DRIVEN | Haval H6 HEV offers power, practicality and luxury

It’ll be a long time before South Africans are buying fully electric vehicles, but the surging popularity of hybrid vehicles shows that local buyers are looking to take the first step towards electrification, with minimal compromises.

Petrol-electric hybrids currently make up around 85% of ‘new energy vehicle’ (NEV) sales, and buyers are spoiled for choice, particularly in the mid-market segment between R500,000 and R1 million.

It is into this space that Haval recently launched its H6 HEV, which comes in two specification flavours, with the 1.5T HEV Luxury costing R641,500 and the HEV Ultra Luxury listed at R686,500.

In some ways, it could be a hard sell, considering that you can buy at least two plug-in hybrids at that level, with the Chery Tiggo 7 CSH starting at R619,900 and the BYD Sealon 6 kicking off at R639,900.

The Haval H6 HEV is a conventional self-charging hybrid that you can’t plug in, but for what it’s worth, the vehicle is somewhat larger than the Tiggo 7, and it’s also cheaper than its nearest direct rival, the Toyota Rav4 GX-R Hybrid, which costs R763,800.

The Haval’s hybrid system pairs a 1.5-litre turbopetrol engine to an electric motor for combined outputs of 179kW and 530Nm, with power channelled to all four wheels through GWM’s intelligent DHT multi-mode transmission.

The H6 HEV provides brawny and effortless performance, and on-road refinement and noise suppression are decent; however, the ride quality felt a touch crashy over harsher surfaces. It is by no means uncomfortable, though.

Combined fuel economy on our vehicle amounted to 8.7 litres per 100km. Although that is better than a similarly sized ICE SUV would consume in mixed conditions, it’s not the most frugal hybrid vehicle on the block.

The Haval H6 recently underwent a facelift, which distinguishes 2025 models with a large grille that neatly integrates with the headlights and new 19-inch alloy wheels.

The cabin comes with a new 14.6-inch touchscreen that offers wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, and in front of the driver, you’ll find a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster.

The interior is tastefully finished, with dark grey and silver trim that imparts an upmarket feel, along with stitched leather on the mid-section of the dashboard. With the new large screen and minimal buttons, the cockpit appears modern and uncluttered. However, functionality is compromised to a degree, with most climate functions being operated via the central screen, and there are no direct shortcuts to the climate system when phone-mirroring is active.

This is a large, family-sized vehicle, so there is no shortage of stretch-out space for rear occupants, and the 560-litre boot should meet most holiday packing requirements.

All versions come with a 540-degree Panoramic Camera, wireless charging pad and Adaptive Cruise Control.

The Ultra Luxury model gains features such as heads-up display, heated steering wheel, wireless charging pad, heated and ventilated front seats, Blind-Spot Detection, Autonomous Parking System, Emergency Lane Keeping and Rear-Cross Traffic Alert.

VERDICT

The Haval H6 HEV is a practical and luxurious hybrid SUV that offers brawny performance, but if frugality is one of your main calling cards, you might be better off looking at one of the PHEV options at the price point, or even Haval’s smaller Jolion HEV.

The H6 is still a good all-rounder for the price, however, and it significantly undercuts the comparable Rav4 HEV.

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