The Haval H6 L is the petrol-only version of a five-seat large SUV potentially under consideration for Australia, which also offers plug-in hybrid power.
The 2026 GWM Haval H6 L has debuted in China as a larger, more luxurious family SUV, but the brand has confirmed there is no news to share for Australia at this stage.
Slotting above the standard Haval H6 familiar to Australian buyers, the Haval H6 L is based on the Haval Xiaolong Max, which has been on sale in China since 2023 and received a facelift earlier this year.
However, it eschews the Xiaolong Max's plug-in hybrid powertrain, instead offering a choice of non-electrified 1.5-litre and 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engines.
"We’re always exploring opportunities that align with our Australian consumers; however, we don’t have any specific updates to share at this stage on this program," a GWM Australia spokesperson said.
When asked about the Haval Xiaolong Max in 2024, GWM Australia managing director Charles Zhao said "we're going to have it", claiming "that is the new H6".
However, the company has since launched a mid-life update for the existing H6 in Australia, including the addition of plug-in hybrid variants, with investment in a locally tuned steering and suspension program.
Instead, the H6 L could be positioned as a larger alternative to the H6, potentially replacing the coupe-styled H6 GT, which, globally, has yet to receive the updates applied to its wagon-bodied sibling.
Plug-in hybrid power would likely be standard in Australia if any version of the H6 L – and its Xiaolong Max sibling – is offered in local showrooms.
Due on sale in China in November, the H6 L measures 4800mm long, 1895mm wide and 1730mm tall, with a 2810mm wheelbase, making it 97mm longer and 9mm wider than the H6 with a 72mm-longer wheelbase.
The five-seat SUV is 15mm shorter, 5mm narrower and 35mm taller than a seven-seat Kia Sorento, with a 5mm shorter wheelbase, which would likely see the H6 L positioned in the large SUV segment.
It is also a similar size to the Jaecoo J8, a five-seat large SUV from the Chery sub-brand offered in Australia from $49,990 drive-away.
Available features in the H6 L include a 14.6-inch infotainment touchscreen running GWM's latest Coffee OS 3 software, a digital instrument cluster, a head-up display, a 50-watt wireless smartphone charger, and 64-colour interior ambient lighting.
It is also fitted with heated front and rear seats, a heated steering wheel, ventilated and massaging front seats, a 10-speaker surround-sound audio system, a cabin purification system, and an eight-way power-adjustable driver's seat.
In the large SUV segment, GWM Australia is also expected to launch the six-seat Wey Blue Mountain plug-in hybrid, while it currently offers the body-on-frame GWM Tank 500.
"When we get into large SUV news, it'll all be diesel and plug-in hybrids," GWM Australia chief operating officer John Kett said earlier this month.
More details on GWM Australia's future plans for the large SUV segment are expected to be shared soon, with at least seven new GWM models due in local showrooms over the next 18 months.
Jordan is a motoring journalist based in Melbourne with a lifelong passion for cars. He has been surrounded by classic Fords and Holdens, brand-new cars, and everything in between from birth, with his parents’ owning an automotive workshop in regional Victoria. Jordan started writing about cars in 2021, and joined the Drive team in 2024.
