While the facelifted H6 isn’t definitely locked in for Australia, there’s little doubt we’ll receive this new car, likely by year’s end or very early 2025. The current H6 has been in our market for three years, and with the investment gone in to this facelift, it’d be daft to not introduce it.
The H6 is the Haval range’s shining star. Last year over 13,000 sold here, if we combine figures for the traditional H6 SUV with the sportier coupe-like H6 GT. That bettered the Nissan X-Trail’s 2023 sales in the highly competitive medium SUV class.
The current H6 is priced from $33,900 for an entry-level Premium, up to $45,990 for an Ultra Hybrid grade. The sleeker H6 GT starts from $40,990 for a Lux model, peaking at $46,490 for an AWD Ultra. All Haval prices are drive-away.
We can assume these prices will jump a few grand when the facelift arrives to reflect the improved kit. We didn’t spy a facelifted H6 GT at GWM’s HQ, but it’d be likely to receive the same refreshing treatment.
Our time test driving the 2025 H6 was severely limited, but we were able to paw over the exterior changes and the impressively luxe cabin of what was likely the flagship Ultra grade.
Visually, the 2025 H6’s front end looks a dash more flash, with cascading LED daytime running lights emerging from the headlights’ edges. I can’t decide if they look more like giant tears or warpaint.
Haval says the face adopts the brand’s Star River Aesthetics design language, using ‘starlight’ headlights and star shield grille. Lovely. Compared to the current model with its plasticky chrome grille, the more subtle, intricate grille is a marked improvement.
The back end has lost its full-length light bar and gained new design LED taillights - if anything it looks a bit more homogenised. We saw some H6s with subtle GWM badge between its rear lights, rather than the too-bold HAVAL script. Hopefully that’ll come with the 2025 car.
Reports suggest the 2025 H6 is a slither larger than the current one at 4703mm - over 100mm longer than Toyota’s RAV4.
A key reason the H6 sells so well is its showroom appeal. It presents well with brace of 10.25-inch widescreens, faux leather and soft plastics. But the 2025 car expands on these positives with an even more impressive cabin.
Yes, our tester was the range-topper, but the white faux leather felt solid quality over well-sculpted seats, the two-tiered dash design borrows from premium players, plastics generally feel good and the steering wheel’s new and pleasing in its simplicity.
The centre console area is ultra clean as the rotary gear selector’s gone, replaced by a Mercedes-Benz-like gear selector stalk.
This leaves the centre console free to concentrate on offering a well-angled wireless phone charger, two cup holders and an oddments bin. There’s large additional storage underneath the centre console, and there’s not a button or switch to be found.
That’s because the centrepiece is a giant touchscreen, likely a 14- or 15-inch effort. Haval’s put all controls through here, including the climate.
This has the potential to be a frustration, but fair play, the screen is of excellent definition, and on brief trial, proved incredibly quick to respond. As expected, the 12.3-inch digital driver display is retained.
Hop in the back and it’s as you were as the wheelbase is unchanged. It’s spacious and with centre arm rest, a USB-A and USB-C port plus family-required air vents, and it’s pleasingly light under a panoramic glass roof.
Sadly, rear seats still don’t recline nor slide on runners, and rear door plastics remain too cheap-feeling. The boot looks to remain at 600L or thereabouts - large for the class.
Where the Haval H6 needs to up its game with this facelift is drive experience, and signs are positive. The 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol has been retained, but figures jump from 150kW/320Nm to a healthier 175kW and 385Nm.
Power’s sent through the front wheels via a new nine-speed DCT auto in the 2025 H6, offering two extra cogs over the current model.
The seven-speed DCT I found to be jerky and lazy on test, but on initial (very brief) drive test of the 2025 car, the nine-speed seemed smoother from low speed.
The extra power and torque meant the 2025 H6 pulled away with some zest too, albeit with some lag and a fair bit of noise. I’m sure playing with drive modes would solve the former.
At first sample, Haval seems to have improved the H6’s body control too. The current car suffers a lot of body roll, understeers too much if pushed and gets uncomfortably bouncy when cornering over anything but mirror-smooth roads.
Our test was, I’m afraid, over a mirror smooth proving ground, so I can’t report if the latter’s been solved, but certainly the 2025 H6 seemed to manage tighter corners and direction changes better than my experience of the current car.