Haval H6 GT review: well-priced SUV turns heads

As mainstream carmakers struggle to supply enough vehicles to meet demand, one emerging brand is looking to establish itself with eye-catching designs.

Haval is Great Wall’s SUV cousin

Remember China’s Great Wall ute? Haval is Great Wall’s SUV spin-off, a relatively new brand that aims to take on established players with an attractive blend of design and technology. The manufacturer is looking to replicate the runaway success of rival marque MG by undercutting the likes of Toyota and Mazda with sharp prices and generous equipment levels. The standard Haval H6 is a run-of-the-mill crossover priced from $30,990 drive-away, but this H6 GT is a cut above entry-level offerings. It makes a stirring first impression, helped by sharp-looking coupe-crossover bodywork and a well-appointed cabin. This doesn’t look or feel like a cheap car at all and it turned plenty of heads during our test.

The Haval H6 GT is well equipped for the price. Picture: Supplied.

This is one with the lot

Priced from $46,490 drive-away, the Haval H6 isn’t a particularly cheap car. But it is stuffed with an impressive level of equipment, reflecting its place at the top of the H6 range. The Haval has a digital dash and large central touchscreen with smartphone mirroring. Heated and cooled seats trimmed in faux leather have red embroidered GT logos to match carbon-look trim on the dash and body, the tailgate is electrically powered and the headlamps are modern LED units. Dual-zone climate control, mood lighting and an impressive array of safety features are also standard.

The cabin is well presented and has plenty of gear. Picture: Supplied.

Playing it safe

Haval goes further than most brands in the field of driver protection.

Sure, it has the usual arrangement of modern assistance technologies – stuff like auto emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alerts. But it has stuff you won’t see in most rivals, such as a “smart dodge” feature that steers away from heavy vehicles on highways, giving them a wide berth without leaving your lane. It’s clever stuff, though it can feel overbearing at times.

The array of safety figures is comprehensive but can be intrusive. Picture: Supplied.

GT by name, but not by nature

Historically, most cars sold in Australia with a GT badge offer more performance than later models – a trend found on models ranging from the Ford Falcon to the Kia Cerato and Porsche Cayenne.

But the Haval H6 GT has the same 2.0-litre turbo engine as the standard H6, a motor that makes 150kW and 320Nm. Those are adequate but not particularly impressive numbers, matched by a middle-of-the-road driving experience.

The Haval driving experience is below par. Picture: Supplied.

It feels average on the road

The Haval lacks the driving polish of a Volkswagen Tiguan or Toyota RAV4 – let alone performance cars with GT badges. It delivers an average driving experience, let down particularly by a hesitant seven-speed dual-clutch auto. The gearbox is particularly frustrating at junctions, where the car’s stop-start fuel saving system conspires with it to deliver noticeable delays moving away from rest. Numb steering and a lumpy ride aren’t great on winding backroads but premium Michelin tyres offer more purchase than you might find in rival machines. It’s better on the highway, though drivers upgrading from older models will be annoyed by the overly intrusive nature of safety systems that beep, bong and chime with frustrating frequency.

Originally published as Haval H6 GT review: well-priced SUV turns heads