Facelift? What exactly has changed?
Quite a bit. For starters, the chrome grille up front has been reworked with a wider-looking pattern and fewer horizontal slats, and a lot less chrome. In the base variant, the badge will be the only shiny bit you see up front. In the top-spec trim, everything has been blacked out.
New horizontal plastic trim protrudes from the bottom of the grille, just below the headlamps, and together with the added black plastic bits on the bumper, they give the pickup a much beefier look.
The top-of-the-line variant now also separates itself more from the rest of the range in terms of aesthetics, as it gets added black fender flares and a blacked-out sport bar out back.
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Looks-wise, what else is new in the 2025 GWM Cannon?
On the outside, that’s about it. But inside the cabin, GWM has made a few tweaks here and there.
The entire dash has been reworked, with the old vertical A/C vents now replaced with horizontal openings. The center console now also looks less busy, with the knobs and buttons condense into fewer tactile controls just below the infotainment system. There’s more storage in the middle now, too, with a wireless charging pad and a USB-C and -A charging ports just in front of the new ‘aircraft-inspired’ gearshift lever.
Even the steering wheel has been drastically redesigned. The buttons and the overall layout look much cleaner, and the horn now sports the shape of the Cannon badge. It’s a stylish ‘P’ which stands for Poer—the pickup’s nameplate in other markets.
There’s also now a small cubby in front of the passenger seat just above the glove box, and on top of it is a plastic trim with lines that draw the shape of a pickup truck.
That’s...a lot. Any new features to take note of?
Well, the large infotainment system with wireless connectivity for both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto now comes as standard. There’s power adjustment and heating/ventilation for the front-row seats in the top-spec variant.
But more important than anything, the Cannon now comes with L2+ intelligent driving features, which just indicates a higher level of autonomous driving. This is because the suite of advanced driver-assist systems now comes with adaptive cruise control with low-speed follow, which we were able to try out during our recent drive.
Oh, so you drove it? How’s it like behind the wheel?
Good that you asked, because I also drove the pre-facelift version. Let’s start with the ADAS—actual use appears to be seamless, though I’ve yet to try it out firsthand, as only the driving instructors were able to try out the feature during our test drive. But I do know that in standstill traffic, the adaptive cruise control works just fine without having the need to press on any pedal.
Handling also appears to have improved—I complained about the excessive bounce and body roll inside the Cannon the first time I drove it. This new model has an improved rear leaf-spring suspension setup for better comfort and handling, and it was showcased during our drive by having us hard-brake with the steering wheel on full lock. While it’s a maneuver I probably won’t ever have to do on public roads, it’s reassuring to know that in scenarios like these, the pickup won’t just topple over and will maintain traction on all four wheels. I actually found it impressive.
But perhaps the biggest change in the new Cannon is the powertrain under the hood.
New engine? Why didn’t you start with that? Tell us more.
The old model had a 2.0-liter turbodiesel that churned out 162hp and 400Nm of torque and was mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. This new Cannon now gets a 2.4-liter turbodiesel capable of a much healthier 181hp and 480Nm of torque. It’s mated to a new nine-speed automatic gearbox and gets paddle shifters. Only a 4x4 drivetrain layout is available.
Immediately, I felt the new engine was a bit peppier than the old one. We only drove through a short course, but there were portions where we could go flat out, and it did feel like this new turbodiesel had more oomph. However, I noticed that turbo lag was still there when you floor the pedal. But that’s as far as my insights can go, as I’ll have to wait for a proper test drive before I say any more about the engine.
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Very well, you’ve said enough. It’s quite the facelift, huh?
You bet. This update is as substantial as it gets. New looks, more tech, and a new engine—those are things you normally see in a full model change. Granted, our drive was just short, so we don’t really know how exactly this pickup will stack up against its competitors.
How much is the 2025 GWM Cannon?
Thought you’d never ask. There are two variants available, starting with the base trim that stickers for P1.348 million. The higher spec goes for P1.498 million. You can check out the price list below.
GWM Cannon 2025 Philippine prices
- GWM Cannon SLux 4x4 AT – P1,498,000
- GWM Cannon Lux 4x4 AT – P1,348,000
More photos of the GWM Cannon 2025:
