So the new ride is a GWM Cannon X. 2022 model but 2023 complaince plate. Had 5km on the clock when I picked it up.
It's a 2.0l Diesel turbo with an 8 speed auto. You can also change gears manually with the flappy paddles on the steering but that's a PITA so I won't bother.
She has all the bells and whistles you could want plus more. Infotainment screen the size of an iPad. Doesn't come with a Sat Nav but has Android Auto (also has Apple Carplay) which means I can connect the phone via USB and use Google Maps on the car screen if I want to. If I don't want to do that, I just sit it on the wireless charging pad and connect by Bluetooth for calls and texts.
One of the video reviews I read before getting it, the bloke said there was some throttle lag. You put the foot down and the car thought about it for a few seconds before responding. Mine doesn't have that, touch the accelerator and it takes off like a scalded cat.
Seating position is different to what I'm used to in a sedan, less leg room than I'd like at 6'3" but still very comfortable and the ride is great.
Comes with 3 different suspension and steering settings, I just left it on Normal.
This thing has cameras everywhere, likely constantly uploading data to a CCP mainframe.
As soone as you drop below 15kmh the screen shows all around you, like an arial shot of the Ute, showing whats on all 4 sides of you. Kept the Grandson very interested when I picked him up in it.The cruise control is....interesting. I'm gonna have to do some reading on it.
First effort engaged some sort of lane control thing where apart from speed, it self corrected the steering if it started to drift left or right. Tllk the hands off the wheel at one point to test it, after correcting itself twice from drifting left it told me off and put a written demand on the front screen to put my hands back on the wheel.
2nd go I seemed to disable that function, but then realised it has some sort of front collision sensor that doesn't like getting 2 close to other cars. Driving on the freeway, catching up to a slower car, once you get within about 3 seconds behind at 110kmh, the car automatically slows to keep that 3 second distance from the car in front. Annoying on the freeway as you have to then put the foot on the accelerator to manually speed up but once you change lanes to overtake, it kicks straight back to cruise control and all is good.
While annoying on the freeway, it's bloody good in a single lane highway. Set the cruise control and it will sit happily behind a slower vehicle until it's safe to overtake and you just put the foot down.
Another interesting quirk is that it drives 1kmh slower than the speed you set. Very obedient those CCP mechanics, don't want to exceed the limit, set it for 110kmh and she cruises at 109kmh.
finding and saving radio stations is a piece of piss, sound system is great, ride is smooth and quiet. Tbar auto is a little funky. It just sits in one spot. To go from park to reverse, push a side button and nudge it forward twice, to go to Drive, nudge it back twice, to put it in park push a button on top which also engages the handbrake
Interor is very nice, even has a 220v powerpoint connection in the back .
Back seats can be lifted up, I'm storing the shopping bags under one, and backrests can be pulled down to reveal extra storage space and where the jack is.
She came with a full tank, after just over 300km I've used about half a tank.
Very happy with it. At $58k after adding ceramic paint protection, Bullbar, Roofrack, towbar and front and rear dashcams, it's a bargain. To get a ranger or Hilux with all the same features would be around $30k more.
Drive this thing to Toc I'd end up with displaced hips.