GWM Haval H6 Ultra PHEV AWD 2026 Review

The 2026 GWM Haval H6 Ultra PHEV AWD goes straight for the jugular in terms of price, with the range topper asking just $50,990. And like all six models within the line-up, that’s drive away; no more to pay.

At the time of writing, GWM even lets you drive out of the dealership paying just $43,990 – so make sure to look around for deals before you sign on the dotted line.

Two main model grades are on offer, Lux and Ultra, with the choice of turbo-petrol, petrol hybrid (HEV) or plug-in hybrid (PHEV) as well as front- and all-wheel drive (FWD and AWD respectively). Talk about covering all bases. Essentially, stepping up to Ultra from Lux comes with a $3K premium and you’ll need at least $35,990 for the base model.

In terms of rivals, the top-spec Hi4 version is hard to compare with its Chinese rivals. For around the same spend you can purchase a BYD Sealion 6, Chery Tiggo 8 Super Hybrid, Geely Starray EM-i and MG HS Super Hybrid, but they don’t offer quite the same performance.

More established brands are also in the ballpark if you’re willing to pay for them, with the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV and Skoda Kodiaq PHEV being great alternatives – and the former has seven seats.

The 2026 GWM Haval H6 Ultra PHEV AWD gains the latest aesthetic upgrades including a revised front grille. It’s a reserved, but handsome design, one that features 19-inch alloy wheels, LED lighting front and rear, a shark fin antenna, roof rails, panoramic glass sunroof (with blackout shade) and keyless entry with push-button start.

The only blight is the visible screw holes left in the powered tailgate (with kick sensor) where a larger number plate would go. And covering them with ill-sticking patches isn’t a good look, either.

Inside the Ultra is cloaked in Comfort Tek synthetic leather, which comes in Black or Cream. The front seats are powered, with six-way adjustment with lumbar and memory for the driver, while the passenger also gains four-way adjustment. They’re both heated and ventilated, too, while there’s also a heated steering wheel and dual-zone climate control.

While GWM Haval has been around a while, the excellent seven-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty adds peace of mind. So does the generous battery coverage, set at eight years and unlimited kilometres.

Five years of complimentary roadside assistance further sweetens the deal, while the first five years (or 70,000km) of servicing is capped at $2140 – or an average of $428 per year.

The 2026 GWM Haval H6 Ultra PHEV AWD comes with a five-star ANCAP safety rating and is equipped with seven airbags, two ISOFIX points and three top-tether anchorages to aid fitting child seats in the back.

Active safety includes autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with cyclist and pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control with stop/go functionality, blind spot monitoring, lane departure warning with active lane keeping, cross traffic alert, driver monitoring and road sign recognitions.

The H6 Ultra PHEV AWD also has auto parking with sensors as well as 360-degree cameras with 3D mode and a see-through clear chassis view.

The big news is the upgrade to Coffee OS 3, which is showcased within a tablet-style 14.6-inch infotainment touchscreen.

With an ‘AI Smartspace’ CPU, the 2026 GWM Haval H6 PHEV AWD has far snappier screen response times making it pleasing to use, while the fresh graphics also render it appealing to look at. It even allows you to log into your own Spotify or Amazon music account.

It doesn’t stop there, though, with a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster with detailed information coupled with a head-up display. Elsewhere, there’s wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 50W wireless charging pad, voice assist, navigation, DAB+ digital radio, USB-A and USB-C ports, as well as nine-speaker audio.

Connected services, with GWM’s app integration to complete tasks like remote locking and climate-control manipulation, is included and the H6 Ultra can accept over-the-air (OTA) updates.

The 2026 GWM Haval H6 Ultra PHEV AWD is, in a way, a performance SUV without being a performance SUV. It has some impressive on-paper figures to suggest it is, too.

The Hi4 powertrain comprises a 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine with two electric motors – one for each axle. The internal combustion engine (ICE) makes 110kW at 5500-6000rpm and 240Nm at 1800-4000rpm, while the front e-motor supplies 80kW/170Nm and the rear adds 150kW/350Nm.

With the trio combined, that’s 268kW and a whopping 760Nm being sent to all four wheels via a hybrid gearbox. On song, the H6 Ultra PHEV AWD will sprint from zero to 100km/h in 4.8 seconds. Not too long ago, an Audi SQ5 couldn’t match that.

However, reality is just that. And the figures don’t quite translate to the seat of your pants. Yes, the PHEV powertrain is effective, but it requires everything working in unison to achieve it. And with an initial heavy preference for the EV power sources, it only truly feels swift when the ICE eventually kicks in.

Then again, the PHEV setup provides genuine everyday benefits that go beyond saving fuel. The hybrid gearbox, with six inbuilt ratios, doesn’t perch revs high like some Super Hybrids and you can genuinely get around in EV mode alone for prolonged periods of time.

Attention-grabbing outputs and the 0-100km/h time aside, this is where the 2026 GWM Haval H6 Ultra PHEV AWD is at its most impressive. It straddles the line between ICE and EV well and has a claimed combined range of more than 1000km.

Supplying power to the e-motors is a hefty 19.09kWh LFP battery pack, which equates to an NEDC-rated EV-only range of 100km. Officially, fuel consumption is 1.1L/100km for the H6 Ultra PHEV AWD, yet GWM says you’ll get 5.3L/100km with a depleted battery.

