2021 Haval H6 vs 2023 GWM Haval H6GT

What's the difference?

The H6 could be the turning point for Haval in Australia. The brand’s first big success that changes the way Aussies view this Chinese carmaker. The H6’s great value and stunning looks will win over many but add an excellent warranty, advanced safety tech, plus the surprisingly good, and you have a package that appears right up there with the likes of the Toyota RAV4 and Mazda CX-5.

The sweet spot of the range would have to be the Lux - the car I tested with its leatherette seats, privacy glass and dual-zone climate control.

The Haval H6 GT offers something the mainstream competitive set can't quite match – a unique bodystyle.

But underneath the heavily stylised sheet metal, there is little to differentiate it from the standard Haval H6 – for good and bad.

Those after an affordable, well-equipped and comfortable daily driver with a unique aesthetic touch will be pleased with the H6 GT, but if the styling isn't your cup of tea, there's always the H6 wagon and myriad other mid-size SUV choices.

This new generation H6 is ridiculously good looking. So much so that my Dad thought it was a Porsche when I arrived to pick him up. But in saying that Dad also has a glass coffee table supported by a golden naked lady and thinks I work in a car dealership, despite me explaining that motoring journalism is an actual job.

He’s not wrong, for once. Well, it doesn’t look like a Porsche, but I can see what he means given the way the LED strip across the tailgate lights up and connects with the tail-lights either side.

I don’t know what kind of deal with the devil the H6’s designer made but there isn’t an angle from which this SUV looks nothing short of beautiful. There’s the flashy but not over-the-top grille, the sleek headlights, and the smooth lines in profile which wrap around to the curvaceous back end.

Havals in the past have seemed low quality and unfinished, but this new H6 seems the opposite.

The same goes for the minimalist cabin. Those screens house almost every function except for the climate control and that clears the dashboard of buttons.

This cabin is a premium design with a floating centre console and metallic trim. Stepping up to the Lux from the Premium adds 'leatherette' upholstery, a leather steering wheel and then the Ultra takes the high-end feeling further with a 12.3-inch media display and a panoramic sunroof.

As for the dimensions, the H6 is larger than most mid-sized SUVs but smaller than a large SUV at 4653mm end to end, 1886mm wide and 1724 mm tall.

The six exterior colours are, 'Hamilton White', 'Ayres Grey', 'Burgundy Red', 'Energy Green', 'Sapphire Blue' and 'Golden Black.'

Beauty is, of course, in the eye of the beholder. And for this beholder, at least, the H6 GT is not a beautiful car.

Don't get me wrong, there's nothing overtly egregious with the styling, but there's no cohesion to the disparate elements that, to me, makes it look like a grab bag of design trends rather than the vision of a design team come to life.

Let's start at the front.

The H6 GT wears a unique fascia thanks to a new grille and bumper, which emphasises sportiness, stance and aggression.

I like the new front-end treatment, especially the bumper cut-outs found above the Haval badge, but the lower elements are too fussy for my tastes.

The profile is heavily informed by the sloping roofline and prominent wheel arch cladding, which – to my eye – looks just fine.

But my biggest problem with the aesthetics is also, unfortunately, the GT's biggest differentiator, the rear end.

The heavily-raked rear windscreen melds into a boot lip spoiler and flat tailgate for a very upright and boxy appearance.

Haval has tried to spice things up a bit with a roof-mounted spoiler, faux carbon-fibre trimmings and a cool LED tail-light design, but it comes across as Maroon 5 edgy, rather than Nirvana edgy.

The rear bumper also features two exhaust outlets and a far-too-large plastic diffuser element, adding to the awkward look.

Inside the cabin, the design largely carries over from the H6, but my test car is also fitted with a number of upmarket touches like suede, fake carbon-fibre and brushed metal-like surfaces.

And while the interior looks nice, things start to unravel when you interact with it.

