All-new hybrid SUV competitor with attractive pricing will be available in Australia soon.
Haval’s first hybrid electric vehicle will arrive in local showrooms later this year and is the only model in the Chinese brand’s lineup confirmed to receive a more efficient electrified drivetrain, with the smaller Jolion to continue with only a traditional petrol engine for now.
In its competitor set, the hybrid addition will bring the H6 up against the Toyota Rav4 hybrid, Mitsubishi Outlander hybrid, and MG HS hybrid, though the latter two are both plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV).
The H6 is powered by a 2.0-litre turbo motor while for the H6 Hybrid the engine is a 1.5-litre petrol four-cylinder augmented by an electric motor and small lithium-ion battery, providing 180kW of power and a substantial 530Nm of torque through a two-speed auto. The claimed 0-100km/h is a spritely 7.5 seconds and the grunt on offer is on par or higher to direct rivals.
Fuel economy is rated at 5.2L/100km on the government combined cycle – 2.2L/100km more efficient than the 2.0T H6 and close to the Toyota Rav4’s 4.7L/100km rating. Like the Rav4, the H6 regenerates power to a small battery pack when accelerating or braking, providing for augmented power during takeoff but only short electric-only driving, unlike a PHEV that uses a larger battery for the longer electric-only driving range.
Despite hybrids offering only short range compared to PHEVs, the drivetrains have proved rather popular for Toyota in the Camry, Corolla and Rav4.
We expect the new H6 Hybrid to be limited to a higher grade specification initially. The current top-spec H6 2.0T costs $38,990 driveaway and equipment includes twin digital displays, head up display, sunroof, keyless entry, heated seats, leather upholstery, 19-inch alloys, a powered tailgate and a comprehensive safety suite with AEB, adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assist, among others.
Haval will confirm pricing and specification closer to the on-sale date.
Great to see another competitor for the Hybrids. It will have to be good & priced well below a RAV 4 to succeed.