Haval H6 Ultra 2021 Review

The flagship of the latest mid-size SUV from Chinese brand Haval is the 2021 Haval H6 Ultra with all-wheel drive, a model that is priced at $39,990 drive-away.

That's $1000 higher than it was at launch, owing to a recent price hike which now sees it tip over $40K when metallic paint – an option for $495 – is included.

But it's still a lot of SUV for not that much money.

Standard features for the H6 in this specification extends to 19-inch alloy wheels, a powered tailgate, panoramic sunroof, multifunction leather-bound steering wheel with heating, shift paddles, head-up display, wireless smartphone charging, leather upholstery, eight-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, four-way power-adjustable front passenger’s seat, front seat heating/ventilation, dual-zone climate control, electric windows and heated power fold-in external mirrors.

The infotainment system comprises a 12.3-inch touch-screen, eight speakers, Apple CarPlay and Bluetooth, but not integrated satellite navigation (and not Android Auto at this stage).

There are USB ports either side of the Haval’s floating centre console, the port near the driver for recharging only. The USB Type-A port on the passenger side is for data as well. A 12V outlet is located in the centre console storage bin just below a USB Type-C port also in there.

Rear seat passengers have access to two USB-C ports for recharging portable devices and there’s another 12V outlet on the left-hand side of the boot, below the side-mounted dome light.

The Haval H6 is covered by a seven-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty and roadside assistance for five years or 100,000km. Services are scheduled 12 months or 15,000km apart.

ANCAP has not tested the new 2021 Haval H6, so the vehicle’s crash safety is an unknown quantity at present.

Nonetheless, the H6 promises to be relatively safe in an impact, with a centre airbag to keep driver and front passenger from knocking heads together, plus dual front, side-impact (front) and side curtain airbags fitted.

Driver assist safety features include 360-degree camera monitoring, active cruise control with stop-and-go, autonomous emergency braking (AEB), lane keep assist, rear cross traffic alert, blind spot detection, traffic sign recognition and driver fatigue detection.

A glitch in the tyre pressure monitoring system indicated a problem that didn’t exist. And the traffic sign recognition system always conveyed that a 40km/h limit applied in school zones – even in the wee small hours of the morning.

The lane keep assist system was generally capable of finding line markings and staying within the lines, but the steering correction was frequently clumsy and over-reactive.

But other aspects of the driver assist tech in the H6 were laudable indeed. The blind spot warning system was very effective, even for someone with the optical reserves of Mister Magoo.

And although its worth is subject to debate, the dynamic graphic display of nearby traffic and the line markings for the road is pretty impressive. As was the intelligent cruise control, which slows the Haval H6 for negotiating slow bends on country roads.

The turbocharged 2.0-litre petrol engine of the 2021 Haval H6 is a bit thrashy at higher revs, but quietens right down at open-road speed, when it’s running at 1800rpm.

It’s a powerplant that’s fairly responsive to the throttle, but accelerator pedal travel is long and the dual-clutch transmission (DCT) has been calibrated to operate more like a manual gearbox than an automatic.

That sounds good for those who like manual transmissions, but it takes a little time to adjust if you’re more familiar with automatics.

There’s no stamping on the accelerator for a balanced, fluid launch. You do need to exercise a little finesse for smoother acceleration.

Other car-makers with DCTs have calibrated their transmissions to operate more like an automatic with a torque converter.

All that said, of course, H6 owners will quickly grow used to the Haval’s power delivery. Some may even prefer it.

The H6 is conservatively redlined at around 5900rpm. There’s no need for higher revs because the engine produces abundant torque in the mid-range.

On a test drive the average fuel consumption was 9.5L/100km, according to the vehicle’s trip computer.

The official combined-cycle fuel economy figure is 8.3L/100km, but the urban figure is 10.2L/100km, the two figures bracketing the test-drive number.

If you like your chariot to ride compliantly whatever the road surface, you’ll love the 2021 Haval H6.

This is its party trick, really. The suspension is quite soft, but still well controlled over bumps and potholes negotiated at practically any speed.

Unfortunately, however, that translates to cornering ability on the low end of the scale in the competitive mid-size SUV segment.

The Haval rolls in corners and the Hankook 225/55R19 tyres start to scrub at the front and protest long before competitors like the Honda CR-V or the Hyundai Tucson.

