GWM Haval Reviews

Holidays at home have never looked better from a global crisis point of view. But increasing fuel prices threaten to put the brakes on that, as well, especially when diesel is up to a dollar a litre more than petrol. Enter the GWM Tank 300 plug-in hybrid. It promises a performance-to-running costs ratio that will really take some beating. And the sticker price is pretty sharp, too.

LDV is set to muscle in on the rapidly-expanding plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) ute segment in Australia with a two-pronged strategy covering all bases and budgets.Unveiled in Beijing late last month, the T70 PHEV and Terron 9 PHEV are both expected to land locally sometime next year, though importer Ateco Automotive has yet to confirm this.The cheaper of the two will be the T70 PHEV. As a substantial update of the existing, 10-year-old T60 ute (it may retain the old name for Australia), it is expected to match and even undercut other similarly-electrified dual-cab utes also from China.These include the just-announced JAC Hunter PHEV that starts from $50,000 before on-road costs, the GWM Cannon PHEV that is due in Australia from August with pricing yet to be confirmed, as well as the as-yet-unnamed Chery ‘KP31’ that is being prepared for launch in a few months.Meanwhile, the Terron 9 PHEV will be the more-premium choice, taking on the BYD Shark 6 PHEV that kicks off from $57,990 before on-road costs in Premium grade (though a recently-released Cab Chassis version costs $2000 less).GWM’s larger second ute option, the Cannon Alpha PHEV that starts from $61,490 drive-away in base Lux guise, as well as the coming Nissan Frontier Pro PHEV, may also be in the larger LDV PHEV’s crosshairs.In contrast, Australia’s best-selling vehicle over the past two years, the Ford Ranger, is not even in the hunt against these Chinese alternatives, with the PHEV (imported from South Africa instead of Thailand like the rest of the range) commencing from $71,990 before on-road costs in XLT specification, soaring to $86,990 for the Stormtrak flagship.Despite anticipated sharp pricing, the LDV’s powertrain promises to be advanced, combining a petrol engine and an electric motor to offer both mechanical and electric four-wheel-drive capability.Other PHEV details, including powertrain outputs, battery size and range, will be revealed at a later stage.So, what are the other changes to the latest, facelifted T60/T70 series?More than just a makeover, it appears that almost every exterior panel is new from the windscreen forward and the rear window-back, including the sheetmetal and nose cone.And while the basic centre section carries over, the interior has also come in for a complete redesign, with its restyled dashboard incorporating a sizeable central touchscreen/instrumentation display, mimicking that of the Terron 9.Speaking of which, the latter is also set to donate its 163kW/520Nm 2.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine to the smaller ute, replacing the 160kW/500Nm 2.0-litre unit as found in the existing T60 in Australia. Whether the same power and torque outputs also carry through is not known at this stage.The coming PHEV is not the first electrified LDV ute to be sold in Australia.The existing T60 has gone down in history as the first ute to offer a battery electric vehicle (EV) option as the eT60 back in 2022.But stratospheric pricing (from nearly $100,000), rear-drive only (so no 4x4 availability) and low carrying capacity scuppered any chance of success, leading to the EV's discontinuation in 2024. That failure seems to have also delayed the eTerron 9 EV indefinitely.LDV is unlikely to make the same mistakes with either the Terron 9 PHEV or T60/T70 PHEV if/when they get the green light for Australia.Watch this space.

GWM says it is bowing to public pressure by putting the Tank 400 back on the table for consideration in Australia.The larger, chunkier and more aggressive version of the popular Tank 300 had been sidelined for Australia since making its debut at the 2021 Shanghai Auto before hitting global markets as a 2023 model, but consistent requests have led to the rethink.We understand that a $60,000-to-$70,000 price tag is the target, thanks to premium positioning, and it's likely to include GWM’s new efficiency-focused Hi4-Z plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) system.That powertrain in 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol guise paired with a rear-mounted electric motor and 59kWh battery can offer a claimed EV-only range of 200km and more than 1000km combined in some related GWM models.There is also the more 4x4-orientated Hi4-T PHEV, with extra driven differentials and other off-road-biased tech, giving the 400 a wide breadth of capability.The brand’s vaunted new 3.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel hybrid system is also expected to feature at some point, as the Hi4 hybrid grades, though nothing has been announced.However, the Tank 400 you see in these pictures will not be the version Australians might be able to buy, given a major makeover is in the pipeline for sometime next year, meaning that we won’t likely see the SUV before 2028 at the earliest.“We’re definitely considering the 400 now,” according to a GWM spokesperson, speaking to CarsGuide at the China Auto Show in Beijing last week, adding that the company will gauge Australian consumer reaction to the media coverage from the event.“We’ll see how our dealers and customers react to it.”To that end, journalists were invited to sample the current model under extremely heavy and very limited supervision at GWM’s new proving ground in Hebei near the company’s headquarters in Baoding.So, what is the 400 and how does it fit into the Tank hierarchy? Based on the body-on-frame platform as found underneath the Tank 300 and 500, as well as their respective Cannon and Cannon Alpha ute counterparts, the 400 is most closely aligned with the 300.However, it is more than 100mm longer in body and wheelbase, as well as 30mm wider overall. Consequently, the five-seater body is considerably larger in those dimensions as well, bringing a big increase in passenger space as well as cargo capacity compared to the donor 4WD.If given the green light, GWM hopes to pitch the 400 against other premium 4WDs with some off-road capability, like the Denza B5 and Land Rover Defender.

