Volkswagen Golf GTI Edition 50: Most powerful GTI detailed
In a chat with CarExpert at the local launch of the new Mk8.5 Golf range, general manager for product at Volkswagen Australia, Arjun Nidigallu, said the German brand's local arm is actively looking into how the GTI Clubsport could fit into the local lineup, but noted, "There are some technical things with the GTI Clubsport – engine and suspension variations that we need to make sure we have clearances for the Australian market".
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The Advertiser
37 minutes ago
- The Advertiser
Derailing ransomware - today's great train robbery
It wasn't too long ago that the criminal enterprise of choice would see thieves jump aboard a moving train, navigate the carriages, neutralise the guards, get through locked doors, and ransack the locomotive of its valuable jewels and gold. In 2025, there is a similar motive at play, but the heists have shifted from the Wild West to the World Wide Web. Cyberattacks are today's great train robberies and they're increasingly common. Recent research from Rubrik Zero Labs found 92 per cent of Australian organisations experienced a cyberattack last year, and the attackers are only growing more sophisticated. Ransomware is one of the most common types of cyberattacks, comprising 20 per cent of all attacks, and those behind them do not discriminate. According to the same Rubrik Zero Labs' research, attackers have evolved, with 78 per cent of Australian victims reporting the threat actors were able to at least partially harm backup and recovery options. In more than a third (35 per cent) of cases, the attackers were completely successful. Why are attackers targeting backups? If they can successfully compromise these critical data copies, the victim's ability to recover data under their own steam will be severely impacted. The thinking is, if they can take these down, then the victim will be forced to pay the ransom. And it's working. Rubrik Labs Research also found that of the Australian firms hit with a ransomware attack last year, more than 90 per cent paid the ransom to recover their data. While paying an attacker may allow a business to recover its data or stop a threat, it also supports the cybercrime business model. If a ransomware attack works once, what's going to stop it working again, and again, and again. Paying a ransom just fuels the fire. These payments may have previously gone unreported, however late last month the federal government introduced mandatory ransomware payment reporting requirements. This could change the calculus for local organisations as they seek to avoid the reputational risk of payments going public. Unfortunately, despite best efforts, there is no silver bullet to protect against every single cyberattack. You can't prevent the unpreventable. So the only thing that matters is how quickly you can recover. There are many reasons why the frequency of cyberattacks, like ransomware, are increasing. These include the rising use of AI by cybercriminals, more sophistication of attacks, significant financial incentives, uneasy geopolitical climates, digitisation of organisations, and the shortage of cybersecurity professionals. With this in mind, adopting a preemptive recovery posture - one that recognises a motivated attack will eventually be successful - organisations can take the initiative and recover faster than attackers can adapt. So, it is imperative to be prepared with a recovery plan. To prepare for the worst. To adopt an "assumed breach" mindset. In short, cyber resilience strategies reduce the severity of ransomware threats. Even if an organisation's systems are breached and held to ransom, secure backups ensure the business can quickly assess the scale of the breach, understand the scope of the compromise, and rapidly recover operations - all without paying a ransom. This will lead to a decline in Australian businesses paying out ransoms and perpetuating the cybercrime business model. If the nation is no longer seen as a soft target, if robbers never come away with any loot, they'll shift their attention elsewhere - or better yet, leave the looting life behind. Just like trains in the Wild West, businesses need multiple defences. Even if the thieves make it onto the train, past the guard and get through the locked door, it's not like valuables are out in the open waiting to be taken. They're in safes, requiring different keys and combinations to open. Cyber resilience strategies are an organisation's impenetrable safe - ensuring the crown jewels and critical backups needed to keep the train in motion are out of an attacker's reach. It wasn't too long ago that the criminal enterprise of choice would see thieves jump aboard a moving train, navigate the carriages, neutralise the guards, get through locked doors, and ransack the locomotive of its valuable jewels and gold. In 2025, there is a similar motive at play, but the heists have shifted from the Wild West to the World Wide Web. Cyberattacks are today's great train robberies and they're increasingly common. Recent research from Rubrik Zero Labs found 92 per cent of Australian organisations experienced a cyberattack last year, and the attackers are only growing more sophisticated. Ransomware is one of the most common types of cyberattacks, comprising 20 per cent of all attacks, and those behind them do not discriminate. According to the same Rubrik Zero Labs' research, attackers have evolved, with 78 per cent of Australian victims reporting the threat actors were able to at least