Audi S5 vs GWM Cannon Alpha

What's the difference?

The S4 and S5 range continues to represent a great formula for performance you can live with every day. They're arguably the sweetest balance Audi produces, actually. All come fantastically equipped, with cabins that feel truly special, and we’re lucky they can be had in a choice of five bodystyles.  

GWM got the jump on its rivals by being first to offer full-hybrid 4x4 ute technology. However, double-digit fuel consumption in the real-world will disappoint those conditioned to expect low single-digit economy from hybrid powertrains. And its relatively small payload rating could also be an issue for some, particularly tradies. Even so, for such a sharp price, its refined performance, lavish luxury, five-star safety, 3500kg towing and reassuring warranty represents compelling value for money.

The S4 sedan and Avant have scored the bulk of design updates, with all new and recontoured side panels including the sedan’s C-pillar matching what was applied to the A4 earlier this year. 

This is paired with new front and rear facias and lighting for a subtle but extensive rework of the fifth-generation S4’s conservative look. 

The S5 Sportback, Coupe and Cabriolet get S5-specific new lighting and facias, but no sheetmetal changes. As before, the Coupe and Cabriolet ride on a 60mm shorter wheelbase than the Sportback, sedan and Avant.

The S5s also get Matrix LED headlights as standard which do a neat animated sequence when you unlock the car. 

Other visual hallmarks include new S4-specific 19-inch wheels, with S5 stepping up to its own unique 20-inch wheel. The six-piston front brake calipers are appropriately painted red, and there’s S-specific adaptive dampers under there too. All variants aside from the Cabriolet get a lip spoiler on the rear.

On the inside, there’s a new centre console and bigger 10.1-inch multimedia screen, while the Audi Virtual Cockpit driver instrument display now offers a hockey stick-style rev counter in additional to traditional dial layouts.

Our test vehicle has a traditional body-on-frame chassis design and its suspension also follows convention with twin A-arms/coil-springs up front, a leaf-spring/live axle under the tail, four-wheel disc brakes and electric power-assisted steering.

It rides on a 3350mm wheelbase and is 5445mm long, 1991mm wide and 1924mm high, so it’s larger than its premium Cannon XSR sibling in key dimensions including wheelbase (120mm longer), length (6.0mm longer), width (33mm wider) and height (6.0mm taller). So, if you want a ute that's larger than the Alpha, the only alternative is a full-size US pick-up.

It has a 13.0-metre turning circle and off-road credentials include 224mm of ground clearance, 800mm of wading depth and 28.5 degrees approach/19 degrees ramp breakover/23 degrees departure angles.

Looks are subjective of course but we reckon it’s a handsome machine, with styling that appears to draw inspiration from US trucks with its bold and imposing grille design, nicely balanced proportions and generous servings of chrome, satin chrome and polished alloy highlights.

The spacious and opulent leather-accented interior might be a bit fancy for tradies carrying crews to and from worksites but there’s no denying its visual appeal, from bold woodgrain dash and door-trim inserts to a classy blend of satin chrome, piano black and full chrome highlights with tasteful shades of grey.

The biggest practicality change among the five S4 and S5 variants is their upgrade to the latest version of Audi’s MMI multimedia system, which steps up to a 10.1-inch touchscreen and drops the scroll wheel from the centre console.

It also boasts ten times the computing power of the version it replaces and uses this and an on-board sim card to access Google Earth maps for navigation and Audi Connect Plus that offers driver information such as fuel prices and parking information as well as point of interest search and weather information, plus the ability to make emergency calls and seek roadside assistance.

There’s also a wireless phone charger, but using Apple CarPlay will still require a cord as per Android Auto.

I only drove the S4 Avant and S5 Sportback at their media launch, which are clearly the most practical of the five, but from our experience with the previous versions, each looks after its occupants well in terms of space and storage. Back seat accommodation is clearly not a priority in the Coupe and Cabriolet, but there’s three other variants if that’s what you’re looking for. 

