Haval H6S coupe 2022 under consideration for Australia

Offering a swoopier, sportier take on the budget-friendly midsize SUV, the H6S could soon be coming to Australia.

The Haval H6 midsize SUV line-up has grown overseas, with a new coupe-roofline variant known as the H6S that has been tapped for a possible Australian launch.

Unveiled in September 2021 in China, the H6S jumps on a growing trend in the SUV segment whereby carmakers offer a traditional “wagon-body” SUV shape alongside a sportier, slinkier coupe roofline.

Haval H6S 2022 rear 3/4 — The Haval H6S is under consideration for the Australian market

Steve Maciver, Haval’s Australian head of marketing and communications, said he believed the H6S would appeal to local buyers.

“There is certainly interest in the H6S from the Australian team and we’ve made that clear to the factory,” Mr Maciver said.

“However, it’s not yet been given the green light for Australia but if it does get approved, we feel it would be a strong addition to our new generation lineup.”

Haval H6S 2022 front 3/4 driving — The H6S jumps on a growing trend in the SUV segment where designers opt for a coupe-like rear end

If the H6S did come to Australia it would loosely compete against the new Renault Arkana coupe SUV while taking a leaf out of the new Audi Q5 Sportback’s book.

While the H6S shares the same 2738mm wheelbase as its wagon-bodied sibling, but at 4714mm long (+61mm), 1940mm wide (+54mm) and 1729mm tall (+5mm) it’s slightly larger in all other dimensions.

The front end features a more aggressive design with a wider lower grille than the regular H6.

At the rear of the car, it’s easy to spot the twin exhaust pipes and a small roof spoiler that channels air to a raised boot lid.

Haval H6S 2022 interior — Sportier seats and a sunroof complete the H6S

Inside, the H6S features bucket seats, a sunroof and a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster matched with a 12.3-inch touchscreen, but the overall layout is similar to the current H6.

In China, the H6S is available with two engine options, with buyers able to opt for a standalone turbo petrol engine or a turbocharged petrol-electric hybrid.

The petrol variant uses the same 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol found in Australia’s Haval H6, where it produces 150kW of power and 320Nm of torque.

A seven-speed dual-clutch automatic is standard, while H6 buyers locally can choose between front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive.

Meanwhile, the H6S hybrid is expected to use the forthcoming H6 hybrid powertrain that will launch shortly in Australia.

Haval H6S 2022 front 3/4 — The H6S is offered overseas with both a turbo-petrol and petrol-hybrid arrangement

The new H6 Hybrid pairs the Jolion small SUV’s 1.5-litre turbo petrol four-cylinder engine to front and rear electric motors to produce a combined 181kW of power and 530Nm of torque.

While the H6S coupe hybrid could receive a slight power bump it is not expected that the underlying system would see extensive changes.

Like a Toyota RAV4 Hybrid, the H6 and H6S hybrids do not need to be plugged in, instead making use of a series-parallel hybrid drivetrain and a small 1.8kWh battery recharged under braking.