Attain More child seat.
Posting Bub into a rear-facing child seat is nice and easy from inside and outside the GWM Cannon ute.
Australia being a country of weather extremes- blazing sun and torrential rain, mean you may find it easier to put Bub into their seat from inside the car sometimes. If it’s hot you can get the air-con going, cool the car down and not stand out in the sun while you fasten them in or shelter from the rain and not get soaked yourself whilst you’re doing it. So it is important to test whether Bub can be easily installed from either direction!
There is plenty of room to feed Bub in the back of the Cannon Dual Cab Ute too if you only have one child seat installed.
The seats in this Cannon Dual Cab Ute are grey leather with simple seams that should be easy for clearing up kids' crumbs and spills!
Legroom for the central seat is good as there is only a tiny hump in the floor that you have to straddle and there is a good amount of room for your feet. The backrest is comfy as there are no fold-down armrests or cup holders.
For the first year of Bub's life when we would go out as a family, if I wasn’t driving, I would travel in the back with Bub so it’s important to check the back seat comfort as you may be spending a lot of time in them! They were never something I gave any thought to before but I definitely notice a good or bad back seat now!
BabyDrive Indepth - Drive & Comfort
How comfortable is a GWM Cannon Dual Cab Ute?
The front seats of the GWM Cannon Dual Cab Ute are comfortable.
The steering wheel is only adjustable up/down not in/out in the models pre-August 2021. The controls are on the right side of the steering wheel and they are easy to use. I found the cruise control ran away with itself at lower speeds on undulating roads but was accurate on motorways.
There are air vents on either side of the media screen and one at each end of the dashboard.
There are also vents in the back of the central console box for the rear passengers. I found I could reach around to adjust them while driving which is good.
The controls are in the central dash below the media screen and are simple to use.
Visibility is good in the GWM Cannon Dual Cab Ute. The windows are large and even with rear-facing child seats installed, I can still see well out of the rear windows.
The excellent image quality of the reversing camera helps when parking because it is such a large vehicle I really like the extra vision down at child height at the back when manoeuvring.
I have realised I spend my time in a lot more places where small children roam, parks, beaches, play gyms, swimming lessons, daycare centre etc. I have become more aware that when I’m reversing or manouvering in the car parks I have to tripple check for small children running around behind me or being in my blind spot when reversing. For this I LOVE reversing cameras, I just don’t like their beeping sounds!!
As in all utes, the rear windscreen is flat which for rear-facing child seats means the sun just beats straight in on them, even when windows are tinted. Putting a shade up is the only option but it does affect the driver's ability to see out. One thing I have found to help is a sailplane type sports bar like on the Isuzu D-Max X-Terrain.
There is a USB and a household type plug socket in the back which is great for an Esky.
Also in the front, there is a conveniently placed USB behind the rear-view mirror for a dashcam.
There are handles above both back doors to hold a child's toy.
BabyDrive Indepth - Safety
The GWM Cannon ute scored a five-star ANCAP safety ratingONLY for models with a build date of August 2021 onwards, older ones have to be upgraded (for free) by the GWM dealer to qualify.
It scored 86% for adult occupancy protection and 87% for child occupancy protection.
The GWM Cannon ute comes with seven airbags;Â dual frontal, side chest-protecting and side head-protecting (curtain) airbags are standard. A centre airbag which provides added protection to front seat occupants in side impact crashes is also standard on all variants.
ANCAP said of results of their child occupancy crash testing:
In both the frontal offset and side impact tests, protection was GOOD for all critical body areas for both the 6 year and 10 year child dummies.
The GWM Ute is fitted with lower ISOFix anchorages and top tether anchorages on the rear outboard seats. Installation of child restraints in the centre seat of the second row is not recommended as there is no top tether anchorage for this position.
Installation of typical child restraints available in Australia and New Zealand showed most child restraints could be accommodated in the outboard rear seating positions, however care is needed to correctly install one of the selected Type B convertible seats.
Tace Clifford founded BabyDrive in 2017 after discovering a huge information gap in mainstream car reviews that left new parents and expanding families in the dark when it came to one of the biggest purchasing decisions of their lives.
The 2018 Mazda BT-50 is a simple and surprisingly nice ute, but I had to fit my own top tethers, there’s no Isofix and only two child seats can fit in the back. I could fit more strollers and shopping bags into the BT-50’s tray than the Navara and Triton, it matched the Hilux but held less than the Amarok and Colorado Read More
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