Taking the new H6 out for a spin

Haval Bangladesh recently launched the 1.5 litre H6 at their Tejgaon dealership, just last week and we had a chance to properly road test one. Oftentimes, most Chinese cars glitter, and more often than not, all that glitters is not gold.

This certainly isn't the case with the H6. The mid-size SUV borrows much of its contemporary styling from all throughout the industry, which isn't a bad thing at all, although the interior is the place to be in an H6. Right off the bat, you're greeted with a decent-sized screen that replaces the traditional instrument cluster panel, with all the important stuff presented to the driver without being not too overwhelming.

The HVAC controls have familiar buttons, but most of them have to be accessed through the 10.25-inch centre screen. It is immediately clear that a designer from a European marque was poached in the process since the entire interior is bang up to date for a car in 2021. The circular rotary dial replaces and makes the need for a gear shifter obsolete, which in my opinion is miles better than a steering column-mounted stalk found in newer mercs.

The seats are very red (which on our test vehicle was an option), which aren't pretending to be sporty and in turn are terrible at comfort, which is good. There's no need for increased bolstering as the seat belts tighten to hug you when the H6 is driven passionately. The roof is dominated by a panoramic sunroof.

The 1.5L 4 cylinder is more than decent as a powertrain option, for there's a sport mode paired with the 7-speed DCT with flappy paddles ergonomically mounted on either side of the steering. There's an assuring feel of what I can only describe as a mimicking of torque steer without actual torque steer. There's an ever so slight delay in power, thanks to the cumbersome throttle response. The steering tightens as the DCT translates 151 bhp to the road using all four wheels very spiritedly- there are occasional tire squeals in 1st gear. Although the inertia and zest die down quickly as you shift to third and onwards, which is expected from a vehicle of this dimension.

There are a lot of pros for a car that isn't Japanese or German; I could go on and on about the plethora of safety and driving aids. The electric-powered tailgate, the 360 view cameras all around the car, the rear AC vents were notable from the top of my mind. But there are some cons too which don't necessarily outweigh the pros. The DCT is sluggish in traffic, which was as expected, combined with some body roll, which honestly can get a pass since the ride wasn't anywhere near harsh. The leather steering is a nice feature to have, but the horn button is awfully difficult to press.

Moreover, the park button doesn't illuminate to let you know whether you are in the park or not as you solely have to rely on a tiny parking brake logo on the bottom left of the instrument display. On a full load, everyone, and I mean everyone has to be buckled up or the seatbelt chime won't budge. Apple CarPlay is indeed present in the spec sheet, but it isn't wireless, a must-have in 2021. Wireless charging and head-up display seemed to be an option reserved for the 2.0L. The brakes didn't fare that well after a spirited drive which is alright for casual cruising. However, the biggest caveat which almost everyone agrees to be is simply the Haval logo on the huge chrome grille, which is in dire need of a redesign. We recommend getting a black H6 and then dechrome everything for plus 15 social credits.

For around 36 lacs, one thing the H6 does exceptionally well is putting its other Chinese rivals on the market to shame.