GWM Haval H7 Plus expected as new seven-seat SUV option for Australia

The GWM Haval H7 hasn’t exactly been soaring up the Australian sales charts, and the slow-selling mid-size crossover SUV could be replaced with something that fills a more obvious void in GWM’s local lineup.

Now, the new GWM Haval H7 Plus revealed at this year’s Beijing motor show – or potentially the vehicle upon which it’s based – is shaping as a new entry for our market, with CarExpert understanding it’ll replace the existing Haval H7.

“We also have another two models coming: the H7 and also we have the Jolion Max coming, so this year we have three models coming,” GWM International president Parker Shi told media from Australia and New Zealand at the Beijing motor show, with these being preceded by the Ora 5 electric SUV arriving Down Under in the coming months.

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“We’ve got options on seven-seaters… We’ve always said there’s more to come on H7,” said GWM Australia and New Zealand marketing and communications boss Steve Maciver separately.

The H7 Plus would finally give the Chinese auto brand a seven-seat option positioned under the hybrid Tank 500 large SUV which, in the absence of a cheaper entry grade, is currently being offered from $74,990 drive-away.

It’s a stretched version of the Menglong/Raptor launched in China in 2023, and despite styling in the vein of the Tank 300 (or the Haval H9 not sold here), it’s another crossover SUV with car-like unibody construction.

The regular Menglong/Raptor/H7 is available with only five seats, but the slightly longer H7 Plus revealed in Beijing brings with it the option of a third row, bumping seating capacity up to seven.

Importing this to Australia would be preferable to the Haval H9 as, though this larger SUV offers a third row of seating, its body-on-frame construction sees it overlap – at least on paper – with the existing Tank 500.

The Haval H9 is also petrol- and diesel-only, with no hybrid or plug-in hybrid powertrains.

It’s understood, however, the standard H7/Menglong/Raptor is also being considered for Australia.

This measures 4680mm long (4800mm with the external spare tyre carrier), 1950mm wide and 1843mm tall on a 2738mm wheelbase.

The H7 Plus rides a longer 2850mm wheelbase, with the same width and height but a total length of 4912mm.

For context, the Kia Sorento measures 4815mm long, 1900mm wide and 1700mm tall on a 2815mm wheelbase.

For now, the H7 Plus has been revealed only in Hi4 plug-in hybrid guise, fitted with a turbocharged 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, front and rear electric motors, and a two-speed hybrid transmission.

Total system outputs are 320kW/750Nm or 330kW/660Nm and claimed 0-100km/h times are between 5.8 and 6.1 seconds, depending on the variant.

While it’s not a member of GWM’s more rugged Tank line, the H7 Plus features what GWM calls an electronically locking mechanical dog-clutch rear differential, as well as an off-road crawl mode, and a tank turn function. Ground clearance is 221mm.

There’s four-wheel independent suspension, with MacPherson struts up front and a multi-link setup at the rear. Electronically controlled dampers are available, and there’s a choice of 18- or 19-inch alloy wheels.

With a 33.7kWh lithium iron phosphate battery, electric-only range on the WLTC cycle is 145km-147km. There’s a five-seat Ultra Navigator edition in China that features five seats and a larger 44.7kWh ternary lithium battery, boosting electric range to 191km.

Vehicle-to-load (V2L) capability is offered, allowing you to power small appliances, while the H7 Plus can be fast-charged on DC power.

The regular Raptor can also be had as a plug-in hybrid, or with a non-electrified turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine producing 175kW and 385Nm.

Inside the H7 Plus, there’s a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, a head-up display, and a 15.6-inch touchscreen infotainment system.

An opening panoramic sunroof and a power tailgate are standard, as are a refrigerator with a heating function, a 50W wireless phone charger and a 12-speaker sound system.

The front seats are heated, ventilated, massaging and have memory, while the second-row seats have heating and ventilation.

There’s the expected suite of active safety and driver assist technology, but not all variants in China come with what GWM calls Coffee Pilot 3 ADAS, which uses LiDAR and cameras to provide city and highway Navigation on Autopilot (NOA). There’s also remote parking and reverse tracking capability.

GWM treats its separate brands as sub-brands in Australia, with all sold under the one GWM banner. The Haval lineup, which focuses on family-friendly crossover SUVs, currently comprises the Jolion, H6 and H7.

Late this year, the Jolion Max will slot in between the Jolion and H6.

The current Haval H7, known in China as the second-generation Big Dog, was launched in Australia in 2025 as a second, more uniquely styled entrant into the mid-size crossover SUV segment. But despite being pitched as a somewhat more rugged vehicle, it has only ever been offered in Australia as a front-wheel drive hybrid model.

GWM Australia has shifted just 292 examples of the H7 this year to the end of March. Among models in its segment that have been on sale all year, it has been beaten by everything bar models from Deepal, Leapmotor, Peugeot, Renault and Skoda. It’s also currently GWM’s second slowest seller this year, beating the Tank 500 by 10 units.

MORE: Explore the GWM Haval H7 showroom