THE Haval H6 hybrid would be my first choice if I had to choose among Havals. It is a well-rounded SUV with a few flaws, if any, much like its siblings.

This new semi-electric drivetrain truly stole the show. It is important to have rich cousins who have these cars. When you visit South Africa, you get to drive their cars.

Unexpectedly, it is the costliest car the Chinese manufacturer sells locally at US$59 700, but before its price dampens your spirits, if you had to purchase a rival in the same league from a European brand, you would be looking at spending at least twice as much.

The hybrid-electric vehicle, or H6 HEV, has a semi-electric drivetrain that goes above and beyond the typical fuel-saving objective to offer other hybrid-only capabilities like electric assistance for faster acceleration and brake energy regeneration, as well as fully electric driving for brief periods at suburban speeds.

This foundation combines the 1,5-litre turbo-petrol engine built by Haval with a little electric motor and battery to produce 179 kW and 530 Nm, making this model the most powerful Haval in the nation even though it does not have the same athletic appearance as its GT-badged counterpart.

The system utilises a ground-breaking two-speed "dedicated hybrid transmission" that seamlessly switches through gears and has a compliant suspension to tackle the rough roads of Zimbabwe.

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The H6 HEV's multiple underpinnings, which give performance, quietness, and fuel efficiency above and beyond what the petrol-only models are capable of, are what set it apart from its namesake vehicles.

 Although it only has front-wheel drive (perhaps because the hybrid battery occupies the space where the rear drive components would be), the HEV is the only H6 with launch control and hooks up nicely for a claimed 0-100km/h time of 8,5 seconds.

The large family SUV burns rubber impressively quickly from a stop, and with the abundant torque, it can even lose traction at 40 km/h and above if you suddenly press the pedal. Although the power and precision handling are excellent to have, the other half of the HEV is far better. Performance is obviously not the purpose of this Haval. It is not a GT.

The large H6 can pull out of the driveway at all hours of the morning on battery power alone without waking even a mouse. Instead of a whirring petrol block that must first idle at high revs to warm up, clicking the engine start button is met by a pleasant "ding" and a notification on the driver's display that the vehicle is ready for action.

Fuel consumption is stated to be this brand's biggest customer complaint, and depending on your route, the battery-motivated drivetrain has made it feasible to reach a reading even lower than this, so you best believe it.

The H6 HEV, like the other Havals, only displays the average fuel consumption for the current journey and not the lifetime average. By being careful with your accelerator inputs and keeping the SUV largely running on electricity in the city while the petrol engine assists you on the outskirts, say from Sam Levy Village to Southerton, you surely can achieve a low 5.1 l/100km.

The Haval is still the most economical H6 I have tested out of the Super Luxury, the GT, and the HEV, averaging between 7.0 and 9.0 litres per 100 kilometres in normal circumstances.

The HEV had to charge the battery when it was turned on after spending a long day in the parking lot, which increased fuel consumption, but it only needed to charge for a short while before it was ready to work alongside the combustion engine once more. When compared to comparable hybrid vehicles that enable pure-electric driving, the petrol engine is also slightly noisier, but it is not oppressively so.

Upscale Interior

Inside, the H6 HEV differs very little from the rest of the lineup. The 12.3-inch central infotainment display, which itself offers integrated

Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, is accompanied by a single row of buttons, beautiful leather seats, and a minimalist instrument panel featuring a circular gearshift selector trimmed in chrome.

It also comes standard with dual-zone climate control, keyless entry and start, a heated steering wheel, ambient lighting, 360-degree cameras, and a heads-up display.

With features like lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control with intelligent dodge, traffic jam assist, and blind-spot monitoring, the car can practically drive itself.

The 10.25-inch digital cluster also displays HEV-only graphics, such as power draw on the battery and energy regeneration while driving, along with intelligent drive modes including BEV, tandem, and parallel driving, idle charging, and more.

Some features are exclusive to the hybrid, such as seat ventilation, reverse parking memory, and launch control.

Additionally, the HEV can power the in-cabin electronics while the petrol motor is turned off thanks to the larger battery than the typical 12V in the ordinary models, which is beneficial for applications like keeping the climate control on while you are waiting for someone to run into the stores.

With black 19-inch alloy wheels, a side fin, a revised brake light built into the boot spoiler, and a model-specific grille that runs from corner to corner, it is also distinctive in terms of appearance.

The H6 family also excels in the cabin, with a large passenger compartment that translates to class-leading legroom and a sizable boot, albeit one that is a little shallower than its competitors.

However, because the H6 range is homogeneous, the HEV still exhibits some of the same characteristics as other Havals. This includes features like a clumsy infotainment system that offers dozens of sub-menus but only has one modifiable setting that could have been reached a few clicks earlier without hurting the software's overall usability.

Other examples include the lack of a physical volume button. For instance, there is no button to activate the heated and ventilated seats; instead, you must select these options from four menus, which frequently results in the amenities being inactive.

Similar to reverse memory, pressing "Auto Park" brought up the home screen once more because the car had a button for it but did not have fully automatic parking.

Verdict

The enormous success of Haval in Southern Africa is no accident. In terms of sales, it has now surpassed Nissan in some markets including South Africa.

The Chinese company creates reliable products at just-competitive prices that let you willingly overlook the minor inconveniences. The

most recent H6 HEV is no different, adhering to the same philosophy as its predecessors that makes premium features more widely available for the value of your money. It offers the advantages of new energy technologies — low fuel consumption, fully electric driving, and proper performance — without the trouble of having to plug it in to a wall, as well as a cabin with a luxurious ambience that is affordable to purchase.

The H6 HEV is one of the best SUVs you can buy for the money if all-wheel drive is not that important to you.

Specifications

Engine: 1,5 Turbo Petrol Hybrid

Combined Power (kW): 179kW

Maximum Combined Torque (Nm): 530Nm

Overall Dimensions - Length X Width X Height (mm): 4653*1886*1730

Transmission DHT: Drivetrain: 2WD

Fuel Consumption - Combined litres/100km (Under Tested Conditions):

5.2

  • andrew@muzamhindo.com.

 
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