The steering wheel, for example, is great in hand, but the indicator stalks are positioned a tad too low, meaning your hands are closer to an unnatural-feeling four and eight o-clock position for operation.

Likewise, the touchscreen looks wonderful, but can sometimes not register touches, swipes and presses, necessitating multiple inputs that can be especially annoying while on the move.

We even had the system freeze on multiple occasions at start-up.

At least the multimedia menu layout is easy to understand, and when it does work, it's a breeze to run through and change settings or climate functions.

The H6 is cavernous for a mid-sized SUV with large and wide seats up front and excellent leg and headroom in the second row. The H6 doesn’t come with a third row which is shame because there’s room for one.

A 600-litre cargo capacity is big for the class and cabin storage is good with two cupholders in the second row, another two up front, a large space under the floating centre console, although the door pockets could be better.

Second rowers will be pleased with directional air vents back there, plus two USB ports. There are another two USB ports either side of the floating centre console, too.

The leatherette upholstery in the Lux I tested was easy to keep clean and would suit families better than the cloth material used in the Premium.

You’re going to notice the high load lip on the boot and for people as tall as me (191cm/6'3") the opened tailgate and your head may meet occasionally. Still the H6 is super practical.  

Measuring 4727mm long, 1940mm wide, 1729mm tall and with a 2738mm wheelbase, the GWM Haval H6 GT is on the larger end of the mid-size SUV spectrum – bigger even than a seven-seat Mitsubishi Outlander in all areas barring height.

And as a strict five-seater, this means the H6 GT is afforded a capacious interior and boot.

Front passengers have plenty of room to stretch out, with storage options littered throughout, encompassing door pockets, a deep underarm cubby and cut-outs in the centre console for drinks, wallets and phones.

However, there's also another storage area underneath the centre console, right where your knee would sit, which houses charging ports and is useful for items you want to keep out of site.

Move into the second row and space is also generous, even in the middle seat that could totally work for adults over short distances.

The legroom in particular is very good, and with a mostly flat floor it means ergonomics in the back are top notch.

Open the boot and you will find the H6 GT can swallow a sizeable 392 litres of volume despite the more aggressively-sloped roofline. Fold the seats down and the figure swells to 1390L.

The 2023 GWM Haval H6 GT is available in two flavours, known as the Lux and Ultra, priced at $40,990 drive-away and $46,490, respectively.

This means the GT version commands a $4000 (Lux) and $3500 (Ultra) price premium over the standard H6 equivalents, but aside from the styling tweaks that we will come back to in a bit, what do you get for the spend?

On test, I have the top-spec Ultra grade, which is actually the most expensive mid-size SUV in GWM Haval's stable, positioned even higher than the H6 Hybrid ($45,490), but its Ultra designation denotes a top-spec model that comes loaded with a lot of fruit.

Standard equipment includes 19-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, dual-zone climate control, a powered tailgate, synthetic leather and suede interior, a panoramic sunroof, push-button start, keyless entry, a wireless smartphone charger, heated steering wheel, heated door mirrors, a head-up display, interior ambient lighting, and powered front seats with heating and cooling.

There's also a massive 12.3-inch multimedia touchscreen (up from the 10.25-inch unit found in the more affordable Lux) with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto functionality, outputting to an eight-speaker sound system.

It's a comprehensive list of equipment to be sure, but especially at this price point, it makes the H6 GT Ultra a bit of a bargain for those needing all the modern conveniences.

Take for example, the top-spec petrol-powered Toyota RAV4 Edge ($54,520), Hyundai Tucson Highlander N Line ($52,400) and Cupra Formentor V ($49,990) that offer similar levels of equipment at higher price points.

The same four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine is in all three grades. It’s a 2.0-litre and makes 150kW/320Nm.

This engine had no problems pulling the H6 around when I tested it with my little family onboard with good acceleration and smooth shifts from the seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

When pushed hard the four-cylinder responds well, but it’s on the noisy side.