partially harm backup and recovery options. In more than a third (35 per cent) of cases, the attackers were completely successful. Why are attackers targeting backups? If they can successfully compromise these critical data copies, the victim's ability to recover data under their own steam will be severely impacted. The thinking is, if they can take these down, then the victim will be forced to pay the ransom. And it's working. Rubrik Labs Research also found that of the Australian firms hit with a ransomware attack last year, more than 90 per cent paid the ransom to recover their data. While paying an attacker may allow a business to recover its data or stop a threat, it also supports the cybercrime business model. If a ransomware attack works once, what's going to stop it working again, and again, and again. Paying a ransom just fuels the fire. These payments may have previously gone unreported, however late last month the federal government introduced mandatory ransomware payment reporting requirements. This could change the calculus for local organisations as they seek to avoid the reputational risk of payments going public. Unfortunately, despite best efforts, there is no silver bullet to protect against every single cyberattack. You can't prevent the unpreventable. So the only thing that matters is how quickly you can recover. There are many reasons why the frequency of cyberattacks, like ransomware, are increasing. These include the rising use of AI by cybercriminals, more sophistication of attacks, significant financial incentives, uneasy geopolitical climates, digitisation of organisations, and the shortage of cybersecurity professionals. With this in mind, adopting a preemptive recovery posture - one that recognises a motivated attack will eventually be successful - organisations can take the initiative and recover faster than attackers can adapt. So, it is imperative to be prepared with a recovery plan. To prepare for the worst. To adopt an "assumed breach" mindset. In short, cyber resilience strategies reduce the severity of ransomware threats. Even if an organisation's systems are breached and held to ransom, secure backups ensure the business can quickly assess the scale of the breach, understand the scope of the compromise, and rapidly recover operations - all without paying a ransom. This will lead to a decline in Australian businesses paying out ransoms and perpetuating the cybercrime business model. If the nation is no longer seen as a soft target, if robbers never come away with any loot, they'll shift their attention elsewhere - or better yet, leave the looting life behind. Just like trains in the Wild West, businesses need multiple defences. Even if the thieves make it onto the train, past the guard and get through the locked door, it's not like valuables are out in the open waiting to be taken. They're in safes, requiring different keys and combinations to open. Cyber resilience strategies are an organisation's impenetrable safe - ensuring the crown jewels and critical backups needed to keep the train in motion are out of an attacker's reach. It wasn't too long ago that the criminal enterprise of choice would see thieves jump aboard a moving train, navigate the carriages, neutralise the guards, get through locked doors, and ransack the locomotive of its valuable jewels and gold. In 2025, there is a similar motive at play, but the heists have shifted from the Wild West to the World Wide Web. Cyberattacks are today's great train robberies and they're increasingly common. Recent research from Rubrik Zero Labs found 92 per cent of Australian organisations experienced a cyberattack last year, and the attackers are only growing more sophisticated. Ransomware is one of the most common types of cyberattacks, comprising 20 per cent of all attacks, and those behind them do not discriminate. According to the same Rubrik Zero Labs' research, attackers have evolved, with 78 per cent of Australian victims reporting the threat actors were able to at least partially harm backup and recovery options. In more than a third (35 per cent) of cases, the attackers were completely successful. Why are attackers targeting backups? If they can successfully compromise these critical data copies, the victim's ability to recover data under their own steam will be severely impacted. The thinking is, if they can take these down, then the victim will be forced to pay the ransom. And it's working. Rubrik Labs Research also found that of the Australian firms hit with a ransomware attack last year, more than 90 per cent paid the ransom to recover their data. While paying an attacker may allow a business to recover its data or stop a threat, it also supports the cybercrime business model. If a ransomware attack works once, what's going to stop it working again, and again, and again. Paying a ransom just fuels the fire. These payments may have previously gone unreported, however late last month the federal government introduced mandatory ransomware payment reporting requirements. This could change the calculus for local organisations as they seek to avoid the reputational risk of payments going public. Unfortunately, despite best efforts, there is no silver bullet to protect against every single cyberattack. You can't prevent the unpreventable. So the only thing that matters is how quickly you can recover. There are many reasons why the frequency of cyberattacks, like ransomware, are increasing. These include the rising use of AI by cybercriminals, more sophistication of attacks, significant financial