What's the difference?
GWM’s Haval H6 has been a solid budget-oriented mid-size family SUV for years now, but now it might be a better package than ever.
This current model has just received a mid-life update that brings new looks inside and out, new powertrain options, as well as a revised trim level structure.
Competition in the mid-size SUV segment is hotter than ever with fierce rivals like the Toyota RAV4, Kia Sportage and Hyundai Tucson.
Is the updated GWM Haval H6 worth considering? Read on to find out.
Honda built its four-wheeled automotive empire on the back of small cars, flying in the face of 1970s convention that bigger was better. As the ubiquitous Civic grew larger and larger, a niche for a smaller car appeared, and that niche was subsequently filled by the City in sedan guise, and the Jazz hatch that sits alongside it.
The buying public, however, is simply not as interested as it once was in small hatches and sedans, and Honda, along with other importers, is feeling the pinch when it comes to slumping sales for its smaller models.
But are we all missing out on something here? After all, the Thai-built City is priced from a rock-bottom $15,990 in base manual form – which is not a lot of money for a Honda.
We’re trying the range-topping, $21,590 VTi-L to see what we may have been missing.
The GWM Haval H6 has always been a value buy as a mid-size family SUV and although it previously wouldn’t have been at the top of my shopping list, this mid-life update has changed my mind.
It’s now more stylish inside and out, has more ergonomic storage and most importantly remains a cut-price offering.
Things aren’t perfect, as you still need to rely on the touchscreen for many key features and the suspension tune isn’t quite right.
Small sedan sales are on the wane, and as a result, the cars that remain in the market often aren’t the best in a brand’s lineup.
This is the case with the Honda City. While it’s got plenty of space for passengers and it’s economical, the performance of the drivetrain in terms of composure leaves a lot to be desired.
The underdone steering, too, makes the car uncomfortable for passengers more often than not, while the buggy, hard-to-use multimedia system is unforgivable in an almost-$22,000 car.
Put it this way… the larger, newer, more refined base model Honda Civic is tantalisingly close in price to the top-spec City, and we know which side of the dealership we’d be walking towards.