Pickup truck comparo: GWM Cannon vs Dongfeng Rich 7

It’s only a matter of time before the prices of lifestyle pickup trucks start to jack up. That said, it’s only fitting to take a peek at some of the notable options in the segment, should car buyers want to add one to their garage before companies bump up their sticker prices. 

On that note, we pit together the GWM Cannon and the Dongfeng Rich 7 to find out which of the two Chinese vehicles best suits your budget, style, and motoring needs. 

Tale of the tape

	GWM Cannon	Dongfeng Rich 7
Dimensions (LxWxH in millimeters [mm>)	5,416 x 1,947 x 1,886	5,287 x 1,850 x 1,847
Cargo bed (LxWxH in mm)	1,520 x 1,520 x 540	1,510 x 1,562 x 475
Wheelbase	3,230	3,150

 

At a glance, the GWM Cannon looks larger than its competitor and also boasts a relatively bigger truck bed — resulting in it being able to cater to more cargo. It also has a slightly longer wheelbase, contributing to a more pliant ride quality. 

Exterior 

Outside, the GWM Cannon offers a simple and straightforward fascia. Its grille is wide and is adorned by the company’s logo (which is also huge) at the center. Flanking the grillework is a pair of LED headlamps with an automatic function with an electronic adjustment feature. These are complemented by daytime running lights (DRL) and a pair of fog lamps.

Onto its sides are electronically adjustable side mirrors with repeaters that can fold automatically. Notable too are its running boards as well as a set of 18-inch diamond-cut wheels wrapped with 265/60 radial tires. 

The backside of the GWM Cannon gets a bed with a spray-on bedliner, two LED taillamps, a high-mount brake lamp, fog lamps, and a hydraulically-assisted tailgate equipped with a retractable step. 

As for the Dongfeng Rich 7, its front end also gets a large grille, but is more angular than the GWM Cannon. In effect, the latter — especially when compared to its rival — becomes more sporty and aggressive-looking than the former.  For its front illumination, it packs LED headlamps clustered alongside DRLs. It also gets fog lamps for improved visibility. 

Its side profile is highlighted by robust appointments, which come in the form of large step boards, roof rails, some chrome door handles and lower window trims, as well as blacked-out B-pillars and side mirrors (with repeaters). Adding to its sporty appeal is a set of mudlflaps, which offers both aesthetic and functional uses. 

The pickup truck rides on 18-inch two-tone wheels shod in chunky 255/60R series tires. 

At the back, the Dongfeng Rich 7 gets a tailgate with a chrome “Dongfeng” badge, a shiny “Rich 7” nameplate, and a chrome handle. To each of its sides are large rectangular taillights, while the lower portion of the vehicle’s hind gets a simple-looking bumper. 

When standing against each other, the GWM Cannon gets points for its beefier body. On the other hand, the Dongfeng Rich 7 makes up for its small size with cosmetic features that make it look like a capable companion. 

Since they both attract car buyers from both ends of the spectrum, we call this round a tie. 

Interior 

Contrasting its minimalist exterior is a cabin that looks surprisingly athletic, and to be honest, it feels like it should belong to the Dongfeng Rich 7 instead. 

The seats are finished with crimson-hued leather, which, despite its best effort to make the interior look classy, still gives the impression of a cockpit that is naturally sporty. The same material can be seen covering parts of the door cards as well as the dashboard. 

Although in a different color, the steering wheel and the front armrest also gets the same treatment. 

Past the multi-functional steering wheel is a seven-inch digital instrument cluster complemented by a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple Carplay and Android Auto. Audio is diverted to a six-speaker sound system. 

For added convenience, the GWM Cannon is fitted with an automatic air conditioning unit with rear vents, a standard wireless charger (with some USB ports), and a center console with plenty of buttons. 

In a similar fashion, the somewhat sporty vibes of the Dongfeng Rich 7 are not reflected in its cabin, which offers an air of opulence. The driver and its passengers will be greeted with brown leather seats — with quilting, if I may add. 

The dashboard even gets some finishing that mimics the design of wood. The air conditioning vents, as well as the center console, get rose gold accents.  

