What's the difference?
GWM’s Haval H6 competes in the highly congested ‘Medium SUV under $65K’ segment of Australia’s new car market where a staggering 22 brands and more than 30 models compete for buyers.
GWM recently released the latest MY26 generation of its Haval H6GT PHEV (plug-in hybrid electric vehicle), which replaces the original H6GT introduced as GWM’s first PHEV in 2025.
The new H6GT PHEV heralds the introduction of GWM’s ‘Hi4’ intelligent hybrid all-wheel-drive technology along with an upgraded interior design, which now aligns with the broader H6 range and is headlined by integration of the Chinese brand's latest Coffee OS multimedia system.
We recently spent a week aboard this sporty premium model of the H6 range to see if it ticks the right boxes to win buyers in this competitive market segment.
I’m just going to cut to the chase here. This Honda Civic hybrid is a good car. A great one, even.
But for some reason, nobody is really buying it. And it’s not just because it’s not an SUV – it has been outsold in its segment this year by the the BMW 1 Series, the Mercedes A-Class, the MG4 EV, and the VW Golf. Premium and non-premium alike, they’ve all got the little Honda licked.
So, what’s going on? A CarsGuide investigation is required. Stick around and we’ll try to figure this out together.
New-car buyers wanting a medium-size SUV under $65K are faced with a bewildering choice of makes and models but the H6GT PHEV Hi4 is worthy of consideration.
Its value-for-money drive-away pricing combines a spacious and classy cabin, sporty all-wheel drive persona and rare petrol bowser visits if overnight charging and daily EV-only driving are fully utilised.
Talk about your new-car unsung heroes – I can't believe Honda's not selling more of these. So, if you can get over the price, and you worry it might be too small for you, I encourage you to check the Civic out. The back seat and boot are both bigger than you might expect, and the drive experience leaves most SUVs in the rear view mirror.