Haval’s H6 seems to be going from strength to strength with the number of H6s traversing Kiwi city and suburban landscapes increasing at a considerable rate. Now we have a new H6 complete with a plug-in-hybrid powertrain. It also looks poised to be the best packaged H6 yet with some added fuel frugality to complement its other winning areas of equipment and value for money.
Focusing on the H6 Ultra PHEV 2WD for this test, its PHEV credentials come courtesy of a battery pack being aided by a 1.5L turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine. Said battery is a hefty one at 19.09kWh and serves up 130kW/300Nm. In conjunction with the petrol engine’s 110kW/240Nm, you have a decent combined 240kW and 540Nm of torque. Not too shabby for a family SUV which will set you back a low $49,990.
The range itself starts at $39,990 for the entry level Lux HEV in regular hybrid trim and finishes with the Ultra PHEV in AWD at $52,990. An extra $3,000 over my test car and you get the model with all the fruit, all-wheel drive, more grunt (268kW/760Nm) and a zero to 100kph time of 4.8 seconds.
A 6.6kW AC charger can give you a full charge from empty in around three hours while from 30 to 80 per cent recharge from a 3kW DC Fast Charger will take half an hour. According to NEDC figures, the H6 PHEV 2WD can travel 106kms on electric power alone. Throw in the ICE unit and wait for it, the combined range is a simply staggering 1106kms. That’s a trip to Queenstown and back without stopping to refuel and still have some range left over.
Looks wise, the new look H6 benefits from a revised LED headlight and taillight cluster, a new look grill and vertical daytime running lights look swish. The rear may look a tad generic in my view but the overall package in terms of design is rather nice. I also quite liked the Astral Pearl paint scheme which has a slightly golden hue to it accompanied by the blacked out 19-inch alloys. Not a super funky colour combo but certainly not the norm.
With the release of every new model, Haval and GWM in general have been providing more evidence they are upping their game in terms of quality. The cabin is plusher, and the switchgear feels just that little bit better built than before. In GWM fashion, it’s all about minimalism and that 14.6-inch touch screen infotainment system grabbing your immediate attention when you step aboard.
I quite like the floating centre which allows for extra storage space underneath, dual cupholders and a space for your phone which acts as a wireless charging pad. In fact, talking of space, you have good levels of head and legroom and it’s easy to get comfy in the six-way electrical adjustable seats.
The rear seats are as equally nice to sit in as those up front, with Haval’s Comfort-Tek Leather Accented seat trim allowing you to sink in ever so slightly when you touch down for the first time and 560L of boot space can swell to 1,455L if you drop the second row. The boot floor is also quite long, ideal for those lengthier items. You also have dual storage bins either side. The H6 Ultra PHEV is practical, make no mistake.
It’s also well stocked too. GWM have been generous when it comes to standard kit. Features like wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, a head up display, front heated seats, heated steering wheel, ambient lighting, wireless phone charging and safety gear like a 360-degree rear camera, blind spot monitoring, rear parking sensors, adaptive cruise, lane keep assist, lane departure warning, rear cross traffic alert and clear chassis view all coming as standard.
With those 240kW being sent to the front wheels, the H6 PHEV is certainly eager to get going. A quick press of the go-pedal when turning left or right out of a T-junction and it pulls strongly, much like a hungry terrier straining at the lead. There is a smidgen of torque steer to accompany this, but it is not too intrusive and entirely manageable.
It’s got poke too. It’s 1.5L turbo four pot generator for the electric motor and battery pack provides more than ample momentum, sometimes a bit more than one would initially expect. One can only imagine what the AWD is like.
At a suburban pace, the H6 feels much tighter and more solidly put together than the model before it. Amazing to think just how much Haval and GWM have progressed in such a staggeringly short space of time. Its ability to motor along in EV silent running with the turbo four pot generating some assistance if required makes for seamless transition between each mode of drive.
The H6 HEV is also a half-decent handler too, in terms of serving up a comfortable and supple feeling ride while feeling increasingly well sorted underneath. Sport model also really does feel like Sport mode with the steering weighting up nicely and its ability to slice through afternoon motorway traffic increases with ease.
This is by far the best Haval H6 yet. The PHEV variant is certainly the one to go for too, thanks to supple handling, great levels of on-board technology, whether aimed at comfort or safety, plus immense number of kilometres you can cover between filling up and its ability to sport electric silent running for in excess of 100 of those kilometres all add up to make terrific buying.
RATING: 8/10
