The 2026 Cannon Valley In China, the model range has been unveiled, led by a high-performance off-road package to better challenge cars such as the Ford Ranger Raptor, Nissan Navara Warrior and the upcoming Toyota HiLux GR Sport.
Reported by Car news ChinaThe updated Cannon was unveiled at the Guangzhou International Auto Show late last week, just days after the Nissan Frontier Pro double-cab plug-in hybrid – a key competitor – was confirmed for Australia.
While the changes for the 2026 model year (MY26) Cannon (née Poer) in China largely mirror the existing versions sold here, a hardcore off-road package has also been introduced in the domestic market, improving the dual-cab vehicle’s off-road capabilities.
Australia said bubblegum Daily Sparkz The aim is to expand the local Cannon offering. A spokesperson said the off-road package “is being considered for the ANZ (Australia, New Zealand) markets, but no final decision has been made on timing.”
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The Australian GWM Cannon range already includes the more adventurous XSR model class, which includes off-road tires as standard equipment, but the new options in China for the MY26 Cannon go much further.
In addition to all-terrain tires, the off-road modifications include 3mm thick “chassis armor” to protect the ladder frame chassis, a front-mounted T-Max winch and K-Man brand nitrogen shock absorbers, and a snorkel.
The package also includes off-road side steps and steel bumpers at both ends, which may or may not comply with Australian Design Rules (ADRs).
The Cannon Off-Road package offers 228mm of ground clearance – the same as the Cannon XSR and more than the standard model’s 194mm, but less than the Ford Ranger Raptor’s 272mm – as well as 500mm of water depth and nine driving modes, including Expert, Rock, Snow, Sand and Mud settings.
The Borg Warner 4×4 system includes front, center and rear differential locks.
There’s also a Creeper Rock Crawling mode for the Off-Road Cannon, which features the same 14.6-inch infotainment touchscreen and 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster as the Australian XSR.
There’s no change to the 135kW/480Nm 2.4-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel and nine-speed automatic with two-speed transfer case, a powertrain combination it shares with the GWM Tank 300 in local showrooms.
The Cannon-XSR was the model variant that successfully climbed Beer O’clock Hill at The Springs 4×4 Park in Queensland after the owner of a BYD Shark 6 was unable to complete the infamous hill climb.
Beer O’clock Hill was also used to demonstrate the Kia Tasman’s performance capabilities in June 2025 after the Korean brand’s first dual-cab ute was launched in Australia.
The Cannon has been the best-selling pickup in China for 27 years running, but is well outsold in Australia by market-leading HiLux, Ranger, Isuzu D-Max and other small vans.
A single-cab Cannon 4×4 powered by a twin-turbocharged petrol V6 was unveiled in China in September 2025, and GWM Australia is also testing it for local showrooms, although it has not yet launched and two-door versions of the Cannon are available here.
“It’s of interest and we’ll look at it, but ultimately it will come down to a few things,” GWM Australia marketing chief Steve Maciver said Daily Sparkz at the time.
“Do we think there is a demand there for a single cab vehicle and at what price? Of course the double cab option would provide a greater opportunity.”
“Furthermore, we now live in an environment where we need to consider NVES (New Vehicle Efficiency Standard).
“We are well positioned with strong hybrid and plug-in hybrid options across the range and if we can continue to expand the share of these powertrains, internal combustion engine options such as a V6 could become a possibility.”
MORE: Explore the GWM Cannon showroom