As mentioned at the start of this review only the top-of-the-range Ultra grade gives you choice of all-wheel drive or front-wheel drive. The Premium and Lux are front-wheel drives only.

The car we tested was the front-wheel drive Lux, but we’ll be able to review the all-wheel drive version when it arrives in our garage soon.

On paper the all-wheel drive Haldex system in the H6 looks promising and in this generation the SUV has a rear differential lock for better off-road capability. That said, the H6 is not an off-roader in the Toyota LandCruiser sense, and you should keep your adventures in it mild rather than wild.

There’s no diesel in the H6 line-up, nor will you find a hybrid variant or and electric version of this SUV at this stage.

Braked towing capacity is 2000kg for all-wheel drive and front-wheel drive H6s.

Powering the Haval H6 GT is a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine, outputting 150kW/320Nm, which is paired to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

This is the same powertrain configuration for all non-electrified Haval H6 and H6 GT grades, regardless of price point or which axle/axles are driven, but our test car being an Ultra, it scores all-wheel drive grip.

While the H6 GT is more potent than non-hybrid rivals like the soon-to-be-replaced Kia Sportage, Honda CR-V, Hyundai Tucson, Mitsubishi Outlander, Subaru Forester and Toyota RAV4, a unique engine would help stand the GT apart from the standard H6 line-up.

After all, the GT has sporting intentions, so it shouldn't be out of the question to expect a racier powertrain.

Haval says that after a combination of open and urban roads the 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder should use 7.4L/100km in the front-wheel drive cars and 8.3L/100km in the all-wheel drives.

In my testing of the front-wheel drive I measured 9.1L/100km at the fuel pump. That was after an even split of motorway and urban running.

Thirsty work considering most of the time it was just me and an unloaded car. Add a family of four plus holiday gear and you can expect that mileage to be worse.

It’s here that the H6 is showing a weakness in its offering by not having a hybrid powertrain in its Australian range.

Official fuel consumption figures for the H6 GT Ultra are pegged at 8.4 litres per 100km, however, in our time with the car we managed a real-world figure of 10.9L/100km thanks largely to remaining in the inner-city.

This lines up more closely with the official urban cycle fuel consumption number of 10.2L/100km.

And while our fuel economy figure isn't too far off the claim, there's no getting around the fact that the H6 GT is a little thirstier than some rivals that have smaller displacement engines.

The caveat, though, is the H6 GT's outputs are higher than those rivals.

The H6 GT requires only 91RON petrol to fill up and features a 60-litre tank, enabling a theoretical maximum driving range of 811km.

Carbon dioxide emitted is measured at 193 grams per kilometre travelled.

I’m still in shock. This is the biggest surprise. The H6 I tested was effortless to drive, with a comfortable and composed ride. I was not expecting it, not when most Havals I’ve piloted in the past have disappointed when it comes to the driving bit.  

Sure, the engine isn't overly powerful, but it's responsive, and the dual-clutch transmission shifts smoothly whether driving in slow traffic or at 110km/h on the motorway

Sharp speed bumps taken a bit too fast in the front-wheel drive Lux I tested reveal only modest suspension travel, causing a reverberating ‘bang’ as the shocks and springs react. I’ve experienced the same thing in many cars I’ve tested – even properly prestige ones.

This though is one of very few complaints I have about the way the H6 drives, for the most part this SUV performs remarkably well with a (high) level of refinement I seriously wasn’t expecting.

I can’t tell you what the all-wheel drive version of the H6 is like to drive having only tested the front-wheel drive version, but we’ll no doubt have one in the CarsGuide garage soon.

Just because the Haval H6 GT has an aggressive look and sporting intentions, don't expect fireworks out on the open road.

GT might mean Gran Tourer and elicit excitement in Audi, Ford and Porsche buyers, but in the Haval H6 it's more in line with Good Times.

