Haval H6 (2026) 2.0T Ultra Luxury 4WD Review

With so many Chinese cars competing in the mid-size SUV segment, is the non-hybrid Haval H6 still a sensible choice? We drove the 2.0-litre turbocharged model (in challenging circumstances), which offers some off-road capability thanks to its all-wheel-drive system.

Haval H6 2.0T Ultra Luxury 4WD - Fast facts

The Western Cape can be stifling hot one moment and cold the next, especially in the Overberg. They say if you don't like the weather in Hermanus, wait five minutes. I wasn't surprised when my mom Whatsapped me a Level 4 storm warning.

Where we reside, we've had major floods over the past few years, but we didn't reasonably expect what Mother Nature had in store for us.

Haval H6 (2025) launch report

The H6 is probably no stranger to the heavy rainfall of South-East China.

Styling

The H6 is well-proportioned and slick-looking, but it's the pixel-effect grille and vertical DRLs that dominate its front end, creating a dramatic visage. Murdered-out rims, character lines on its flanks and an upwards-swooping beltline and wraparound taillights complete the 2026 SUV look, although the latest design cues from China seem to be on the boxier side (think of the GWM Tank 300, and Jetour's T-range, for example). Still, the H6's appearance is attractive, balanced, and modern, if not conducive to serious swooning.

Interior

Some say the touch-screen takes up too much visual space, but I don't mind it.

Plenty of space and tech greet you when you enter the H6, and the standard panoramic sunroof makes the cabin feel light and airy. The build quality isn't cheap; in general, things feel solid and long-lasting. Design details like the stainless steel speaker covers remind me of Burmester systems in Mercedes-Benz products.

Note the additional 'shelf' below the central cupholders, and the seats can be heated and ventilated.

Haval employs a dual-tiered centre console with old-fashioned USB-A ports on either side, but rear passengers have a USB-C port as well as a USB-A port. Having a two-layer setup is handy for storage, and the armrest cubby is big enough to hold multiple items, like phones, keys, and wallets. A spacious charging pad for one large phone is available to front occupants, but it made my iPhone quite hot - but it works, just don't expect lightning-fast charging.

You can customise the touchscreen's appearance.

Infotainment

There is a huge, high-resolution touchscreen in the middle, while the driver gets a fully digital instrument cluster. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are quick to connect. The H6 is virtually buttonless, leaving you at the mercy of the voice assistant, which doesn't always understand or respond to your commands.

The steering wheel controls handle the audio system, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assistance, and the like - once you get the hang of it, it becomes second nature.

Check out our Haval H6 GT pros and cons article here.

The graphics are crisp and clear. (That's not my playlist, though:-)

The touchscreen's default settings are prone to resetting themselves, too. I'd always switch to Eco mode for city fuel savings, but every engine restart dumped me back to Normal, forcing a menu dive to reselect it. This was annoying, especially since I already had to put my seatbelt on before the engine would start - a safety measure that many South Africans would probably bypass by buckling up the empty seat. The last thing anybody needs is more admin, especially in areas with high crime.

A few physical buttons sit below the central touchscreen, but these climate controls aren't as intuitive as they appear. To tweak the air-con, you must first press a button, make your changes on-screen, then hit the same button to reactivate it. You can try a voice command starting with "Hey GWM," but we did not always have success.

The air-conditioning settings could be more user-friendly.

The H6 pulls off some neat party tricks thanks to its suite of surround cameras. Flick on your indicator or ease off the throttle to turn or park, and a crystal-clear bird's-eye view pops up instantly, showing exactly how close you are to traffic or obstacles. It's a foolproof way to dodge fender-benders and protect those stylish rims, and definitely alleviates the basement-parking blues. Intelligent parking assistance (i.e., self-parking) is standard on the top-spec models.

The surround view monitor and transparent chassis in action.

Space and Comfort

Roominess is one of the H6's strongest suits: three taller adults can sit side by side comfortably in the second row. A fold-down central armrest reveals two handy cupholders; essential, since the narrow rear door pockets can't accommodate standard-sized cups.

Long road trips are a pleasure when this much legroom is on offer.

Super Luxury and Ultra Luxury models offer bonus features for front occupants, such as a heated steering wheel and heated/ventilated front seats. Seats are electrically adjustable, and the boot opens by the swinging of a foot or leg (hopefully one of your own!) underneath the sensor below the tailgate. But it's not always effective (when is it ever, even in pricier cars), and there is no physical button to open it from the outside unless you press the boot button on the key fob. The teenagers were annoyed, and "Mom! The boot!" was heard at least twice daily.

