Prospective buyers of the GWM Haval H6 may have been a bit confused about what to expect from the popular SUV.
Despite recent reports the facelifted H6 was not coming to our market, CarExpert can reveal the facelifted H6 will likely arrive before the end of 2024 to serve as a temporary stop-gap before an all-new H6, in the form of the Haval Xiaolong Max, arrives towards the end of 2025.
Haval has reportedly invested a significant amount in the facelifted H6 (once one of China’s most popular vehicles), which could arrive on our shores as soon as six months from now. Whether it will come with a plug-in hybrid version as well, or whether GWM will wait for the Xialong Max to fill that gap remains to be seen.
The updated Haval H6 adopts a new face with vertical LED daytime running lights, alongside largely unchanged headlights and a grille consisting of dozens of metal-look rectangle trim pieces.
Down back, the current model’s full-width LED light bar – which makes it easy to spot at night – has been replaced with two separate, more conventional tail light clusters. The Haval H6 will also be available with new colours and an updated interior with a new centre console and larger display units.
The current, third-generation model debuted in 2020, and arrived in Australia in 2021 to replace the 2015-vintage model known in China as the H6 Coupe; we skipped the second-generation model.
The Xiaolong Max will be rebadged as a new H6, and serve as the brand’s primary medium SUV.
It measures 4758mm long, 1895mm wide and 1725mm tall on a 2800mm wheelbase – 103mm longer, 9mm wider, and 1mm taller than the current GWM Haval H6 on a 62mm longer wheelbase.
That makes it only incrementally smaller than a Hyundai Santa Fe, though there are only two rows of seating.
The Xiaolong Max is offered in China exclusively with plug-in hybrid power, having debuted the company’s new Hi4 technology.
It features an 85kW/140Nm 1.5-litre Atkinson cycle four-cylinder mated with a two-speed hybrid transmission, and 70kW/100Nm front and 150kW/350Nm rear electric motors for total system outputs of 205kW and 585Nm.
When the battery runs out, the car will function as a normal hybrid and GWM claims it has a more EV-like drive feel than other plug-in hybrid (PHEV) SUVs.
MORE: Everything GWM Haval H6
