A small subset of Chinese utes is threatening the established dual-cab ute market on value and equipment. Which is the better option to take the fight to the better-known competition? Kez Casey and Sam Purcell find out.
Overview
A brace of new utes is taking the dual-cab market by storm – but they’re not from the usual-suspect brands. While the last 24 months has seen new-generation arrivals from established brands such as the Mazda BT-50, Isuzu D-Max, and Nissan Navara, a subset of Chinese-developed and built newcomers threatens the status quo.
You wouldn’t exactly call options like the LDV T60 and GWM Ute segment fresh arrivals, because they’ve been on the scene for a few years now. However, both these brands have put continual updates into their offerings that now compete aggressively on value, while adding in luxurious kit and equipment you wouldn’t normally expect from the work-ready dual-cab ute segment.
So which value-priced, top-spec ute is the better fighter to take on the established Japanese-branded competition? Let’s decide.
Introduction
GWM Ute
As the range-topper in the GWM Ute range, the 2022 GWM Ute Cannon X comes with everything you could want.
From ute must-haves, like four-wheel drive and a maximum 1050kg payload, down to nice-to-have bits that are hard to find in the segment, like a 360-degree camera, 9.0-inch infotainment and all-LED exterior lighting. All while keeping the price tag under $45K.
The clincher here, for some, is that the GWM Ute runs a 2.0-litre turbo diesel engine producing 120kW and 400Nm, whereas most utes in the class sit closer to 150kW/450Nm or more. The Ute’s towing capacity also sits behind the pack at 3000kg, not the almost default 3500kg of the class.
On balance, though, the GWM Ute range, which starts from $34,990 for the 4×2 Cannon base model or $37,990 for the 4×4 Cannon, and rises to $43,490 for the Cannon X seen here (all drive-away), is searing value next to competitors. A basic 4×4 ute in most ranges is about the same price on the road as GWM’s flagship.
For this review, we took a slightly less hardcore route and put the Cannon X into duty as a lifestyle hauler. These reviews can tell you more about how the Ute range handles a load and how it copes off-road. It’s also worth mentioning the car tested here doesn’t carry suspension tweaks expected later in 2022.
As for the Cannon X, as the flagship model it boasts some neat touches over the rest of the range. Little details like one-touch up and down windows on all doors, leather seating instead of leather-look, tilt and slide steering wheel adjustment, and a 7.0-inch digital instrument display.
That’s on top of features found across the range including a chrome grille, mirrors and door handles, 18-inch alloy wheels, a slide-away tailgate step, keyless entry and start, and single-zone climate control.
LDV T60
The 2022 LDV T60 has been heavily revised – enough to appear like an all-new model. It’s a sign of the times; a fast-moving segment requires a constant flow of new metal and models in order to gain (and keep) the attention of the car-buying public.
This is an update, however – a major one for the Chinese ute that has muscled its way into the Australian four-wheel-drive ute segment after first appearing back in 2017.
Back then, LDV was aiming to slice off a hearty 10 per cent slice of the market for itself. Such a number is yet to be attained. LDV managed to garner 3.5 per cent of four-wheel-drive ute business in 2021 from its 6705 sales in a market that tallied 189,614 4×4 utes overall (according to VFACTS).
It’s a number that certainly falls short of the LDV’s bullish targets, but is impressive nonetheless.
And with a lot more power and torque under the bonnet these days (enough to give some of the regulars a red face), along with the updated look and a smattering of new tech, the Chinese brand is no doubt looking to peel off a little more market share in 2022.
Prices have recently gone up for the T60, however, thanks to ongoing new car supply shortages amidst increasing demand. The cheapest T60 Max Pro manual starts from $35,779 plus on-road costs, the better-equipped Luxe steps up to $40,516 plus on-road costs, and in both cases an automatic adds $2105.
