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NZ Autocar
a day ago
- NZ Autocar
2025 GWM Haval H6 HEV Ultra vs KIA Sportage HEV Light AWD vs Toyota RAV4 GX Hybrid Review
Kiwis go gangbusters on medium SUVs. Here we compare a trio of them, all hybrids, all originating from a different country. One is a best seller, the others recent updates. The medium SUV area is groaning with entrants, many newcomers from China. And with hybrids on the ascendancy, the time for a comparison seemed ripe. The latest one we drove was the facelifted version of GWM's H6, a hybrid, the $45,990 Ultra being a front-driver. For the purposes of comparison, we chose another recent facelift out of Korea, Kia's Sportage Light HEV AWD, a model that costs $54,990. It is essentially the entry-level hybrid AWD Sportage. The same model can be had in 2WD guise for $49,990. And because it's the biggest seller in New Zealand for 2025 a RAV4 hybrid came along for the ride. In this case, a GX AWD (like all RAV4s) at $48,790 drive away. Not an exact like-for-like comparison but close enough. Medium SUVs are the workhorses of New Zealand families and with such huge ranges (literally and figuratively – each can roam for nearly 1000km to a tank), there's generally something for almost everyone. All three of these are worthy, there's no loser. But one has to come in at number three and it's the RAV4. Third: Old'un but a good'un The fifth-gen RAV4 has been around since 2019 and within a year will be replaced by the next generation. Up against two facelifted modern medium SUVs, the RAV4 looks a bit glum with its upside down grille and is also slightly smaller. It is 4600mm long by 1855mm wide and 1705kg in weight. The GWM is 4703×1886 and weighs 1720kg despite being front drive only. Meantime, the Kia is 4685x1865mm and weighs in at 1762kg. Step inside RAV4 and you're greeted with analogue instruments and a small central screen where the others have a full digital set-up. The RAV4 sports a gearstick too, where the others have a rotary dial or wand on the right side of the steering column. So far so not good for RAV4. But go for a drive, and it is so much better than its dated looks might have you think. It was an eye-opener when it arrived and it is still relevant now, AWD giving it confidence. It has the best ride here, absorptive, plush, quiet and those tall sidewalls also makes the road rumble over chipseal less obvious. Toyota mixes that fine ride with impressive handling creds. This is so predictable, sticks well in the bends and is most unlikely to get anyone into trouble. It has the most analogue steering too, a natural feel to the helm. Performance we'd rate as entirely adequate. They're actually all much of a muchness for straight-line speed. The Toyota has easily the biggest engine, a lean-burn 2.5L mill aided by a couple of electric motors for an overall output of 163kW. You're looking at 7.85sec to hit 100, an overtake dusted in 5.4sec. It's comfortably fast enough. RAV4 has the best brakes of the trio too, both for feel and performance (35m vs 40m for Haval, 37m for Kia). And it is also really decent on fuel use, despite that much bigger engine. Clearly you don't need a lithium-ion battery to achieve this; NiMH for this old timer. So fuel use (rightcar 5.3 overall) was as good as the others, often in the mid5s, a worst of 7.7 and occasionally in the high fours. In part you can put that down to its e-CVT. Sportier drivers moan about these. But most people really like the way they take off on a moderate throttle and then allow the engine to kick back and use less gas when cruising. They certainly have their place. You can EV on the flat in this for a bit too, not quite as much as with the others. On the luggage front this rates at 542L vs 560L for the H6 and 586L for the Kia, again similar. But rear seat legroom is a bit tighter in the RAV4. Because the central screen is for infotainment and reversing images, changing ADAS settings is done in the instrument cluster. Honestly, it's almost harder to do than in the others. That said, there's a button to turn off lane keeping which is simplicity itself. And this has an actual volume control, always welcome. Moreover, traffic sign recognition doesn't bong at you. So yes, we can see why this has been so popular and continues to be. It really only rates third here because of its age. Second: Value leader GWM H6 HEV This H6 HEV comes in second because it offers so much spec for the price. Moreover, you can spend $3k less and buy the Lux version at $42,990 if the budget's tight. This comes with powered, heated and vented seats, a Qi charger, wireless phone hook-up, an electric fifth door, a panoramic sunroof, full pleather upholstery, a 360-degree monitor and 19-inch alloys (the others are on 17s). There's even a head-up display and a heated steering