Haval H6 GT Ultra 2022 review

The Haval H6 is a midsize SUV with a lot of promise and an ever expanding range. After the third-gen H6’s Australian launch in March 2021, the Chinese challenger brand has since added a Toyota RAV4-targeted hybrid model in April and now this H6 GT, a unique non-premium coupe-SUV offering in Australia.

Outside, Haval communicates the H6 GT’s athleticism by unashamedly following Porsche’s lead. The sloping rear window and truncated boot deck are just the start, our test car was also finished in crayon grey paint with fluorescent brake calipers. If you think the visual treatment is frightfully close to Porsche’s $340K Cayenne Coupe GT, you’re not alone.

Unlike the Nordschleife dominating SUV from Stuttgart, though, the Haval doesn’t walk the walk. The GT uses the same 150kW/320Nm 2.0-litre turbo petrol four-cylinder, and there are no major changes to the chassis bar 19-inch alloys shod in 235/55R19 Michelin Primacy 4 tyres on this $46,490 (driveaway) Ultra AWD.

The GT also only costs $3500 more than the regular H6. That keeps Haval’s eye-catching SUV’s price sharp next to other high-spec turbocharged rivals. The Volkswagen Tiguan 162TSI R-Line ($57,690 before on-road costs), Ford Escape Vignale ($50,090 before on-road costs) and Mazda CX-5 Akera Turbo ($53,180 before on-road costs) are all around $5-15K more on the road.

Haval knows its USP is value packed vehicles and it shows in sales splits. The Ultra we have on test is the grade Haval expects most buyers to go for. It also expects strong sales from the new variant, with a forecast 40 percent share of all H6 sales at around 400 units/month.

With all the same hardware as the regular H6, though, GT is left feeling not very sporty at all.

That GT moniker evokes athleticism that this Chinese SUV can’t match on the road, even with a fruity bi-modal exhaust, because without major tweaks to the suspension, the H6 doesn’t have much talent in the corners. It also isn’t hugely comfortable around town, making Haval’s ‘driving paradox’ tagline all the more accurate.

How does the H6 GT Ultra drive?

Haval would be smart to start pinching some talent from existing marques as the H6 could do with an 10 percent better of refinement to better compete in the hot midsize SUV segment. This is especially true for the calibration of the seven-speed dual-clutch transmission that fails to downshift when approaching a junction or roundabout. This can leave the H6 either in a gear too high, or (if too much throttle is applied) in a flurry of clutch-slipping, noise, and little meaningful progress.

The H6’s 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine lacks the refinement among the best-in-class (the Volkswagen Tiguan’s ‘EA888’ comes to mind), but does have a good level of grunt. There’s 150kW on tap and the 320Nm torque figure is adequate for the 1680kg AWD H6 GT.

Haval hasn’t skimped on brand name components. Like the GWM Ute, the H6 employs a Borgwarner-sourced AWD system. It’s an on-demand Haldex-type, but is quicker to send grunt rearwards than the system fitted to a Mazda CX-5. It’s also worthwhile going for AWD as the front-drive H6 struggles to put power down.

In GT trim, with bi-modal exhaust, the H6’s inline four sounds suitably fruity in ‘Sport’ or ‘Race’ modes. The note suits the door-mounted canards, rear diffuser and bright yellow brake calipers. Unfortunately, the calipers’ lick of paint doesn’t reflect any added stopping power. The H6’s brakes are fine, but not sporting.

It seems Haval has addressed the steering tune for the H6 GT, though, meaning the rack feels more natural and less vague off-centre than the wagon-bodied H6. On Australian country roads, the softly-sprung H6 GT’s body float can be unnerving and mid-corner bumps can seriously affect your trajectory.

That does mean that, around town, the H6 GT absorbs larger hits such as speed humps quite well. This is the car’s natural stomping ground, after all. The H6 GT’s ride isn’t perfect: constant low-speed fidget (a common complaint of cheap dampers) and 19-inch alloys transmit square-edged hits such as concrete expansion joints into the cabin.

Another issue is the H6 GT’s poor visibility. The coupe’s more aggressively sloping A-pillar dramatically impacts front three-quarter visibility, while the tiny back window means you could totally miss a Mazda MX-5 in the rearview mirror.

Haval’s solution to this is technology: a very clear 360-camera, blind-spot monitoring, and front and rear AEB with pedestrian, bicycle and cross-traffic assist are fitted standard on all variants. Mostly, the tuning is great and the ability to drag lane-keep assist to a shortcut menu means it’s easy to turn on and off at will.