But the H6 – itself driving all four wheels in this variant – is in the same ballpark as rivals that can go further off-road, such as the Subaru Forester, for instance.

To the Haval’s credit, its handling is consistent and safe, and the steering feels more communicative than quite a few of its peers in the segment.

Under heavy braking, however, it sways and pitches in a way that doesn’t instil great confidence in the driver. The pedal feel is fine though, and the H6 will pull up gently at the lights.

Tyre noise is prevalent at 100km/h, but wind noise is not far behind it. The H6 is not especially rowdy inside, but it’s far from class-leading.

Driving at night is made easier by the very effective headlights. They’re pretty good on low beam – and retina-searing on high beam.

There’s no automatic high beam assist, so drivers will have to take care of that themselves, but rarely will high beam be required anyway.

The overall look and feel inside the H6 is very appealing, with quality plastics in the line of sight and a combination of satin-finish aluminium-look decor and piano gloss lacquer for the centre console and the door arm rests.

Upholstered in charcoal grey leather with a contrasting stitch, the seats are comfortable and relatively well shaped.

A leather-bound steering wheel is pleasant to grip, and has switches on the spokes for audio/communications on the left and instrumentation/trip computer on the right.

Both the indicator stalk and the cruise control stalk are on the left of the steering column, the cruise control at about the 8 o’clock position.

The engine start button is on the dash out of sight to the left of the steering column, and the rotary dial for shifting gear is unusual for its never-ending clockwise shifting, which continuously alternates between auto and manual modes with every new notch you turn it.

Otherwise, however, the driving position warrants little criticism overall, and the large-format exterior mirrors are particularly praiseworthy, providing a good view to the three-quarter rear.

Haval has gone with a simplified look for the fascia and dash, with a scattering of buttons in the fascia for demisting, hazard warning lights and parking cameras.

Everything else operates through the large infotainment touch-screen (including other climate control functions) or from the switchgear on the steering wheel.

The infotainment touch-screen itself is easy to use and very modern in style, with high-resolution graphics such as the fuel economy read-out, with its dynamic ‘sine-wave’ look for the display.

And the instrument cluster also displays iconic representations of the traffic – dynamically updated on the fly. So the system in the centre section of the cluster shows a truck in the left lane as you overtake a truck in reality. It’s a bit of a knock-out in a vehicle at this price.

But locating and operating the comfort, convenience and infotainment functions in the H6 is not so simple, initially. This is because Haval’s design does not align with the ergonomic conventions of other volume-selling brands.

Owners new to the Haval brand will have to spend time familiarising themselves with how to operate those functions before they become second nature.

Changing the music source, for example, can be facilitated by drilling down through the infotainment menu, or pressing a button marked ‘M’ (for Mode? Music?). It’s easier to press the button, but you have to know its purpose first.

There are numerous places to store gadgets and knick-knacks in the H6, starting with two practical cup holders and an additional smartphone storage bin in the floating centre console, which also features a long tray underneath.

The centre arm rest for the rear seat folds down to reveal two more cup holders. Unfortunately, the door bins are a little stingy, with the bottle holders unlikely to accommodate a 1.0-litre bottle.

Being a medium SUV, the H6 offers a sensible hip point for adults and older kids. Even with a panoramic sunroof over both rows of seats, the headroom in the rear seat is quite good, complemented by very good legroom, with plenty of room under the front seat to place one’s feet.

There are adjustable vents for the rear seat passengers but no climate control switchgear, as the system provides two zones for the front occupants only.

Despite the high loading floor, the boot of the H6 is quite a practical load space, with folding rear seats (60/40 split) dropping almost flat to expand the volume further.

And there are additional storage bins inside of the boot, on either side, behind the wheel-arches.

The 2021 Haval H6 is undeniably much improved in this new, second-generation successor to the model tested at the end of 2016.

It’s dynamically safe, a comfortable touring proposition and a functional package. And it’s also a far more attractive vehicle.

There are some facets that will have owners scratching their head, such as the lack of integrated satellite navigation in a car priced close to $40,000 or the quirky infotainment operation.

But these are minor concerns only – and owners will overcome those problems in a very short space of time.

You can look forward to seeing the H6 around in significantly larger numbers in the future.

How much does the 2021 Haval H6 Ultra 4WD cost?
Price: $39,990 (drive-away)
Available: Now
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 150kW/320Nm
Transmission: Seven-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel: 8.3L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 190g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Not tested