wheel. Lots of surprise and delight features then. What you don't get, though, is all-wheel drive. If you really need that you will have to look to the H6 GT line-up which costs $10k more. However, that's also a PHEV. Some will think the extra is worth it. This really takes some time to learn how to run. The bleating of the traffic sign recognition means submenu delving at each start up. Not helping with familiarity are tiny icons on the steering wheel. And drive modes in the H6 are buried three submenus down. Activate or nix cruise control and the hired help informs you, which is so unnecessary. And then it leaves about five car lengths between you and the next vehicle for everyone to pile into. Two-step indicator action I find annoying. This H6 is a facelifted model with a carryover powertrain. It comprises a 130kW/300Nm motor allied to a 1.5T 110kW/230Nm engine, for overall system power of 179kW and 530Nm. Its hybrid battery is a 1.8kWh lithium ion unit. Overall fuel use is rated at 5.2 but rightcar says 5.8L/100km. Changes to the exterior include a new grille and lights, while the interior is more luxe than before, gaining a 14.6-inch multimedia screen. There's also a shifter up on the right side of the steering column, freeing up space in the centre console. This performs pretty well. It slurps fuel at the rightcar level of 5.8L/100km if you're on the motorway using cruise. It's of the 91 variety too. Later on it was resolutely in the sixes. Range is impressive, the DTE showing 1000km from a 61L tank. We drove it for a week and returned it with over half a tank left. Same for the other two actually. It goes pretty hard too, though at times the two power sources don't blend ideally. Blame turbo lag for that. But there's plenty of action when both are working together. However, regen is a bit undercooked, even on high, and ditto one-pedal driving. Moreover, a best emergency stop of 40.32m is not great. Ride and handling are pretty decent here, taking into account this is front-wheel drive versus the AWD status of the other two. It scrabbles a bit off the line as the torque of the motor kicks in, and pushes on into understeer earlier than the others. We noted occasional suspension thump-bump too, but its ride quality is good, at the slight expense of body control. Still, in a family cruiser an accommodating ride is appreciated. A few frustrations aside, most of which you get used to, the H6 HEV Ultra is a good machine. Both this and the RAV4, by the by, offer towing capacities of 750kg unbraked, 1500kg braked. The Kia manages 1900kg braked. RAV4 is the only one with a real spare, a full-sized one at that. First: Modern sensible Kia Sportage Sometimes you pay a bit more and reap the rewards. That's only partly the case here. Certainly the H6 HEV beats Sportage on the spec front. Kia doesn't call it the Light HEV for nothing. But this has modernity and style that almost eludes the others, along with sensibility and thoughtfulness. Little things matter, like siting the stop/start button where you can see it and having shortcuts to silence annoying chimes. In the facelift there's more interior space thanks to a wheelbase stretch. Figure on 586L of cargo space, quickly expanding to 1872 litres with middle seats locked away. There are now six hybrid models in the seven-strong Sportage range. All come with dual-zone climate control but our car had no heated seats, and no Qi charger. The pews are cloth covered and manually operated. So is the tailgate. For parking, just guidelines, no surround monitor. But the resolution from the 12.3-inch screen is brill. Powering most Sportage models is the Smartstream Hybrid offering output of 169kW and 350Nm. Its motor brings 44kW and an unspecified amount of torque to the party. On the wheel is a mode button. Along with Eco, Sport and Individual, there are various off-road settings. More useful are the paddles for different regen levels. Use these and you seldom need to brake. They regen the 1.5kWh battery pack. Safety systems include seven airbags, and Forward Collision Avoidance Assist with Junction View. It scans for vehicles at intersections. This also has adaptive cruise which works well, and camera images when indicating. Safe Exit Warning, self explanatory, is handy too. Upon entering, this is similar to the Tucson hybrid we drove a wee while ago, only there's way less spec. But the Tucson was $72k. This is $55k. In the Tucson you can turn off the overspeed warning quickly via a shortcut button. This is simpler still; just push and hold the mute button and traffic sign recognition merely flashes at you instead. Then there's just the chiming of lane keeping, easily nixed, and we left the single bleep indicating change of speed zone on. Afterwards, there's the low level thrum of the engine. A quiet car then, with not much road rumble. As