This is, after all, one of the biggest and fastest-growing segments of the Australian new car market.
| Key details | 2022 GWM Ute Cannon X | 2022 LDV T60 Max Luxe |
| Price (MSRP) | $43,490 drive-away | $42,621 drive-away |
| Colour of test car | Pittsburgh Silver | Metal Black |
| Options | Metallic paint – $595 | Metallic paint – $500 |
| Price as tested | $44,085 drive-away | $43,121 drive-away |
Inside
GWM UteClimb into the cabin and the process is familiar. The GWM Ute is no shrinking violet or scaled-down ute. It’s every bit the size and scope of the utes it competes with. That’s a good start.
Better still is the initial impression of a pretty flash interior. Swing the door open and you’re greeted by diamond-quilted leather trim, and a dash design that’s modern, neat and tidy.
That wouldn’t count for much if there wasn’t room to move, and again the GWM doesn’t disappoint. The front seats have stacks of room, although on longer trips some lumbar adjustment to go with the electric slide and recline would be handy.
In the rear there’s good leg room, plenty of head room, and a backrest that’s angled just enough to save that bolt-upright stance found in some dual-cabs. There are also rear air vents, plus USB and 220-volt household (international plug) power outlets.
In terms of features you’ll find single-zone climate control, a wireless charge pad for your mobile phone, heated front seats, an auto-dimming rear view mirror with dash cam-ready USB power socket, and a pair of lower console USB points.
The fit and finish of parts and panels are pretty good. Some bits, like the big plastic panel on the passenger side of the dash, can look a little chintzy (and you don’t get this finish in the two lower grades) but it’s pretty neat overall.
Speaking of differences, subtle though they may be, the Cannon X has a slightly different upper dash, different air vents, more brightwork, and a stitched upper dash pad. It does, however, lose the little storage recess found on lower grades.
Because there’s a lot of leather and high-gloss surfaces in the interior, it’s hard to know how everything will stack up over time. There’s a nice solid feel to anything you touch, but not everything looks entirely worksite compatible.
The biggest selling point, though, and firm on the ‘why didn’t they think of it before?’ list for any ute, is the ease of tray access. Drop the damped tailgate, press a button in the gate and out pops a folding step. It’s sturdy and secure, and makes loading anything in or out of the far reaches of the tub a breeze.
We’ve got the most expensive choice out of a two-variant T60 Max range known as Luxe. It’s around an extra $5000 over Pro specification, and nets things like leather upholstery, heated front seats with electric adjustment, keyless entry and push-button start, 360-degree camera and an auto-dimming rear-view mirror.
This comes atop gear like a 10.25-inch infotainment display, tyre pressure monitoring, climate control, and a six-speaker sound system.
It’s an interior that has been refreshed and is well laid out for day-to-day usage. There are a couple of cupholders next to the manual handbrake, some storage for your incidentals below the infotainment display, and twin USB power outlets (along with a 12-volt plug).
The quality of the seating position is good, but not as good as the best in the segment. The seats lack a bit of under-thigh support, and the steering column only has tilt adjustment, no reach adjustment is available. While the seats might not be as comfortable or well bolstered as the Ranger Wildtraks and HiLux SR5s of the world, I did find them comfortable enough after a week of driving – recording a couple of decently long stints behind the wheel, as well.
The second row is reasonably spacious as well, thanks to the 3155mm wheelbase and 5365mm of overall length. These are two numbers that are unchanged with this new facelift, and it’s still not certain whether the long-wheelbase LDV T60 Megatub will make it with the Max facelift. There are air vents back here, a single 12V plug, and enough room for adults to slide in with decent comfort.
| 2022 GWM Ute Cannon X | 2022 LDV T60 Max Luxe | |
| Seats | Five | Five |
| Payload | 1050kg | 750kg |
| Length | 5410mm | 5365mm |
| Width | 1934mm | 1900mm |
| Height | 1886mm | 1809mm |
| Wheelbase | 3230mm | 3155mm |
Infotainment and Connectivity
GWM UteWhile the Cannon X is the only model in the range with a digital instrument cluster, all variants come with a 9.0-inch infotainment touchscreen. It’s one of the biggest in the class, just behind the LDV T60 Max.
