GWM Haval H6 Ultra Hybrid 2024 Review

As far as new petrol-electric mid-size SUVs go, the 2024 GWM Haval H6 Hybrid is right up there in terms of value.

Pricing starts from $42,490 drive-away for the entry-level H6 Lux Hybrid, which has loads of equipment and still undercuts the Toyota RAV4 GX Hybrid (from $42,260 before on-road costs are added). At the top end, the all-wheel drive RAV4 Edge Hybrid is priced at $58,360 plus ORCs, compared to the H6 Ultra Hybrid on test here at just $45,990 drive-away.

Unlike the RAV4, there’s plenty of dealer stock around, so you won’t have to wait upwards of two years to get into an H6 Hybrid.

Other petrol-electric rivals include the Nissan X-TRAIL e-POWER (from $49,990 plus ORCs), Honda CR-V e:HEV (from $59,990 drive-away) and the new Kia Sportage Hybrid (from $45,950 plus ORCs).

The 2024 GWM Haval H6 Ultra Hybrid comes loaded with tech and equipment as well as great ownership credentials.

Standard equipment on the top-spec Ultra Hybrid on test includes 19-inch chrome alloy wheels, LED headlights, tail-lights and daytime running lights (DRLs), keyless entry with push-button start, electric park brake with brake hold, rear tinted windows and an electric tailgate.

Inside, Comfort-Tek leather seats offer heating and ventilation up front with eight-way electric adjustment for the driver, while other standard gear includes a faux leather steering wheel with heating, dual-zone climate control and an eight-speaker audio system.

GWM Haval covers its vehicles with a competitive seven-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, while the first service is due at 12 months or 10,000km for $225. That pushes out to every 15,000km (still 12 months), with a total cost for the first five years adding up to $1650.

The 2024 GWM Haval H6 range is covered by a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating based on testing conducted in 2022.

That rating covers petrol and electrified (hybrid) variants, with the H6 SUV achieving a respectable 90 per cent in the adult occupant protection part of testing, but a lower 73 per cent for vulnerable road user protection (including pedestrians and cyclists).

The H6 Ultra Hybrid has seven airbags (including a centre airbag up front) and comes loaded with driver assist systems including autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian and cyclist detection, driver fatigue monitoring, adaptive cruise control, rear cross traffic alert, lane keep assist, traffic sign recognition and a 360-degree camera.

Traffic jam assist also comes standard, along with six parking sensors at either end and a handy USB-A port near the rear-view mirror for a dash-cam.

A quick test of the ‘smart dodge system’ embedded into the central touch-screen – said to dodge larger vehicles in the lane next to you – on the freeway proved to do nothing at all alongside a medium-sized truck, so potentially it only works with large trucks.

On the tech front, the 2024 GWM Haval H6 Ultra Hybrid is well equipped.

Ahead of the driver is a colour 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, along with a wireless phone charging pad and a 12.3-inch infotainment screen including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth and AM/FM radio.

Annoyingly, two USB-A ports for front seat occupants are placed on the passenger side under the centre binnacle. If you don’t have company to assist you it can be quite tricky to locate them.

Meanwhile, even at 10.25 inches, the driver’s display is very narrow and filled with tiny icons and fonts, which will make deciphering key information difficult for some users.

There’s also no dusk-sensing headlights, while other tasks – like how many touch-screen menus you must dive through to find seat heating and cooling options – require acclimatisation.

We’d prefer additional physical buttons, particularly when the screen itself isn’t overtly intuitive and can be slow to load pages.

The 2024 GWM Haval H6 Ultra Hybrid employs a petrol-electric hybrid powertrain. However, it’s front-wheel drive only, unlike some of its key competitors.

Under the bonnet is a 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine with 110kW and 230Nm. It’s mated to an electric motor that produces 130kW and 300Nm. A 1.8kWh lithium-ion battery pack is also on board.

