The new GWM Haval H7 goes on sale this month, and Australian certification filings have given away the headline on its plug-in hybrid. The paperwork points to a 320 kW system, which would make this family SUV quicker than most hot hatches.
What the filings show
The H7 range starts below $50,000 drive-away and, for the first time, every version uses GWM's Hi4 all-wheel-drive system across a hybrid and a plug-in hybrid. Government approval documents for the plug-in list a 1.5 litre turbo petrol engine making 110 kW, an 80 kW motor on the front axle and a 150 kW motor on the rear, for 320 kW combined. GWM Australia has not officially confirmed those outputs, and it has yet to name the battery size or the electric-only range, though overseas versions offer more than 100 km. Full pricing and specifications are due in the coming weeks.
Cartell Assessment
If the 320 kW figure holds, the H7 plug-in would be one of the quickest family SUVs you can buy for the money, and it shows how far the Chinese brands have moved past competing on price alone. The hybrid is the volume play at under fifty grand, aimed squarely at the Toyota RAV4. The plug-in is the halo, lining up against the BYD Sealion 6 and the Mitsubishi Outlander.
AU Outlook
GWM is expected to price the plug-in between $50,000 and $60,000, though it has so far committed only to the range opening below $50,000 drive-away. Watch for official per-grade pricing within weeks, which will decide whether the H7 undercuts the RAV4 or simply matches it.