it should be for a family conveyance. It's roomy too, though not clearly bigger than the H6. This handily takes three in the rear, like the Haval, while the boot is the biggest by a small amount. On the go, fuel use quickly falls to the low sixes, with 5.9 the claim (rightcar agrees). During everyday use in or out of town you'd expect fuel use in the fives and sixes. The default Eco mode is not only quite efficient but more than responsive enough. This EVs on almost all downhills, and often on the flat at speeds under 100km/h. On the performance front, a 0-100 is dispatched in 7.6sec, and an optimised overtake requires a little under 5sec. It's the quickest of this bunch, despite having a six-speed auto rather than a CVT. It seems to take off in EV mode each time, nice for a quiet early morning getaway. But like the others, that never lasts long. And the ride is typically Kia too, sufficiently controlling and amenably compliant. Handling is equally sorted, confident in that AWD way. Just right for Antipodean conditions then. The style does it for us too, the best of this trio. We're talking as much inside as out, the widescreen set-up well delivered. There are a few more hard plastics than expected but they're not so obvious. Some final thoughts Overall, the oldest (RAV) and best value (H6) were surprisingly impressive, and so too Sportage, despite being the most expensive and not the best specified. Certainly there are no losers; each brings something worthwhile to the table. And that just goes to show how competitive this class has become. To answer our original question though, currently it's Kia. GWM Haval H6 HEV Ultra $45,990 / 5.2L/100km / 120g/km 0-100 km/h 8.02s 80-120 km/h 5.31s (151m) 100-0 km/h 40.32m Speedo error 97 at an indicated 100km/h Ambient cabin noise 70.6dB@100km/h Engine 1499cc / IL4 / T / DI Max power 110kW@5500-6000rpm Max torque 230Nm@1500-4000rpm Motor output 130kW/300Nm Hybrid System Output 179kW / 530Nm Drivetrain 2-speed auto / FWD Front suspension Mac strrut/sway bar Rear suspension Multilink / sway bar Turning circle 11.9m (2.75 turns) Front brakes Ventilated discs Rear brakes Discs Stability systems ABS, ESP Safety AEB, ACC, BSM, LDW, RCTA, ALK, AHB Tyre size f/r-225/55R19 Wheelbase 2738mm L/W/H 4703 / 1886 / 1730mm Track f-1631mm r-1640mm Fuel capacity 61L Luggage capacity 560-1445L Tow rating 750kg (1500kg Braked) Service intervals 12 months / 15,000km Warranty 7yrs / unlimited km ANCAP rating ★★★★★ (2022) Weight (claimed) 1720kg Kia Sportage HEV Light AWD $54,990 / 5.9L/100km / 134g/km 0-100 km/h 7.53s 80-120 km/h 4.81s (134.7m) 100-0 km/h 37.3m Speedo error 96 at an indicated 100km/h Ambient cabin noise 70.6dB@100km/h Engine 1598cc / IL4 / T / DI Max power 132kW@5500rpm Max torque 265Nm@1500-4500rpm Motor output 44kW Hybrid System Output 109kW / 350Nm Drivetrain 6-speed auto / AWD Front suspension Mac strut / sway bar Rear suspension Multilink / sway bar Turning circle 11.76m (2.5 turns) Front brakes Ventilated discs Rear brakes Discs Stability systems ABS, ESP Safety AEB, ACC, BSM, LDW, RCTA, ALK, AHB Tyre size f/r-235/65R17 Wheelbase 2755mm L/W/H 4685 / 1865 / 1627mm Track f-1627mm r-1622mm Fuel capacity 52L Luggage capacity 586-1872L Tow rating 750kg (1900kg Braked) Service intervals 12 months / 15,000km Scheduled servicing 3yrs / 45,000km Warranty 7yrs / 150,000 ANCAP rating ★★★★★ (2022) Weight (claimed) 1762kg Toyota RAV4 GX Hybrid $48,790 / 5.3L/100km / 121g/km 0-100 km/h 7.85s 80-120 km/h 5.40s (156m) 100-0 km/h 35.02m Speedo error 97 at an indicated 100km/h Ambient cabin noise 69.8dB@100km/h Engine 2494cc / IL4 / DI Max power 131kW@5700rpm Max torque 221Nm@3600-5200rpm Motor output 88kW/202Nm 40kW/121Nm Hybrid System Output 163kW Drivetrain e-CVT / AWD Front suspension Mac strut / sway bar Rear suspension Wishbones / sway bar Turning circle 11.0m (2.7 turns) Front brakes Ventilated discs Rear brakes Discs Stability systems ABS, ESP Safety AEB, ACC, BSM, LDW, RCTA, ALK, AHB Tyre size f/r-225/65R17 Wheelbase 2690mm L/W/H 4600 / 1855 / 1685mm Track f-1605mm r-1625mm Fuel capacity 55L Luggage capacity 542-1690L Tow rating 750kg (1500kg Braked) Service intervals 12 months / 15,000km Warranty 5yrs / 150,000 km ANCAP rating ★★★★★ (2019) Weight (claimed) 1705kg
NZ Autocar
7 days ago
- NZ Autocar
Toyota launches phase two of Let's Go Places