The Cabriolet can open its automatic folding soft top within 15 seconds, at speeds of up to 50 km/h.

With its hefty 2575kg kerb weight and 3310kg GVM, our test vehicle has a 735kg payload rating which is modest compared to numerous turbo-diesel class rivals.

It’s also rated to tow up to the class-benchmark 3500kg of braked trailer, but with its 6555kg GCM rating (or how much it can legally carry and tow at the same time) that would require a 255kg reduction in payload (from 735kg to 480kg) to avoid exceeding the GCM.

While it’s unlikely Alpha Hybrid owners would need to tow at the 3500kg maximum, it’s important to be aware of these numbers if the need arises, as that 480kg could be used up by a crew of five adults before you could load any luggage.

The load tub is 500mm deep and almost square given its 1500mm length and 1520mm width. With 1100mm between the rear wheel-housings, it won’t fit a standard 1165mm-square Aussie pallet but will take Euro pallets.

It’s protected by a spray-on tub-liner and there are four fixed load-anchorage points. However, the front two are located near the top of the side-walls and the rears are mounted at mid-height, both of which are not ideal for securing low-profile loads (anchorage points just above floor level are ideal).

The load tub is accessed through a two-way tailgate, which with the push of a button can open as either a conventional one-piece tailgate to a horizontal position, or can split 60/40 into a pair of doors that swing open from each side to allow closer access to the load floor. Only time will tell if this two-way design is robust enough for regular workhorse duties.

There are assist handles on the A and B pillars and ample room for front seat occupants, along with generous rear seat headroom despite the presence of a large sunroof which can often compromise this space.

The cabin's rear floor is predominantly flat with the welcome absence of a large transmission tunnel, allowing centre passengers the luxury of being able to put their feet together behind the centre console. However, shoulder-room is tight for three large adults, so two would be preferable for long trips.

Given I’m 186cm tall, there’s also sufficient kneeroom when sitting behind the driver’s seat in my position. And unusual rear seat luxury in a ute is the powered backrest recline for the two outer seating positions, although kneeroom is reduced as the base cushions must slide forward to enable this function.

Storage for the driver and front passenger includes a large-bottle holder and bin in the base of each door. There’s also a large glove box and overhead glasses holder, plus a handy pull-out compartment in the lower dash to the right of the steering column for the driver.

The centre console has a wireless phone-charging pad up front and a large storage box at the rear with a padded lid that doubles as a comfy elbow rest. A flap inside the box can be opened to access climate control airflow to keep food/drinks cool or warm and there’s also a sliding tray on top which in its rearward position reveals two small-bottle/cupholders.

Another small storage nook resides in the lower right-side of the centre console, which contains two USB ports, a 12-volt socket and enough space for a phone. However, it can be awkward to access given its proximity to the driver’s left knee.

Rear passengers also get a large-bottle holder and small bin in each door, plus pockets on the rear of both front seat backrests and small pull-out drawers under each outer seat for small items.

The fold-down centre armrest is equipped with a wireless phone-charging pad, pop-out twin cupholders at the front and a hinged padded lid that opens to reveal a shallow hidden compartment for storage of phones or other slimline items.

Another interesting storage idea is the slender vertical compartments located in each of the cabin’s rear roof pillars (see images). They’re hidden by the doors when closed and accessed through slide-up covers. We reckon these could store collapsible umbrellas in a most convenient location.

Our test vehicle, to use its full name, is the GWM Cannon Alpha Ultra Hybrid. Its hybrid drivetrain comprises a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder, turbo-petrol engine paired with an electric motor, nine-speed automatic and 'on-demand' 4x4 system for a list price of $62,990. Our example's 'Onyx Silver' metallic paint is a $595 option.

Given it's bursting at the seams with lavish appointments, that’s compelling value when compared with top-shelf turbo-diesel models offered by the major players like the Ford Ranger Platinum ($80,640), Isuzu D-Max Blade ($78,900) and Toyota HiLux GR Sport ($74,310).