incentives, uneasy geopolitical climates, digitisation of organisations, and the shortage of cybersecurity professionals. With this in mind, adopting a preemptive recovery posture - one that recognises a motivated attack will eventually be successful - organisations can take the initiative and recover faster than attackers can adapt. So, it is imperative to be prepared with a recovery plan. To prepare for the worst. To adopt an "assumed breach" mindset. In short, cyber resilience strategies reduce the severity of ransomware threats. Even if an organisation's systems are breached and held to ransom, secure backups ensure the business can quickly assess the scale of the breach, understand the scope of the compromise, and rapidly recover operations - all without paying a ransom. This will lead to a decline in Australian businesses paying out ransoms and perpetuating the cybercrime business model. If the nation is no longer seen as a soft target, if robbers never come away with any loot, they'll shift their attention elsewhere - or better yet, leave the looting life behind. Just like trains in the Wild West, businesses need multiple defences. Even if the thieves make it onto the train, past the guard and get through the locked door, it's not like valuables are out in the open waiting to be taken. They're in safes, requiring different keys and combinations to open. Cyber resilience strategies are an organisation's impenetrable safe - ensuring the crown jewels and critical backups needed to keep the train in motion are out of an attacker's reach. It wasn't too long ago that the criminal enterprise of choice would see thieves jump aboard a moving train, navigate the carriages, neutralise the guards, get through locked doors, and ransack the locomotive of its valuable jewels and gold. In 2025, there is a similar motive at play, but the heists have shifted from the Wild West to the World Wide Web. Cyberattacks are today's great train robberies and they're increasingly common. Recent research from Rubrik Zero Labs found 92 per cent of Australian organisations experienced a cyberattack last year, and the attackers are only growing more sophisticated. Ransomware is one of the most common types of cyberattacks, comprising 20 per cent of all attacks, and those behind them do not discriminate. According to the same Rubrik Zero Labs' research, attackers have evolved, with 78 per cent of Australian victims reporting the threat actors were able to at least partially harm backup and recovery options. In more than a third (35 per cent) of cases, the attackers were completely successful. Why are attackers targeting backups? If they can successfully compromise these critical data copies, the victim's ability to recover data under their own steam will be severely impacted. The thinking is, if they can take these down, then the victim will be forced to pay the ransom. And it's working. Rubrik Labs Research also found that of the Australian firms hit with a ransomware attack last year, more than 90 per cent paid the ransom to recover their data. While paying an attacker may allow a business to recover its data or stop a threat, it also supports the cybercrime business model. If a ransomware attack works once, what's going to stop it working again, and again, and again. Paying a ransom just fuels the fire. These payments may have previously gone unreported, however late last month the federal government introduced mandatory ransomware payment reporting requirements. This could change the calculus for local organisations as they seek to avoid the reputational risk of payments going public. Unfortunately, despite best efforts, there is no silver bullet to protect against every single cyberattack. You can't prevent the unpreventable. So the only thing that matters is how quickly you can recover. There are many reasons why the frequency of cyberattacks, like ransomware, are increasing. These include the rising use of AI by cybercriminals, more sophistication of attacks, significant financial incentives, uneasy geopolitical climates, digitisation of organisations, and the shortage of cybersecurity professionals. With this in mind, adopting a preemptive recovery posture - one that recognises a motivated attack will eventually be successful - organisations can take the initiative and recover faster than attackers can adapt. So, it is imperative to be prepared with a recovery plan. To prepare for the worst. To adopt an "assumed breach" mindset. In short, cyber resilience strategies reduce the severity of ransomware threats. Even if an organisation's systems are breached and held to ransom, secure backups ensure the business can quickly assess the scale of the breach, understand the scope of the compromise, and rapidly recover operations - all without paying a ransom. This will lead to a decline in Australian businesses paying out ransoms and perpetuating the cybercrime business model. If the nation is no longer seen as a soft target, if robbers never come away with any loot, they'll shift their attention elsewhere - or better yet, leave the looting life behind. Just like trains in the Wild West, businesses need multiple defences. Even if the thieves make it onto the train, past the guard and get through the locked door, it's not like valuables are out in the open waiting to be taken. They're in safes, requiring different keys and combinations to open. Cyber resilience strategies are an organisation's impenetrable safe - ensuring the crown jewels and critical backups needed to keep the train in motion are out of an attacker's reach.
