2026 GWM Haval H6 GT PHEV long-term review: Part one

Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) were long thought to be just a stop-gap technology, bridging the way between an internal combustion engine (ICE) and a battery electric vehicle (BEV).

But, now that a smattering of EVs are available in all shapes and sizes (and price points), it looks like the market is still gravitating towards plug-ins due to the safety net of having a back-up petrol engine for extended journeys.

While PHEVs in the past have offered 30, 50, and even 100km of all-electric driving range to get you through the daily commute, the 2026 GWM Haval H6 GT PHEV that we have on test here pushes that out to a class-leading 180km.

That’s more electric driving range than original versions of all-electric models like the Nissan Leaf and BMW i3, by the way.

Keep in mind, though, the GWM Haval H6 GT PHEV reserves around 10 per cent of the battery to function like a closed-loop hybrid (like a Toyota Prius) with a low state of charge, so really the electric range is closer to 160km.

Still, the H6 GT PHEV could well be positioned as the best of both worlds – offering boundary-pushing electric driving range, but the assurance of a petrol engine to keep things running on the weekend, or away from a charger.

This is the reason we’ve opted for this model as the next long-termer in Melbourne, to see if it truly can be the one car that sees you into the electrified motoring future.

But first, let’s lay that groundwork.

Priced from $53,990 drive-away, the 2026 GWM Haval H6 GT Ultra PHEV represents outstanding value as a plug-in hybrid family SUV.

Rivals in the segment include the Mitsubishi Outlander, Mazda CX-60, and incoming new-generation Toyota RAV4 – all of which are more expensive and offer less all-electric driving range.

At the other end of the spectrum, though, you can now have a BYD Sealion 5 – Australia’s most affordable plug-in hybrid model – from as little as $33,990 before on-road costs, while the more upmarket Sealion 6 starts from $42,990 before on-road costs.

Other Chinese marques such as Jaecoo, Chery, Geely, MG, and Leapmotor also field pluggable family SUVs positioned below the H6 GT PHEV, but nothing can match that all-EV range offered by GWM.

How does the H6 GT PHEV boast such a gargantuan range?

GWM has equipped it with a 35.4kWh battery, which is bigger than what you get in some smaller, city-focussed EVs like the BYD Atto 1 Essential.

A big battery means a longer charge time, though, which comes in at up to 15 hours when using a standard socket for a 10–100 per cent cycle.

However, using a 6.6kW AC charger will drop that to around six hours – or overnight – meaning with the right set-up you could have a full 180km of electric driving range every morning.

The H6 GT PHEV also has DC fast-charging capability, though it is limited to 50kW so the 30–80 per cent recharge will take around 30 minutes.

Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) will generally have faster DC charging capabilities, so you can get more driving range in the same amount of time, but the H6 GT PHEV also has a petrol engine that comes into play when a charger isn’t handy.

Backing up that battery is a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine that produces 110kW/230Nm, and the whole system is paired to a two-speed dedicated hybrid automatic transmission.

However, with two electric motors – one in the front and one in the rear – the combined output is a staggering 321kW/762Nm.

That’s nearly more than you would find in the last Ford Performance Vehicle (FPV) Falcon-derived GT F, which was packing a 351kW/570Nm punch from a supercharged 5.0-litre petrol V8.

Obviously, technology has moved on in the last 10 years, and electrification has advanced in leaps and bounds, but the H6 GT PHEV still delivers outrageous outputs for the money.

And because it works as a series-parallel hybrid when the battery is low, fuel economy still sits at a relatively low 5.5 litres per 100 kilometres over longer distance drives – at least based on what we’ve seen after a month with the car.

But just like how those old Falcons and Commodores were the default choice for families back in the day, the H6 GT PHEV plays in the new family car space as a mid-size SUV.

The sloping roof line does eat into head room a little, but for car seats and kids the second row functions perfectly fine.

There are also plenty of storage solutions for the front passengers, largely thanks to a deep underarm storage cubby and a below-the-shifter shelf to empty your pockets.

The boot also affords 392 litres of volume with all seats in place – plenty big enough for prams, shopping, scooters and more – which is expandable to 1390L with the second-row seats folded.

But while pricing, powertrain, and practicality certainly impress, the GWM Haval H6 GT starts to lose its lustre a bit when you dig into the equipment.

Yes, there is a long list of standard equipment that looks quite good on paper – including 19-inch wheels, a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen with wired Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, dual-zone climate control, heated front seats and steering wheel, and powered tailgate – actually using the gear can be bothersome.

For example, the touchscreen feels slow and unresponsive, often taking a few presses at the menu before the system decides to register a touch.

The user interface is also unintuitive, with functions like heated seats buried behind multiple menus.

With a few more months in the car, I’m expecting as familiarity levels increase, the interface pain points won’t be so apparent, but stay tuned for more on this soon.

I’m also hoping the car’s dynamics grow on me, as initial thoughts on the driving experience aren’t stellar.

Having potent performance is one thing, but the steering, brakes and suspension also have to be up to task for confidence behind the wheel – three areas where the H6 GT PHEV are lacking.

Don’t let the bad outweigh the good, though, because there is a lot to like with the GWM Haval H6 GT PHEV – just be aware of the car’s shortcomings.

Over the next few months, I’ll test how the GWM handles long-distance journeys and if the fuel economy can stay low over extended freeway driving.

I’ll also see if the idiosyncrasies of the infotainment system and unwieldy driving dynamics shrink into the background over time – or exacerbate – but as it stands right now, the H6 GT PHEV offers a tempting middle ground between an internal combustion engine model and BEV.

Tung Nguyen has been in the automotive journalism industry for over a decade, cutting his teeth at various publications before finding himself at Drive in 2024. With experience in news, feature, review, and advice writing, as well as video presentation skills, Tung is a do-it-all content creator. Tung’s love of cars first started as a child watching Transformers on Saturday mornings, as well as countless hours on PlayStation’s Gran Turismo, meaning his dream car is a Nissan GT-R, with a Liberty Walk widebody kit, of course.

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