GWM has revealed further details about the coming Jolion Max for Australia.Due out in about October this year, the Max – as the suffix suggests – is a new, larger and roomier addition to the regular Jolion range, prioritising rear-seat passenger space as well as cargo capacity.To sit above the regular version in the small-SUV line-up, it will attempt to fill the void left by the redesigned H6 mid-sized SUV set for the first quarter of next year.Among other changes, the latter features increased body dimensions, more cabin space and a claimed step up in quality, prompting GWM to push prices up closer to direct rivals, including the Mazda CX-5, Mitsubishi Outlander and Nissan X-Trail.Taking the ruler out, the coming Max’s length is 4590mm, width is 1877mm, height is 1675mm and wheelbase is 2710mm, compared to the standard Jolion’s corresponding 4472mm, 1874mm, 1581mm and 2700mm measurements, respectively.The upcoming 2027 H6, meanwhile, offers 4780mm/1895mm/1730mm/2800mm, up from the current model’s 4653mm/1886mm/2738mm respectively.Interestingly, the Max has been on sale in China for some time as a more family-focused alternative to the regular version that launched in Australia in 2021.Whether the newcomer also offers a 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine in the lower grades is yet to be announced. In China, the base Max makes 110kW of power and 220Nm of torque.GWM is pinning its hopes on the electrified versions, namely a 164kW/482Nm Max hybrid, 238kW/528Nm plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) and 150kW/260Nm EV.All should help with some much-needed credits, as the entire industry faces increasingly stringent New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NEVS) regulations in the coming years.In China, the Max’s WLTP combined average fuel consumption figures are 7.4 litres per 100km (petrol), 5.5L/100km (hybrid) and 1.8L/100km (PHEV), while the EV is rated at 15.7kWh/100km.The latter is of particular significance as it will be the first sub-brand outside of the struggling Ora to offer an EV, broadening the appeal and scope of a GWM EV in Australia.Note that the hybrid and PHEV Max grades are down on luggage capacity compared to the petrol and EV, by 50 litres at 362L. In contrast, the regular Jolion is just 255L in the hybrid and either 291L and 337L according to wheel/tyre size.As promised in October last year at the GWM Tech Day in Victoria, the Max will adopt the Australian-specific AT1 steering and suspension tuning, as overseen by ex-Holden chassis specialist Rob Trubiani, to better meet local consumer expectations.Whether the Max will supplant or sell alongside either one of the current Jolion body styles has yet to be confirmed.In 2024, the original Jolion (badged Jolion Pro elsewhere) was joined by a different yet similar-looking version based on the China-market Chitu. Though it was touted as all-new in Australia, it also debuted around 2021.

