Car news, 12 September ’24: GWM PHEVs under consideration for Australia, Kia EV3 to arrive locally by April 2025, and more

A month and a half on since we first drove GWM’s well-worn Cannon Alpha ute and Tank 500 4x4 SUV prototypes showcasing the new 3.0-litre turbo-diesel Extraordinary figures from GWM suggests buyers won’t have to compromise on performance to achieve remarkable fuel economy, but are either realised in reality?

After spending the last year focusing on meeting ute customers where the industry is heading with plug-in hybrid tech, GWM is now meeting them where they Chinese marque’s big ute finally has a big engine with numbers designed to catch your attention, yet it's the updated Alpha’s finer details which emerge as the real win.

The recent release of the BYD Shark 6 clearly uncovered a healthy appetite in Australia for plug-in hybrid four-wheel-drive utes. It feels like this style PHEV 4x4s are coming in quick, but can GWM’s plug-in newcomer take the challenge to the dominant BYD Shark 6?

Like it or not, plug-in hybrid dual cab utes are coming. Ford’s Ranger PHEV and the BYD Shark plug-ins are a few months away – each allying a petrol Are Australians ready for a plus-sized plug-in hybrid dual-cab ute? GWM gives us a taste of the Cannon Alpha PHEV on Aussie soil ahead of its likely 2025 introduction

Utes are everywhere in Australia. Everywhere you look, you’ll see one. You’ll probably see numerous examples during your morning or afternoon commute. GWM has also launched its new larger Cannon Alpha pickup with hybrid and diesel power. Is the oiler the sweeter pick of the range?

The future is inevitable: utes sold in Australia will need to be much cleaner for the environment. And turbo-diesel engines are not likely to be the GWM has become the first automaker to bring a hybrid dual-cab ute to the Australian market, but is it ready to take on the mainstays?

When GWM launched the Tank 500 locally in early 2024, the body-on-frame large SUV was a breath of fresh air in a segment where innovation is rare to find. Diesel power finally arrives for GWM’s Toyota Prado rival that brings impressive numbers and improved handling that shows the brand is catching up

Haven’t we seen this car before? Don’t let your eyes deceive you, this is not the GWM ‘Ora’ hatch, from GWM’s sub-brand of the same name, this is an After winning hearts in 4x4 world with a series of tough trucks, GWM looks to dominate the EV space with a nature-inspired small SUV with a great price.

GWM’s Australian Tank assault may soon be reinforced with the landing of its Tank 400 large 4x4 SUV. While in China for the Beijing Auto Show this year, We take a spin in GWM's bonkers 635kW and 1195Nm plug-in hybrid large 4x4 SUV that could make its way Down Under.

When it arrived in Australia, us motoring writers were quick to poke fun at the GWM Tank 300, which lifted styling cues, seemingly, from every other 4WD GWM’s boxy off-roader picks up well-calibrated plug-in hybrid power for what could be the perfect one-car solution.

Five years ago, Chinese brand GWM entered Australia’s hot ute market with the Cannon, its challenger for the popular Ford Ranger and Toyota Hilux. Does a flash interior and solid value for money make the 2025 GWM Cannon a serious contender in the hotly contested dual-cab 4x4 space?

The real purpose of GWM’s decision to lob a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) version of its cut-price Prado-rivalling Tank 500 four-wheel drive into the Australian The Chinese manufacturer is making a big bet that plug-in hybrid power represents the future of the large 4WD segment — and first impressions are fairly positive

It isn’t so much that Chinese manufacturer GWM has decided to get serious. That decision was made more than a year ago. However, the consequences of a Convincing Australian shock absorber and steering tune combine with slick new plug-in hybrid powertrain to make top-end H6 the best GWM effort yet

If one imagines a motoring dystopia where the landscape is overwhelmed by anonymous, indistinguishable similarly priced SUVs with indistinguishable China’s ‘Big Dog’ is now sniffing around Aussie roads and trails. But is it merely a poodle in rottweiler clothing?

While the mantra of “moving fast and breaking things” appears to have been the unspoken strategy of many of its Chinese carmaking peers, GWM — the With a plugless hybrid system and improved looks, GWM’s Haval H6 Ultra HEV seems to make sense – but is now the right time to buy?

The GWM Haval H6 GT PHEV is part of a new breed of Chinese plug-in hybrid SUVs that promise the world. With 180km of NEDC-rated electric driving range, a Part of a fresh breed of plug-in hybrid family cars, the Haval H6 GT PHEV has its eyes on Outlander and Sealion 6, but does it succeed?

The Ford Ranger is a hot ticket item in Australia. Not only did the Ranger triumph over the iconic Toyota Hilux again last year, it was also Australia's How does Ford’s new plug-in Ranger ute stack up against its rivals from China?

GWM has announced launch pricing of its new entry-level plug-in hybrid (PHEV) dual-cab ute – the Cannon Hi4-T – which will be offered in two trim levels

A larger-displacement four-cylinder turbo diesel engine in development by GWM will have its global debut in Australia “by mid-2026”, the conglomerate’s GWM set to ratchet up the fight with Toyota with big new diesel set to be added to Tank 500 alongside emissions-friendly plug-in power

Following an initial announcement in February, Chinese carmaker GWM has secured lower pricing for its BYD Shark 6 and Ford Ranger plug-in hybrid ute The BYD Shark’s biggest headache just got a little cheaper, with full 2025 GWM Cannon Alpha pricing and specs locked in before release

Thanks for joining us this Wednesday, February 12th 2025. Notably in car news today: GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV confirmed with pricing, BYD Sealion 7 pricing

GWM has today unveiled its Ora 5 at the Melbourne Motor Show, its crucial and potential volume-selling electric small SUV. It will hit local showrooms in

Thanks for joining us this Wednesday April 3rd 2024. Notably in car news today: GWM Ora becomes the most affordable electric offered down under, and

New-generation ASX small SUV is not hitting internal sales targets, but what will be done?

It’s tough finding love as a Chinese brand. The general Australian perception is of good value cars that are well-equipped and with long warranty, but GWM bucks the trend by developing engines and vehicles its rivals are abandoning. Is this a masterstroke, and are they really going to take on Ferrari?

Ford’s global boss has praised Australian engineers and called Chinese rivals “seriously competitive” products after participating in a comparison drive Global Ford CEO impressed with Ranger Super Duty and Ranger PHEV but acknowledges threat of Chinese utes

GWM has confirmed its Cannon ute will join a growing arsenal of plug-in hybrid options within its lineup by the middle of 2026, with a price that could The most affordable ute from GWM will soon be available with a plug-in hybrid option that could be cheaper, and perhaps more capable, than the BYD Shark 6

GWM has confirmed two plug-in hybrid variants of its Tank 300 medium off-road SUV, which will launch in Australia with a starting price of $55,990 Latest plug-in hybrid SUV from China’s GWM promises genuine off-road performance with ample electric driving range

GWM Australia has already announced significant changes for its fully-electric Ora hatch line-up, including price cuts across the board, a new ‘Ultra’ Amid an influx of affordable new rivals, the GWM Ora has had its prices slashed

The GWM Ora Cat is a new small electric SUV with a 63kWh battery, 400km range and plenty of safety tech. But will it come to Australia?

Mercedes-Benz Australia has revealed the pricing of its introductory C-Class Electric variant, the 360kW C400 4Matic sedan, priced from $105,700 before

After selling just 250 examples of its pioneering (but expensive) i-MiEV micro electric car back in 2010-13 – beating the Nissan Leaf EV to market –