Is the Haval Raptor SUV heading our way?

The burgeoning line-up of GWM mid-sized SUVs in Australia could be boosted even further in 2026 by a vehicle that currently bears a familiar name.

The Haval Raptor (or Menglong in China) is a boxy close relation of the new-gen Haval H6 and incoming H7 SUVs, and the local arm of GWM has confirmed it is under consideration for Australia.

It was recently made available for Australian media and GWM dealers to sample during a tour of China that coincided with the Shanghai auto show.

“It’s a Haval SUV but a much more off-road Haval SUV sitting on Hi4 technology,” explained GWM Australia marketing chief, Steve Maciver.

“[It has] that more boxy styling we’re seeing coming through from not just GWM but a lot of brands.

“So that Menglong is another car which is potentially on our radar.

“We haven’t signed it off; we are looking at it.”

GWM is mounting a huge product attack in Australia with eight models coming in 2025 and another seven expected for 2026.

The 2026 arrivals haven’t been named yet, but the Wey Blue Mountain (rebadged as a Haval) is expected to be among them and the Raptor/Menglong could be too.

One thing to clarify is this car would not be called Raptor in Australia – that’s reserved for Ford’s hi-po Ranger. ‘Menglong’ also appears unlikely.

It would most likely add to the Haval ‘H’ line-up, so maybe H8?

GWM Australia is pitching the Raptor as a more off-road focussed model than H6 or H7. As tested in China, it came with the Hi4T plug-in hybrid all-wheel-drive system and produced 282kW/750Nm via its combination of two electric motors and a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine.

GWM claims a 145km EV range and 1000km combined for the Raptor, as well as a 0-100km/h acceleration time as low as 6.0 seconds.

It also comes with a centre diff lock and 220mm of ground clearance to aid its off-road credentials.

But it’s the exterior design where GWM Australia thinks the Raptor could catch on here.

Its squared off styling is becoming more popular among off-roaders, as personified by the latest generation Toyota Prado.

The Haval even comes with a side-opening tailgate, to which a full-size spare wheel is bolted.

“I would argue that the style differentiates it from the other Haval SUVs we have got,” explained Maciver. “It’s not body-on-frame, its monocoque, like the rest of the Haval range – that’s why its sits with that DNA.

“Certainly from a style perspective it does offer something different for us in terms of [the] Haval SUV range.

“We’re seeing that styling coming through more and more for our competitors and we’ve been doing that for a while, so we’ve just got to gauge the right avenue to go down.”

Clearly, with the H6 being launched in its latest form soon, the H7 arriving in spring, the H6 GT already on sale and the similarly sized 300 from sister-brand Tank also established, GWM does have multiple confirmed medium SUV choices.

But it is Australia’s biggest selling segment, so there is potentially room here for expansion.

“It’s probably not the right time for us to launch another mid-size SUV into that segment,” conceded Maciver.

“But, having said that, we do like the car and the dealer feedback has been really positive.

“Whether it happens in the short term, perhaps not, but it’s something we are certainly looking at and we wouldn’t rule that out.

“Once we let that mid-size SUV line-up settle with new H6 and new H7, then in time we’ll sort out where we are willing to go from there.”

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