The Alpha Hybrid’s expansive standard equipment list includes 18-inch alloys with 265/60R18 tyres and a full-size steel spare, roof rails, side-steps, 60/40-split tailgate with electronic lock, rear privacy glass with electric-sliding rear window, panoramic sunroof, LED lighting, front and rear diff-locks, tyre pressure monitoring, front/rear parking sensors and lots more.

Step inside using the keyless entry and you’ll find a jewel-like analogue clock in the dash plus sumptuous leather-accented seating with the front buckets having multiple power adjustments, heating/cooling and even a massage mode.

The outer rear seats also have heating/cooling, plus backrest recline and a ‘welcome’ function for easier passenger access. Wireless phone-charging and USB ports are provided front and rear.

There’s also an electronic parking brake, synthetic leather steering wheel with heating, multiple 'feel' modes and functions, head up display, dual-zone climate, 64-colour ambient interior lighting, 12.3-inch driver’s digital instrument cluster and a premium 10-speaker ‘Infinity’ sound system controlled by a big 14.6-inch multimedia touchscreen with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity and ‘Hello GWM’ voice commands (although it refused to respond to mine).

The level of personalisation available through touchscreen prompts is more than most owners would ever dream of, or realistically ever need in a ute, but it’s all there if you have the time and curiosity to rake through a seemingly endless choice of vehicle settings on the big screen.

Audi has taken an ‘if it ain’t broke’ approach with the mechanicals, with all S4 and S5 models unchanged with this update. So the centrepiece continues to be the single-turbocharged 3.0-litre V6 that produces 260kW and 500Nm, with the latter available from a broad 1370-4500rpm.

The rest of the drivetrain is also unchanged, with the venerable but excellent ZF eight-speed torque converter auto paired with the Quattro all-wheel drive system that can send up to 85 per cent of drive to the rear wheels. 

The hybrid drivetrain comprises a Euro 5-compliant 2.0-litre, four-cylinder, turbo-petrol engine that produces up to 180kW of power and 380Nm of torque.

Paired with this engine is an electric motor that produces up to 78kW and 380Nm. Combined they produce peak outputs of 255kW and 648Nm, which exceeds any turbo-diesel rival in its class.

The Borg Warner-designed 'on-demand' 4x4 transmission with front and rear diff locks includes a nine-speed automatic offering a choice of five drive modes comprising 'Standard' (default), 'Sport' and 'Eco', plus '4H' (4x4 High Range) and '4L' (4x4 Low Range). Drivers can also switch to sequential manual-shifting using steering wheel-mounted paddles.

Official combined fuel figures range from 8.6L1/00km for the S4 sedan to 8.8L/100km for the Avant, Coupe and Sportback, while the heavier Cabriolet steps up to 9.1L/100km. 

All are pretty good considering their performance potential and the size of these cars, plus the fact that they only require 95 RON Premium Unleaded fuel.

All have a 58-litre fuel tank, which should enable a range of at least 637km between fills based on the Cabriolet’s figure.

GWM claims on official combined average consumption of 9.8L/100km and the dash readout was showing a higher 11.1 at the completion of our 484km test, which included a mix of city, suburban and highway driving of which about 100km was hauling its maximum payload.

Our own figure, calculated from actual fuel bowser and tripmeter readings, was higher again at 12.6L/100km. Although hybrids are renowned for substantial fuel savings compared to conventional combustion engine drivetrains, the priority here is clearly ‘big engine’ performance over economy.

Therefore, based on our figure, you could expect a reasonable real-world driving range of around 630km from its 80-litre tank.

The S4 and S5 range were already an excellent balance between everyday comfort and a genuine sporting edge, and nothing has changed with this update.

I spent time behind the wheel of the S4 Avant and S5 Sportback at their media launch, and both managed to deliver the proper Audi luxury experience over some pretty rough rural roads, while always feeling a bit more sporting than a regular A4 or A5. That’s with the Drive Select left in the default mode, but you can shift that sporting personality up a few notches (while scaling back the comfort), by selecting Dynamic mode. 