And those figures prove achievable. We were able to cover 95.8km on the e-motors alone (with an energy use of 17.6kWh/100km), while fuel use totalled 1.1 litres when continuing to the 100km marker. Overall combined use throughout our week with the GWM Haval resulted in 5.4L/100km.

As for charging, HEV mode can be configured to replenish the battery up to 80 per cent. However, that does impact fuel economy. We saw the marker rise to more than 14L/100km when the car topped itself up to 48 per cent from 12 per cent.

Otherwise, the GWM will accept up to 34kW at a public DC unit for a 30 to 80 per cent zap taking 28 minutes. If you’re hooking up to a 6.6kW AC wall box at home, that timeframe increases to three hours for a 15 to 100 per cent charge.

Another benefit is that the 55-litre fuel tank accepts cheaper 91 RON unleaded petrol.

The important talking point is the steering and suspension tuning carried out by ex-Holden guru, Rob Trubiani. With the program in its infancy, the 2026 GWM Haval H6 Ultra PHEV AWD is a huge benefactor.

Codenamed AT-1, the locally developed chassis is impressive. There’s now composure with less body roll, reduced head toss and a general feeling of being more connected to the road. Even the ride quality is more nuanced, with the ability to largely (but not totally) filter out lumps and bumps while also adding an element of sophistication to the dampers.

The H6 Ultra PHEV AWD’s rebound response is impressive, meaning the body doesn’t continue unruly movements after undulations. The steering, too, feels more direct and responsive, which builds confidence. Even the Sport mode doesn’t introduce an abundance of artificial weight.

However, while the parts that have received localised tuning shine, there are chinks in the remaining armour. The main culprit is the poorly calibrated traction and stability controls – especially in wet conditions. When slip is detected, power to the wheels is cut abruptly, so much so that you physically feel (and hear) it through the cabin.

The issue is worse if you need to cover ground on dirt, with the tech nannies intruding so heavily that speed can be reduced to a crawl. The only solution is to turn off the electronic stability control. However, as you might expect, given the immediate nature of the e-motor’s torque delivery, it spins up the tyres freely.

Speaking of tyres, the 235/55 Cooper rubber work sufficiently in dry conditions, but can struggle when it’s damp. It’s also noticeable that more power and torque is going to the front axle, and at times it feels as though the accelerator can carry on briefly after you’ve taken your food off the pedal.

As for going off-road, the H6 is limited to 170mm of ground clearance. As with the on-road modes, there are dedicated terrain settings, too. If you need to hitch a caravan or boat, the PHEV AWD has a 1500kg braked towing capacity.

It’s all about practical minimalism. The design doesn’t stray too far from the norm and, if you’ve been in a modern, budget-friendly Chinese SUV, you won’t find the 2026 GWM Haval H6 PHEV AWD breaks that mould. 

Yet, while it’s visually familiar, the level of quality, the fit and finish as well as the ease of use will impress. The faux leather feels nice and the points your limbs fall to most are covered in soft-touch material – the new steering wheel is especially nice. Even noise, vibration and harshness levels are impressive for the price point and outward vision makes city driving easy.

Most will find a comfortable driving position and the pews offer decent cushioning for long journeys. Although, there could be a bit more range of adjustment in the steering wheel for some and the controls could be more clearly designated despite the buttons being updated.

The only real blight remains the reliance on the central touchscreen for simple commands like changing the fan speed. The door bins can’t swallow big bottles, either, although the column shifter frees up valuable room in the centre console and doubles as the cruise-control activation.

Space in the back is palatial, with oodles of toe and legroom. Headroom is also very generous despite the glass roof and the rear seatback reclines for added comfort. It’s great to see directional air vents, too, while there’s USB ports, map pockets, door bins and a fold-down centre arm rest with cup holders.

The boot is class competitive with 560 litres of cargo capacity, which expands to 1445L with the 60/40-split folding rear seats stowed. There are a few hooks and tie points, but many will find the lack of a spare tyre (not even a space saver) underneath the flat floor a negative.

It’s hard to argue against this deal. The price, pragmatism and performance compile a compelling case. This is one of GWM Haval’s most polished products yet.

However, there is a small ‘but’ with the 2026 GWM Haval H6 Ultra PHEV AWD. While the brand must be applauded for seeking and attaining talent to improve aspect of the dynamics, some of the software requires the same attention.

Fix the issues with the traction and electronic stability control and the H6 Ultra PHEV AWD becomes even easier to recommend. However, at $51K drive away, it isn’t going to break the bank in a medium SUV category that’s only rising up the monetary food chain.

As it stands, for a family wanting tangible EV range with PHEV flexibility at a palatable price, GWM Haval presents the H6 Ultra PHEV AWD with a strong case. But continue to watch this space for updates.

2026 GWM Haval H6 Ultra PHEV AWD at a glance:
Price: $50,990 drive away
Available: Now
Powertrain: 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol-electric
Output: 110kW/240Nm (electric motors: 80kW/170Nm front, 150kW/350Nm rear)
Combined output: 268kW/760Nm
Transmission: Dedicated hybrid transmission
Battery: 19.09kWh lithium-iron phosphate
Range: 100km (NEDC)
Energy consumption: 17.6kWh/100km (on test)
Fuel: 1.1L/100km (or 5.3L/100km when battery depletes)
CO2: 25g/km
Safety rating: Five-star (2022 ANCAP)

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