Australia's first hybrid ute: 2024 GWM Alpha Ultra Hybrid

The first full hybrid pickup to land down under, the 2024 GWM Alpha Ultra Hybrid offers decent performance, both on and off road. Its drivetrain delivers 255kW of power and 640Nm of torque from a combination of a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine and an electric motor.

That's wrapped up in a package that offers a little luxury, and is paired with a capable all-wheel drive system, front and rear diff locks, and a 3,500kg braked towing capacity. It doesn’t cost a million dollars either, hitting the road or dirt at 64,990 drive away.

That alone is impressive. But its the punchy power delivery that extracts the biggest grin when you get behind the wheel. Merging into traffic is a breeze, its hybrid capability makes it feel like its being economical. There’s even an actual Eco mode. Regardless, fuel economy is a claimed 9.8-litres/100km.

That’s a little ugly for a semi-electric vehicle, but this is a ute after all. That said, it will run quite happily as a full EV at lower speeds. The combination is smooth and seamless, making for a relaxed driving experience. It’s nice to know too, that should you need to put your foot down, the engine will kick back in.

As you might expect, that unlocks all the necessary power that goes with it. That said, if you’re buying this car to be eco-friendly, you might sick up in your mouth a little when you learn the fuel economy. Importantly, the GWM is no slouch off road, with its setup able to get you almost anywhere with ease.

We tested it on light to moderate trails as well as dirt roads, where it held up and responded nicely, with traction control handling any dramas. Rarely did we need to enable the diff-locks. There were no complaints on the beach either, with the Alpha powering through rough and soft sand.

It was nice to have all the off-road controls accessible via simple buttons too. Design-wise, the ute features GWM’s much needed facelift, making the Cannon look bigger and much tougher. Equally cool is the tailgate that opens like barn doors with a short press of the release button. A longer push opens the entire gate.

The tray measures 1500mm long, 500mm high, and 1520mm wide. Five exterior colours are available, including Marble White, Storm Grey, Onyx Silver, Crystal Black, and Lunar Red. Inside, it feels more like a luxury SUV than a humble ute.

Comfortable heated and cooled soft leather seats with massaging functionality feature up front, while the rears are also heated and cooled and even recline. This is a proper family ute, because travelling in it is enjoyable no matter what seat you’re in.

Two large digital displays – 12.3-inch for the instrument cluster and 14.6-inch for the infotainment – deliver everything you need, but in a nice touch, you’ll also find physical buttons below. There’s a very good 10-speaker Infinity sound system too.

It’s a good combination that’s hard to fault. The only downside is that the media volume control is only available on the steering wheel and some broader power opportunities. While there are several USB ports in the front and rear, it only has a single 12V outlet.

That’s in the centre console, but it would have been nice to see another in the back seat, or at the very least, in the tray, for those who like to take a fridge camping or need to run charging for power tools. As a hybrid, with a battery, it’s kind of a missed opportunity.

Safety-wise, the GWM Cannon Alpha Ultra Hybrid has a 5-star ANCAP rating and features an advanced driver monitoring system. That’s powered by an in-cabin camera that watches to see if your eyes are off the road for too long or you’re getting tired.

There’s a full 360-degree camera too, along with autonomous emergency braking, lane assist, blind spot monitoring, and adaptive cruise control. You’ll also find auto park and auto reverse assist, and a head-up display.

Through thoroughly testing this vehicle in the city, bush and on the beach, we were pleasantly surprised by its incredible capability, either as a daily driver or travelling, no matter where the journey took us. You can find out more about the 2024 GWM Cannon Alpha Ultra Hybrid by talking to your local dealership.

Our test vehicle was supplied by GWM Australia & New Zealand for independent review purposes. This article first published on Exhaust Notes Australia.

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