Within you’ll find access to Bluetooth, AM/FM radio and wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. There’s no inbuilt navigation or digital radio, though. The Cannon X also packs a unique feature in voice recognition.
Interestingly, the system allows you to interact with the car far more comprehensively than you might think at first. You can give it voice commands like “I’m too cold” and it’ll bump the climate control up, or you can ask it to heat your seat, or dial a contact from your phone.
Not exactly groundbreaking stuff, but in testing the system tended to be less error-prone than some we’ve used in BMWs or Mercedes cars – plus GWM has given the personal assistant an Aussie accent.
GWM even gives you the choice of two appearance packages for the infotainment. No major changes, but you can pick an overlay that appeals to you the most.
The system itself isn’t too hard to decipher, although if you venture deep into the settings it can be a bit confronting. Once you’ve got your car set to your liking, though, you’re unlikely to need to delve too far in too often.
I do reckon the seat heaters could do with a physical button, though, instead of needing to dive into the settings screen. Small gripe, but come winter this menu is sure to be one of the most used.
With a large-for-segment 10.25 inches of real estate, the T60 Max’s infotainment is an impressive system, especially when you consider the sharp pricing of the T60 Max Luxe. Plus, it looks pretty good mounted up onto the revised dashboard design.
The operating system behind the screen isn’t as much to write about unfortunately, not scoring particularly well for features or intuitive control. However, that becomes less of an issue when you plug in your iPhone and start running Apple CarPlay for functionality.
Those on the other side of the fence – who use an Android-powered smartphone – are left out in the cold without such functionality built in. In most other applications, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are like two peas in a technological pod. However, the 2022 LDV T60 Max is the exception to the rule.
Some buttons help with general functionality of the infotainment display, but the T60’s eagerness for a clean look does seem to shoot itself in the foot somewhat. The only volume control I could find is on the steering wheel, and other buttons are within the screen display itself.
In front of the driver, there is a multifunction display that runs through the usual array of readouts and information, along with tyre pressure monitoring – handy for those spending time on worksites and unsealed surfaces.
Safety and Technology
GWM UteAll GWM Ute models come with autonomous emergency braking including pedestrian and cyclist detection, lane-departure warning and lane-keep assist, lane-centring steering assist, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, and traffic sign recognition linked to the adaptive cruise control with traffic jam assist.
The base model has a reverse and kerb-view camera; the Cannon L and Cannon X add a 360-degree camera with interactive 3D flyover view function. The Cannon X also adds door-open warning to let occupants know if a vehicle or cyclist is approaching to prevent door strikes.
ANCAP awarded the GWM Ute range a five-star safety rating, with a 2021 time stamp for vehicles built after September 2021. For earlier vehicles, the brand is retrofitting head restraint and steering column parts that bring older (and technically unrated) cars up to the five-star standard.
In testing, ANCAP scored the GWM Ute 86 per cent for adult occupant protection, 87 per cent for child occupant protection, 67 per cent for vulnerable road user (pedestrian and cyclist) protection, and rated safety assist systems at 73 per cent.
Although the T60 Max has a wide array of safety equipment in its home market of China, such technology hasn’t made its way to Australian examples with this update. Most notably, there is no autonomous emergency braking – safety technology that is now common fitment on most new cars and utes in Australia.
There are parking sensors at the back, along with lane-departure warning and a 360-degree surround-view camera in this Luxe specification. But front parking sensors are missing, along with lane-keep assistance, blind-spot monitoring and adaptive cruise control also missing. And their omission forms the biggest criticism for this ute.
