Fast, flashy Haval H6 GT PHEV just a bit too tech flawed
Great Wall Motors has been on a massive product offensive in South Africa. Take this stormtrooper-like Haval H6 GT PHEV, for instance. Its quick too, and economical. But this performance flagship however asks more questions than it answers. While it shares the H6 badge with what we feel to be the more sensible, refined H6 Hybrid we drove last year, this GT version feels entirely different. Because it is.
Which begs the question: how can GWM call both of these cars the H6? Visually, it certainly looks the part of a modern coupe-SUV, packing aggressive looks. Like one of Vader’s soldiers in a premium stance that actually turns heads on the road. Slip under the bonnet to find a potent 1.5-litre turbocharged plug-in hybrid powertrain. On the road, it is undeniably quick and remarkably economical with the batteries charged.
It also delivers a hell of a lot of car for the money, undercutting established European rivals while offering a comprehensive list of standard luxury features. For R799,900, the initial showroom appeal is undeniably strong. It promises the ultimate blend of efficiency, space, and straight-line speed.
H6 GT looks great, is quick and economical too
However, the honeymoon ends the moment you drive it hard. Like many Chinese vehicles flooding the market, the H6 GT lacks mechanical finesse. The transmission feels unrefined and rough. Completely at odds with the premium price tag. Worse still, ride quality and overall vehicle feel are generally sloppy. Let’s just say not very GT-like. As disconnected as the styling is aggressive.
If the sloppy driving dynamics don't break the spell, the abominable infotainment and dashboard setup certainly will. GWM seems to have completely lost the plot when it comes to cabin ergonomics. The multifunction steering wheel features lovely tactile physical buttons and decent dash logic. And the rest of the cabin is all pretty cool. But that’s about where it ends.
The rest of the car to human interface is among the worst we’ve experienced. Which includes dire efforts from everyone from Mercedes to BMW, Audi and other top players that similarly sacrifice usability on the altar of the digital trend. Let’s start with something simple. Like driving range. For a vehicle that promises exceptional hybrid range, finding how far the car can still travel proved almost impossible.
Googling a solution just made it worse
We searched the system, consulted AI tools, and dug through Google on the smartphone. Only to end up more confused before eventually giving up completely. A bizarre omission in a modern plug-in vehicle. Range management is probably the H6 GT driver’s primary concern. Which led us to discover that voice control system is equally useless.
My Apple Watch seamlessly understands, and even speaks in a South African accent. Yet the Haval simply cannot comprehend coherent local dialect. So after several failed attempts to command basic functions, we just gave up trying to talk to the car too.
Then the climate control. Setting your own, preferred climate is an exercise in futility. The car simply decides what you should want and changes it all on its lonesome the moment it ‘detects’ any change of condition outside. What about what we want, car?
The H6 GT honeymoon just ends too fast
Having given up on our own settings, we got to the nannies. We welcome electronic driver aids that should make cars safer. But what if we don’t want them on? This H6 GT is another car that crosses the line from helpful to downright dangerous. To kill the lane-guarding device, for instance, is another nightmare all on its own.
In the H6 GT it takes a minute of fumbling deactivate the device. Possibly half of which demands you take your full attention off driving the car. You must tap five precise points on the screen to do the trick. Never mind four more to reverse out of the wrong menus you accidentally opened, and one final tap to get back home.
It would take one click, exactly where you know it is, were that function on a simple physical button. D’uh! Look, we love that modern safety devices and lane-keeping tech can protect us. But by the same token, when it becomes downright dangerous to operate the car, then what is the point, exactly?
Logic sorted, H6 GT would be a great prospect
So, no matter how well this vehicle is priced or how sharp or striking it looks, or how fast and economical it is, these intrinsic flaws are simply a deal-breaker to us. There are many cars out there that need a total re-logic.
Sadly. the GWM H6 GT PHEV needs a bit more of a rethink than most. That done, it’d be a totally different prospect to the turn-off it caused in our office. So let’s hope that we can experience just that, one day soon…- Michele Lupini
Images & testing: Giordano Lupini
ROAD TESTED: GWM Haval H6 GT 1.5T PHEV Ultra Luxury 4WD
Engine: 110 kW 240 Nm 1.5-litre turbo petrol I4
Front Motor: 130 kW 300 Nm
Rear Motor: 150 kW 230 Nm
Motors Type: Permanent Magnet Synchronous
System Output: 321 kW 762 Nm
Drive: 2-speed DHT
ICE-Electric Front Electric, Rear AWD
Battery: 310 V 35.4 kWh ternary lithium
TESTED
0-60 km/h 2.32 sec
0-100 km/h 5.45 sec
0-120 km/h 7.53 sec
0-160 km/h 12.69 sec
80-120 km/h 3.76 sec
120-160 km/h 5.17 sec
400 m 13.6 s @ 165 km/h
CLAIMED:
VMax: 200 km/h
Fuel: 0.8 EV, 5.4 Combined l/100 km
CO2: 19-124 g/km
Range: 180 km EV, 1000 km Combined
Warranty/Service: 7y 200K/7y 75K km
LIST PRICE: R799K
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