GWM has finally confirmed more details about the coming Cannon plug-in hybrid (PHEV) ute.Launching in August in Australia, it will be the first electrified application in the Cannon ute range, as the Chinese brand attempts to tackle BYD for domination in this segment.And the best news?Sitting below the Cannon Alpha Hi4-T PHEV launched last year, the smaller workhorse of the GWM ute range will likely be Australia’s cheapest PHEV ute, starting from under $50,000. That’s a dual-cab plug-in hybrid starting with a ‘4’ in the price.To put this into context, the BYD Shark 6 Dynamic currently retails from $55,990 (all prices henceforth are before on-road costs). But that is for the new cab-chassis version, while the Premium dual-cab ute remains from $57,900.Plus, the Cannon Hi4-T PHEV is anticipated to have a 3500kg braked-towing capacity, against the Shark 6 Premium’s 2500kg capacity. To match that in the BYD, you’ll need to step up to the coming Shark 6 Performance with a 2.0-litre PHEV, coming in May, from $62,900.“The expectation is that this should achieve the 3.5-tonne tow,” according to GWM Public Relations Manager, Justin Stefani.“In China, it is rated at 3000kg but we use an Australian supplier for our tow bars that have a higher capacity.”We now also know some of the specifications for the Cannon Hi4-T PHEV.Using the same powertrain as the Cannon Alpha PHEV, it will be powered by a 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine, making 300kW of power and a hefty 750Nm of torque in Chinese specification (against the Australian Alpha PHEV’s 650Nm).The 0-100km/h time is 6.4 seconds, on the way to a top speed of 180km/h, while the WLTC (not WLTP) electric-only range is rated at 84km, while consumption from the 33.1kWh battery is said to average 2.4kWh/100km. Combined range in China is listed at about 900km.Measuring 5416mm long, 1947mm wide and 2mm-higher than the regular internal combustion engine versions at 1886mm high, it will continue to offer a cargo capacity of 1248 litres, as well as 232mm of ground clearance.“Cannon will continue as two-pronged strategy with Alpha premium option, making GWM the only OEM with a PHEV dual-strategy mid-sized trucks,” Stefani added.

GWM is breaking ranks with most of the car industry with a new family of diesel-powered four-cylinder hybrid and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV).Expected to be deployed across the company’s range of SUVs and commercial vehicles starting from next year, these engines will give the Chinese brand a different selling point in a hybrid electrification market that is almost completely petrol-engine aligned.Confirmed by GWM Chief Technology Officer, Nicole Wu, at last week’s China Auto Show in Beijing, the diesel hybrids reflect the brand’s desire to offer the right engine for as many buyers as possible.“We are developing diesel hybrids,” she told the Australian media."(We are developing) multiple powertrain systems, to provide high-efficiency engines, combined with transmission and motors, including diesel, petrol, hybrid and plug-in hybrid."It is very complicated, so we invest a lot in this area."Asked how these could meet increasingly-restrictive global emissions regulations, Wu said that GWM has a number of innovations under development, but stopped short of revealing what they are.“For the emissions such as NOx (nitrogen oxide) we have technical solutions,” she revealed.“We have both hybrid or plug-in hybrid diesels (coming)… (Consumers will be able to) choose what you want.”China inevitably will be the first market to gain these diesel hybrids, starting from early next year, with the rest of the world planned to follow suit as required after that.“Maybe the first quarter of 2027,” Wu revealed. “That really depends on the real situation in each market.”Other details are scant, but it is understood that the hybrid and PHEV diesels will be available in all engine capacity configurations, including GWM’s coming big 3.0-litre four-cylinder unit, as well as the existing 2.0-litre and 2.4-litre sizes.Additionally, they will be used in both the longitudinal-engined, four-wheel-drive body-on-frame applications such as the Cannon Alpha ute and its Tank 500 and smaller Tank 300 siblings, as well as transverse-engined two-wheel-drive vehicles across the GWM range.More specifically, it is likely that the longitudinal diesel utes and 4WDs will come in either the company’s new EV-first Hi4-Z extended-range EV tech and more off-road focussed Hi4-T PHEV flagship, while the transverse models will come in a simpler hybrid-diesel format.According to GWM Chief Engineer and Technical Director at GWM Vehicle Integration Centre, Adam Thomson, hybrid technologies are largely interchangeable regardless of fuel type, meaning that petrol and diesel-based hybrid tech can be shared if necessary.“Emission treatment systems on a diesel engine, built for a conventional car and a hybrid car, are similar,” he explained. “The solution to the emissions issue is actually the same one.”Watch this space as we’ll let you know more soon.

