New hybrid SUVs compared – Haval H6 vs Toyota RAV4

New-energy vehicles (NEV), including hybrids, are becoming popular in South Africa in light of high petrol prices and the move away from carbon emissions as the world’s primary strategy to combat climate change.

Hybrid cars, in particular, are becoming popular in that you can conveniently fill up at a fuel station and have greater efficiency thanks to additional power provided by an electric battery.

According to the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa (Naamsa), as of August 2022, sales of traditional hybrid vehicles in South Africa rose by 1,89% compared to the first eight months of 2021.

When you combine this demand for hybrids with South Africa’s love for SUVs, it becomes a no-brainer.

This year, Haval and Toyota launched their respective hybrid SUVs, the Haval H6 1.5T HEV Ultra Luxury and the Toyota RAV4 2.5 Hybrid GX-R E-Four – and this is what you can expect when purchasing either of these vehicles.

Performance 

A 1.5-litre turbocharged engine powers the Haval H6, which is then assisted by an electric motor – providing a net power output of 179kW and 530Nm.

The H6 HEV is front-wheel-drive and offers a two-speed dedicated hybrid transmission (DHT),  resulting in a combined fuel consumption of 5.2l/100km. It also accelerates from 0-100km/h in 8.5 seconds.

The H6 comes with four drive modes, Standard, Eco, Sport, and Snow, as well as three dynamic steering settings.

In contrast, the Toyota RAV4 is powered by a 2.5-litre drivetrain linked to a rear-mounted electric motor to generate a total of 163kW – 16kW less than the H6.

According to TopAuto, Toyota has not provided the official torque figure of any of its hybrids due to the complexities of the powertrain, listing the RAV4 as having “221+e Nm”.

The RAV4 offers a CVT transmission to connect the all-wheel-drive system, providing a slightly better fuel consumption than the H6 with 4.8l/100km.

Although the Toyota has a lower fuel consumption, this hasn’t impacted its performance, as the RAV4 accelerates from 0-100km/h in 7.8 seconds. It also comes with three driving modes – Normal, Sport and Eco.

Features

As outlined by TopAuto, both vehicles offer buyers keyless entry with push-button start, electronically adjustable heated and ventilated front seats, wireless phone charging, dual-zone automatic air conditioning, automatic LED headlights, daytime running lights, rain-sensing wipers, rear park distance control, hill assist, cruise control, and an infotainment unit with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

What is unique to the Haval H6 is a larger 12.3-inch infotainment screen, 19-inch alloys, artificial leather seats, a panoramic sunroof, a heads-up display, a fully-digital 10.25-inch driver’s cluster, front park distance control, adaptive cruise control, and a 360-degree camera system.

It also comes with a host of driver assistance programmes such as automatic parking, autonomous emergency braking, traffic jam assist, reverse memory assistance, rear cross-traffic alert, blind-spot monitoring, and lane-assist with departure warnings.

The RAV4, on the other hand, offers partial leather upholstery, lumbar support for the driver, a rear-view camera, a 7-inch media screen, and Toyota Connect for in-car WiFi.

Pricing

The Haval H6 1.5T HEV Ultra Luxury has a South African starting price of R669,950. This includes a 5-year/100,000km warranty, a 5-year/60,000km service plan, and an 8-year/150,000km hybrid battery warranty.

The Toyota RAV4 2.5 Hybrid GX-R E-Four has a South African starting price of R676,700 – including a 3-year/100,000km warranty, a 6-year/90,000km service plan, and an 8-year/195,000km battery warranty.

Haval H6 HEV

Toyota RAV4 Hybrid 

Read: This new premium crossover SUV just launched in South Africa – with a price tag below R400,000