The second phase of (Toyota New Zealand's) TNZ's Let's Go Places is underway. It focuses on reinforcing its commitment to driving a more inclusive, sustainable, and mobile future for Kiwis. The Let's Go Places concept shifts its focus from vision to action. It outlines Toyota's active role in creating tangible mobility solutions tailored to meet the diverse needs of Kiwis. The creative brand campaign plays with the concept of the 'intersection' between our lives and everyday mobility. TNZ Assistant Vice President of Marketing, Susanne Hardy says the new campaign highlights Toyota's evolution from a car maker to a mobility solutions provider with a focus on community. 'This is about Toyota's place as a brand for all New Zealanders. Mobility is rapidly changing, and so too is the way that we access it,' says Hardy. 'We recognise that individuals, families, and businesses have unique transportation needs. And we are committed to meeting these with sustainable, efficient, and accessible solutions. 'Toyota is ubiquitous in New Zealand. Our new brand campaign concept highlights how Toyota is intertwined with communities right across our country. 'We recognise that comes with a responsibility: Toyota is not just envisioning the future of how we get around but actively creating it, ensuring that the freedom of movement is a reality for all, because mobility is a universal need.' Toyota's new brand campaign places strong emphasis on the brand's established products and value chain, which integrates all aspects of car ownership. These services mean customers can lease by the month or year, rent by the day or week, or share by the hour or day. 'Our value chain offers a holistic mobility experience. This means we can provide practical solutions to Kiwis, solutions that make their everyday lives better and easier, while supporting our sustainability goals and enriching communities across New Zealand,' adds Hardy. 'With Toyota vehicles making up a quarter of cars on our roads, Let's Go Places spotlights the diversity and interconnectedness of New Zealand communities,' says Hardy. 'Everywhere you look, Toyota is enabling mobility, supporting sustainability, and fostering community connections. 'Toyota is everywhere. Not just in the sense of the number of Toyota vehicles driving on Kiwi roads. We're there powering sports teams great and small. 'Our Toyota Stores across the country support over 130 local sports clubs. 'We're excited to share real stories of how our mobility solutions impact lives positively every day. 'Together, we're driving New Zealand forward towards a brighter, more sustainable future,' says Hardy. 'It's an exciting evolution that brings our vision firmly into reality.'
Scoop
06-08-2025
- Scoop
Registrations Open For Bridgestone GR86 Championship
The six-round championship – which will once again run as a featured category in the NextGen national championship series, includes two dates at Hampton Downs, a weekend at Toyota NZ's 'home circuit' of Manfeild, the South Island leg of Teretonga followed by the 70th New Zealand Grand Prix meeting at Highlands and will conclude once again with the Supercars round at Taupo Motorsport Park. It proved exceptionally popular in its inaugural season with grids upwards of 24 cars at each round and a close fight for the championship that went down to the wire before Hugo Allan secured the title with just one race remaining. Interest in the next edition of the championship is at an unprecedented level – with drivers from the inaugural Toyota 86 Trophy Series, rookies and regulars from last season and a healthy amount of new and upcoming driving talent all looking to secure a spot for 2025-2026. 'Each season we are always excited about what lies ahead in terms of the quality of the field, which is always more important than the quantity,' explained Category Manager Amanda Tollemache. 'With the Bridgestone GR86 Championship, we continue to see high both demand and high quality amongst those interested in running and with only limited cars and spaces it made sense to open registrations promptly and to officially start to build the field for the next season. 'We'll have another awesome prize package, the racing is guaranteed to be close and we should once again see the best of our current and future driving talent take the next step of their careers in the championship.' Whilst many drivers and teams have retained their line ups for season two, there are still lease and new cars available for when the season blasts off at the end of October with the first round at Hampton Downs on the international layout. A break until the 9th–11th January is followed by a return to the North Waikato circuit, again on the long track. The championship heads south two weeks later for the double header at Teretonga 23-25 January) and the Grand Prix meeting at Highlands the following weekend. It's back to the North Island for the final two rounds, with Manfeild February 27th- March 1st and the the big finale at the Supercars weekend on April 10-12. 2025-2026 Bridgestone GR86 Championship Round 1 - 31 October - 2 November 2025, Hampton Downs Motorsport Park Round 2 - 9 - 11 January 2026, Hampton Downs Motorsport Park Round 3 - 23 - 25 January 2026, Teretonga Park, Invercargill Round 5 - 27 February - 1 March 2026, Manfeild Circuit Chris Amon