The passive safety systems, however, require further attention. Like the AWD system, there’s a quality name attached to the H6 GT’s ABS (Bosch) but like other Haval products we’ve tested at Chasing Cars, the ABS is triggered too early and unnervingly takes the pedal away from the driver like systems of 10 years ago. The ESC also proved reluctant to step in.

How is the H6 GT Ultra’s interior?

Despite its exterior treatment then, the H6 GT isn’t particularly sporty to drive. But, the H6 GT’s cabin succeeds in being practical, tech-filled and well presented. The big sell is the sheer amount of equipment considering the H6 GT’s affordable price.

Features such as three-stage heating and ventilation for both vinyl and suede-appointed electric front-seats in the Ultra, standard 10.25-inch digital driver’s display, generous 12.3-inch multimedia touchscreen with wired Apple CarPlay/Android Auto and a wireless charging pad.

The seats do chronically lack under-thigh support and don’t offer tilt adjustment though, and while responsive, Haval’s software is convoluted and there’s no in-built navigation. That means if you’re using phone mirroring for directions, you’ll need to navigate back to the home screen, slide down the shortcut tab and only then can you adjust HVAC settings or the seat’s three-stage heating and cooling.

Haval fits an eight-speaker ‘DTS’ sound system in both Lux and Ultra grades of H6 GT. The sound system is in need of a serious rework as it lacks outright power, bass, or any semblance of clarity.

Haval has nailed the design, though. The cabin’s presentation is reminiscent of last-gen Land Rover products (especially the steering wheel and rotary gearshift) but is executed better than sheer plagiarism.

The H6 GT is also brimming with thoughtful practicalities. The central storage cubby is vast, and the two-level centre console has two USB charging ports and plenty of space to put your technology, with rubber padding to stop excess movement.

Material quality is generally quite high as well. There are soft-moulded plastics on the door tops and dash; that carbon-fibre trim looks cheap to me but it does suit the GT’s exterior treatment. The build quality is higher than I remember from earlier H6 examples, too, with no detectable rattling from cabin plastics.

Jumping into the back, the H6’s sloping roof doesn’t impede rear headroom too much. This is a generously-sized midsize SUV with good leg and toe room. Like the wagon-bodied H6, the rear bench is soft and squishy, which is comfortable for shorter periods. There are adjustable air vents, and the same quality feeling upholstery with red ‘GT’ insignia giving a visual lift.

Although you sacrifice about 35 percent of your boot space in the H6 GT (392L vs 600L), the cargo space is still very usable. I was able to fit a road bike in the boot without removing any wheels. There’s also a space saver rear tyre under the boot floor.

What are the H6 GT Ultra’s running costs?

The H6’s turbo four is thirstier than the best in class, and for a similar price to this sporty variant, Haval offers a front-drive hybrid ($45,990 driveaway) that is much more frugal. The ADR rating of the GT AWD is 8.4L/100km, though we saw 10.2L/100km in real-world testing.

Haval has not finalised service pricing for the H6 GT in Australia, however given the GT coupe SUV’s similarities to the regular H6, it is expected to be very similar.

A wagon-bodied H6 AWD costs $1760 to service over five-years/70,000km. Maintenance for that car is due on a slightly irregular schedule, requiring the first visit after 10,000km/12 months, and thereafter every 15,000km/12 months.

Compared to rivals, the H6 is in the ballpark of mainstream brands with turbocharged variants. For example, the Mazda CX-5 costs $2103 for 50,000kms, the Ford Escape Vignale $1196 for four-years/60,00km and the Volkswagen Tiguan 162TSI R-Line $2950 for five-years/75,000km.

Haval covers the H6 – like all of its products – with a seven-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty in Australia, one of the growing number of mainstream brands to match Kia and get close to Mitsubishi’s 10-year/200,000km warranty.

The final verdict

The Haval H6 GT is an interesting and unique offering in the midsize SUV space. It is value packed, has a punchy turbocharged engine, available AWD and looks that surpass its price tag.

But this is not a perfect vehicle. The exterior writes checks that the loose body control can’t cash as the GT is little more than an exterior makeover. That’s a shame, because there’s more talent to be unlocked from Haval’s H6 underpinnings. Some Australian engineers and a midlife refresh would go a long way.

It would be too cruel to write the H6 GT off entirely as it does have a great technology package and a thoughtfully crafted interior.

The problem, of course, is that the frugal and fast H6 hybrid is more affordable, and if you don’t want a hybrid then the $3500-cheaper wagon-bodied H6 is an objectively better vehicle that doesn’t feel as paradoxical as this coupe SUV.