haval h6 new 2 malr
Carsales Staff12 Feb 2021
NEWS

New Haval H6 on the starting blocks

Chinese brand’s high-tech mid-size SUV to take the fight up to Mazda CX-5 and Toyota RAV4

GWM Australia has received homologation approval for the new-generation Haval H6, which paves the way for the all-important mid-size SUV to be launched here before mid-year.

Official government documents show that Haval’s new rival for the likes of the Toyota RAV4 and Mazda CX-5 – and which looks to be the vehicle that will finally put the Chinese brand on the map in Australia – will be powered by a 150kW 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine.

It will drive through a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission fitted standard, with both front- and all-wheel drive variants to be available.

The current model uses a 145kW 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine and a Getrag-sourced six-speed DCT, and is front-drive only.

So even in basic powertrain and driveline terms, the new-generation Haval H6 hands GWM Australia a vastly improved model that is sure to attract a broader audience and could mount a challenge to established players in the top-selling mid-size SUV category.

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Other basic specification detail confirmed for the incoming H6 includes high-grade equipment such as 18-inch alloy wheels as standard (up from 17s), while the maximum braked towing capacity increases from 1500kg to 2000kg.

As carsales has reported, the 2021 Haval H6 has a contemporary new look with LED lights front and rear and big 19-inch alloy wheels, the latter having also been approved by Australian regulatory authorities.

The cabin will be an upmarket affair too, with highlights on top-spec Chinese-market models including a 9.0-inch touch-screen infotainment system, 12.3-inch digital instrument panel, power-adjustable leather-trimmed seats, heated steering wheel, dual-zone climate control and a self-parking system.

Count on a full-length panoramic sunroof being available as an option.

Overseas models also feature 5G connectivity with over-the-air updates for more than 50 key modules in the vehicle, and autonomous driving functionality up the Level 3, which is not currently permitted on Australian roads.

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This does, however, underscore the high-tech nature of the new-generation Haval H6, which has up to 14 radars and six cameras dotted around the vehicle, plus advanced driver assist safety systems such as autonomous emergency braking (AEB) that can detect pedestrians, cyclists and motorcycles, as well as other cars.

The redesigned H6 is also built on GWM’s billion L.E.M.O.N. global modular platform – an unfortunate acronym for Lightweight, Electrification, Multi-purpose, Omni-protection and Network – which will underpin a raft of new vehicles across the Haval stable, spanning large, medium and small SUVs, cars and people-movers.

The new LEMON platform will also deliver full-EV powertrains and hybrids.

GWM Australia is currently offering the Haval H6 Premium from $28,990 drive-away, which is $1000 below the normal manufacturer’s recommended retail price. The Lux version is listed at $33,990 plus on-road costs.

Haval sold 957 examples of the H6 in Australia last year, which was twice the number it shifted in the previous year but a drop in the ocean when you consider that 180,000 mid-size SUVs were driven out of new car showrooms in a pandemic-hit market segment down 10 per cent compared to 2019.

The company will be expecting a much higher running rate once the new H6 launches in the next few months.

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Written byCarsales Staff
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