GWM Haval H6GT vs Alfa Romeo Junior

What's the difference?

The new GWM Haval H6 GT Ultra PHEV has got to be one of the few plug-in hybrids that makes sense to me, given I live in a regional area. The longer electric driving range and DC charging capability offers far more convenience and practicality than the usual plug-in hybrids I’ve sampled.

It’s well-priced and has enough features for the average family. So, while I don’t love everything about it, it offers decent value for money.

The Alfa Romeo Junior is a cute car that’s charming and smile-inducing. It deserves to sell well but ultimately this will come down to whether the Australian public is receptive.

There is plenty of competition out there and if you're wanting something design-led, it's hard to look past this without spending much more money.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.

The H6 GT is the better-looking cousin to the regular H6 SUV because the swoopy rear end adds some much-needed personality.

It's the 19-inch alloys, Michelin tyres and red brake calipers that add to the sporty vibe.

It looks quite large for the segment and while I’m not a massive fan of the heavy plastic moulding around the base of the car, it’s got enough charm to appeal to a wide audience.

Head inside though and you're immediately hit by a strong plasticky presence, whether it be from actual plastics in the dash and door panels or the synthetic feeling of the upholstery itself.

The sunroof and red-stitched 'GT' on the seats add something but its all rather plain and lacks some personality inside.

I do like though that there’s no transmission tunnel, which means more legroom for middle seaters in the rear.

This is such a cute and tiny car with Alfa Romeo trying its hardest to sandwich all of its hallmark design traits in. It’s certainly a busy design on the outside which I don’t love right now, but I imagine I’ll grow to like it with time.

At the front there’s a special grille as standard that features Alfa Romeo script, plus an offset license plate and cool matrix LED headlights with the company’s ‘3+3’ lighting signature.

Around the side the 18-inch alloy wheels have a flower petal-like design, hidden second-row door handles, as well as a hidden serpent (Biscione) easter egg that’s laser etched into the C-pillar.

The rear of the Junior is my least favourite angle. It tries too hard to look more like a hatchback than a crossover SUV with the slanted rear window and the big black slab where the tail-lights are.

The twin exhaust pipes are a cute look, however, especially given the engine doesn’t scream performance credentials on paper.

Inside there’s an obvious attempt at making the cabin look and feel driver-oriented and sporty.

I like the seats which have a red section that runs down the backrest and onto the seat base. It helps break up the black finishes nicely.

Speaking of, however, there's a sea of black finishes throughout the rest of the cabin. I’d like to see some more silver or chrome accents as the glossy piano black may not age well.

There is interior ambient lighting around the cabin with a customisable colour, which looks great in low-light situations. It particularly pops in the large circular air vents which flank the dashboard and are shaped like cloverleaves.

If you look closely you may notice the Junior shares a lot of its physical switchgear with the related Jeep Avenger. Examples include the steering wheel buttons, gear selector, starter button and the physical climate control switches.

While there’s an argument to say that this cheapens the feel of the Junior, I’m thankful there is physical switchgear in this car to begin with. Plus, the Junior does look different enough as it is.

The most practical aspect of the H6 GT's cabin is its sheer size. It's a spacious cabin for the class and that translates to lots of passenger room in each row. Which is only let down by the relatively small boot capacity of 392L (when all five seats are in use).

The boot does feature a level loading space, a 12-volt power socket, retractable cargo cover and a powered tailgate. The latter I always appreciate with kids in tow.

There are lots of individual storage options with the front featuring a glove box large enough for an owner's manual, a middle console, two cupholders and two drink bottle holders. There's also a large shelf underneath the centre console, a dedicated phone cradle and a sunglasses holder.

In the rear there are two drink bottle holders, two map pockets and a couple of cupholders in a fold-down armrest. So plenty of choices for passengers.

Surprisingly, the most comfortable seats are in the rear which feature thick padding, good lumbar support and long seat beds. The electric front seats have heat and ventilation functions, as well as adjustable lumbar support but the lumbar sits too low and the seat backs curve in too far for them to be called comfortable on a longer journey.

