By Melusi Msomi

Ladies and gentlemen, meet the new Haval H6. A car that has been making waves alongside its smaller sibling, the Haval Jolion. This particular model has shaken up the market, in the sense that it has outsold some of its rivals in the past couple of months.

Exterior

In terms of looks, it’s quite a departure from the previous model. It looks more premium thanks to its sharper and bolder design. Standard equipment on this Luxury model includes LED headlights and taillights, 18-inch wheels, panoramic sunroof, roof rails, and power side mirrors. The stand-out feature of the H6 is its new wire-mesh design grille, which looks quite distinct.

Interior

The interior is upmarket. In the front, you’ll be happy to find a dual-zone climate control, customizable digital gauge cluster, a 12.3-inch infotainment screen that supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. You also get leather seats with the drivers being electrically adjustable. There’s a generous use of soft-touch materials being used in the cabin that adds to the premium feel of the car. The panoramic sunroof is massive and makes the cabin feel airy.

Practicality

It seats 5 quite comfortably with plenty of head and legroom for all passengers. You’ll find three USB ports at the front, one located by the rear-view mirror for your dashcam, and two USB ports for the rear passengers. When you opt for the range-topping Super Luxury model, you get added practical features like wireless charging and an electronic tailgate. The boot comes in at 600 litres and can be expanded to 1485 litres when you fold the rear seats that have a 60:40 split.

Driving

Powering our test unit is a turbocharged 2.0-litre 4-cylinder engine that produces 150kW and 320Nm of torque. It sends its power to the front wheels via a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission. Owners of the Super Luxury model get to enjoy more grip thanks to a 4WD system. The engine and transmission combination is great and makes the driving experience more enjoyable. The ride quality is commendable with the car being able to soak up the majority of road imperfections. When it comes to fuel economy, it tends to be a bit thirsty as I managed 8.5 l/100km compared to the claimed 7.4 l/100km.

Safety & Tech

Haval has thrown in a lot when it comes to safety and tech. The whole range comes standard with features like 6 Airbags, ISOFIX points, Driver Fatigue Alert, and Rear Parking Sensors. It’s quite a long list. I enjoyed the lane keep assist and the 360-degree camera with Panoramic view. The adaptive cruise control with Intelligent Cruise, Intelligent Cornering & Traffic Jam Assist worked like a charm aside from the adaptive cruise control, which would be too intrusive at times. When it detected a car ahead, it sometimes reduced speed too much, then took a bit too long to get back up to speed.

Verdict

The Haval H6 Luxury 2WD is a brilliant SUV in almost all aspects. It has without a doubt shaken up the market and we’re sure competitors are shaking in their boots because of its R494,900 price tag that includes so many standard features. Aside from the pricing, it’s just a well put together SUV.