One of the biggest problems when you’re looking to buy a car is money, and if you’ve worked hard for that coin, you’ll want to make sure you get value. That’s why, today, you’re reading about the 2023 Haval H6GT Ultra all-wheel drive.
It’s not a small or short-term commitment, buying a car, but Haval’s H6GT Ultra, is a sharp and muscular sport back-styled SUV which is so exceptionally priced, that you’d be silly not to consider it.
Pitched as a standalone offering when compared to the traditional H6 SUV, the H6GT Ultra features coupe styling, emanating the likes of the BMW X4, with an athletic and sporty feel, for the most part.
The exception is the tiny brake callipers that have been painted fluro yellow. You’re probably dying to know how much too, so we’ll tell you the price. The H6GT starts at $40,990 in Lux front-wheel drive form, with its Ultra AWD variant coming in at $43,990.
That’s drive away too, by the way. Crazy right? We haven’t even started. We decided we’d take a trip down south with the family for a spot of fishing. What better way to put a car through its paces than on a long drive away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
It’s powered by a turbocharged 2.0-litre inline four cylinder engine that produces 150kW and 320Nm, with a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox driving all four wheels. It’s not underpowered in the slightest, especially when you activate Race mode.
That’s a surprising feature on an SUV but one that changes the tone of the exhaust to one similar to Hyundai’s i30 N. The transmission mapping is drastically altered to rev higher and shift later too.
Keep it in this mode for as long as we did however, and you’ll be a long stretch from Haval’s claimed combined fuel economy of 8.4-litres/100km, instead you’ll be hovering around 9.8-litres/100km.
Have a seat inside and you’re treated to a myriad of features including wireless phone charging, heated and ventilated seats, a heated steering wheel and even a head-up display. And those are just a few of the ridiculously good bits that come standard.
Boot storage totals 392-litres, which is fairly small compared to other midsize SUVs, but this is due to its coupe styling compromising vertical storage space. It’s a fairly deep offering though, and with the second row folded you get 1,390-litres.
We were able to fit a suitcase, a few bags, and other necessities like a tackle box and a handful of rods, so it’s decent enough. The H6GT Ultra’s 12.3-inch infotainment unit offers Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
It’s big, bright, clear and doesn’t suffer from input lag or stuttering. Thankfully it doesn’t have a ton of menus either, so you won’t spend hours looking for certain features. Unfortunately, you don’t get in-built satellite navigation or DAB+ digital radio.
Instead, it’s just the standard AM/FM. We would recommend you bring a USB cable and hook your phone up. That said, there’s a fantastic 360-degree camera which is surprisingly top-notch quality, with clear visibility and accuracy.
Another downside that we found quite endearing after a few trips is that if you’re plugged in and using Android Auto for example, you can’t access the climate control settings because there are no buttons on the centre console to adjust fan speed or temperature.
Luckily, there’s a swipe down menu that can be accessed from any screen which, like a smartphone, includes all the important features, including climate control. Having to do that every time you want to change something does get a bit tiresome.
There’s a nice finish of piano black and faux-carbon fibre leatherette around a lot of the cabin, including the centre console, dash and even the seats, which are also trimmed in suede.
Four-way power adjustment features in both front row seats and there’s even some minor bolstering to give it that sporty bucket feel. The second row is spacious and will seat a tall adult easily, with plenty of legroom and headroom to spare.
We threw a front-facing child seat in one of the rear outboard seats and were still able to seat two adults next to it comfortably. There’s also a panoramic sunroof for extra swag points and cabin sunlight.
Driveability is what you’d expect in an SUV, in that it’s an absolute pleasure to drive long-distances and even handles corners fairly well, with only a touch of body roll. The suspension is soft and pliant too.
It will absorb most of the deformities of the road without letting it affect the cabin with too much noise. The H6GT Ultra AWD ensures the safety of your loved ones as well, with a 5-star ANCAP safety.
Features include autonomous emergency braking, lane departure and lane keep assists and warnings, rear cross traffic alert and blind spot monitoring, just to name a few. There’s even an auto park assist feature which is quite neat and works a treat.
Haval offers a 7-year unlimited kilometre warranty on this feature packed SUV, with killer looks. It plays the part of sporty and luxurious at the same time. You may think twice because its “Made In China”, but once you’ve driven one, it’ll make a believer out of you.
You can find out more on the Haval website, and if you’re keen on one and need finance, talk to CreditOne.
Our 2023 Haval H6GT Ultra was supplied by GWM Haval Australia. To find out more, contact your local GWM Haval dealer. Pictures courtesy of J_Hui Design / Photography.
