GWM Haval H7 vs BMW M Models

What's the difference?

The H7 might struggle to secure a big chunk of the mid-size SUV market, which is probably why GWM is only offering one variant, but if you like the way this Big Dog looks, there’s a decent SUV underneath the boxy surface.

While it’s no dynamic masterpiece, there are no big issues in day-to-day driving, and even though the boot space is small it’s an otherwise decent interior to live with, if you don’t mind the busy design.

Being just a little more expensive than the more traditional looking H6 means the H7 feels well-placed to find itself in the driveway of those few buyers who want their family car to look a little more rugged, even if the car doesn’t have the off-road chops to back it up.

Brutal, bruising and utterly brilliant, the M4 CS will be an acquired taste due to its no-compromise approach, but those willing to take the leap will find a performance car like few others at their disposal.

The aforementioned colours, Golden Black, Moon Grey and especially Dusk Orange don’t contrast as strongly as the white with the extensive black trim on the H7, which includes its badging and sections like the grille surround.

The main selling point of the H7 compared to the H6 is, of course, the way it looks.

GWM claims the H7 is for "a bit more adventure" thanks to its “off-road inspired design”, but the real point is to “stand out”. And that it does. Some fake-bolted wheel arches and a decent 210mm ground clearance make the H7 look more ready to hit the trails than it probably is.

The boxy, squared-off silhouette and trim elements separate it both from the majority of the GWM line-up and from many other new mid-size SUVs.

The front grille and headlights look closely related to the GWM Tank 300, but the grille inserts that flank the Haval badge look a little ‘Mustang RTR’. The rear, too, looks familiar with the rounded shape and tail-light arrangement having a hint of Mazda MX-30 to them.

Step inside, and a visual assault of different materials in a busy cabin belie how useful the space in the H7 actually is. Fake carbon fibre, fake aluminium, fake bolts and a fair bit of plastic could certainly have made way for something more subtle.

The M4 CS is familiar in all the right ways, but definitely looks significantly jacked up compared to its lesser siblings.

Part of that is the extensive use of carbon everywhere, from its bonnet panels to its roof, front lip, side skirting and boot spoiler. But also because of its super-muscular angles and creases, including the huge dome in its bonnet.

Also exclusive to this M4 CS is the light treatment, with the front LEDs lighting up with yellow highlights the brand says are supposed to be reminiscent of GT racing cars.

At the back, the rear lights are flush with fibre optic lighting, lending a flowing and unique light signature that looks epic at night.

Inside, it's a sea of carbon, with the lightweight racing seats, the dash inserts and the centre console all lined in it. It is a perfectly finished space, though, and one that's also flecked with red, including a 12 o'clock band on the thick-rimmed steering wheel, the seat backs, the contrast stitching and the paddle shifts.

Be warned, though, it takes some acrobatics to climb into or out of the CS. The seat bottoms have these super high edges that double as grab handles, but require some awkward contortions to navigate.

In short, it looks angry, this M4 CS, inside and out.

While the space inside the H7 looks rather busy, there’s actually a very usable space on offer, with plenty of storage and decent ergonomics.

Perhaps most importantly, the tech is smooth to use and doesn’t distract from the main point of the car - driving. GWM’s current software (despite still using a huge screen) doesn’t suffer from unclear sub-menus and has easy shortcuts.

It’s not perfect - it’s still essentially an iPad you need to use while on the move - but it’s better than some systems from rivals, including manufacturers that have been around for decades.

Physical climate controls that bring up the corresponding menu when pressed are a welcome addition, and wireless phone mirroring works flawlessly if our test was anything to go by.

The driver display is clear, and the seating position is nicely malleable thanks to the seat’s electric adjustment and manual steering wheel adjustment.

Controls are all within reach, and after a quick familiarisation the placements and functions all make sense.

The space also provides more storage than is probably necessary for most. There’s a space under the centre console, the central storage bin is huge and has a cooling fan, there are two cupholders and one can deepen for a tall bottle, there are strapped bottle holders on the doors to stop them shaking around and there’s more door storage space next to that.

