GWM Haval's new flagship 4WD revealed in China to rival the 2026 Toyota LandCruiser and Nissan Y63 Patrol

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2026 Haval flagship SUV
Photo of Tom White
Tom White

Deputy News Editor

4 min read

Haval has revealed its upcoming flagship SUV, which has been frequently spotted in China in previous months.

The new Haval SUV will top-out GWM’s Haval SUV range, sharing its boxy traditional 4x4 design with the Haval H9, which sits below it.

Riding on the brand’s new premier GWM One platform, which also underpins the more luxurious Wey V9X that was revealed last month. The Haval flagship SUV will serve as a more rugged alternative to the V9X.

Read More About GWM Haval H9

The brand is also expected to show off a Tank 900 flagship built on this platform, which should be the most hardcore of the three models.

GWM’s Haval division is yet to name this LandCruiser rival, opening up an online naming petition in China, similarly to the upcoming Chery diesel ute in Australia.

There are few official details, but it is expected to share its Super Hi4 plug-in hybrid system with the Wey V9X, which consists of a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine, a large battery with an 800-volt architecture and electric motors on each axle with a new four-speed hybrid transmission.

Styling details make it look like an enlarged and more contemporary version of the smaller Haval H9, which is not sold in Australia. It offers an upright stance, long flat roofline, high profile tyres, and a squared-off Land Rover Defender-style side-opening tailgate with a rear-mounted spare wheel.

2026 Haval flagship SUV
2026 Haval flagship SUV

Both the front and rear feature new LED lighting signatures, with quad headlight clusters at the front, and more Tank-style upright LED clusters at the rear.

Its nearly filled-in grille wears ‘Haval’ badging across the front, much like the current Toyota Prado, while ‘GWM’ appears on its colour-matching rear tyre cover.

The interior is yet to be shown by the brand but should debut new elements for the Haval brand to go with its new platform and flagship aspirations.

2026 Haval flagship SUV
2026 Haval flagship SUV

Dimensions are also yet to be revealed, but expect this new Haval to span over five meters long. It will serve as a rival to the LandCruiser 300 Series and the upcoming Nissan Y63 Patrol and Mitsubishi Pajero, but will more likely go head-to-head on spec and price with fellow plug-in rivals from China like the Denza B8 and upcoming offerings from Geely, GAC and Chery.

Despite being Haval’s flagship offering though, GWM may not choose to offer it in Australia, as the local division looks to maintain the unique market position of its Tank off-road brand. This has previously been offered as one reason it doesn’t sell the Haval H9, as it is too close in pricing and specification to the Tank 300 or Tank 500 to make sense as part of the more road-going Haval marque's line-up.

It would be unsurprising to see the yet-to-be-revealed Tank 900 to be offered as a flagship instead.

2026 Haval flagship SUV
2026 Haval flagship SUV

GWM has also thus far ruled out the V6 twin-turbo Tank 700 plug-in hybrid for the Australian market, saying we might get it in next-generation form at some point down the track.

In the shorter term, expect to see more from GWM on the EV and hybrid front as it looks to capitalise on an increasingly tight emissions environment and sky-high fuel prices.

The GWM Ora 5 in hybrid and electric form is expected to make its debut in Australia imminently, and a new punchier 3.0-litre four-cylinder diesel engine will give Isuzu a run for its money in the off-road segment, with the larger engine plotted to be placed in the Tank 500 SUV and Cannon Alpha ute.

2026 Haval flagship SUV
2026 Haval flagship SUV

The company’s Wey luxury arm is also plotted to land later in 2026 with the Wey G9 hybrid people mover, opening the door to a range of luxury PHEV SUVs and the Range Rover-rivalling V9X in the future.

Photo of Tom White
Tom White

Deputy News Editor

Despite studying ancient history and law at university, it makes sense Tom ended up writing about cars, as he spent the majority of his waking hours finding ways to drive as many as possible. His fascination with automobiles was also accompanied by an affinity for technology growing up, and he is just as comfortable tinkering with gadgets as he is behind the wheel. His time at CarsGuide has given him a nose for industry news and developments at the forefront of car technology.
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