Haval H6: Sporty, premium and affordable
Competing directly with other mid size crossovers from established brands like the Honda CRV, Hyundai Tucson and the MG HS, the H6 has managed to hold its ground quite well with its competitive Tk46 lakh starting price.
Chinese automakers are known to come up with the affordable models with the most features, giving them an edge in the highly competitive crossover segment. The Haval is no different. The Haval H6 is one of the most popular models sold by Ace Autos, the official distributor of Haval cars in Bangladesh.
Competing directly with other mid size crossovers from established brands like the Honda CRV, Hyundai Tucson and the MG HS, the H6 has managed to hold its ground quite well with its competitive Tk46 lakh starting price.
To find out how capable the H6 is, we took one out for a few laps around Hatirjheel.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
Hide the logo, and at first glance anyone would be easily convinced if you claimed the car is a European model. With bulges and curves, humongous stainless steel grill covering the whole front fascia, large windows, Porsche-inspired connected tail-lights with roof spoiler, large 18 inch rims wrapped in Hankook tires - the car checks all the boxes of what a premium mid-size crossover should look like.
Step inside, and yet again, hide the logo on the steering, and you can continue with deception. The striking leather-wrapped white stitched red interior is way out of the league this car is competing in, especially with the use of soft touch materials in nearly all the plakhes human hands can reach.
Both the headroom and legroom are excellent. The car is huge, and hence AC is a must. The use of large windows and the panoramic sunroof makes it feel even roomier than it already is.
The seats in front are both ventilated and powered. The rear ones come slightly reclined from the factory, with only the option to adjust the headrest.
Unlike the rest of its competitors, Haval went with a very minimalistic approach to prepare the car for 2022. Users will need to get used to the vehicle after purchase, or teach their chauffeurs to use the 10.25 inch infotainment system as all functions of this crossover, including the driving modes, is controlled through it.
Like most other Chinese cars available in Bangladesh, the Haval offers a plethora of features such as Auto Park, Lane assist, 360 surround cameras, emergency brake assist and more traditional cruise control.
All of these can be operated from the infotainment system, which also displays vehicle information like hazard monitor, tyre pressure etc.
The infotainment system also supports both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and users will be able to rest their phone below to charge wirelessly. The six speakers also produce some of the nicest sound quality I've heard in this segment, as the infotainment comes with Dolby sound effect.
A secondary massive display sits behind the steering, instead of a mundane gauge cluster to display speed, gear and all other vehicle information.
Driving the H6, I wasn't really expecting much from the tiny 1500cc turbocharged engine powering such a big car like the H6. However, it excited me. The 148 hp and the 230 Nm of torque can be felt the moment the turbo spools, which is usually about a second after the accelerator is pressed.
Part of the credit goes to its wet clutch DCT gearbox. It's enough to pull ahead of most commuter cars one will find on Bangladeshi roads.
The Heads-Up Display is a nice feature to have, and the leather wrapped steering adds to the driving experience.
The seating position is quite high, though not too jerky at all for a crossover like this. The visibility is great thanks to the thin A pillars; hence, manoeuvring the H6 in traffic isn't that difficult, especially with the help of 360 cameras, which automatically activates at tight spaces or when taking corners.
The handling is superb too with minimum body roll, though the tyres decide to start screeching if the accelerator is pressed while turning.
The Haval comes with disc brakes behind all four of its wheels. Users of the Haval H6 1.5T claim to have amazing braking experience, though mine was quite the opposite. For me, braking wasn't the best from the start and brake fade was a real issue only after a few hard brakes. Albeit someone already had fun before us with the unit we received.
The H6 is a well rounded option for anyone looking for a midsize crossover SUV in Bangladesh. It looks and feels premium, both from the exterior and the interior, while offering segment first features, excluding the premium price tag.
The Haval H6 is available in seven different colours and four different interior variants for a starting price of Tk46 lakhs which will include either 3 years, or 70 thousand kilometre extended warranty.
Competition:
- MG HS
- Honda CRV
Performance:
Engine: 1500cc Dual VVT Turbocharged Engine
Transmission: 7-speed Wet Clutch DCT
Power: 151.5 Bhp
Torque: 230 Nm
Price: Tk46 lakh
Colour: 7
Ayers Grey, Red, Hamilton White, Messiah Brown, Green, Atlantis Blue, Blakhk
Pros:
Build quality
Premium features
Fuel efficiency
Pricing
Cons:
Poor resale value
Spare parts unavailability
Brand value
