We recently spent a week with the new Haval H6 Super Luxury and asked our readers what they would like to know about the SUV.
We took down the most popular questions and set out to answer them below.
How is the fuel consumption?
Fuel consumption for the Haval H6 is on-par with its segment, with my week returning a combined rating of 9.6l/100km.
The SUV then hit its reserve just after 450km.
I kept my driving tame during the week, mostly commuting through traffic, but definitely opened it up more than a normal owner would.
A third of those kilometres were spent on the highway where consumption is much lower.
How is the ride quality on and off-road?
The handling and ride of the H6 are compliant and comfortable on every surface.
The big and soft seats are excellent, and decent suspension with lightweight steering makes maneuvering the SUV a breeze.
It does have slightly more body roll around bends than I would have liked, but going slower usually fixed this.
With its 18-inch alloys, it also handled a rocky mountain trail with five passengers and a filled-to-the-brim 600-litre boot without protests – although I wouldn’t take it to a proper 4×4 course.
The 2.0-litre engine runs smoothly and has abundant power, but the way it was delivered was inconsistent at times.
Tap the throttle at one stop street and it rockets off the line. Tap it again on the next and it feels sluggish.
It doesn’t happen too often and is completely manageable, but on a few occasions I was caught off guard by the sudden push.
I also found that the dual-clutch gearbox performs better in automatic than paddle-shift mode, shifting faster and smoother when it manages itself.
Other than these quirks, the 150kW and 320Nm helped the H6 gain and keep speeds easily – and also makes it one of the most powerful SUVs in its price bracket.
It is worth noting that I had the four-wheel-drive variant – but based on the reports I have read, the front-wheel-drive models tend to exhibit the same behaviours.
How did they keep the price so low?
The price difference between this Haval and a European competitor is mostly due to their respective levels of refinement.
The Haval’s doors and windows feel a bit thinner, its seats are wrapped in artificial leather, the materials look premium but aren’t as soft to the touch, and more plastic is used – albeit tastefully.
The software is universal and not region-specific, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto replace things like integrated navigation, and a manual sunroof is fitted in place of a one-click automatic. (After the article was published, an H6 owner informed me that the sunroof opens automatically if you press the button three times.)
These things, insignificant as they might sound, can easily add R200,000 to a car’s price.
I couldn’t find a crash test rating, has it been tested?
According to Haval South Africa, the H6 has been put through “in-house crash testing” and is “manufactured to the highest global standards with the highest levels of safety.”
The company told TopAuto that the New Car Assessment Programme (NCAP) testing for the H6 is planned for 2022.
What does spare parts availability look like?
Haval South Africa said it keeps a large number of “fast-moving” parts for all its vehicles at all times.
Fast-moving items are the parts most frequently used in repairs and maintenance procedures, and should be on hand unless there is a shortage or shipping delay, said the company.
If a part is not on hand, shipping times to get it into South Africa vary between 2-3 months.
For the average parts-basket price, Haval said consumers should contact a dealership “to enquire as to [the] exact cost of ownership”.
My experience
My experience with the Haval H6 was great.
It reminded me of the days when brands like Hyundai were overlooked for being from South Korea, and now enjoy excellent sales in the local market.
Features like the in-car camera system, smooth-operating displays, and ambient lighting setup were seriously impressive.
On the open road, I could almost completely neglect my driving duties and only rest my hands on the steering wheel thanks to the superb lane-keep assist and adaptive cruise control systems.
The cabin, too, was well put together and designed – with little road noise and solid insulation.
I do wish that Haval did not take the cabin digitization trend as far as it did, however, as even simple settings like the radio volume can only be adjusted on the central screen or steering wheel.
Verdict
The Haval H6 is an excellent option in the R500,000 SUV range, where it competes against the likes of the Nissan X-Trail and Mazda CX-5.
The only thing holding it back, in my opinion, is perceived reliability.
The third-generation H6 with its new engine is unproven in South Africa and still needs to show that it can stand the test of time – which I believe it will.
Before ending, I also feel obliged to answer arguably the most important question our TopAuto readers asked: Can the Haval H6 run Crysis?
Even though the H6 has some sort of processor and a built-in hard drive where you can store photos and videos, it, unfortunately, can’t run Crysis. I tried.
Haval H6 Super Luxury
Keyword: Haval H6 Super Luxury review – Your questions answered