The five-star ANCAP safety rating from the T60’s 2017 introduction is good to have, but it’s also worth noting here that the T60 was tested against less stringent requirements that year in comparison to a five-star result today.
| At a glance | 2022 GWM Ute Cannon X | 2022 LDV T60 Max Luxe |
| ANCAP rating & year tested | Five stars (tested 2021) | Five stars (tested 2017) |
| Safety report | ANCAP report | ANCAP report |
Value for Money
GWM UteOn purchase price alone, the GWM Ute range gives more established players in the segment a hard time, and while still very much a ute, Cannon X trim starts to feel a little more like a well-equipped family SUV.
Budget players like the SsangYong Musso and Mitsubishi Triton come close, but still outprice the GWM. Fellow Chinese rival, the LDV T60 Max, is a closer price rival, but has a 160kW/500Nm ace up its sleeve for those seeking more power.
Knowing that there may be some lingering perception problems, GWM has paired the Ute range with a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, five years’ roadside assist and a five-year capped-price service program.
A little unusually, the first service falls at six months or 5000km, from there intervals stretch out to every 12 months and 10,000km. Service pricing is $260 for the first visit and $360 apiece for each of the next four visits.
Official fuel consumption is rated at 9.4 litres per 100km, which appears a little higher than most utes in class, which claim fuel use around the eightish mark. On test, however, the Cannon X returned 10.6L/100km, and was used for plenty of short trips and suburban journeys, which doesn’t feel too excessive.
The LDV T60 is good value for money, offering a broad array of equipment for the asking price. It goes a long way to undercut most of the established competition out there, and the offering is now made better by the more powerful 2.0-litre twin-turbocharged engine.
However, there is a select group of cut-price four-wheel-drive utes laying siege to the establishment. And for those not willing to pay Ford Ranger money for an up-specced 4×4 ute, then they will need to consider two or three other key competitors in this neck of the woods.
Countryman competitor, the GWM Ute – in Cannon X specification – offers a similarly sharp price offering. It might not pack the same underbonnet punch as the T60, but it does score meaningful points back with a more complete offering of standard safety equipment.
And while recently there have been dark clouds circling SsangYong from a corporate point of view, its latest Musso is an impressive four-wheel-drive ute in many respects. It’s sharply priced as well, with a $41,290 drive-away asking price for the Musso Ultimate.
And, of course, there is the current champion of the value-conscious utes: Mitsubishi’s Triton. Top specification in this sense sets you back a bit more at over $50,000, but there is a big range of models and specifications to dig through.
One element that is hard to get a gauge on is servicing, because of the lack of a capped-price servicing program for the LDV T60. It’s something the company is working on, as the Deliver 9 van has recently taken on capped-price servicing.
| At a glance | 2022 GWM Ute Cannon X | 2022 LDV T60 Max Luxe |
| Warranty | Seven years / unlimited km | Five years / 130,000km |
| Service intervals | First service at six months/5000km Subsequent services every 12 months/10,000km |
12 months or 15,000km |
| Servicing costs | $980 (3 years), $1700 (5 years) | No capped-price servicing |
| Fuel cons. (claimed) | 9.4L/100km | 9.3L/100km |
| Fuel cons. (on test) | 10.6L/100km | 9.5L/100km |
| Fuel type | Diesel | Diesel |
| Fuel tank size | 78L | 73L |
Driving
GWM UteWhile the on-paper specs might look a little less substantial than most other utes in the segment, on the road the GWM Ute is well-rounded and decent to drive.
The 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo diesel engine is one of the smallest in its segment (only Isuzu and Mazda offer smaller at 1.9L). Its power outputs are also on the low side with 120kW at 3600rpm and 400Nm from 1500-2600rpm.
While you might think that makes the package more sluggish overall, in general driving it feels little different to other utes in the segment. Backed by an eight-speed automatic, the Ute is able to keep itself on the boil with astute gear selections, and manages to avoid shuffling through gears or hunting for the right ratio.