Supportive seats with electric adjustment soothe travel-weary backs.

Size-wise, the boot is large enough for extended holidays, whether that involves going shopping, scuba diving, or both.

Plenty of room for baggage.

The Drive

When the rain hit, we braced for the usual: ducks swimming in our front yard, suitcases full of winter clothes, and curtains getting soaked in the garage. The Overstrand municipality had cleared the stormwater drains months earlier, so hopes were high, but just to be safe, we moved a few valuables. An hour later, our yard was a lake, the garage submerged, and the water was knee-deep when I ventured out to the H6 to pick up emergency supplies. Not that the H6 was fazed; its effective wipers, surefooted AWD, and piercing Xenon headlamps made easy meat of the storm pelting the highway.

Approximately 18 hours after the worst of the rains.

The next morning brought more rain, a dead phone from the power outage, and an hour-late wake-up. With school traffic looming, I plotted a detour: the Karwyderskraal road snaking around the back of Hemel-en-Aarde Valley to Sandbaai. The H6 was game for some dirt-road fun, transforming morning chaos into an off-road adventure. Sand, mud, hills, and dales? It handled them impeccably (and in complete comfort), delivering us to the school parking lot with five minutes to spare, everyone grinning.

Who's ready for school?

Performance

There is no lack of power here: The 2.0T's 170 kW and 380 Nm are helpful when a quick gap has to be taken, and you can tow a trailer, boat, or caravan of up to 2000kg (braked). All-wheel drive keeps things under control in wet weather. We timed the 0-100 km sprint: an impressive +/- 8 seconds.

The power's enough, and AWD adds peace of mind.

Fuel Consumption

Driving in Eco mode returned 10.2 litres per 100 km on average; in Normal it climbed to 10.5, and I never drove it like it was a getaway car - the weather wouldn't really allow it. I blame the AWD system, though - in totality, this model is around 100 kilograms heavier than the FWD models, so that figures. Haval claims 8.3 L/100 km for our test model, while the front-wheel-drive models are said to use a mere 7.4 L/100 km, but that's just unrealistic.

Running cost comparison: Jetour T1 vs Mahindra XUV700 vs Haval H6

Remember the H6's meaty power figures if you're tempted to complain about consumption.

Safety

The H6 was awarded a 5-star safety rating in 2022, scoring 90% for adult protection and 88% for child occupants.

Here are the safety features according to trim:

Feature	Luxury	Super Luxury	Ultra Luxury
Airbags (6: frontal, side, curtain)	Standard	Standard	Standard
ABS + EBD + ESP	Standard	Standard	Standard
Traction Control + Hill Assist	Standard	Standard	Standard
Tyre Pressure Monitor (TPMS)	Standard	Standard	Standard
Cruise Control	Standard	Adaptive Cruise Control	Adaptive Cruise Control
Lane Departure Warning	Standard	Standard + Lane Keep Assist	Standard + Lane Keep Assist
Autonomous Emergency Braking	Standard	Standard	Standard
Rear Cross-Traffic Alert	Standard	Standard	Standard
Parking Sensors	Rear	Front + Rear	Front + Rear
Surround Camera	Basic rear view	360° AVM	540° Panoramic + Transparent Chassis
Blind Spot / Lane Change Assist	-	Standard	Standard

Price

Model	Price (R)
H6 2.0T Luxury	495 500
H6 2.0T Super Luxury	542 500
H6 2.0T Luxury 4WD	574 500
H6 2.0T Ultra Luxury 4WD	614 500
H6 1.5T HEV Luxury	641 500
H6 1.5T HEV Ultra Luxury (read review)	686 500

See how the H6 compares with its Chinese competitors, such as the Proton X90 and Chery Tiggo 9, here.

 

The H6 is sophisticated and well-priced, and should tempt many family-SUV buyers.

 

The Verdict

The H6 may be a bit intricate and finicky when it comes to touchscreen ease of use, and there are a few other software-related niggles, but it does the rest very well. 

If you're going to use the H6 as an everyday driver, I wouldn't look beyond an entry-level Luxury model. At R542 500, it offers excellent value. While the HEVs make sense if you're a city commuter, you will be paying R100k or more for it, and that's quite a lot of petrol until you break even.