Haval’s New H6 HEV Proves They’ve Gone Mainstream
Haval’s cements their position as a mainstream brand with the launch of their new H6 HEV.
Do you remember when Haval was the substitute? People jumped on the Haval wagon purely for their bang-for-buck, when maybe, what they really wanted was the Kia or Hyundai equivalent.
Well, Haval has put those days behind them and their latest run of products has seen the brand become an alternative to the more established players.
This latest evidence of this shift can be seen in the launch of the new Haval H6 HEV, and what does HEV stand for? Believe it or not but the “underdog” has just released their own Hybrid Electric Vehicle!
I have always been a huge fan of hybrids because they give you the best of both worlds. In the case of the self-charging Haval H6 HEV, you get to enjoy a 1.5 turbocharged petrol engine backed up by an electric motor, and together, this potent pair generates 179kW and a rather cheeky 530Nm of torque.
Those are pretty good performance figures and despite being housed in a bulky-bodied SUV, the Haval H6 HEV is still able to offer combined fuel consumption of only 5.2L/100km and lower CO2 levels when compared to the ICE-only models.
Now with all that impressive tech under the bonnet and the equally impressive fuel consumption, Haval could’ve left it there and have a winner on their hands. Thankfully, they also decided that the model's styling needed a few magic touches which saw them adding LED Headlights, a more pronounced grille, gloss black accents on the sports rear spoiler and a panoramic sunroof. The wheels were also given an upgrade and H6 HEV now wears a unique set of sports alloy wheels wrapped in 225/55R19 tyres.
Get into the driver’s seat and the H6 HEV is everything you wouldn’t expect from a Haval if you were looking at one five years ago, it's nice…very nice. I love the upmarket feel and the in all honesty, if you never knew better, you would swear you are sitting in something from a more “prestigious” brand. Aside from looking the part, the Haval H6 HEV also gets smart keyless entry, a modern 10.25” Colour Combination Instrument display, a 12.3” Colour multi-touch screen infotainment system, and a customisable HUD (Head-Up Display). The electronic wizardry doesn’t end there though because the H6 HEV is also equipped with a 360° camera with a panoramic view and a fully automatic parking system for smart, convenient parking.
Another area where Haval has not skimped on anything is in the safety department, where they have fitted the H6 HEV with:
- 7 Airbags.
- Front and rear parking sensors.
- Autonomous Emergency Brake (AEB).
- Traffic Jam Assist (TJA).
- Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA).
- Door Open Warning (DOW).
- Lane Keep Steering (LKS).
- Electronic Stability System (ESC).
- Full Speed Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC).
- Lane Departure Warning (LDW).
That long list of safety features ends off the H6 HEV’s impressive spec sheet, but how much will you be paying for all that? Well, how does R669,950 sound? That is very competitive for a hybrid, and Haval will also throw in their comprehensive 5-year/60,000km Service Plan, 5-year/100,000km Warranty, and 8-year/150,000km Hybrid Battery Warranty.
With the launch of the H6 HEV and H6 GT “SUV coupe”, Haval is taking take the fight to the established players and the sales figures prove it.
Looking for your own Haval? Check out the ClickaCar Virtual Showroom and find yours!