Even at only a glance, it seems surprising that the GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV is so overlooked in the plug-in hybrid race. Given how many examples of the BYD Shark 6 can be seen on Aussie roads, you’d even be forgiven for thinking it’s a one-horse race.
Between January to November 2025, BYD shifted a staggering 16,398 examples of the Shark – an 8.4 percent market share that puts it only slightly behind the Mitsubishi Triton and fifth among all utes.
As for the Ford Ranger PHEV, it might not be quite so plentiful a sight yet, but it’s part of the most popular nameplate in the country. By contrast, GWM sold just 2295 examples of the entire Cannon Alpha range including both Hybrid and PHEV variants.
Yours truly is yet to see one, other than our example, on the roads of South Australia where we tested it. But why? It certainly can’t be price. The Cannon Alpha PHEV starts at $59,990 before on-road costs for the Lux, stepping up to $66,990 for the Ultra tested here.
The base model is priced at a $2090 premium over the Shark 6, err, Premium. As for the Ranger, the most affordable PHEV on offer is the tradie-spec XLT at $71,990. You’ll need to spend $86,990 on the Stormtrak to get anywhere near as much gear as this thing has.
The cabin in the Cannon Alpha PHEV Ultra is brimming with amenities, with the classy analogue clock on the centre console a good indicator of what to expect. It’s also absolutely massive inside, owing to the Alpha’s 3350mm wheelbase and 5445mm overall length.
The front seats offer everything – power adjustment, heating, ventilation, and massage functions. The steering wheel is heated, while the rear seats are also heated and cooled. The driver is also treated to a comprehensive head-up display.
Everyone on board can enjoy the big panoramic sunroof, 10-speaker Infinity audio system, and 64-colour ambient lighting that will even sync to your music – although the novelty of that wears off quickly.
With that said, there is one curious omission: there’s no rear window demister on Ultra variants due to the sliding rear window. You’ll even spot a blank switch right on the centre console where it should be.
Despite this, other utes including the outgoing Nissan Navara and American trucks like the Ford F-150 have offered a sliding rear window with a demister. You’ll also find a gargantuan 14.6-inch central infotainment screen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Impressively, it even displayed Waze navigation in the 12.3-inch driver display; most cars will only show the native navigation system there. That said, the Alpha’s own infotainment system can be a bit complex at times with too many sub-menus.
On the outside, it has some serious presence on account of its sheer size, although the PHEV’s black trim helps it look less blingy than the chrome-adorned Hybrid. Only four colours are on offer: Marble White, Crystal Black, Onyx Silver, and Storm Grey.
Black 18-inch alloy wheels are standard, although the steel spare is awkwardly mounted inside the tray rather than under it because of the hybrid battery location. The tray itself is impressively sized, and the split tailgate is a gamechanger.
Not only can it fold down as usual with a short press of the button inside the rear badge, but with a long press it will split open in a barn door arrangement, making it far easier to load heavy items.
With that said, payload is only rated at 685kg on account of the rear coil springs, immense 2810kg kerb weight and 3495kg GVM. Braked towing is still rated to 3500kg with a 350kg down-ball rating, but be wary of the 6745kg GCM.
The Cannon Alpha PHEV’s drivetrain consists of a 180kW/380Nm 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine and 120kW/400Nm electric motor. Together, they combine for very healthy system outputs of 300kW and 750Nm.
That’s down 20kW but up 100Nm on the BYD Shark 6, and up 93kW and 53Nm on the Ford Ranger PHEV. Similar to the latter, it features a conventional driveline consisting of a nine-speed automatic transmission and dual-range ‘Hi4T’ four-wheel drive system.
A rear diff lock is standard on both trim levels, while the Ultra gains a front locker as well. This sets the Cannon Alpha PHEV apart from the Shark 6 as the latter has no mechanical connection between the front wheels.
Instead, the BYD sports an electric motor on each axle instead; no traditional gearbox or prop shaft means no low range or lockers either. By virtue of taking the traditional approach, the GWM drives very predictably.
The gearbox is unobtrusive and well calibrated, the switch between petrol and electric power is fairly seamless, and the power on offer feels immense when you plant your foot down. With coil springs all around, the ride quality is also impressive.
While it can feel firm at times, it’s more refined than rugged when it comes to the on-road experience, which is befitting of its image. However, you can never really escape the feeling of driving a big, heavy vehicle no matter how much power or damping you give it.
Even though it corners steadily for a vehicle this size, you can always feel physics reminding you it weighs 2.8 tonnes. The turning circle more closely resembles that of a gas giant, too.
That aside, it’s a pleasant thing to live with in town thanks to its refined driving experience, especially when stuck into EV mode for emissions-free driving. That’s something you can do plenty of thanks to its 37.1kWh traction battery.
While GWM claims 115km electric range on the NEDC test cycle, a still-impressive 75-80km seemed more likely in real world testing. That’s more than enough to get to work and back without burning a drop of dino juice for the average motorist.
In terms of fuel economy, GWM claims 1.7-litres/100km with a full battery charge and 7.9-litres/100km when that’s depleted. Over the course of 736km testing in a range of driving conditions, we saw 5.5-litres/100km.
Hybrid battery usage of 21.2kWh/100km. The Cannon Alpha PHEV is backed by the ‘GWM Care’ plan, which includes a 7-year unlimited kilometre warranty, 7-years of roadside assistance, and 7-years of capped price servicing.
There’s also an eight-year unlimited kilometre battery warranty. Why the Cannon Alpha PHEV isn’t stealing as big a slice of the sales pie as the BYD Shark 6 is seemingly a mystery, as it’s a vehicle that left us truly impressed.
Sure, it costs a bit more, but its more traditional approach makes it seem like the far better choice if off-road ability is part of the equation. You can find out more on the GWM Australia website, or by talking to your local dealership.
To get a low rate finance quote, talk to Australia’s best reviewed car finance broker; Credit One. To see a great range of vehicles for sale, check out OnlyCars.com.au.
The vehicle tested here was provided by GWM Australia for independent review purposes. Exhaust Notes Australia was not paid to review this vehicle.
