GWM H6 HEV Driven

GWM is one of the top-selling Chinese brands in the SA new-car market. The brand’s products have eluded us, until now. We took a GWM H6 HEV into our care for a week to learn more about the relatively new addition to the market,

GWM, or Great Wall Motors to use its full name, is one of the undoubted success stories of the Chinese automakers that have ventured into Msanzi. The company offers a wide array of models, from a small EV called the Ora, to a massive double-cab bakkies. There’s even a Land Cruiser-rivalling SUV called the Tank 500. The automaker is constantly expanding and updating its portfolio. This is where our test unit comes in.

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Eye-catching Design

A few months ago, GWM SA introduced a facelifted H6. The revised version builds on the success of the family SUV. The fundamentals remained the same, which seemed like a good idea. The main areas of revision, on the outside, is the adoption of a new central air intake design. The restyled grille is bolder and is a contrasting shade, particularly on our test unit’s metallic white finish. Oh, the 19-inch alloys are also finished in black, giving the car an added degree of menace.

Another area that underwent the knife in the mid-life nip-and-tuck is that of the rear lights. These new LED items reminded us, and a few others, very much of the rear of a Lexus. The H6 still retains its large dimensions and overt road presence.

Luxurious Interior

The cabin of the H6, particularly in the high-spec hybrid version, feels properly premium. The seats are comfortable while the look and feel is quite minimalist. All touchpoints are pleasant on the skin, feeling more premium than this vehicle’s price point. The aforementioned seats are electrically adjustable up front. Both are heated and cooled with the driver’s chair featuring adjustable lumbar support as well.

Another area of revision what that of the infotainment system. The newest version features a 14,6-inch touchscreen, which is about as large as most notebook computers. The screen offers crisp graphics, even from the cameras situated around the body which help create the bird’s-eye view of the car at low speeds. The infotainment operating system is also smooth and fast in operation. GWM has left a set of quick access buttons for the climate control system below the screen, which is handy. Although, we have to admit we’d have also preferred a physical volume control for the front passenger to access.

The cabin space is plentiful. We loaded up a few friends and hit the road as we explored the coastline towards the Hermanus area. Those on the back seat got to really stretch out. And when the sun dipped we could slide open the panoramic roof to let natural light into the cabin.

Fully Loaded

There is very little that the GWM H6 HEV wants for as far as standard specification goes. Everyhting we mentioned so far is standard. In addition there is adaptive cruise control, emergency braking, lane-keep assist, voice control for the infotainment, keyless access to the cabin, to the powered tailgate. Owners will also get a wireless mobile charging pad and multiple charging ports. The only thing we didn’t find was on-board navigation, which was fine because we really wanted to go where the road took us.

Hybrid Power

The GWM H6 HEV is powered by a hybrid powertrain, as you may have guessed. GWM revised some of the engines on offer when the facelifted version was introduced, but the hybrid remained unchanged. A 1,5-litre turbopetrol engine is mated to an electric motor. As a result peak power is 179 kW. In addition there is a healthy 530 N.m of torque on tap when both are working in unison. Mash the throttle hard from pull away and the H6 will chirp its tyres as all the torque is unleashed at once.

Drive is handled by an automatic transmission that goes about its job without so much as being noticed. We found the powertrain also quite smooth and surreptitious in its operation, switching seamlessly from EV mode to ICE and back again as and when required. GWM quotes a combined cycle fuel consumption figure of 5,2L/100 km. Over a 240 km trip with a complete mix of roads we achieved 6,1, which is off the claim but pretty impressive for a vehicle of this size. Speaking of roads…

The Cape seems to have, according to all that we see and read online, some of the best kept roads in the country. With that in mind the ride quality of the H6 is perfectly suited to its role as family transport. The ride errs on the softer side, which is preferred. There is no sense of sportiness. Try to drive spiritedly on a twisty road and you are met with understeer and squealing tyres.

Summary

Somehow, GWM test units have eluded us to date. We have no idea why, but we’ve driven vehicles from just about every other new-t0-SA automaker, save for one of the best selling. This has left us in a bit of a predicament as we often receive queries regarding Chinese SUVs. Without enough first-hand knowledge we simply could not make case to recommend any cars from GWM. We are very glad that has now changed.

The GWM H6 HEV has left a very favourable impression on us. The SUV with fuel-sipping powertrain is well priced against other hybrid SUVs of this size. With extensive use of it under our belts, including a full-house of passengers, we can confidently say that the GWM H6 HEV would make an excellent family SUV. It ideally fulfills the role of people carrier, will keep all occupants in comfort and does not break the bank. It was not surprising to read that GWM sells, on average, about 400 H6s per month. Having spent time with it, we can see why.

Model: GWM H6 HEV
Price: R685 500
Engine: 1,5-litre four-cylinder turbopetrol + electric motor
Transmission: automatic, FWD
Max power: 179 kW
Max torque: 530 N.m
0-100 km/h: n/a
Top speed: n/a
Fuel consumption: 5,2 L/100 km (6,1 during review period)