GWM Haval H7 2026 review: Australian first drive | Toyota RAV4 rival tested

Price and features – Does it represent good value for the price? What features does it come with?

9 / 10

The H7 is available in four grades at launch, two traditional hybrids (HEV) and two plug-in hybrids (PHEV).

The hybrid pairing of the GWM Haval H7 starts from $45,990, drive-away, for the Lux HEV on a limited-time $1000-off offer.

Even the standard kit it comes with at the entry-level is impressive, including:

• 15.6-inch multimedia touchscreen
• 12.3-inch driver display
• Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay
• Wireless phone charging
• Six-way adjustable driver seat
• Eight-speaker sound system
• Surround-view parking cameras
• A panoramic sunroof
• LED headlights and tail-lights
• A full-size spare tyre

Step up to the higher grade Vanta HEV and $49,990 gets you features like:

• Extra eight-way electric adjustment for the driver’s seat
• An electrically adjustable front passenger seat
• Heated and ventilated front seats
• Heated steering wheel
• Ambient mood lighting
• Tinted privacy glass
• Head-up display
• 10-speaker sound system
• Black exterior trim

The Lux PHEV is $49,000, the same price as the Vanta HEV, while the top-of-the-range Vanta PHEV is $53,990. The Lux and Vanta features remain the same regardless of HEV or PHEV versions.

Even when the Lux grades are $1000 more as the introductory offer ends, probably before the end of 2026, the entry-level value against rivals like the Toyota RAV4 (from $45,990, before on-road costs), Hyundai Tucson (from $42,850 plus on-road costs) or the Nissan X-Trail (from $47,765 plus on-road costs) is hard to deny.

And, for reasons we’ll get to, the H7 even holds a strong position against cheaper (also value-packed) Chinese rivals like the BYD Sealion 6 PHEV or the MG HS hybrid.

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Design – Is there anything interesting about its design?

8 / 10

The previous generation H7 stood out, for better or worse, on Aussie roads. This one, probably for the better, doesn’t quite as much.

Taking on a squared-off boxy look, the new Haval H7 seems to take some inspiration from the likes of the Toyota Prado and Land Rover Defender without quite going full copycat.

It certainly helps the new H7 look larger than the last one… and it is. At 4800mm long, 1950mm tall and 1843mm wide, the 2026 H7 is about 100mm longer, 40mm wider and 60mm taller than the one introduced to Australia in 2025.

It doesn’t look as busy as its predecessor and sticks fairly rigidly to the ‘squares and rectangles’ motif even with its trim features and lighting.

The HEV gets a black set of wheels, the PHEV a silver set, and the Vanta’s trim is all blacked-out. Other than that, at a glance you might not be able to tell the difference.

Inside, the interior is black unless you opt for a Vanta grade finished in either Velvet Black or Emerald Green paint, in which case you can choose to have an Apricot interior. It’s eye-catching, though probably not as easy to keep looking clean.

There’s a relatively tidy, minimal layout in the cabin, but notably not a complete lack of buttons.

Practicality – How practical is its space and tech inside?

8 / 10

Inside, the aforementioned layout of the H7 is very easy to navigate quickly, thanks to clear screens and readily available physical buttons for key controls like drive modes or the climate settings.

The space is generous, and with the Vanta grades the seats are decently adjustable, though without the seat front-lift as the Lux is limited to, there might not be enough under-thigh support for taller drivers.

The steering wheel is a comfortable size and shape, and the driver display is easy to see through it, though the controls on the steering wheel aren’t immediately clear in terms of adjusting the view on the display.

The centre touchscreen also takes a small amount of getting used to in terms of navigation, but using the screen itself is easy thanks to shortcuts and big, clear icons.

There’s wireless charging, space for bottles and drinks, a decent central storage bin and USB-A and -C ports for additional devices needing a bit of juice.

Behind the front seats, the second row is very spacious, with knee room, foot room, headroom and shoulder room deluxe.

The sunroof also makes things nice and light, even with a dark interior tone, and the lower edge of the window isn’t too high up.