There’s of course also the glovebox and phone charging pad, then in the rear there’s more door storage space and an armrest with two cupholders again.

Second-row space is generous, even a tall adult will find plenty of legroom (and foot room under the front seats) and headroom isn’t an issue.

Behind that, the boot space is compromised by the hybrid battery so it’s not huge, and the load height is tall. Its 483L of boot space expands to 1362L with the rear seats folded, and there’s unfortunately no spare wheel under the floor.

It all boils down to how you classify practicality in a car like this. I mean, the basic stuff is all there – it's got two doors, four seats and a boot capacity of 440 litres.

It measures 4801mm in length, 1918mm in width and 1399mm in height, and room for front seat riders is good, but less so for anyone you squeeze into the back. There are even ISOFIX points for a child seat.

But if you consider practicality the practical pursuit of performance, then the M4 CS has plenty of perks.

We're talking a $254,900 entry price for the M4 CS, which – despite my attempts at justification – is a lot. Remember, the regular M4 is $168,700, and the M4 Competition is $186,500, so we're talking a sizeable premium here.

BMW justifies that price increase in two ways. The first is scarcity, with the M4 CS limited to just 50 examples in Australia. And the second is by dialling up every aspect of the M4's performance to terrifying levels.

The engine outputs are up, the weight is 20kg down, there are better brakes, better seats, a louder exhaust, a stiffer chassis – it goes on and on.

We'll get to some of the performance stuff in a moment, but here's what else your money buys you with the M4 CS.

It starts outside with staggered alloys, 19-inch up front and 20-inch at the rear, wrapped in track-ready rubber. There's also hi-po 'M Compound' brakes with red calipers, lightweight carbon racing seats that are heated up front, an Alcantara-trimmed steering wheel, the 'M Carbon' exterior package with carbon bonnet and roof, adaptive 'M Suspension' and a titanium exhaust that howls like the winds of hell.

The less performance-focused stuff is similar enough to the other M4 models including a 12.3-inch centre screen with digital radio, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a second 14.9-inch screen that handles your driving data and a head-up display. There's also twin-zone climate control, Merino leather upholstery and ambient interior lighting.

But all of that is secondary, really. This is about performance, specifically of the brutal kind.

The H7 has just the one drivetrain, as mentioned, consisting of a turbocharged 1.5-litre, four-cylinder petrol engine assisted by an electric motor and mated to a nine-speed dual-clutch transmission.

It drives the front wheels only, providing 179kW of power and 350Nm of torque.

BMW has found yet more grunt lurking in its trusty 3.0-litre 'M TwinPower' six-cylinder petrol engine, with the M4 CS now pumping out 405kW and 650Nm.

That's a decent jump from the 390kW and 620Nm served up by the M4 Competition, and a giant leap from the outputs of the 'base' M4 – 353kW and 550Nm.

Predictably, then, the CS is the fastest of the lot, knocking off the run from 0-100km/h in 3.4 seconds, compared to 3.5 and 4.2 in the Competition and M4, respectively. The top speed is also dialled up to 302km/h.

All that power is channeled through an eight-speed automatic and sent to all four wheels on demand, with the help of an 'Active M Differential'.

GWM claims the Haval H7 consumes 5.7L/100km under the combined cycle, though during testing we saw a figure of 7.1L/100km after a spirited drive.

The H7 has a 61-litre fuel tank and requires 91 RON fuel at a minimum. With careful driving and in the right conditions, you could theoretically get around 800km from a single tank.

The M4 CS is fitted with a 59-litre fuel tank, which – given the BMW's official fuel claim of 10.2 litres per hundred kilometres – should deliver a driving range on a full tank of 541 kilometres.

But... BMW also says the regular M4 – you know, the one that makes 52 fewer kilowatts and 55Nm less torque – uses 10.1L/100km, so do with that information what you will.