The tech is made up of a 12.3-inch touchscreen multimedia system and 10.25-inch digital instrument panel and while they look nice, they're basic at best. The multimedia system is simply laid out but lacks any real customisation and doesn't have sat nav.

The touchscreen can be laggy and there is wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. GWM has confirmed that wireless phone mirroring is due sometime later this year.

Charging options include four USB-A ports (but no USB-C ports), two 12-volt sockets and a wireless charging pad but the pad didn't always work for my iPhone 15 Pro Max (whether that is a user or software issue, I'm not sure).

The front seats in the Junior are very comfortable for longer drives. The driver’s seat in particular offers six ways of electric adjustability and a massage function. You don’t see features like that very often on a tiny SUV.

Ahead of the driver there’s a leather-wrapped steering wheel. It’s surprisingly slim which makes it nice to hold. There are also paddle shifters on the back which could be more pronounced.

As standard there’s a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster which emulates analogue dials for the tachometer and speedometer. While the screen is high-res and clear, it’s interesting that Alfa Romeo chose to emulate dials in a digital way rather than just have physical ones, especially because you can’t change their appearance.

There’s a section in the middle that has a few different informative pages you can cycle through. I’d love to see more configurability given there’s limitless possibilities with a screen.

Moving across there’s another 10.25-inch screen for the central multimedia system. It certainly makes up for the lack of configurability in the digital instrument cluster and you can create and customise five different home page screens with a vast array of widgets. It’s fairly clever though at some point it feels like overkill.

There aren’t many menus or sub-menus to get lost in, however, the home button took me a while to locate. It’s above the touchscreen in a small pod of physical buttons alongside the hazard lights and door lock switch.

Underneath the touchscreen there’s a wireless phone charger, plus USB-C and USB-A charger ports.

The engine start button is mounted prominently on the centre tunnel with the lightswitch-like gear selector directly behind it. It’s mounted a little too close to the centre armrest which means craning my arm like a T-Rex to use it.

Other amenities up front include a deep console area with configurable cupholders, a sliding centre armrest with a cubby, as well as a tiny glovebox.

It’s very clear the second row of the Junior isn’t the focus. At 182cm tall I need to splay my legs on either side of the driver’s seat in my desired driving position. Despite this, toe room and headroom is adequate, even with the optional sunroof.

The second row isn’t a place anyone would want to spend too long in. Kids would likely suit better, plus there are top-tether points on all three rear seats and ISOFIX mounting points on the outboard rear seats.

Amenities are limited to a single USB-C port in the second row. There are no air vents or centre armrest. You need to make your own entertainment.

At the back there’s a hands-free power tailgate, which is rare for a vehicle of this size. Once it’s open, the available boot space is decent, especially for such a small car. There’s 415L of boot space with the rear seats upright.

The area itself is fine. There’s no load lip which allows you to get things in and out with ease, plus there’s a two-tier boot floor, allowing you to stow items under the floor away for prying eyes.

In terms of boot-related amenities there’s a 12V socket, a light and some hooks. It’s fairly standard back there.

Unfortunately there’s no spare wheel as standard in the Junior line-up. Instead there’s a tyre repair kit which is not super handy if you have a tyre blow out.

Thankfully you can purchase a space-saver spare wheel for the Junior Ibrida for $314 as a genuine accessory. It would be better if this came as standard given there’s the space for it.

The Junior Ibrida is the “entry-level” variant and has an asking price of $45,900 before on-road costs, which is fairly steep for such a small vehicle.

Depending on what you class as a rival for this car you can either see it as good or poor value. It’s cheaper than the likes of the Lexus LBX and around the same price as a related Peugeot 2008.

However, Chinese rivals like the Chery Tiggo 4 and the MG ZS, albeit slightly larger, are virtually half the price. But they lack the primo Alfa badge.

Despite this, the Junior comes fully loaded as standard in Australia so there’s plenty of kit.

