1 Sep 2016
The H6, Haval’s newest SUV landed Australia’s booming medium SUV segment without a manual transmission, all wheel drive or a diesel engine.
The H6 - which had sold over a million units in its home market and was the 5th biggest selling SUV on the planet when it arrived here - represented the next generation for the brand.
Both the entry-level Premium and Luxury models arrived with a 2.0-litre direct-injection turbocharged four-cylinder engine delivering peak power of 145kW at 5200rpm and 315Nm from 2000rpm, delivered through a Getrag six-speed twin-clutch automatic to the front wheels and claiming an ADR fuel use figure of 9.8 litres per 100km.
Measuring 4549mm long, 1835mm wide, 1700mm tall and on a 2720mm wheelbase, the H6 was 9mm longer, 5mm narrower and 10mm shorter than the segment-leading Mazda CX-5, but had an extra 20mm of wheelbase and approximately 250kg of extra weight.
The entry-level Premium model sat on 17-inch alloy wheels and had a features list that also included cloth seats, a reach and rake adjustable leather-wrapped steering wheel, ISOFIX child seat anchor points, keyless entry and ignition, a 7-inch colour LCD screen, a 7-speaker USB-equipped sound system, Bluetooth hands-free phone and audio streaming, tinted ‘privacy’ rear windows, an electric park brake, an auto-dimming centre mirror, dual zone climate control with rear vents, heated power adjustable exterior mirrors and cruise control.
There was no ANCAP crash test safety rating at launch but the safety features list included automatic halogen headlights, LED daytime running lights, front fog lights, blind spot monitoring (which defaults off on ignition), six airbags, including full-length side curtain airbags, stability and traction control, hill start and descent (even though its FWD) assistance, front and rear parking sensors, a reversing camera and tyre pressure monitoring system.
Stepping up to the Luxury model upped the wheel size to 19 inches and added a panoramic sunroof, Comfort-Tek man-made ‘eco-leather’ seat trim, heated seats front and outboard rear, power adjustable front seats, a sound system upgrade with the addition of a sub-woofer, Xenon head lights and a passenger side “curb-camera.”