Each door also gets, as up front, a bottle holder with a retracting strap to hold different-sized bottles in place.

Behind the second row, there’s a 586L boot, and although the door opens wide for easy loading, it’s hinged on the side so it requires some planning if reverse parking.

The upside? A full-sized spare tyre mounted on the back - excellent.

Under the bonnet – What are the key stats for its engine and transmission?

7 / 10

The HEV grades of the H7 run a 182kW/670Nm all-wheel drive system with a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine aided by the electric motors.

The PHEV has a more powerful version of the engine and electric motor set-up resulting in 320kW and 670Nm. 

It features eight drive modes including a towing mode, and every version of the H7 has a rear diff-lock.

Efficiency – What is its fuel consumption? What is its driving range?

7 / 10

GWM claims the H7 hybrid sips 7.0 litres of fuel every 100km, though the trip computer on test showed 8.3L.

It has a 55L fuel tank, shared with the PHEV versions of the SUV.

In the PHEV, a 33.7kWh battery joins in to allow a 137km WLTP driving range.

The consumption claim for the PHEV is 0.9L due to the way WLTP testing is undertaken, but realistically that will vary wildly from almost 0.0L around town to several on a long trip. The relatively new H7 PHEV we checked had averaged 6.1L/100km over most of its life so far, for example.

GWM claims the combined range in the H7 PHEV is a total 844km.

Driving – What's it like to drive?

8 / 10

GWM’s (comparatively long) time in Australia has hit a few key milestones, but perhaps one of the most important in differentiating itself from its newly arrived compatriots is the hiring of ex-Holden ride and handling engineer Rob Trubiani.

While the GWM Ora 5 electric small SUV was the first completely new model to debut in Australia with his tuning work underneath, the H7 is arguably the first important one. It now joins a few other models that have had his work applied post-launch, the H6 and Tank 300 SUVs for example.

And on the road, Trubiani’s changes are clearly working.

The new Haval H7 feels much more controlled than GWM’s products previously, with steering inputs not only feeling more satisfying but also producing more accurate results in corners.

The suspension has lost a small amount of comfort to shore up handling - the ride isn’t as soft but also doesn’t wallow after big bumps and is much more confidence-inspiring on twisty roads. Trubiani can’t be blamed for the state of the roads we tested the car on.

The power difference between the HEV and the PHEV is notable, though the HEV isn’t a slouch for a mid-size family SUV. 

In both cases, though, the hybrid system could be smoother. 

There’s a somewhat harsh change in acceleration when the engine kicks in, meaning you have to regulate the pedal a little more than you should at normal driving speeds.

It should also be noted that the H7 is still a big, two-plus-tonne SUV and while the ride and handling are much better for Australian tastes, it’s still no sports car. It feels big because it is.

Despite this, visibility is good, the driving position is comfortable and the cabin is easy to use on the move.

Safety – What safety equipment is fitted? What is its safety rating?

8 / 10

There’s no ANCAP rating for the H7 just yet, but a seven-airbag set-up including the important centre airbag is a good start, plus GWM’s fairly comprehensive suite of ADAS covers everything from parking sensors to collision mitigation to rear cross-traffic alert with auto braking.

The second row has ISOFIX points at the outboard seats, and the ability to see almost everything outside the car when maneuvering to park or reversing is another plus for keeping kids safe around big cars.

As mentioned, it’s all tuned much better than had previously been the case, meaning you’re less likely to get annoyed by interference and deactivate the systems.

Ownership – What warranty is offered? What are its service intervals? What are its running costs?

8 / 10

GWM’s competitive seven-year/unlimited kilometre warranty and seven-years' of capped-price servicing apply to the H7, appropriately.

That includes roadside assist when serviced with GWM and an eight-year battery warranty for the drivetrain.

The first seven services are capped at $460, with intervals at 10,000km for the first service before it’s 15,000km after that.

GWM operates 130 dealerships in Australia across metropolitan, regional and rural areas.

Verdict