Standard equipment includes 18-inch alloy wheels, matrix LED headlights, a hands-free power tailgate, two-tone black roof, dual 10.25-inch screens, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless charger, single-zone climate control, heated front seats, as well as black cloth and synthetic leather upholstery.

The only options available include a sunroof and premium paint. Both of these cost $1990 each.

The new H6 GT Ultra has a plug-in hybrid powertrain that combines a 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine with three electric motors, two at the front and one at the rear.

Together they produce a combined power output of 321kW and 762Nm of torque. That gives this 4WD a 0-100km/h sprint time of 4.9 seconds. So it's a quick SUV but somehow it doesn't manage to feel 'blow-your-hair-back' quick.

The engine is paired with a two-speed dedicated hybrid transmission (DHT) and the switch between the electric and engine components is practically seamless.

The Junior Ibrida is powered by a 1.2-litre turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine with 48V mild-hybrid assistance.

In the six-speed dual-clutch transmission is a 21kW electric motor that’s fed by a 0.9kWh lithium-ion battery pack.

It’s worth noting that this is the exact same engine set-up that features in a growing number of Peugeot models locally, including hybrid versions of the 2008, 3008, 5008, 308 and 408.

Total system outputs are 107kW and 230Nm which is far from class-leading. Alfa Romeo claims the 0-100km/h sprint takes 8.9 seconds.

The new H6 GT has a ternary lithium battery with a large 35.43kWh capacity. It also has a Type 2 CCS charging port, which is pretty rare but welcome on a plug-in. This system can accept up to 6.6kW on an AC charger and up to 48kW on a fast DC charger, which is great.

It means you can plug in at a DC fast charger during a road trip like a normal EV and that improves overall efficiency.

The combined fuel cycle figure is just 0.8L/100km and with the 55L fuel tank, you’ll get a theoretical driving range of over 1000km. That’s just something to consider right there. The considerable pure electric driving range of up to 180km also ensures that you can do your daily errands and school run without really touching the fuel tank. 

Which I totally proved this week after doing 469km of open-road driving and my daily 'urban' errands and only using 2.3L of fuel all week. I had two full charges during my week and that means my real-world usage beats the claimed figure at 0.49L/100km. Haval H6 GT for the win.

The Junior Ibrida has a claimed fuel consumption of just 4.1L/100km, which is solid for a mild-hybrid vehicle.

There’s a 44L fuel tank which requires a minimum of 95 RON premium unleaded petrol.

During our 200km drive loop on the launch which consisted of mixed and spirited drive, we returned an average of 5.4L/100km. However, during one section with fewer twists and turns we saw an average of 4.0L/100km, which is incredible.

Using our as-tested fuel consumption there’s a theoretical range of 815km.

The new powertrain took a few days to get used to because it doesn't behave like some of the PHEVs I've driven before. The emphasis is on EV driving rather than the ICE components. The pedals are quite stiff which takes a moment to adjust to, but the auto-hold braking and strong regenerative braking means it's difficult 'creep' forward like you can in a regular ICE car.

The one-pedal function is true one-pedal driving and if you time your deceleration right, you won't touch the brake pedal. You'll either like that or you won't but it's been nice to use this week.

The power delivery is prompt and there's a lot of power available. It doesn’t feel wicked quick like a performance EV but it certainly has enough punch to satisfy. You don’t notice when it switches between the engine or motor, which makes it a very smooth powertrain.

The steering is a little spongy but responsive enough to feel spry for quick lane changes. It's just not particularly dynamic on a winding road with the combination of the firmer suspension and soft steering.

Road noise can creep up at higher speeds and there is an annoying whirring sound from the motors that my son likened to a dull aeroplane engine roar.

The suspension is on the firmer side and you notice the bumps but you also don’t wince when you hit one. Visibility is okay but the thick A-pillar can get in the way when you're scanning the road at intersections, and the back window is narrow. A digital rear-view mirror would be a handy feature for the model.

The H6 GT Ultra PHEV is pretty easy to park because it has a clear 360-degree view camera system and parking sensors at the front and rear. The 12-metre turning circle makes it pretty friendly in a carpark, too. 