The Advertiser
38 minutes ago
- The Advertiser
Why we've announced the first CarExpert Choice awards
The idea of a 'car of the year' has been around as long as car experts have been reviewing cars. For a lot of everyday people who need to buy a new car every three to five years but are not passionately obsessed about the details or don't have the time to spend testing driving and researching the options, knowing that a group of experts have given an award to a particular car is a great tick of approval. After many years of resisting the rollout of such an award, both at CarExpert and previously at CarAdvice, we decided to change our mind. The reason? You. We get a ton of emails from new car buyers every day and the overarching question is simple: 'what car should I buy in this category?' Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. Going back 10-15 years ago, the choices were far fewer and the options more obvious, but when it comes to buying a new car in 2025, there have never been more competitors to choose from. Australia is the most competitive new car market in the Western world. We have a completely open market when it comes to car companies entering and selling their vehicles here. There are few tariffs and not many hurdles, and given you can cover roughly 80 per cent of Australia's population by setting up dealers in a handful of major cities, the barrier to entry is very low and the potential profits very high. This has seen an explosion of new brands over the last 10 years, and there are dozens and dozens more still to come. As such, we decided to institute a simple award system – called CarExpert Choice – based on categories that make sense. As a business, we collectively test over 1000 different cars per year across Australia and the world, from Australia's most affordable cars to hypercars. We have an incredible array of knowledge and experience across the business that is on top of not only all new cars in the market but also known issues, post-purchase experiences and more. The premise for these awards to our in-house car experts was simple: in our chosen categories, which car would you buy for yourself or recommend to your friends and family? We catalogued every available choice and sat around a table and argued for an extensive period before we all voted and agreed on our winners and finalists. You will notice we did not pick an overall 'car of the year' winner, because we felt that made limited sense and it can't actually be done properly without months of back-to-back testing. The vehicles that have won CarExpert Choice awards are the absolute best in their categories and would be our top pick in the CarExpert office when it comes to recommendation and personal preference. The finalists are also excellent choices and should be considered too. You will see cars like the Tesla Model Y have won an award; this doesn't mean we all love Elon Musk (although some of us do). It just means that it's the best car in its segment. On that same note, these awards are entirely editorially driven and decided only by our expert journalists, who spend their life reviewing cars and creating the amazing content that makes CarExpert what it is today. Thank you for using CarExpert and we hope these awards help you or your family and friends feel more confident about purchasing your next new car. To see all the CarExpert Choice winners click here. Content originally sourced from: The idea of a 'car of the year' has been around as long as car experts have been reviewing cars. For a lot of everyday people who need to buy a new car every three to five years but are not passionately obsessed about the details or don't have the time to spend testing driving and researching the options, knowing that a group of experts have given an award to a particular car is a great tick of approval. After many years of resisting the rollout of such an award, both at CarExpert and previously at CarAdvice, we decided to change our mind. The reason? You. We get a ton of emails from new car buyers every day and the overarching question is simple: 'what car should I buy in this category?' Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. Going back 10-15 years ago, the choices were far fewer and the options more obvious, but when it comes to buying a new car in 2025, there have never been more competitors to choose from. Australia is the most competitive new car market in the Western world. We have a completely open market when it comes to car companies entering and selling their vehicles here. There are few tariffs and not many hurdles, and given you can cover roughly 80 per cent of Australia's population by setting up dealers in a handful of major cities, the barrier to entry is very low and the potential profits very high. This has seen an explosion of new brands over the last 10 years, and there are dozens and dozens more still to come. As such, we decided to institute a simple award system – called CarExpert Choice – based on categories that make sense. As a business, we collectively test over 1000 different cars per year across Australia and the world, from Australia's most affordable cars to hypercars. We have an incredible array of knowledge and experience across the business that is on top of not only all new cars in the market but also known issues, post-purchase experiences and more. The premise for these awards to our in-house car experts was simple: in our chosen categories, which car would you buy for yourself or recommend to your friends and family? We catalogued every available choice and sat around a table and argued for an extensive period before we all voted and agreed on our winners and finalists. You will notice we did not pick an overall 'car of the