There are some tuning quirks. Floor the accelerator and the engine is slow to react, takes time to build boost, and only builds speed after a few moments’ delay. Roll onto the pedal more progressively, though, and the package is much swifter to pile on speed.
The drive mode selector offers a choice of Eco (which locks the system into 4×2 mode), Normal and Sport, which activates the ‘torque on demand’ transfer case to send drive to the front wheels when required. Sport also sharpens up the throttle response and holds gears a touch longer.
Curiously, though, there are no off-road modes, so while the GWM Ute offers the rare capability of sealed-surface all-wheel drive (along with some Triton and Amarok models), as well as selectable low-range four-wheel-drive, picking over rough terrain is largely up to the driver not the electronics.
There’s a bit of delay when you start the car. Whereas most utes pre-glow as you climb into the cabin, it appears the GWM does not, so you thumb the starter button and count to three before the engine fires into life.
No real problem, but if you’ve been spoiled by other modern diesels, you may do as I did and reach for the starter button a second time, cancelling the start before you realise.
There’s a little diesel drone and clatter heard from inside the cabin, but mostly it’s a fairly quiet and smooth engine on the go. Not really keen to be revved too hard, but with peak torque available down low it doesn’t need to be.
I didn’t load it up too much on this occasion, but to see how the Ute handled a heavy load, you can read our launch coverage.
Instead, for this loan, the Cannon X was used as a holiday hauler. That mean Esky and beach chairs in the tray, air-con maxed out, and two, three or four occupants at a time. Honestly, for work like this it thrived.
It can’t escape its ute underpinnings, and the leaf-spring solid rear axle complications that come with those. We know utes can ride well (the Ford Ranger, in particular, proves this), but the GWM feels like it skipped finishing school.
Although it doesn’t handle poorly, the rear end tends to rattle and reverberate over small road imperfections. Even fairly smooth tarmac starts to feel juddery through the back end of the lightly laden Cannon X.
In town, the fairly slow steering makes itself known as you frantically spin the wheel to manage small spaces, and with a turning circle just over 13m, you’ll need plenty of space to swing around.
Ultimately, though, there’s no alarming or unsafe behaviour from the suspension, but there’s certainly room for improvement.
While most utes still call on real drum brakes, the GWM Ute uses four-wheel disc brakes, which is good to see, though the pedal does need a bit more of a shove than you might expect to deliver its best work. There’s no snatchyness or grabbing, though, and the pedal has a progressive feel to it.
LDV T60
Despite dropping down from the previous 2.8-litre capacity, the updated LDV T60 Max packs some serious punch from the new 2.0-litre engine. With 160kW and 500Nm, LDV takes the title of the most powerful four-cylinder diesel engine in the segment.
That’s right, established players like the Nissan Navara, Mitsubishi Triton, Isuzu D-Max and Mazda BT-50 all sport less power and torque than this new T60.
That older, larger and less powerful motor was a VM Motori design (similar to what you’d find in some Jeep Wranglers and Holden Colorados) made under licence by SAIC in China and tuned to 110kW/360Nm for the T60.
And while that motor was decent enough, there were times when it felt a bit sluggish.
This new twin-turbo diesel engine, however, seems to be an engine of LDV’s own design and manufacture. And with 160kW at 4000rpm and 500Nm at 1500–2400rpm, the T60 matches the likes of a Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger for torque, and betters them for kilowatts.
And while on-paper specifications are only one thing, this new engine does deliver with purposeful propulsion when you need it. Its throttle calibration doesn’t feel perfectly dialled, though, and you need to navigate past a couple of flat spots before the engine punches forward nicely.
The gearing seems to be quite low overall, no doubt aiming to make the most of the engine’s outputs. You’re using eighth gear by the time you are in 70km/h range, which is beneficial for performance and economy around town. But at the same time, the T60 doesn’t seem to be revving or working too hard on the highway.
