2026 GWM Haval H6 PHEV review: Quick drive

It seems GWM is taking its ‘Go with More’ slogan literally as it expands its model lineup, adding more equipment, more powertrains, and more choice as it looks to maintain its position as the best-selling Chinese auto brand in Australia.

It’s going big on hybrids and the latest addition to its facelifted Haval H6 range shows it’s not all talk, with a new plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powertrain now available in one of its most popular models. 

The new Haval H6 PHEV mid-size SUV joins Australia’s biggest and most competitive new-vehicle segment, and the growing number of PHEV options within it, including the Mitsubishi Outlander, BYD Sealion 6 and the new Toyota RAV4 due on sale here next year.

That means the H6 now offers petrol, hybrid and PHEV power, making it one of the broader model ranges in the class, and GWM hopes it will be the icing on a cake that already attracts strong sales.

There are two PHEV powertrains for the upgraded H6, starting with the entry-level PHEV 2WD Lux variant that combines a petrol engine and a single electric motor driving the front wheels. 

The more powerful ‘Hi4’ Ultra grade we’re testing here gets a second electric motor to become all-wheel drive. 

It’s not the same powertrain as the PHEV found in the H6 GT launched in 2024, which gets a larger 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine to go with its hybrid gubbins.

There’s also the design and cabin upgrades we’ve detailed previously for the latest H6, which give it a fresh look inside and out, while local chassis tuning provides another reason to get behind the wheel.

But has GWM done enough with its new H6 Ultra PHEV amid a growing entourage of formidable foes, or should you ‘Go with More’ somewhere else? 

How much does the GWM Haval H6 cost?

The Haval H6 Ultra PHEV 2WD is priced at $47,990 drive-away, with the AWD version we’re driving here costing $3000 more. 

Hamilton White is the only paint finish included in the list price, with all other colours attracting a premium of $495.

The Ultra trim level is also available from $38,990 in pure petrol form, and from $43,990 for the plugless hybrid version, making the pair of H6 PHEVs the flagships of the range. 

The H6 PHEV costs less than the MG HS PHEV, which is priced between $49,690 and $55,990 drive-away, and while they’re both more affordable than the Outlander PHEV, the Mitsubishi does come with option of seven seats. 

To see how the GWM Haval H6 lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

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What is the GWM Haval H6 like on the inside?

Massively improved. The revised cabin includes a new two-spoke steering wheel, fresh centre console design, and larger 14.6-inch infotainment touchscreen with crisp 360-degree surround-view camera. 

It feels more spacious, partly due to the light colours in our test vehicle, but also because the centre console has lost the rotary-dial gear selector, which has been replaced by a column-shifter instead. 

This has freed up the console for a cleaner layout, with a pair of cupholders on the driver’s side and Qi smartphone charger on the other, and a smoother storage bin lid/armrest design. 

There’s still a large storage area underneath the centre stack, housing driver’s USB-C and 12V outlets and a passenger-side USB-C port – while there’s more in the second row, too. 

The simpler, more mature console design sits below the larger touchscreen, which – importantly – doesn’t come at the expense of the air vents underneath it, nor the row of physical buttons for the air-conditioning, demister and camera functions. 

There’s the new Coffee operating system (OS), too, the third generation of GWM’s in-house developed OS which the company says is faster, more responsive and can be configured to driver preferences.

It works in conjunction with the new two-spoke steering wheel and, while our first experience was limited, the new multimedia screen’s design, layout, responsiveness, and ease of use are commendable.

The Coffee OS also uses artificial intelligence (AI) for voice commands – something we’re yet to test in the real world – but we can say we had no difficulty finding key features during a busy day of driving multiple cars – a good sign. 

The same 10.25-inch instrument cluster as in previous H6s sits ahead of the smarter steering wheel, and a clear head-up display (HUD) is part of the Ultra’s standard equipment. 

The Ultra PHEV also comes with rear privacy glass, heated and ventilated front seats, steering wheel heating, and a nine-speaker audio system. 

The rest of the cabin remains as per other H6 models, meaning it offers a combination of reasonably good perceived quality – although there was some scratchiness and signs of wear in the vehicles with black cabins we also drove on our test day.

The second row has a 60/40-split, folding rear seat offering plenty of space, a centre armrest with cupholders and multiple USB ports, and rear air vents.

With 560 litres of cargo capacity behind the rear seats and 1445L behind the front seats, the PHEV loses luggage volume compared to petrol and hybrid H6s.

Overall, there’s a marked improvement over the outgoing H6 inside. The changes bring improved perceived quality, improved user-friendliness, and a more mature, better executed package. 

To see how the GWM Haval H6 lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

What’s under the bonnet?

The H6 Ultra PHEV has a turbocharged 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and an electric motor on each axle, making it all-wheel drive.

It makes a combined 268kW of power and no less than 760Nm of torque, and has a two-speed ‘dedicated hybrid transmission’, plus a claimed electric-only range of 100km, total range of 1043km, a brisk claimed 0-100km/h time of 4.8 seconds, and official combined fuel consumption of just 1.1L/100km, which is obviously dependent on regular battery charging.

The 19.09kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery pack is mounted in the floor of the H6 for better weight distribution, helping spread the 1980kg kerb weight – 350kg more than the base 2WD petrol H6.

GWM says charging at speeds of up to 34kW can replenish the battery from 30-80 per cent in 28 minutes. 

To see how the GWM Haval H6 lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

How does the GWM Haval H6 drive?

We had only a brief time behind the wheel of the H6 PHEV, but our initial impressions are positive. The new interior is a step up in terms of design, and the new steering wheel symbolic of bigger changes at hand.

