GWM is considering a second seven-seater SUV for its Australian line-up – to sit below the off-road focused Tank 500 – with the Haval H9 impressing the company’s decision-makers.
The all-new 2025 Haval H9 could eventually make its way to Australian showrooms, after the SUV impressed company executives during a showcase of GWM’s models in China this week.
It would mark a return for the H9 after the previous version left the Australian market at the end of 2021 – however, the all-new model bares little resemblance to the old one, with a boxy design more in line with its Tank cousins than the city SUVs associated with the Haval brand.
While the H9 was always officially “under consideration”, Drive understands the H5 is also being looked at as a competitor to the Toyota Fortuner and Ford Everest in the Australian market. But that gap in the model range could now be filled by the H9.
With the Haval H5 being a five-seater – despite its large dimensions – and the Haval H9 being a seven-seater, it could prove to be a more attractive value alternative for Australian buyers.
This week, GWM invited dealers, regional executives, and media from across the globe – including Drive – to a product showcase in its home city of Baoding, China, where it’s understood the H9 made an impression on representatives for the company’s Australian arm.
Haval, Tank, and Ora are among some of GWM’s sub-brands.
Though it’s far from being officially locked in, the chances of the Haval H9 joining the Australian line-up are greater than at the start of the week – provided a business case can be built for the four-wheel-drive.
It’s expected the Haval H9 would need to be priced with enough of a gap to the recently-launched Tank 500 – currently the only seven-seater in GWM’s portfolio in Australia, available from $66,490 drive-away – and it would need to be determined whether there would be enough demand for the model.
Given Australia’s forthcoming emissions rules, it’s likely the Haval H9 would be sold with the 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine – potentially making it an outlier in a segment dominated by diesel models.
GWM Australia is currently spoilt for choice, with a new generation of models to choose from – and a limited market with which to sell into.
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