Mitsubishi Triton vs GWM Cannon Alpha

What's the difference?

There was a time when utes were bought purely for work but some these days look more like high-riding prestige cars with their sparkling pearlescent paint, sumptuous leather seats that heat, cool and massage, high-tech hybrid drivetrains, independent rear suspensions and 0-100km/h times that were once the sole domain of supercars.

However, traditional ute buyers like tradies, farmers and fleets are still well catered for by some brands when seeking a utilitarian turbo-diesel workhorse designed primarily for hard yakka.

Mitsubishi has recently added 4x2 and 4x4 cab-chassis variants to its local Triton line-up comprising single-cab, club-cab and dual-cab body style across most model grades to broaden the Triton’s appeal for either working roles or adventuring.

We recently spent a week aboard one of these new cab-chassis variants in base GLX specification, to see from a tradie’s perspective if it has what it takes to cut it in the rough-and-tough world of working utes.

Chinese automotive brand GWM (aka Great Wall Motors) has been making headlines, given that in 2024 it was the first manufacturer to launch an HEV (Hybrid Electric Vehicle) ute in Australia. And in 2025 it's replaced that short-lived model with a PHEV (Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle) version.

The decision to axe the original Alpha Hybrid was a no-brainer for GWM, given its PHEV successor offers not only short-haul pure-electric driving but also superior power, torque and driving range plus the enhanced ride comfort and handling of four-coil suspension.

We were recently handed the keys to the latest iteration of this lavishly-equipped 4x4 dual-cab ute to assess its workhorse credentials from a tradie’s perspective.