One of the first things I noticed is that the hybrid system’s initial burst of torque has the potential to overpower the front wheels from a stand-still, especially if it’s wet or you’ve got some lock on to turn out of a driveway.

But once rolling, the power delivery is smooth and doesn’t lack in pull even once up to highway speed. The H7 is also stable when it comes to day-to-day driving, with its suspension striking a good balance between communication and comfort.

Big bumps and rough roads neither unsettle nor rattle the H7 too much, though given it’s a front-drive hybrid we wouldn’t be testing just how rough a road it can handle - the H7 is not an off-roader despite its looks.

If you start trying to push the SUV along a twisty road it’ll lean more than some rivals through cornering. Not to an unsafe degree, given if it’s happening you’re probably pushing it more than you should. The steering feel itself isn’t anything to write home about, but for a family car it’s accurate enough and predictability is key when you’ve got a car full of humans.

Road noise and wind noise are present, the latter more so than you’d like given we tested the car on a relatively still day, but it’s not unacceptable. 

Ergonomically, the driving position and visibility provide comfort and safety, though the rising shoulder line towards the rear slightly limits visibility on shoulder checks.

The hardest and angriest M4 of all time is, perhaps unsurprisingly, hard and angry. This is a race track specialist, but because I don't happen to own one of those, my first experience with the barking (and barking mad) M4 CS was navigating my way back from BMW's inner-city dealership.

Like it or lump it, you're going to read some Porsche comparisons here, because you're talking not too far off base 911 Carrera money, and suddenly I find the two Germans doing battle for a spot in my dream garage.

First things first, the BMW won't be much chop for daily driving for most people. Happily, I have a sickness for uncomfortable sports cars. It tells me that no compromises have been made in the pursuit of punishing performance.

A good thing, too, because the BMW, at city speeds, can be punishing. Everything feels heavy, the seats aren't overly comfortable – especially the hard bits that tend to dig in when cornering – and it stiff-arms its way over road imperfections, that exhaust booming and barking as it does.

Again, I loved it, and you probably will, too. But it's still not the kind of car I'd relish sitting in the morning peak hour rush in.

But escape the confines of the city and the BMW M4 CS suddenly makes a whole heap of sense. The acceleration is genuinely brutal, and wonderfully theatrical, with that quad-tipped titanium exhaust barking and snarling as you rocket towards 100km/h.

The steering is brilliant, with feedback fed to your wrists via that thick-rimmed wheel, and the entire experience feels sharp, super engaging and edgy.

You can push the M4 hard and fast, and I'm certain my limited talents would run out far before the BMW's would, but there's this thrilling sense of peril sparked by the aggression of the experience, that I love.

It's like the magic of a roller-coaster, I guess. Even if you know nothing is going to happen, you never really know, right? And in that lies the magic.

But back to original question, this or a Porsche 911? There's no doubt a Carrera is a better all-rounder, in terms of comfy commuting and race track fun, but this angry M4 is all shouty theatrics, all of the time.

I bloody love it.

Expect no ANCAP rating here, I'm afraid. But the BMW 4 Series does wear a five-star rating from 2019.

The M4 CS gets six airbags (driver and passenger, side airbags, head airbags), along with what BMW calls its 'Driving Assistant Professional', which bundles active cruise control (with stop and go function), front and rear cross-traffic warning, 'Steering & Lane Control' and 'Lane Keeping with Side Collision Warning'.

The H7 is covered by a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, as is standard for GWM.

Additionally, the high-voltage battery pack is covered by an eight-year, unlimited-kilometre warrant. GWM also has a five-year roadside assist program, and capped-price servicing for five years.

Servicing costs a total of $2145 over five years, with intervals each 12 months or 10,000km, averaging $429 per service, which isn’t incredibly cheap.

GWM started 2025 with 113 dealerships across Australia, and aims to have 125 by the end of the year.

The M4 CS is covered by BMW's five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, with condition-based servicing available in packs, which will cost you $3530 over five years/80,000km, or $2900 over four years/60,000km.