With the same platform and engine as the H6 mid-size SUV, the up-rated Brembo brakes and Michelin tyres were never going to be enough to turn the GT into an enjoyable corner carver.

Does it brake and handle better than standard H6? Yes, the extra performance bits help in this regard.

But there is pronounced body roll when turning the car with some speed, jostling occupants as it resettles itself after a bend.

However, this is a family SUV, which means those moments will be few and far between.

In regards, to hauling the family, the H6 GT is comfortable enough, but, again, the suspension feels a little wobbly.

Going over bumps and humps can transmit jolts into the cabin, and if you accidentally come at a speed bump too fast, passengers are in for a rocky time.

I'd like to see a tauter, better resolved suspension set-up in a future update that could dial in the sportier characteristics of the GT to match its styling.

But as it stands now, it's definitely not a deal breaker for those after a daily family runabout that is most comfortable in daily activities.

The engine and transmission do a fine job when behind the wheel, but its only just adequate.

The 150kW/320Nm outputs are fine when puttering around town, especially at speeds below 80km/h, but this H6 needs a bit more steam when travelling at freeway speeds.

The seven-speed dual-clutch is also a competent one, suffering the same foibles as most other DCTs with jerkiness at low speeds but is smooth enough when things get moving along.

But let's talk safety systems, because the H6 GT has all of them and they are invasive and annoying.

Even think about straying from a lane, and the lane-keep system will kick in with a big bong.

I also had the front collision avoidance system kick in when there was ample room between the car and a bollard, jerking the car to a complete stop.

Look, these systems could use some refinement and fine-tuning, but it is much better that these safety systems are there and overly cautious than not there at all.

The 2023 GWM Haval H6 GT wears a maximum five-star safety rating from ANCAP, despite not being specifically assessed by the independent body.

ANCAP did however, crash-test an H6 (which features a different front fascia and roofline) and says the results are applicable to the H6 GT.

ANCAP notes that, “Safety ratings do not automatically extend to variants that have different body styles, engine configurations, driven wheels or occupant restraint systems” but “considers technical evidence submitted by manufacturers before deciding on the extension of a rating to additional variants of a model."

Therefore, the GWM Haval H6 carries over the same scores as the H6; 90 per cent for Adult Occupant Protection, 88 per cent for Child Occupant Protection, 73 per cent for Vulnerable Road User Protection and 81 per cent for Safety Assist.

Standard safety equipment includes autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian and cyclist detection, lane keep assist, traffic sign recognition, blind-spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, rear cross-traffic alert and a surround-view monitor.

And while the H6 GT ticks all the boxes in terms of safety features, the implementation of some of these features could use some polishing.

For example, the AEB front and rear can be a little aggressive, and stopped the car suddenly a few times when we were slowly manoeuvring into a parking space or backing out from our driveway.

The lane-keep assist was also overly keen in warning us that we were straying from the lane.

However, despite these niggly things, it is much better that these systems are included and are too aggressive, than not there at all.

The H6 is covered by Haval’s seven-year/unlimited kilometre warranty. Servicing is recommended every 12 months or 15,000km, although the first service is required at the 10,000km point, then 25,000km and so on. Servicing is capped at $210 for the first service, $280 for the second, $380 for third, $480 for the fourth and $210 for the fifth.

Like all new GWM models, the H6 GT comes with a seven-year/unlimited kilometre warranty – matching Kia but falling short of Mitsubishi's conditional 10-year offering.

However, this still affords it a longer assurance period than that offered by big name brands like Ford, Hyundai, Mazda and Toyota.

Scheduled service intervals for the H6 GT are every 12 months or 15,000km, barring the first one, due at 10,000km.

Pricing for the first service is $225, the second is $280, the third is $500, the fourth is $550 and the fifth is $225 for a five-year total of $1780.

For comparison, that's higher than a Toyota RAV4 ($1300 for five years), but lower than the Mazda CX-5 ($2115).