Haval is one of the many subsidiary brands of Chinese auto giant Great Wall Motors
Seeing the early success of MG Motor, Chinese automaker Great Wall Motor (GWM) came in with a high expectation from the Indian market when they showcased their models at last year’s Auto Expo. The company’s pavilion, lined by attractive offerings, managed to garner a lot of attention from industry experts and the general public.
One of them was Haval H6, which has made its global debut at the 42nd edition of the Bangkok International Motor Show (BIMS) in Thailand. The mid-size SUV, which goes up against the likes of Toyota RAV4 Hybrid, also comes with a hybrid powertrain option. The model is expected to go on sale in the Thai market soon.
Exterior Styling
Haval H6 Hybrid looks identical to its petrol-powered sibling which was showcased in India. Dimension-wise it measures 4,653 mm long; 1,886 mm wide and 1,724mm tall. It offers a wheelbase of 2,738mm, which makes it one of the most spacious SUVs in its category. The new H6 Hybrid is based on GWM LEMON platform which is considered to be a highly efficient modular technology platform and is very light and safe.
In terms of design, the aesthetics of the new H6 is simple yet very refined in line with Concept H giving it a premium appeal of a European car. It has borrowed design cues from other Haval SUVs like a chrome-lined front grille, LED headlights, T-shaped taillamps and 19-inch alloy wheels. It gets a typical boxy SUV-like silhouette with gentle crease lines across its profile.
Interior Design & Features
Inside the cabin, design gives a sense of sportiness and dynamism and at the same time provides an elegant touch with the use of premium materials such as high-quality leather upholstery and advanced ergonomics.
The cabin exudes a modern lifestyle and is filled to the brim with creature comforts such as a 12.3-inch infotainment unit, a freestanding 10.25-inch instrument, Head-Up Display (HUD), a panoramic sunroof, 360-degree parking camera and above all Level 2 autonomous driving ADAS features such as adaptive cruise control and auto parking.
Powertrain Options
Coming to its powertrain department, H6 is offered with two engine options- a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol unit and a 2.0-litre turbo petrol unit. The former cranks out 166 bhp and 285 Nm of peak torque while the latter pumps out 208 bhp and 325 Nm of peak torque.
Both powertrains are offered with a 7-speed DCT automatic gearbox as standard while the 2.0-litre unit is also offered with a Haldex all-wheel-drive setup. The 1.5-litre unit is paired with a 130 kW electric motor which bumps the overall output to 243 bhp and 530 Nm of torque.
Great Wall Motor’s path to India hit a major pothole last year when border tensions between the two neighbouring countries escalated. The company had taken over General Motors’ plant in Talegaon in Maharashtra in 2017 and signed an MoU with the state government only for the deal to be put on hold later. Currently, circumstances are not in favour of new Chinese companies conducting business in India and hence it can be a long wait for GWM before they make their entry into India.
