GWM Aims To Stand Out In The Philippines With Its Off-Roaders

In a sea of increasing Chinese automakers that are setting up shop in the Philippines, standing out is getting ever more difficult. Almost every Chinese automaker is focused on electrification, which is unsurprising given that this is what they’re already good at. The problem is that the Philippine automotive market can only accept so many electrified brands. Thankfully, GWM Philippines has a unique selling point that barely any other Chinese automaker is taking seriously in our market—the off-roader segment.

Sure, while there are a few Chinese automakers in the Philippines with off-roaders, most of them are either too expensive or simply look like off-roaders, but aren’t actually up for the task. That is what GWM is aiming to capitalize on with its diverse range of vehicles that they let us experience for ourselves in Shanghai.

What’s Already Coming

Previewed at the 2025 Manila International Auto Show, the 2025 GWM Haval H9 serves as the flagship model of GWM’s Haval range. Haval consists of both unibody crossover SUVs and body-on-frame SUVs like the Haval H9, and it’s set to compete with the likes of the Toyota Fortuner, Mitsubishi Montero Sport, and Ford Everest.

Where the GWM Haval H9 stands out is with its body-on-frame construction, 2.4-liter turbo diesel engine completely developed by GWM, and a new nine-speed automatic, also developed by GWM. The latter was also deemed good enough to replace the eight-speed auto that was manufactured by ZF. You know, the German transmission manufacturer who supplies this same well-engineered transmission to brands like BMW and Porsche? That engine produces 184 horsepower and 480 Nm of torque.

But where it also stands out is with its design. Donning a boxy aesthetic and upright proportions, the 2025 GWM Haval H9 comes with an elegant yet tough exterior. Furthermore, the interior of the Haval H9 also stands out because of its sheer quality and upmarket feel. Versus the rest of the segment that tend to have utilitarian interiors, the Haval H9’s cabin is sumptuous and cutting edge. Those two screens feature GWM’s latest Coffee OS 3, which is their newest operating system that’s been designed with ease-of-use and slick graphics in mind.

Shown here, however, is a fully accessorized version, donning features like 18-inch wheels wrapped in BF Goodrich all-terrain tires, a ladder, a tent, and a roof rack, just to name a few. We can’t wait to see what our friends from Overland Kings have in store for the Haval H9.

Already on sale in the Philippines is the facelifted GWM Cannon, which uses the same updated mechanicals as the Haval H9. It gets the same improved 180-horsepower 2.4-liter turbo diesel engine, the new nine-speed automatic, and improved looks inside and out.

What May Come To The Philippines

But GWM simply can’t rest on its laurels and depend on its two new off-roaders to stand out in the Philippine market. Thankfully, the company also has other capable off-roaders in the pipeline, but none of these have been confirmed, or at least not yet, for the Philippines.

One of those vehicles that has a high chance of arriving in the Philippines is the updated GWM Tank 300. Already on sale with a 2.0-liter turbo gasoline engine, the Tank 300 is GWM’s competitor to the Jeep Wrangler and Ford Bronco, but at a much lower price. Though when we say “lower”, that’s still at P2,678,000 today.

Anyway, what’s new for the Tank 300 is the same mechanical updates that are found in the Haval H9 and facelifted Cannon. That’s because the Tank 300 can now be powered by GWM’s updated 2.4-liter turbo diesel engine and new nine-speed automatic. This is coupled by a few enhancements on its exterior, as well as in the interior. Like the other GWM vehicles, chief of those interior updates is the new infotainment system running Coffee OS 3.

But perhaps the vehicle that we love so much here during our trip in Shanghai is the GWM Shanhai Cannon (which is called the Cannon Alpha globally). Positioned above the Cannon due to it being incrementally larger and more luxurious, the Cannon Alpha has an interior that oozes in luxury and space that only other midsize pickups could dream of having.

While its exterior design is similar to the Cannon, the Cannon Alpha’s interior is significantly different. The materials are luxurious and sumptuous to the touch, while the tech of the Cannon Alpha is centered around the infotainment system running Coffee OS 3. What’s more, due to its long cab versus other pickups, the Cannon Alpha’s rear seats feature a power recline.

The GWM Cannon Alpha is also the flagbearer of GWM’s electrification for its off-roaders. That’s because it uses what GWM calls its Hi4 drivetrain—in this case, the Hi4-T.

Democratizing AWD Plug-In Hybrids

What is Hi4, you ask? Well, while every Chinese automaker, GWM included, has dipped its toes into the world of electric vehicles (EVs), GWM’s global footprint from Asia to Europe and South America means that electrification will be highly varied. As a result, Hi4 is GWM’s multi-pathway approach to achieving carbon neutrality—a path taken by a lot of automakers globally, but only a few among Chinese automakers have committed to such a diverse powertrain path.

Hi4 is a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) drivetrain that is similar to BYD’s DM-i or DMO system, but to build on GWM’s reputation for being China’s largest off-roader manufacturer, Hi4’s primary selling point is that all versions come with dual electric motors that enable all-wheel drive (AWD) grip and traction. Yes, even in humble hatchbacks to large off-roaders, Hi4 gets AWD as standard, as GWM wants to democratize AWD electrified vehicles worldwide.

We’ll be doing a separate deep dive article on GWM’s Hi4 drivetrain, but here’s a summary of what Hi4 is. Hi4 has three versions: Hi4, Hi4-T, and Hi4-Z.  Hi4 is a series-parallel PHEV drivetrain with AWD that’s primarily used for unibody monocoque vehicles. Thus, this uses a two-speed Direct Hybrid Transmission (DHT) that’s developed in-house by GWM.

Hi4-T, on the other hand, is meant for its body-on-frame vehicles as T stands for “Tank” (a reference to its off-roader SUVs. Since it uses a 2.0-liter turbo gasoline engine and a powerful electric motor mounted in its nine-speed automatic, Hi4-T is considered a parallel hybrid system that’s exclusive to its body-on-frame vehicles.

Lastly, Hi4-Z is a series-parallel hybrid system with two electric motors that is also meant for GWM’s body-on-frame SUVs and pickups. Since it’s a series-parallel system, it uses once again a Dedicated Hybrid Transmission (DHT), in this case a three-speed transmission, together with another two-speed gearbox for the rear electric motors. At its most powerful version, it even gets a 3.0-liter turbocharged V6, in a world where pretty much all Chinese automakers are switching to pure EVs or at most, a 2.0-liter turbo four.

GWM To Focus On Markets Outside NCR

Finally, while almost every Chinese automaker has chosen Metro Manila to be their core market, GWM’s upcoming range of body-on-frame rugged SUVs is going to be a perfect fit for those living in cities and provinces whose road and driving conditions are best served by these rugged SUVs and pickups.

As a result, GWM Philippines aims to solidify its presence in key areas in Visayas and Mindanao, particularly in rural areas. New dealerships will be built, and as a testament to its commitment to the Philippine market, after-sales services will be solidified through more service centers and improved logistics for its spare parts.

While it’s increasingly difficult for Chinese automakers to stand out in the Philippines, GWM has chosen to take the path that only a few Chinese automakers have taken. As China’s leading off-roader brand and also the top-selling off-roader Chinese brand in the Philippines, GWM is doubling down on its rugged reputation to carve its niche in the Philippine market.