We did notice that our ZF eight-speed auto gearbox shuddered from time to time, and gets caught out with an occasional late or sloppy decision. That could be symptomatic of the throttle calibration, but on the whole its gearbox performance was good.
That being said, there are better executions of automatic gearboxes out there. Manual gear changes out of school can induce an electronic slap on the wrist from the gearbox computer: ‘Dissatisfy shift condition’ appears on the head-up display, and you’ll be stuck in the gear of the T60’s choosing.
One more significant problem that we had was a feeling of binding up in reverse. It was only apparent when in Auto 4 High mode, which is meant to allow four-wheel drive on the blacktop. However, reversing with this mode engaged induced some significant windup in the drivetrain, especially when turning in reverse.
I’m not sure if it’s the automatic locking of the four-wheel-drive system – binding front and rear differentials together – or the action of the auto-locking rear differential. Perhaps it’s a combination of both? But either way, it’s not pretty. In order to avoid it, you need to ensure that the T60 stays in normal 2WD when reversing.
The ride quality of the T60 – sporting a suspension tune designed for the Australian market – does feel a little bit brittle at times, and is reminiscent of what a four-wheel-drive ute would feel like 10 years ago. It’s comfortable enough on the whole, and good enough to live with, but doesn’t feel as polished or refined as the current segment leaders.
It’s worth noting here that the Luxe specification gets a comfort-oriented suspension set-up, with softer tuning and a lower payload in comparison to the Pro spec.
Loaded up with 700kg of weight, the T60 did a good enough job of hauling around a near maximum payload. One could feel the rear bumpstops getting a proper workout at this kind of weight, and the dampers did feel like they were at the upper end of their load capacity.
For doing this kind of hard yakka occasionally, then the T60 gets a solid pass mark. But if you were planning on doing this every day, I’d consider adding a little extra into the budget for some additional suspension work. Or, the heavier-duty suspension of the Pro model might be a better choice.
The steering is also affected by the loads – needing heavier steering inputs at low speeds around town. And fully laden on the highway, it feels fidgety and busy, needing constant inputs to stay on the straight and narrow.
Engine noise and refinement are on par with most other four-wheel-drive utes, but maybe a little noisier. It would take some getting used to for newcomers to this segment, but if you’re used to diesel-powered light commercial vehicles, then you’d likely be fine.
| Key details | 2022 GWM Ute Cannon X | 2022 LDV T60 Max Luxe |
| Engine | 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo diesel | 2.0-litre four-cylinder twin-turbo diesel |
| Power | 120kW @ 3600rpm | 160kW @ 4000rpm |
| Torque | 400Nm @ 1500-2600rpm | 500Nm @ 1500-2400rpm |
| Drive type | ‘Torque on demand’ 4×4 with low-range transfer case | ‘Torque on demand’ 4×4 with low-range transfer case |
| Transmission | Eight-speed torque convertor automatic | Eight-speed torque convertor automatic |
| Power to weight ratio | 50.6kW/t | 74.4kW/t |
| Weight (kerb) | 2175kg | 2150kg |
| Tow rating | 3000kg braked, 750kg unbraked | 3000kg braked, 750kg unbraked |
| Turning circle | 13.1m | 12.6m |
Conclusion
For two dual-cab ute offerings hailing from the same country, there are myriad differences between the LDV T60 Max and GWM Ute. These stark differences might be the decider for your personal circumstances, though for us, the GWM Ute Cannon X represents the better option on the whole.
While it is down on power compared to its Chinese counterpart and comes more expensive, the GWM is a safer bet in terms of, well, safety. It also represents a nicer driving experience than the LDV T60, and is better equipped to deal with the everyday grind.
That said, for those who aren’t as focused on safety and would find the extra grunt valuable, the T60 Max Luxe is a great option. But in 2022, where utes need to cater to more than just ‘being a ute’, the GWM Ute Cannon X wins out in this comparison.
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