Starting up the Junior Ibrida, the turbo three-cylinder engine roars to life with an off-beat, thrum-y sound.

If the engine is bone cold, it’ll stay on to get the fluids up to operating temperature. Once this happens it will happily switch off.

Initial acceleration is typically done on electric power alone and if you don’t press the accelerator too hard it’ll stay in EV mode at city speeds. It’s very electric-heavy for a car that’s technically only a 48V mild-hybrid.

At many points the engine switches off at speeds up to 80km/h, especially if you’re travelling on flat ground. Even at 100-110km/h, it’ll switch off if coasting.

Something to note is the electric motor is part of the six-speed dual-clutch transmission which means you can sometimes feel gear changes even when driving in EV mode. You do get used to this.

A positive of the electric motor being in the dual-clutch is it helps iron out awkward pauses and jerks that this type of transmission typically presents. It’s still not perfect though.

If you press the accelerator harder or the battery charge gets lower, it’ll inevitably fire up the three-cylinder engine. It makes a rorty note during acceleration which is fun to listen to.

The transition from electric to petrol is generally seamless. There can be a slight shudder when the three-cylinder first fires up at low revs, but I’ve experienced much worse in other cars.

There’s only one setting for regenerative braking, which is fairly strong and almost one-pedal-driving like. It takes a bit to get used to the feeling. You do still need to put your foot on the brake pedal to come to a complete stop.

With the combination of the petrol engine and electric motor, acceleration is far from break-neck but it’s far from slow. The fact it doesn’t have much power actually makes this car more endearing, especially because it’s rewarding to drive.

The steering in the Junior is communicative and direct. It's a joy to take corners in as the feel errs more on the lighter side. It almost has a Mini-like go-kart feel as the car feels so nimble.

Additionally, the ride is composed and settled, even at higher speeds on rough roads, which is rare for small vehicles. This is likely because the Junior only has 18-inch alloy wheels with a decent amount of tyre sidewall, rather than the low-profile 20-inch units that are offered in the Veloce Elettrica overseas.

On the highway the Junior’s cabin is surprisingly quiet. You can’t hear the three-cylinder once you’ve reached your set speed and there’s also minimal wind/tyre noise.

Lastly, the safety systems do a good job at working but not being annoying. The worst culprit is the intelligent speed limit assist which chimes when you go over the signposted speed limit.

If it does grate you too much, you can easily switch it off in a dedicated advanced driver assist system (ADAS) menu that can be reached via a shortcut button near the hazard lights. It’s as easy as that.

The Alfa Romeo Junior hasn’t been crash-tested by ANCAP or Euro NCAP just yet.

Standard safety kit includes six airbags, autonomous emergency braking (AEB), blind-spot monitoring, lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control, front, side and rear parking sensors, as well as a reversing camera.

Some features missing from the line-up include rear cross-traffic alert, plus a proper surround-view camera. With the latter, however, the reversing camera stitches together when reversing to create a surround-view image, much like Peugeots.

Junior owners get 12 months of complimentary access to connected services which allows for things like SOS emergency calling and live traffic satellite navigation, plus a range of remote functionality through a companion smartphone app.

GWM offers the H6 GT with a seven-year unlimited kilometre warranty, which is becoming the normal term for the class and you will enjoy five years of roadside assistance through Allianz.

There is also a five-year capped-price servicing program that costs $1680, which is competitive. The first service is at 10,000km but subsequent intervals are spaced at every 12 months or 15,000km.

Like other Alfa Romeos, the Junior is covered by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty.

There’s also five years of roadside assistance as standard. An additional 12 months of coverage can be added for the lifetime of the vehicle every time you service at an authorised Alfa Romeo dealer.

Logbook servicing is required every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever comes first. The first five services are capped and total $3105.84, which averages out to around $620 each.

This seems pretty expensive for such a small car, but it's only a touch pricier than the Lexus LBX.

It’s clear maintaining this vehicle with its dual-clutch automatic transmission and mild-hybrid components is costly in the long run.