Of course, it’s been well publicised that ex-Holden chassis tuning guru, Rob Trubiani, has been recruited to give GWM models the right stuff for Australia’s largely rubbish, poorly maintained roads – and to cater to our penchant for heading off them on weekends. 

Our first drive was in one of the models Trubiani has tuned, which are expected to go into production in November, ahead of their Australian showroom arrival from December. 

The PHEV makes a good first impression with a comfortable, easy to sort driving position. We set off with the hybrid powertrain in ‘EV priority’ mode, in which – as the name suggests – it uses electric power as much as possible. 

We spent a lot of time in EV mode, but not enough to record any realistic range or energy consumption figures, which will have to wait for a seven-day test. 

However, we can say the powertrain is smooth, the acceleration is brisk, and the overall setup is well sorted, with subtle and only ocassional switching between electric and petrol power.

But again, take this with a grain of salt given we’re yet to drive the vehicle in varied real-world conditions to see how seamless the two-speed transmission really is in the cut and thrust of suburban or highway driving.

The controls are simple and intuitive, and the new steering wheel follows other models with a customisable ‘favourite’ switch which we found useful for changing between driving modes. 

We kicked off in Normal – in which we did most of our driving – but also sampled the separate steering settings, beginning with the ‘Light’ mode. 

Mr Trubiani’s local chassis tuning efforts extend to both the steering and the suspension, and on bumpy country roads we found the H6 PHEV handled bumps well, taking the edge of even the largest lumps and potholes. 

You can feel the road surface through the steering wheel, providing a good level of engagement without being overbearing, but the H6 isn’t unsettled by mid-corner bumps, and remains poised and predictable at both highway speed and in the slow stuff. 

Handling has vastly improved. The Light steering mode – which we expected to feel flimsy and disconnected – proved communicative, with enough weight and feel to instill confidence in both low-speed parking situations and during higher-speed cornering. 

It’s clearly not an overly light, low-feel ‘parking’ setting designed to compensate for a too-heavy default steering, but a genuinely driveable choice. 

At the other end of the scale, the Sport steering mode adds more resistance but also more precision, with smaller inputs resulting in sharper replies. Even here, the steering isn’t so heavy that you need to take up weight training, offering well-measured accuracy and feedback. 

This is no sports car, but better-balanced handling, improved ride quality, and a more upmarket cabin, combined with the lusty yet frugal new plug-in powertrain, make the H6 PHEV a serious step up over its predecessor, and perhaps some of its competitors, with tangible and well-considered upgrades making for a genuinely good driving experience. 

To see how the GWM Haval H6 lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

What do you get?

The H6 PHEV is available in Lux 2WD and Ultra AWD model grades. 

2026 Haval H6 Lux equipment highlights:

• 19-inch black alloy wheels
• Automatic LED headlights
• Automatic high-beam
• Rain-sensing wipers
• Power-folding, heated exterior mirrors
• Puddle lights
• Electronic parking brake + auto hold
• Hands-free power tailgate (excludes petrol Lux)
• Proximity entry with push-button start 
• 14.6-inch touchscreen infotainment system 
• Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto 
• DAB+ digital radio
• 8-speaker sound system
• 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster
• Microfibre, leather-wrapped steering wheel
• 4-way steering column adjustment
• Leatherette upholstery
• 6-way power driver’s seat
• Dual-zone climate control with rear vents
• 50W wireless phone charger
• 2 x front USB outlets
• 2 x rear USB outlets
• 2 x 12V outlets (1 x front, 1 x boot)
• Cargo cover

The Ultra adds:

• Front parking sensors
• Rear privacy glass
• Panoramic sunroof
• Head-up display
• Heated steering wheel
• Heated and ventilated front seats
• Driver’s seat memory and welcome
• Driver’s seat lumbar
• 4-way power passenger seat
• Front stainless steel scuff plates
• 9-speaker sound system

To see how the GWM Haval H6 lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

Is the GWM Haval H6 safe?

The current-generation H6 was awarded a five-star safety rating by the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) in 2022, meaning it is valid until December 2028. However, the PHEV version has not been tested and therefore remains officially ‘unrated’. 

Standard safety equipment includes:

• Adaptive cruise control
• Autonomous emergency braking
• Pedestrian and cyclist detection
• Junction assist
• Driver fatigue monitoring
• Hill ascent and descent control
• Blind-spot monitoring
• Emergency lane-keep assist
• Lane-keep assist
• 360-degree cameras with 180-degree transparent chassis mode
• Rear parking sensors
• Traffic jam assist
• Traffic sign recognition
• Tyre pressure monitoring
• 7 x airbags

To see how the GWM Haval H6 lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

How much does the GWM Haval H6 cost to run?

The H6 comes with a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty with five years of 24/7 roadside assistance. The PHEV battery pack is covered separately by an eight-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty.

To see how the GWM Haval H6 lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

CarExpert’s Take on the GWM Haval H6

The Haval H6 Ultra PHEV offers solid value for money alongside its rivals, in a much more mature package than before – inside, outside and beneath its recently updated skin.

Inside the cleaner and more elegant cabin, the upgrades are well considered and user-focussed, and they bring real-world benefits to the ownership experience.

After our limited drive we can also say the powertrain offers generous levels of performance and driveability, and it’s backed by a more responsive yet more comfortable chassis tuned by an ex-Holden development guru.

The combination makes for a more mature, more composed and more complete vehicle that is considerably more accomplished than other models from the GWM Haval stable – and a sign of where the Chinese brand’s products are heading.

Service costs could be lower and service intervals further apart, and we’re yet to fully test the PHEV powertrain in the suburban habitat where this car’s target audience lives. 

Yet the H6 PHEV is not a vehicle to consider just because it’s affordable: it’s a new SUV to consider because it’s good. 

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MORE: Explore the GWM Haval H6 showroom