We’ve already driven the Haval H6 Premium HEV, from Chinese company GWM, on the road, which comes as a surprise with plenty of power and a competitive price
The Haval H6 Premium HEV was the nice surprise reserved by the Chinese GWM in the official presentation of its complete line of vehicles. Until then, nobody knew that the Haval H6 would also have a HEV (full hybrid) version, as all communication was done on top of the Haval H6 PHEV (plug-in) and Haval H6 GT (sport).
We had the opportunity to drive the Haval H6 Híbrido on a 30km stretch of dual carriageway, in the region of Iracemápolis, SP, where the plant is located that Great Wall Motor acquired from Mercedes-Benz in 2021.
The first thing to say is that the Haval H6 HEV is a complete hybrid, i.e. it has two front motors that can act together or separately and, at low revs, it is able to offer exclusively electric traction. In that respect, it is equal to the Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid (which has three engines).
The technology of the Haval H6 HEV is superior to that of two Caoa Chery models, the Tiggo 5x Hybrid and the Tiggo 7 Hybrid, which are mild hybrids. Likewise, it stands above the Kia Stonic and Kia Sportage, which are also mild hybrids. As it has more complex technology, it is common for Haval H6 to be more expensive.
From the outset, the Chinese SUV pits the Corolla Cross in check to offer far more power. The horses are 243 against just 122. GWM has therefore managed to go on the “Achilles heel” of the hybrid Toyota: limited power.
In the case of the Haval H6, the combustion engine is a 1.6 turbo petrol with direct injection. In the case of the Corolla Cross, the naturally aspirated 1.8 engine works with two electric motors. GWM did not detail the power output of the electric motor and only released the combined output, which is 243hp. The combined torque is 530Nm.
The car looks great visually, it is large (4,683m), tall, with 181mm of ground clearance and quite roomy. The driving position is good and the steering wheel is adjustable for height and reach. The adjustment, by the way, is quite heavy, since the trunk lid is heavy, and the hood is even heavier.
The Chinese SUV weighs 1,699 kg in the Premium HEV version. With only 7 kg/hp in the power-to-weight ratio, the Haval H6 Hybrid makes vigorous starts and excellent pick-ups. Especially when the engine is already a little full, the reaccelerations are reminiscent of a fully electric car.
According to GWM, the Haval H6 HEV accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in just 7.9 seconds. The maximum speed is 175 km/h. It’s a system that is reminiscent of the new Honda Civic Hybrid in terms of performance.
Running at speed, the suspensions leave some doubts about the balance of the car, which behaves a bit loosely. Unfortunately, on the stretch of road we traveled on, it was not possible to evaluate the suspension in the slightly tight corners at speed. What we noticed was a fairly soft setting of the suspension, which is independent on all four wheels.
We did a panic braking simulation and were able to demonstrate the efficiency of the brakes (disc on all four wheels) in terms of mileage, but the car veered sharply to the left under braking. At this point, it’s behind Caoa Chery’s SUVs, which have their suspension set up nicely for Brazil.
The ride is soft and comfortable. The car has a huge list of safety, connectivity and convenience features. Anything that can be digital is. Even in excess. Adjusting the air conditioning, for example, can only be done using the 12.3-inch multimedia screen, but if the driver is using Waze, the application must be exited to adjust the ambient temperature.
A smaller screen behind the steering wheel displays the 10.25” fully digital dashboard. It has a beautiful design and a super complete on-board computer, but the numbers are very small. For example, it is impossible to read the average consumption without diverting attention from the road. This is certainly a point that GWM can improve on in an update to the Haval H6.
On the other hand, the car also offers a 9″ Head Up Display on the windshield with various information, such as speed, browser direction and other elements. There is a multitude of information available to the driver on the three displays, including the flow of the electric traction system.
Incidentally, the Haval H6 HEV does not have a speedometer, but an indicator of the percentage of energy used in accelerations. At this point, the car resembles an electric model. It’s also a matter of getting used to the controls.
The biggest penalty of the Haval H6 Premium HEV is fuel consumption, which isn’t exactly low if we consider that we’re talking about a fully hybrid car. According to Inmetro, the H6 Hybrid makes 13.8 km/l of petrol in the city and 12 km/l on the road. Just for comparison, the Corolla Cross Hybrid makes 17.8 km/l in the city and 14.8 on the road.
Obviously, exemplary power, in this case, weighed against the Chinese car. The question is whether whoever buys a hybrid car does so in search of power or in search of economy. However, the first impression we got of the Haval H6 HEV was positive. The car has points for improvement, but is competitively priced at R$209,000.
Data sheet
Engine: 1.5 turbo petrol + 1 electric motor
Combined power: 243 HP
Combined torque: 530Nm
Transmission: 2 gears
Front-wheel drive
Suspension: independent
Brakes: ventilated disc (d) and solid disc
Steering: electric
Length: 4,683 m
Width: 1,886 m
Altitude: 1,730m
Pass: 2,738m
Clear opening: 181 mm
Tyres: 225/55 R19 (Hankook)
Weight: 1699kg
Boot: 560 liters (up to the roof)
Tank: 60 litres
0 to 100km/h: 7s9
Maximum speed: 175km/h
Battery: 1.6kWh
Km/l in the city: 13.8
Km/l on the road: 12.0
CO2 emissions: n/a
Source: Terra
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
