GWM South Africa has confirmed the facelifted Haval H6 is set to make local landfall in the 2nd quarter of 2025. Here’s what we know about the refreshed crossover so far…
A high-ranking GWM South Africa executive has confirmed to Cars.co.za that the facelifted Haval H6 – which was revealed in China as recently as April 2024 – is scheduled to launch in Mzansi in the 2nd quarter of 2025.
Desmond Els, Sales Director at GWM South Africa, told us during a wide-ranging interview at Naamsa’s recent South African Auto Week 2024 in Cape Town that the refreshed version of the strong-selling crossover has been locked in for SA.
“H6, as it stands today, is going to get a facelift. H6 has been the segment leader for, call it, the last 18 months. So, there are definitely plans on H6 within the 1st half – call it 2nd quarter – of next year [2025],” Els confirmed to us.
While GWM South Africa has yet to reveal exactly what the H6’s mid-cycle update will entail for the local market, initial details have already been released in Australia, a country against which the Chinese firm’s local division benchmarks itself.
According to GWM’s Australian arm, the facelifted H6 will feature “a refreshed exterior design”, including styling revisions for the grille and taillamps, plus “significant interior updates”, from a new centre-console and a revised steering-wheel design to a “larger” central infotainment touchscreen running the brand’s latest operating system.
Though powertrain details have yet to be released, we’ve since determined that the mainstream derivatives will move to an upgraded turbocharged 2.0-litre, 4-cylinder petrol motor (offering more grunt than the current 150 kW/320 Nm version).
Meanwhile, the flagship H6 hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) powertrain looks set to carry over unchanged, again combining a turbocharged 1.5-litre, 4-cylinder petrol mill with hybrid gubbins (and a continuously variable transmission), resulting in total system outputs of 179 kW and 530 Nm.
As a reminder, the H6 launched in South Africa in June 2021, with the HEV joining in September 2022. The current H6 line-up comprises 4 standard derivatives, alongside the HEV and GT. Over the opening 9 months of 2024, GWM SA reported 3 181 registrations of the H6.
Related content
New Haval H9 pencilled in for South Africa