GWM claims combined outputs of 179kW and a whopping 530Nm, which is sent to the front wheels via a two-speed transmission.

The 2024 GWM Haval H6 Ultra Hybrid promises to be the most economical of the H6 mid-size SUV range.

On a combined cycle, GWM Australia claims the H6 Hybrid will sip an average of 5.2L/100km.

That’s a lot less than the front-wheel drive petrol’s claimed 7.4L/100km or the AWD petrol’s 8.3L/100km.

In terms of its hybrid-powered mid-size SUV rivals, the H6 Ultra Hybrid’s combined-cycle figures stack up well given the RAV4 Hybrid claims 4.8L/100km, the Honda CR-V e:HEV returns 5.5L/100km and the Nissan X-TRAIL e-POWER comes in at 6.1L/100km.

We couldn’t quite match GWM’s figure. After seven days of highway and suburban driving, our records show an average of 6.6L/100km.

There’s nothing revolutionary about the driving experience in the 2024 GWM Haval H6 Ultra Hybrid. It does all the basics and will transport families in relative comfort and efficiency.

It’s softly sprung, resulting in a generally smooth ride on most surfaces. However, there is a floaty nature at play and even slight athletic driving reveals the H6’s top-heavy nature.

The brake pedal isn’t great, either, as there’s no tangible progression in terms of feel while the travel is too long for our liking.

The steering is a touch slow, too. And if you try to take off from a standstill with gusto you’ll be met with movement through the steering wheel as torque-steer and wheelspin become an issue.

Meanwhile, the lane keep assist system in the H6 is up there with some of the worst and most intrusive we’ve tested. There’s a constant tugging sensation underhand. Switching it all off on the move is difficult as it requires a few too many menus to disarm.

The adaptive cruise control (ACC) is also vexing. In a similar experience to a recent test of the smaller GWM Haval Ultra Hybrid, the H6’s ACC randomly detected an object and applied the brakes, despite there not being another car within 100 metres.

In terms of size, the H6 is a little bigger than a Toyota RAV4, measuring up at 4653mm long and 1886mm wide. It tips the scales at an agreeable 1690kg.

The petrol-electric system itself works seamlessly in the background, making it easy to just get in and go. Beyond selecting a drive mode (Normal, Sport, Eco, and Snow), there’s very little to fuss about.

On first inspection the 2024 GWM Haval H6 Ultra Hybrid’s cabin is minimalist with myriad storage options.

It’s spacious, with room for two adults in the second row.

Boot space is a commendable 600 litres, which expands to 1485L with the 60/40-split second-row seats folded.

Soft-touch materials are found throughout the cabin, yet it doesn’t take long to notice the budget-friendly materials. The faux leather is underwhelming, while the front seats lack both supportive bolstering and a comfy feel.

There are some nice touches, such as white stitching running the length of the dash, but it’s offset by the piano black centre console and dash trim, which shows up fingerprints, scuffs and scratches.

On the storage front, there are pockets in all four doors, along with a generous lidded arm rest up front.

At this price point, it’s difficult to argue against the value proposition of the 2024 GWM Haval H6 Ultra Hybrid.

No, it isn’t perfect. It doesn’t ride or handle as well as other medium SUVs from established brands, the driver assistance aids require further calibration and its infotainment unit can be fiddly.

Still, the H6 Ultra Hybrid is ready to tackle family duties, delivering plenty of grunt from the petrol-electric powertrain. It’s loaded with features and comes with a generous seven-year warranty.

The Haval H6 Ultra Hybrid is a good choice for many buyers. However, if you can stretch the budget, we’d also recommend looking at other options before putting your money down.

2024 GWM Haval H6 Ultra Hybrid at a glance:
Price: $45,990 (drive-away)
Available: Now
Powertrain: 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol-electric
Output: 110kW/250Nm (electric motor: 130kW/300Nm)
Combined output: 179kW/530Nm
Transmission: Two-speed automatic
Fuel: 5.2L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 120g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2022)