Toyota is not overly concerned with the influx of Chinese car brands in Australia’s top-10 best-selling brands list, despite their increasing market presence.At the end of the first quarter of the year, Toyota remained well out in front with 44,490 units sold, but that represents a 23 per cent drop on the same period last year.Just outside the top five, the Chinese giants are waiting to strike. BYD (17,541) was the sixth best-selling carmaker for the quarter, followed by GWM (14,878), while Chery (11,736) is now in ninth place, and MG (10,595) rounds out the top 10, keeping Isuzu Ute and Subaru out of the list.All four of these Chinese automakers have aggressive targets and plans to grow significantly in Australia, with BYD hoping to one day be the new top brand.Despite the encroaching Chinese brands, Toyota Australia Vice President Sales, Marketing and Franchise Operations John Pappas said he “respects all of Toyota’s competitors”, but highlighted Toyota’s strong product offering and aftersales and customer support as brand strengths.“For us, it's not just about selling a car for us, right? You know, for us, it's all about the customer experience. It's about, you know, making sure that we've got great products, first and foremost, that we can service our customers with,” he told CarsGuide.“But it's also about the brand experience. It's about the aftersales support we give them. It's about the warranty. It's about the resale of the vehicle. It's about the whole end-to-end value proposition that we can enable a great experience at every single touch point with our customers, and that's what's most important for us.“It's not just about the sale of a new vehicle. We want to make sure that we can look after them the whole way across the journey. And you know, we've got an extensive dealer network that is the best in the business that continues to provide that excellent care for our customers. And it's about how we contribute to society as well. So for us, it's a whole end-to-end proposition. For Toyota, that's what it's about.”Some newer Chinese carmakers including BYD have faced scrutiny from owners and pundits over a lack of planning in the early stages of their entry to the market. Parts warehouses took too long to ramp up, parts supply and distribution was poor and customer service was also lacking.Many of the brands including GWM, Chery and BYD have acknowledged these issues and have since put in place measures to address them.Pappas highlighted recent investment in Toyota's parts centres across the country, including in WA, NSW, Victoria and Brisbane, and ways of further improving the customer experience.In terms of wait times for new Toyota deliveries, Pappas said it was currently between three-to-six months, with some exceptions.He dismissed the threat of some of the newer Chinese brands that have ample stock of models and short or no wait times.“We know that our customers, from a wait time point of view –three to six months – if you can give them clarity within that period, it's okay. And that's where we're at at the moment.”

For those of you who are looking to buy a new car but aren’t looking at an EV yet, we’ve put together a list of our top-five popular cars that run on the cheapest kind of petrol.Yep, there’s a lot of pressure right now to buy an electric car and avoid high petrol prices.But if you’re not ready for an EV and want to stick to petrol, there’s a way to still save money: buying a car which doesn’t need more expensive premium fuel.Premium fuel such as 95 RON or 98 RON is always more expensive than 91 RON, but with petrol prices so high right now any saving is good.At the time of writing, 91 RON was averaging 200c/litre, while 98 RON was 223c/litre. Filling up a 60L tank with 91 RON is currently $120 while 98 RON will set you back $133.80. So currently there’s about a $14 difference between 91 RON and 98 RON for an average-sized fuel tank. If you’re filling up once a week, that’s about $730 a year.For all we know, prices could go up more and depending on the situation and where our fuel is sourced from, so the gap between higher- and lower-grade fuels could expand.Yes, there’s 95 RON, but that is still more expensive than 91 RON.So, we’ve handpicked five of Australia's best-selling cars that don’t need premium unleaded and instead can run on a minimum of 91 RON. Hyundai’s Kona is a small SUV that comes in three variants – a pure petrol, a series-parallel hybrid and a fully electric. You’ll be happy to know both the pure petrol and hybrid petrol cars only need 91 RON.Fuel efficiency in the hybrid is excellent at 3.9L/100km over a combination of different driving conditions.The hybrid is offered across the entire range, which is great to see.The entry price into the Kona range is $33,700 plus on-road costs.GWM’s Haval Jolion is another small SUV, which is a little larger than the Hyundai Kona, but it also comes in pure petrol and series-parallel hybrid, both of which needing just 91 RON.The hybrid's combined fuel consumption is 5.1L/100km.It’s fantastic to see that the hybrid is offered right across the Jolion range.The entry grade in the Jolion range costs $26,990 drive-away.One of the original mid-size SUVs, the Nissan X-Trail in this latest generation is a superb family car that is offered in petrol and series hybrid variants.Now the pure petrol versions need only 91 RON. Nissan says the hybrids need a minimum of 91 RON, but 95 RON is recommended.Of course, you should follow the manufacturers advice here to ensure your X-Trail lives a long and happy life, but it’s good to know that 91 RON will do if you’re in a pickle.The other good news is that you really don’t need to step up to the more expensive hybrid to save fuel.The hybrid is fuel efficient at 6.0L/100km, but the regular petrol will use 6.1-6.5L/100km depending on the grade.  The entry grade of the Nissan X-Trail range lists for $38,140 plus on-road costs.The Mitsubishi Outlander is another mid-size SUV icon and comes in two variants – a pure petrol and a plug-in series-parallel hybrid (PHEV).Nissan says both the pure petrol version and PHEV need only 91 RON, which is a nice surprise.Fuel consumption in the PHEV is outrageously good at 1.5L/100km in combined driving conditions, but seriously you’ll have to charge it regularly to get this – and I mean every day.The combined consumption of the regular pure petrol Outlander ranges from 7.5-8.1L/100km depending on the grade.The entry grade in the Outlander range starts at a list price of $39,990 plus on-road costs.Chery’s little Tiggo 4 SUV is the smallest car in our selection (about a match-stick shorter than the Kona) and comes in both pure petrol and series-parallel hybrid form.The 1.5-litre turbo-petrol, however, isn’t as fuel efficient as you might think in this not-so-big SUV. The combined fuel consumption according to Chery is 7.4L/100km. But the hybrid variant is much better with 5.4L/100km .The entry price into the Tiggo 4 range is $23,990 drive-away. 