In terms of technology, the Dongfeng Rich 7 gets an instrument cluster that combines analog gauges with a 3.5-inch digital screen. It also has a 10-inch instrument cluster, oriented vertically. It also lacks Apple Carplay and Android Auto connectivity, but it nonetheless gets a CarLink app that allows phone integration — albeit with added steps. 

The Dongfeng Rich 7 also packs an automatic air conditioning system with dedicated louvers for the rear passengers. Helping maintain cabin air quality is a pollen filter. 

Due to its better technological offerings, we will give this round to the GWM Cannon. And while its sporty cabin might attract some car buyers, we kind of wish that it traded upholstery materials with the Dongfeng Rich 7. 

Powertrain, chassis 

Under the hood of the GWM Cannon is a 2.4-liter turbocharged diesel engine mated to a nine-speed automatic transmission. In unison, it makes the following figures: 

Maximum power output (in horsepower [hp>)	181
Maximum torque (in Newton-meters [Nm>)	480

 

According to GWM Philippines, the latest iteration of the Cannon pickup truck makes 12 percent more power and 20 percent more torque compared to its predecessor. 

Helping drivers tailor their experiences are four drive modes, which we have listed below: 

• Standard
• Sport
• Eco 
• 4L 

The GWM Cannon also brings to the table an intelligent four-wheel drive drivetrain with a torque-on-demand system, which allows it to conquer almost any terrain. 

Facilitating deceleration are disc brakes, front and back. It uses a double wishbone arrangement at the fore and a leaf spring rigid axle setup at the rear. 

Not wanting to be outdone, the Dongfeng Rich 7 makes use of a 2.3-liter, turbocharged diesel engine mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. 

Below are the numbers that it produces: 

Maximum power output (in hp)	163
Maximum torque (in Nm)	420

 

When it comes to halts, the pickup truck relies on ventilated disc brakes at the front and solid disc brakes at the rear. Suspension-wise, it has a double wishbone setup with a stabilizer bar at the fore and a leaf spring arrangement at the rear. 

Since the two pickup trucks have their own strengths and weaknesses, we’re calling this one a tie. Despite the GWM Cannon producing more power, the Dongfeng Rich 7 inherently has more torque. 

Safety

To keep its passengers secure, the GWM Cannon has several active and passive safety features. We have listed them below: 

• Airbags
• Seatbelts 
• ISOFIX tethers
• Anti-lock braking 
• Electronic brake-force distribution 
• Brake assist 
• Electronic stability control 
• Hill descent control 
• Hill-start assist 
• Roll movement intervention 
• Traction control system 
• Tire pressure monitoring 
• 360-degree-view camera
• Parking sensors 
• Overspeeding alarm 
• Automatic fuel cut-off function

Here are its advanced driver assist technologies: 

• Adaptive cruise control 
• Automatic emergency braking 
• Cross traffic alert 
• Forward collision warning 
• Intelligent cruise assistance 
• Traffic jam assist 
• Lane center keeping assist 
• Lane change assist 
• Lane departure warning 
• Intersection assistance 

The Dongfeng Rich 7 gets the below safety features: 

• Airbags 
• Seatbelts 
• Backup camera with guidelines 
• 360-degree camera view 
• 540-degree transparent chassis view 
• Automatic emergency braking 
• Lane departure warning 
• Lane keeping assist 
• Forward collision warning
• Adaptive cruise control

Since the GWM Cannon has a longer list of safety settings, it gets the clear win on this round. Nowadays, more and more car buyers pay attention to the safety features of their vehicles, and the said pickup truck answers the driving needs of modern-day motorists. 

Variants, pricing 

The GWM Cannon is offered in two variants, below are their price tags: 

GWM Cannon Lux 4x4	P1.348 million
GWM Cannon SLux 4x4	P1.498 million

 

As for the Dongfeng Rich 7, customers can choose from its three available grades: 

Dongfeng Rich 7 4x2 Upper	P1.388 million
Dongfeng Rich 7 4x4 Upper	P1.488 million
Dongfeng Rich 7 4x4 Tiger	P1.738 million

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