Haval has gone for a rugged, almost retro-look with its new the mid-sized H7 Hybrid, emphasised by bolt-on mudguard flares.
Well, they look like they bolt on, but despite the rugged exterior it is actually front-wheel drive and shares its underpinnings with the softer H6 plug-in hybrid that we tested recently – though you can’t plug this one in.
Which is kinda funny, we had planned to grab a charge spot across the road from the Orpheum Theatre in crowded Cremorne – until we discovered it doesn’t have a charge port.
Nope. Plan B turned out to be a rather long hike back to the theatre and a long line to get in.
In any case, H7 is designed to bridge the gap between the H6 and larger Tank 300 (which is designed to go off-road with low-range four-wheel drive).
Haval claims the H7 strikes the perfect balance between weekend adventure and everyday versatility, and it has the best-selling Toyota RAV4 in its crosshairs.
STYLING
There’s just the one H7 Vanta HEV, priced from $44,990 plus on-road costs,
although there’s talk of an AWD and PHEV to come.
That’s only $5000 more than the similarly-equipped H6 Ultra HEV. Any colour but white adds $495 to the price.
H7’s squared-off proportions and upright stance create a rugged appearance, with assertive design elements like the round LED headlights and a bold, squared-off face.
The grille and round headlights remind us of something (an early Mitsubishi perhaps) while the hanging tail lights channel those of the Mazda CX-3 and CX-30.
Add to this 19-inch machined alloy wheels and a suite of blacked-out finishes, including the badging, front grille, mirror caps, window trims, roof rails and tail lights.
Standard equipment includes artificial leather with real leather garnishes, two-zone climate air with rear outlets, a heated steering wheel, power-adjustable heated and cooled front seats, with driver-seat memory.
There are also 19-inch alloys, with 235/60 profile tyres, push-button start, adaptive cruise control, head-up display, auto high beam, traffic sign recognition, LED lights all-round, auto lights and wipers, auto-dimming rear-view mirror, front and rear parking sensors, rear privacy glass, with side blinds, along with an electric tailgate and electric, panoramic sunroof.
Not to mention push-button, automatic parking.
H7 is converted by a seven-year unlimited kilometre warranty, along with an eight-year unlimited-kilometre battery pack warranty.
There’s also five-year roadside assistance and five-year capped price servicing.
INFOTAINMENT
Infotainment consists of a 14.6-inch touchscreen powered by the GWM’s Coffee OS.
There’s Bluetooth, voice control, AM/FM and DAB+ digital radio, plus eight-speaker audio – but alas no built-in satellite navigation.
For that the general idea is to use Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, depending on your poison – both connect wirelessly.
Two USB-A ports are provided, one in front and another in the rear, plus a 12-volt socket in the front, along with wireless phone charging.
It also misses out on telematics which provide remote access and control of various vehicle functions.
SAFETY
H7 carries a full five-star safety rating from ANCAP. However, during the full-width frontal test, the head restraint dislodged from the driver’s seat back.
While ANCAP says this does not affect scoring under 2023-2025 rating criteria, it may increase the risk of injury to the driver.
As a result, GWM has initiated a voluntary safety recall for vehicles built before October 15, 2025.
Seven airbags are standard, including a centre airbag to stop those in the front from banging heads in a side impact crash.
A 360-degree camera with 180 degree overhead transparent chassis view is fitted.
Autonomous emergency braking applies to car-to-car, vulnerable road user and junction assist scenarios.
There are also blind spot alert and a lane support system with lane keep assist, lane departure warning, and emergency lane keeping, plus an advanced speed assistance system that keeps to current speed limits.
Head-up display is part of the deal, but as we have pointed out on many occasions it does not work very well if you happen to wear polarised sunglasses.
ENGINES/TRANSMISSIONS
The self-charging hybrid powertrain is the same as that in the H6 and produces 179kW of power and 530Nm of torque in front-wheel drive form, with a dual-speed dedicated hybrid transmission.
DRIVING
Inside the H7 blends versatility, comfort, and technology to support an active lifestyle.
The boxy, upright design and five-seat configuration deliver plenty of head and shoulder room, along with excellent visibility.
A removable boot floor reveals a tyre repair kit but no spare wheel in the event of a puncture – not very off-roady.
But Haval reckons you can use the boot floor as a picnic table – we’d like to see that.
Pseudo studs reinforce the utilitarian feel inside, with a digital instrument cluster that is inset rather than freestanding.
A forward-tilted top section displays the current gear but little else, while its major role appears to be as a sunshade for the lower section. Smart thinking.
A panoramic sunroof has a retractable shade that is power operated.
With a 61-litre fuel tank, it takes standard 91 unleaded, with claimed fuel consumption of 5.7L/100km and a CO2 output of 131g/km. We were getting 7.1L/100km after 450km of driving.
There’s the usual drive mode options: Normal, Eco, Sport or Snow.
Steering weight can also be adjusted, with comfortable, sport or light settings.
The regenerative braking also adjusts, right down to one-pedal driving, although it does not bring the vehicle to a complete stop.
With plenty of torque, the H7 gets up and going pretty smartly, with well weighted steering, but brakes that are a little touchy.
Although the ride quality is not as good as the Australian-tuned H6 PHEV, it’s not too bad either.
With 210mm of ground clearance, it rides a bit higher than the H6 and as such doesn’t handle as well, but again it’s okay for an SUV.
Front-wheel drive means dirt roads are okay, but we wouldn’t be taking it any further off road than that.
More worrying was the throttle which failed to respond at all for two or three seconds when we punched the accelerator hard on two occasions.
Obviously, this could become an issue in some situations.
Lots of beeps and warnings from drive assist, but not as bad as some.
The eight-speaker sound system is interesting, with a DTS setting that makes a huge difference to the sound quality, so be sure to tick it. But getting the volume right can be an issue.
There are no physical controls provided, and control from the steering wheel is a bit hit and miss – perhaps missing?
Fortunately hitting the mute button brings up a slider on the touchscreen after you un-mute it, allowing the volume to be adjusted.
It does leave the front passenger at a loose end, however.
There’s no physical controls for the air-conditioning either.
SUMMING UP
You get the feeling the H7 is targeted at blokes.
My wife wasn’t fussed on the styling, but styling is as they say a very personal thing.
Other than the minor quibbles that we have identified and lack of satellite navigation, it looks like being another winner for Great Wall which incidentally is doing a great job responding to the demands of the market.
RATINGS
Looks: 7.5
Performance: 7.5
Safety: 8
Thirst: 7
Practicality: 7.5
Comfort: 7
Tech: 7
Value: 7.5
Overall: 7.4