China’s GWM is pushing hard to localise its cars for markets around the world and Europe will be its latest attempt.As reported by Reuters, GWM plans to launch at least 10 new models in Europe over the next two years, marking a major push.The Chinese carmaker has had middling success in Europe to date since its latest relaunch in 2021 at the Munich motor show.It reportedly plans to expand its European operations and commence sales in 13 additional European markets over the next year. It currently operates in nine European countries.“We don't want to be the loser in any market in the world,” said GWM International President Parker Shi to Reuters.“We'll come back and ⁠we will go with the right product."GWM will launch the Ora 5 small SUV in Europe by mid-2026. Globally it’s offered with petrol, hybrid and electric power and it appears all three options will be on offer in Europe.The Ora 5 was recently confirmed for an Australian launch, but it will only be offered with electric power at launch.Following the Ora 5, GWM plans to launch the Jolion Max and H7 SUVs in Europe. The latter appears to be an updated version of what’s currently on sale in Australia.It’s unclear what the other GWM models set for a European launch will be at this stage.A key reason for why GWM is making a European push is because its Chinese vehicle sales are plateauing. It will also help it achieve its global goal to double overseas sales to one million vehicles by the end of 2030.As previously reported, the Chinese carmaker plans to build a European production facility with an annual production capacity of 300,000 vehicles. A location still hasn’t been locked in yet, but it will reportedly be up and running by 2029.In Australia GWM is the longest-standing Chinese carmaker with continual sales since 2009. Amidst a Chinese carmaker influx, its Australian sales have gone from strength to strength over the last few years.In the first three months of 2026 GWM has sold a total of 14,878 vehicles, which is up 28.5 per cent year-on-year.GWM isn’t stopping here as it has rolled out a local ride and handling program on the Haval H6 which was headed up by former Holden engineer Rob Trubiani.Dubbed AT-1, this local ride and handling program will be rolled out to more GWM products in the future.

GWM has unveiled its upgraded Haval H6 GT plug-in hybrid mid-size SUV in Australia.It will start from $52,990 (drive-away), which is $1000 less than the outgoing H6 GT, and $2000 more than the most expensive regular H6.The H6 is a rival for several other Chinese PHEV alternatives, such as the MG HS and the Chery Tiggo 7, but the GT’s sportier posturing sees it line up closely to the BYD Sealion 6.Another of the car’s rivals is the Jaecoo 7, which is Chery’s premium sub-brand, and also comes as a plug-in hybrid.It will also be a new competitor for the incoming Toyota RAV4 PHEV due to arrive in showrooms later in the year.It comes in cheaper than the base all-wheel-drive variant of the Sealion 6 after adding on-road costs, while the front-wheel-drive J7 is priced from $43,990 (drive-away).The AWD H6 GT continues to be powered by a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol and electric motor set-up, producing 321kW and 642Nm. This represents a boost in power compared to standard H6 PHEV models, but it is pumping out less torque in contrast.The new set-up means the car can shift from 0-100km/h in 4.6 seconds, which is 0.3 seconds faster than the outgoing model.It has a 35kWh battery, offering an electric-only driving range of 183km, according to more generous NEDC standards. Total driving range sits at nearly 1200km, with fuel consumption of 0.6L/100km, both those numbers have also been calculated using NEDC.Upgrades continue inside, with the 14.6-inch central touchscreen utilising a new snappier operating system. There is also now a wireless phone charger, with the car now featuring the same re-designed interior from the recently-upgraded H6.The H6 has proven to be a popular choice in the mid-size SUV segment, with its petrol and hybrid options outselling the likes of the Chery Tiggo 7 and PHEV-exclusive BYD Sealion 6.