A sports bar over the GWM Cannon's tray doesn't really add anything to the look and virtually nothing to the Cannon's utility. But the sunroof on Ultra-and-up grades is a great touch. Alloy wheels are standard across the range, too.

Twin screens give a modern look and feel, although the info screen has its menus placed a long way from the driver. The T-bar is allegedly inspired by fighter jets, but is fussy to use and doesn't control the manual shifting anyway. Touch-points are all good quality and there are lots of charge points and power outlets.

The big news is what's under the bonnet. The GWM Cannon's engine has grown from a 2.0-litre to a 2.4-litre unit and there's an extra gear in the transmission for a total of nine. Performance is better, but so is economy and the Cannon can now haul 3.5 tonnes.

The entry-level GWM Cannon Lux gets synthetic leather, while every model grade above that has leather accents. The Ultra, Vanta and XSR also get heated and ventilated front seats with electrical adjustment. The rear seat features a fold-down armrest when there's no middle passenger.

Torque for towing is far more important than speed in a vehicle like this. Which means the 0-100km/h won't matter to most owners. GWM doesn't quote a number, but it won't be anything less than 10 or 11 seconds.

Official fuel consumption ahs fallen a full litre per 100km for the latest Cannon ute. Combined with the 78-litre fuel tank, that should make for a comfortable 750km range between fill-ups.