year' winner, because we felt that made limited sense and it can't actually be done properly without months of back-to-back testing. The vehicles that have won CarExpert Choice awards are the absolute best in their categories and would be our top pick in the CarExpert office when it comes to recommendation and personal preference. The finalists are also excellent choices and should be considered too. You will see cars like the Tesla Model Y have won an award; this doesn't mean we all love Elon Musk (although some of us do). It just means that it's the best car in its segment. On that same note, these awards are entirely editorially driven and decided only by our expert journalists, who spend their life reviewing cars and creating the amazing content that makes CarExpert what it is today. Thank you for using CarExpert and we hope these awards help you or your family and friends feel more confident about purchasing your next new car. To see all the CarExpert Choice winners click here. Content originally sourced from: The idea of a 'car of the year' has been around as long as car experts have been reviewing cars. For a lot of everyday people who need to buy a new car every three to five years but are not passionately obsessed about the details or don't have the time to spend testing driving and researching the options, knowing that a group of experts have given an award to a particular car is a great tick of approval. After many years of resisting the rollout of such an award, both at CarExpert and previously at CarAdvice, we decided to change our mind. The reason? You. We get a ton of emails from new car buyers every day and the overarching question is simple: 'what car should I buy in this category?' Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. Going back 10-15 years ago, the choices were far fewer and the options more obvious, but when it comes to buying a new car in 2025, there have never been more competitors to choose from. Australia is the most competitive new car market in the Western world. We have a completely open market when it comes to car companies entering and selling their vehicles here. There are few tariffs and not many hurdles, and given you can cover roughly 80 per cent of Australia's population by setting up dealers in a handful of major cities, the barrier to entry is very low and the potential profits very high. This has seen an explosion of new brands over the last 10 years, and there are dozens and dozens more still to come. As such, we decided to institute a simple award system – called CarExpert Choice – based on categories that make sense. As a business, we collectively test over 1000 different cars per year across Australia and the world, from Australia's most affordable cars to hypercars. We have an incredible array of knowledge and experience across the business that is on top of not only all new cars in the market but also known issues, post-purchase experiences and more. The premise for these awards to our in-house car experts was simple: in our chosen categories, which car would you buy for yourself or recommend to your friends and family? We catalogued every available choice and sat around a table and argued for an extensive period before we all voted and agreed on our winners and finalists. You will notice we did not pick an overall 'car of the year' winner, because we felt that made limited sense and it can't actually be done properly without months of back-to-back testing. The vehicles that have won CarExpert Choice awards are the absolute best in their categories and would be our top pick in the CarExpert office when it comes to recommendation and personal preference. The finalists are also excellent choices and should be considered too. You will see cars like the Tesla Model Y have won an award; this doesn't mean we all love Elon Musk (although some of us do). It just means that it's the best car in its segment. On that same note, these awards are entirely editorially driven and decided only by our expert journalists, who spend their life reviewing cars and creating the amazing content that makes CarExpert what it is today. Thank you for using CarExpert and we hope these awards help you or your family and friends feel more confident about purchasing your next new car. To see all the CarExpert Choice winners click here. Content originally sourced from: The idea of a 'car of the year' has been around as long as car experts have been reviewing cars. For a lot of everyday people who need to buy a new car every three to five years but are not passionately obsessed about the details or don't have the time to spend testing driving and researching the options, knowing that a group of experts have given an award to a particular car is a great tick of approval. After many years of resisting the rollout of such an award, both at CarExpert and previously at CarAdvice, we decided to change our mind. The reason? You. We get a ton of emails from new car buyers every day and the overarching question is simple: 'what car should I buy in this category?' Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. Going back 10-15 years ago, the choices were far fewer and the options more obvious, but when it comes to buying a new car in 2025, there have never been more competitors to choose from. Australia is the most competitive new car market in the Western world. We have a completely open market when it comes to car companies entering and selling their vehicles here. There are few tariffs and not many hurdles, and given you can cover roughly 80 per cent of Australia's population by setting up dealers in a handful of major cities, the barrier to entry is very low and the potential profits very high. This has seen an explosion of new brands over the last 10 years, and there are dozens and dozens more still to come. As such, we decided to institute a simple award system – called CarExpert Choice – based on categories that make sense. As a business, we collectively test over 1000 different cars per year across Australia and the world, from Australia's most affordable cars to hypercars. We have an incredible array of knowledge and experience across the business that is on top of not only all new cars in the market but also known issues, post-purchase experiences and more. The premise for these awards to our in-house car experts was simple: in our chosen categories, which car would you buy for yourself or recommend to your friends and family? We catalogued every available choice and sat around a table and argued for an extensive period before we all voted and agreed on our winners and finalists. You will notice we did not pick an overall 'car of the year' winner, because we felt that made limited sense and it can't actually be done properly without months of back-to-back testing. The vehicles that have won CarExpert Choice awards are the absolute best in their categories and would be our top pick in the CarExpert office when it comes to recommendation and personal preference. The finalists are also excellent choices and should be considered too. You will see cars like the Tesla Model Y have won an award; this doesn't mean we all love Elon Musk (although some of us do). It just means that it's the best car in its segment. On that same note, these awards are entirely editorially driven and decided only by our expert journalists, who spend their life reviewing cars and creating the amazing content that makes CarExpert what it is today. Thank you for using CarExpert and we hope these awards help you or your family and friends feel more confident about purchasing your next new car. To see all the CarExpert Choice winners click here. Content originally sourced from:
The Advertiser
38 minutes ago
- The Advertiser
Why the GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV is a CarExpert Choice winner
Utes have always done a roaring trade in Australia, where diesel power has long dominated. It's only recently that we've seen hybrid, plug-in hybrid and electric options join the segment. Electrified options continue to be vastly outnumbered by those with petrol or diesel power, but among these we picked the GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV as the Best Electrified Ute in our inaugural 2025 CarExpert Choice awards. Launched earlier this year, the PHEV joins existing diesel and hybrid petrol versions of GWM's flagship ute. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. Priced from $59,990 before on-road costs, the Cannon Alpha PHEV mates a 180kW/380Nm turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with a 120kW/400Nm electric motor, a nine-speed automatic transmission, and a 37.1kWh battery for total system outputs of no less than 300kW and 750Nm. That gives it a long 115km of electric-only range on the NEDC cycle, plus combined cycle fuel consumption of just 1.7L/100km. But while it can run on pure electric power, the Cannon Alpha PHEV still offers braked towing capacity of 3500kg, a payload of 685kg, and both front and rear locking differentials. The result is a ute that offers silent electric propulsion but also competitive off-road and load-hauling capability. Here's why the CarExpert team picked the GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV as the Best Electrified Ute in the 2025 CarExpert Choice Awards: "Being the person who made the videos on the two Chinese sourced PHEV utes, I accept that I'm partly responsible for the outrage on the internet over the depiction of these new vehicles. That said, we just showed it how it is," said video producer Sean Lander. "And the simple fact of the matter is the GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV is a great car. The interior is lovely, the drivetrain well put together and it can actually do the things Aussie's expect and need of a ute. "It has locking diffs, a big tray, tons of space and massaging seats on the top-spec Ultra. "Yes, there is room for improvement. The spare wheel placement is not good – you are losing a lot of space in the tub. The towbar positioning needs to be raised especially if you intend to do any off-roading. And the infotainment system is clunky, particularly if you need to operate things like the climate control or enable/disable driver assistance settings. "But the Cannon Alpha PHEV can tow, well. It manages its battery much better than its rivals and the fuel economy is superior to any other ute on the market. "It is a great all-rounder, for an excellent price and while there are better utes out there, the Cannon Alpha PHEV shows that the future of work vehicles doesn't have to be bleak. In fact, it looks pretty good." "Utes are finally getting electrified en masse, and GWM is one of the trailblazers," added marketplace editor James Wong. "Its on-paper credentials translate to the real world, with 90-100km of usable electric range, strong performance towing up to 3.5 tonnes, and rugged capability off the beaten track. "It offers more off-road and towing capability than a BYD Shark 6. Add to that its plush SUV-like cabin and swathes of in-car tech, and it has everything the modern site manager or lifestyle buyer needs from an electrified all-rounder." "It may not be quite as cheap – or as powerful – as the BYD Shark 6, but the GWM Cannon Alpha offers the most torque, the biggest battery, the longest range and the lowest claimed fuel consumption of the three PHEV utes currently available. And it's the only one with both front and rear diff locks, making it a clear winner here," concluded managing editor Marton Pettendy. MORE: Explore the GWM Cannon Alpha showroom Content originally sourced from: Utes have always done a roaring trade in Australia, where diesel power has long dominated. It's only recently that we've seen hybrid, plug-in hybrid and electric options join the segment. Electrified options continue to be vastly outnumbered by those with petrol or diesel power, but among these we picked the GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV as the Best Electrified Ute in our inaugural 2025 CarExpert Choice awards. Launched earlier this year, the PHEV joins existing diesel and hybrid petrol versions of GWM's flagship ute. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. Priced from $59,990 before on-road costs, the Cannon Alpha PHEV mates a 180kW/380Nm turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with a 120kW/400Nm electric motor, a nine-speed automatic transmission, and a 37.1kWh battery for total system outputs of no less than 300kW and 750Nm. That gives it a long 115km of electric-only range on the NEDC cycle, plus combined cycle fuel consumption of just 1.7L/100km. But while it can run on pure electric power, the Cannon Alpha PHEV still offers braked towing capacity of 3500kg, a payload of 685kg, and both front and rear locking differentials. The result is a ute that offers silent electric propulsion but also competitive off-road and load-hauling capability. Here's why the CarExpert team picked the GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV as the Best Electrified Ute in the 2025 CarExpert Choice Awards: "Being the person who made the videos on the two Chinese sourced PHEV utes, I accept that I'm partly responsible for the outrage on the internet over the depiction of these new vehicles. That said, we just showed it how it is," said video producer Sean Lander. "And the simple fact of the matter is the GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV is a great car. The interior is lovely, the drivetrain well put together and it can actually do the things Aussie's expect and need of a ute. "It has locking diffs, a big tray, tons of space and massaging seats on the top-spec Ultra. "Yes, there is room for improvement. The spare wheel placement is not good – you are losing a lot of space in the tub. The towbar positioning needs to be raised especially if you intend to do any off-roading. And the infotainment system is clunky, particularly if you need to operate things like the climate control or enable/disable driver assistance settings. "But the Cannon Alpha PHEV can tow, well. It manages its battery much better than its rivals and the fuel economy is superior to any other ute on the market. "It is a great all-rounder, for an excellent price and while there are better utes out there, the Cannon Alpha PHEV shows that the future of work vehicles doesn't have to be bleak. In fact, it looks pretty good." "Utes are finally getting electrified en masse, and GWM is one of the trailblazers," added marketplace editor James Wong. "Its on-paper credentials translate to the real world, with 90-100km of usable electric range, strong performance towing up to 3.5 tonnes, and rugged capability off the beaten track. "It offers more off-road and towing capability than a BYD Shark 6. Add to that its plush SUV-like cabin and swathes of in-car tech, and it has everything the modern site manager or lifestyle buyer needs from an electrified all-rounder." "It may not be quite as cheap – or as powerful – as the BYD Shark 6, but the GWM Cannon Alpha offers the most torque, the biggest battery, the longest range and the lowest claimed fuel consumption of the three PHEV utes currently available. And it's the only one with both front and rear diff locks, making it a clear winner here," concluded managing editor Marton Pettendy. MORE: Explore the GWM Cannon Alpha showroom Content originally sourced from: Utes have always done a roaring trade in Australia, where diesel power has long dominated. It's only recently that we've seen hybrid, plug-in hybrid and electric options join the segment. Electrified options continue to be vastly outnumbered by those with petrol or diesel power, but among these we picked the GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV as the Best Electrified Ute in our inaugural 2025 CarExpert Choice awards. Launched earlier this year, the PHEV joins existing diesel and hybrid petrol versions of GWM's flagship ute. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. Priced from $59,990 before on-road costs, the Cannon Alpha PHEV mates a 180kW/380Nm turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with a 120kW/400Nm electric motor, a nine-speed automatic transmission, and a 37.1kWh battery for total system outputs of no less than 300kW and 750Nm. That gives it a long 115km of electric-only range on the NEDC cycle, plus combined cycle fuel consumption of just 1.7L/100km. But while it can run on pure electric power, the Cannon Alpha PHEV still offers braked towing capacity of 3500kg, a payload of 685kg, and both front and rear locking differentials. The result is a ute that offers silent electric propulsion but also competitive off-road and load-hauling capability. Here's why the CarExpert team picked the GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV as the Best Electrified Ute in the 2025 CarExpert Choice Awards: "Being the person who made the videos on the two Chinese sourced PHEV utes, I accept that I'm partly responsible for the outrage on the internet over the depiction of these new vehicles. That said, we just showed it how it is," said video producer Sean Lander. "And the simple fact of the matter is the GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV is a great car. The interior is lovely, the drivetrain well put together and it can actually do the things Aussie's expect and need of a ute. "It has locking diffs, a big tray, tons of space and massaging seats on the top-spec Ultra. "Yes, there is room for improvement. The spare wheel placement is not good – you are losing a lot of space in the tub. The towbar positioning needs to be raised especially if you intend to do any off-roading. And the infotainment system is clunky, particularly if you need to operate things like the climate control or enable/disable driver assistance settings. "But the Cannon Alpha PHEV can tow, well. It manages its battery much better than its rivals and the fuel economy is superior to any other ute on the market. "It is a great all-rounder, for an excellent price and while there are better utes out there, the Cannon Alpha PHEV shows that the future of work vehicles doesn't have to be bleak. In fact, it looks pretty good." "Utes are finally getting electrified en masse, and GWM is one of the trailblazers," added marketplace editor James Wong. "Its on-paper credentials translate to the real world, with 90-100km of usable electric range, strong performance towing up to 3.5 tonnes, and rugged capability off the beaten track. "It offers more off-road and towing capability than a BYD Shark 6. Add to that its plush SUV-like cabin and swathes of in-car tech, and it has everything the modern site manager or lifestyle buyer needs from an electrified all-rounder." "It may not be quite as cheap – or as powerful – as the BYD Shark 6, but the GWM Cannon Alpha offers the most torque, the biggest battery, the longest range and the lowest claimed fuel consumption of the three PHEV utes currently available. And it's the only one with both front and rear diff locks, making it a clear winner here," concluded managing editor Marton Pettendy. MORE: Explore the GWM Cannon Alpha showroom Content originally sourced from: Utes have always done a roaring trade in Australia, where diesel power has long dominated. It's only recently that we've seen hybrid, plug-in hybrid and electric options join the segment. Electrified options continue to be vastly outnumbered by those with petrol or diesel power, but among these we picked the GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV as the Best Electrified Ute in our inaugural 2025 CarExpert Choice awards. Launched earlier this year, the PHEV joins existing diesel and hybrid petrol versions of GWM's flagship ute. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. Priced from $59,990 before on-road costs, the Cannon Alpha PHEV mates a 180kW/380Nm turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with a 120kW/400Nm electric motor, a nine-speed automatic transmission, and a 37.1kWh battery for total system outputs of no less than 300kW and 750Nm. That gives it a long 115km of electric-only range on the NEDC cycle, plus combined cycle fuel consumption of just 1.7L/100km. But while it can run on pure electric power, the Cannon Alpha PHEV still offers braked towing capacity of 3500kg, a payload of 685kg, and both front and rear locking differentials. The result is a ute that offers silent electric propulsion but also competitive off-road and load-hauling capability. Here's why the CarExpert team picked the GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV as the Best Electrified Ute in the 2025 CarExpert Choice Awards: "Being the person who made the videos on the two Chinese sourced PHEV utes, I accept that I'm partly responsible for the outrage on the internet over the depiction of these new vehicles. That said, we just showed it how it is," said video producer Sean Lander. "And the simple fact of the matter is the GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV is a great car. The interior is lovely, the drivetrain well put together and it can actually do the things Aussie's expect and need of a ute. "It has locking diffs, a big tray, tons of space and massaging seats on the top-spec Ultra. "Yes, there is room for improvement. The spare wheel placement is not good – you are losing a lot of space in the tub. The towbar positioning needs to be raised especially if you intend to do any off-roading. And the infotainment system is clunky, particularly if you need to operate things like the climate control or enable/disable driver assistance settings. "But the Cannon Alpha PHEV can tow, well. It manages its battery much better than its rivals and the fuel economy is superior to any other ute on the market. "It is a great all-rounder, for an excellent price and while there are better utes out there, the Cannon Alpha PHEV shows that the future of work vehicles doesn't have to be bleak. In fact, it looks pretty good." "Utes are finally getting electrified en masse, and GWM is one of the trailblazers," added marketplace editor James Wong. "Its on-paper credentials translate to the real world, with 90-100km of usable electric range, strong performance towing up to 3.5 tonnes, and rugged capability off the beaten track. "It offers more off-road and towing capability than a BYD Shark 6. Add to that its plush SUV-like cabin and swathes of in-car tech, and it has everything the modern site manager or lifestyle buyer needs from an electrified all-rounder." "It may not be quite as cheap – or as powerful – as the BYD Shark 6, but the GWM Cannon Alpha offers the most torque, the biggest battery, the longest range and the lowest claimed fuel consumption of the three PHEV utes currently available. And it's the only one with both front and rear diff locks, making it a clear winner here," concluded managing editor Marton Pettendy. MORE: Explore the GWM Cannon Alpha showroom Content originally sourced from:
