Review Haval H6 Sport 2016

Chris Riley road tests and reviews the Haval H6 Sport with performance, fuel economy and verdict.

China's H6 claims to be the world's fifth-best-selling SUV, but it's up against longtime local favorites.

Chinese SUV manufacturer Haval has added a fourth model to its local lineup.

The H6, a mid-size SUV, will compete against the country's best-selling SUVs, the Mazda CX-5, Toyota RAV4 and Hyundai Tucson.

Still, it's likely to be tricky, as the starting price on the road matches the Tucson's $29,990 price tag, but comes without sat-nav, Apple CarPlay, or Android Auto.

It has been nearly 12 months since the brand, a subsidiary of Great Wall Motors, made its local debut.

During this time, he struggled to make an impact, selling fewer than 200 cars.

But CMO Tim Smith thinks the H6 has what it takes to get the company on the map.

According to Smith, it is the most popular SUV in China and the fifth most sold SUV in the world.

The H6 will come in two variants: base Premium and top-end Lux.

“Now we have a competitor that is offering a fantastic deal to Australian customers in the medium SUV segment,” he said.

The car will debut with a new six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission designed by transmission specialist Getrag and equipped with paddle shifters.

It's connected to a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo engine that delivers an above-average 145kW of power and 315Nm of torque with front-wheel drive. All-wheel drive combined with a manual transmission is available overseas, but the brand doesn't think the combination will work here.

Power output dwarfs most competitors, but it comes at a price: a claimed 6L/9.8km for the H100 compared to 6.4L/100km for the CX-5.

The H6 will come in two trims, a base Premium and a top-of-the-line Lux, the latter with faux leather, 19-inch wheels, adaptive xenon headlights, a panoramic sunroof and heated front and rear seats.

The Satnav is expected to cost $1000 by the time the car goes on sale in October (we were told the China-installed feature won't work here).

Safety equipment includes six airbags, a reversing camera, blind spot warning, and front and rear parking sensors, but autonomous emergency braking is not available on either model.

The H6 has yet to be sent to ANCAP trials. The older brother H6, which outperforms the H9, received four stars out of five in May, but the brand does not plan to submit a sample for testing anytime soon.

H6 is the work of the Frenchman Pierre Leclerc, who wrote the BMW X6.

The car impressed, staying smooth with good grip.

Muscular and modern design, good fit and finish, impressive rear passenger legroom with a deep trunk that can store a compact spare tire.

The car can be ordered with a metallic or two-tone paint, with a combination of color trim at no extra charge.

On the way to

The more we drove the H6, the more we liked it. It is quite fast, with powerful mid-range performance and plenty of overtaking headroom. You can let the transmission do all the work, or use the paddle shifters to quickly change gears.

There are three driving modes, including sport. In reality, however, they are throttle-limited and seem to have little effect.

On the 19-inch Lux wheels, the ride is generally good, but the suspension can't handle small bumps.

The electric power steering could be sharper and lacks precision when cornering, although it has a comfortable centered feel and doesn't tire out driving.

On one stretch of particularly windy road, the car impressed, staying flat with good traction, though the brakes weren't felt.

A more convincing attempt by the Chinese brand. It looks good, delivers decent performance, and the finishes are impressive both inside and out. However, there is still a lot of work to be done to match the heavyweights in the class.

What news

Price – Starting at $29,990 for Premium and $33,990 for Lux, it sits between the more expensive versions of the smaller H2 and the bottom of the larger H8 range.

Technologies “The big news is the six-speed dual-clutch transmission, a first from the company that promises faster shifting and better fuel economy. The Lux model added a curbside camera to make parking easier.

Performance Haval claims the 2.0kW 145-litre turbo engine brings "sport" back into the SUV category with 25% more power and 50% more torque than most competitors in the segment. Although I want to drink.

Driving – Sporty feel, with powerful performance and excellent grip. The standard, sport and economy driving modes modulate throttle response but really only make a minor difference.

Design “The European-inspired styling marks the beginning of a new direction in the company's design with clean lines and a new hexagonal grille. It matches the stylish interior, but the branding is a little overdone, especially the high-mount brake light that includes the brand name.

Can the Haval H6 Sport keep you away from the heavyweights in its class? Let us know what you think in the comments below.