My preferred means of adjusting their personality is by simply tugging the transmission selector back to activate S mode, which livens up the engine and transmission without stiffening up the suspension. 

Across the five S4 and S5 bodystyles, there is some variance in performance potential, with the S4 sedan and S5 Coupe topping the performance chart with 0-100km/h boasts of 4.7s, with the S5 Sportback trailing them by 0.1s, the S4 Avant by a further 0.1s and the Cabriolet managing a still-fast 5.1s claim.

Another area I consider the S4 and S5s to get just right is their exhaust note. It is adaptive, but there’s nothing synthetic about it, and the generally muted and distinctly V6 burble is always there to remind you that you’re aboard a proper performance model, but not in such a way that it will annoy you, or your neighbours. Polite performance, if you will.

The Alpha’s steering feel (with the annoying lane-keeping assist switched off) and unladen ride quality are vast improvements on GWM Cannon utes we’ve tested and worthy of praise.

It’s an unusual driving experience at first, given there’s not the traditional combination of a turbo-diesel and permanent tachometer to show when the engine is operating in its peak torque zone to help drivers optimise drivetrain performance, particularly when hauling heavy loads.

In this case, you just push the accelerator and rely on the petrol engine, electric motor and hybrid battery to seamlessly manage this complex task. The nine-speed auto offers sequential manual-shifting, but performance in auto 'Normal' mode is a good compromise between the more energetic 'Sport' and more subdued 'Eco' modes.

Floor the accelerator and more than 2.5 tonnes of Chinese ute surges forward with weight-defying ease, like it’s been picked up by a powerful wave. Keep the pedal pressed and it will quickly reach triple-digit speeds, even though the petrol engine emits a rather dull and uninspiring soundtrack along the way.

Urban driving is energetic and the low NVH (noise/vibration/harshness) levels ensure luxurious highway travel using the adaptive cruise control, which must be operated by feel given the control stalk is hidden by the steering wheel arm in the straight-ahead position.

To test its GVM rating we forklifted 650kg into the load tub, which with driver was line-ball with the 735kg payload limit. The leaf-spring rear suspension only compressed 17mm, so there was no chance of it bottoming-out on our test route.  

It excelled with this relatively modest payload, which included making light work of our 13 per cent gradient, 2.0km set climb at 60km/h. Engine-braking on the way down, in a manually-selected second gear assisted by regenerative braking, was not as robust and required application of the disc brakes.

Although you can dial up a digital rev-counter for the petrol engine in the driver’s screen menu, it does not show a ‘redline’ as such but GWM advises it will just shift up a gear if required to avoid damage. This is an engine protection protocol found in numerous turbo-diesel drivetrains we’ve tested.

The Cannon Alpha Ultra Hybrid has a maximum five-star ANCAP rating (tested 2024) and an extensive safety menu highlighted by seven airbags, AEB with pedestrian and cyclist detection, front/rear parking sensors, front/rear cross-traffic alert with autonomous braking for both, speed sign recognition, a 360-degree camera with multiple views and heaps more. The rear seat has three top-tethers plus ISOFIX child-seat anchorages for the outer rear seating positions.

Audi continues to offer a three year, unlimited kilometre warranty, which is in line with BMW but lags behind the five years offered by Mercedes-Benz these days. This also contrasts with the five year norm among mainstream brands, which is punctuated by the seven year warranties of Kia and SsangYong.  

Service intervals are a convenient 12 months/15,000km though, and the same five year ‘Audi Genuine Care Service Plan’ offers capped price servicing for the same $2950 total over five years applies to all S4 and S5 variants. This is only marginally more than the plans offered for regular petrol A4 and A5 variants, so you’re not being stung for the thoroughbred versions.

GWM covers the vehicle with a seven year/unlimited km warranty, eight year/unlimited km hybrid battery warranty and seven years of roadside assist.

Scheduled servicing starts at 12 months/10,000km followed by 12 months/15,000km intervals. GWM offers seven years of capped-price servicing totalling $4975, which is an average of $710 annually.