GWM Haval H6GT PHEV plug-in hybrid review and family road test
Based purely on figures, this is Australia's best plug-in hybrid SUV.
GWM Haval has thrown down the gauntlet with its PHEV version of the H6GT, boasting an all-electric range of 180km and a further 870km using the turbocharged petrol engine.
Most key rivals can only manage half that pure electric range, including challengers in the BYD Sealion 6 AWD, Jaecoo J7 and the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV.
Only available in one specification, GWM Haval has thrown everything into its flagship hybrid SUV, which starts from just below $54,000 drive-away. That's about on par with the Sealion 6 AWD Premium but more expensive than the top-shelf J7 ($47,990 drive-away), while there is also the Leapmotor C10 REEV Ultra Hybrid for $49,990.
The Japanese-built Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV starts from $57,990 for the bare-bones derivatives, and pushes up to $74,490 for models with all the fruit.
While the price is right, as are the numbers, our family test saw the H6GT throw up some challenges and frustrations.
The lowdown
What did you loathe?
Kel
● Brake and accelerator pedals are too close together
● No wireless Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, you have to plug in
● Strange new car smell
Grant
● Wooden braking feel
● Cabin and driving functions are frustratingly slow to find
● Stereo and Bluetooth system sound low-rent What did you love?
Kel
● Peace of mind warranty
● Ability of voice recognition to differentiate between passenger and driver
● Ample back seat space for adults
Grant
● Price and ongoing costs are alluring for a plug-in
● Impressive acceleration response from standstill
● EV range the best in this genre
What do you get?
The standard SUV wagon has just been released starting from $50,990. For an extra $3000 you get the coupe-like rear. Some would be asking 'does my bum look big in this?'. The answer is yes … but we've seen Mercedes-Benz have success with its coupe-styled SUVs, as has BMW who were among the pioneers.
There is no short of kit, among the best complimentary gear is synthetic leather and suede trim, power tailgate with hands free function, panoramic sunroof, wireless phone charger, dual-zone aircon, 12.3-inch main touchscreen and a 10.25-inch display for the driver, heated and ventilated front seats, head-up display and an eight-speaker stereo with wired smartphone mirroring apps.
Some minor changes were made to 2025 models late last year, including GWM badges replacing Haval (matt black versions are used on the tailgate instead of chrome), and voice command technology was also added to the infotainment.
The latter was the most important inclusion as it saves users from having to dive into the labyrinth that is the vehicle settings. GWM has sacrificed buttons in favour of modern minimalisation and finding the various functions quickly can be challenging.
When it comes to colour options, white is complimentary, red, blue, black and grey are an extra $495.
Capped price servicing is available, and remains at the lower end of the scale – the first five all are $400 or below, but the fourth jumps to $705 due to a range of fluid replacements and new spark plugs.
Warranty coverage is above mainstream average at seven years and unlimited kilometres.
Use a fast public charger and the battery will be replenished from five per cent to full in about an hour, while going from 30 to 80 per cent would take 26 minutes.
A home AC charger can take a flat battery to full in six hours, but double that using the standard household power point – on test we saw just below 10km for every hour of charge.
Interior features of the GWM Haval H6GT PHEV Ultra a 12.3-inch main touchscreen, 10.25-inch display for the driver, heated and ventilated front seats, head-up display and an eight-speaker stereo with wired smartphone mirroring apps.
How was the drive?
On paper the H6GT looks outstanding.
Using the launch control it can rip from standstill to 100km/h in less than five seconds courtesy of 130kW front and 135kW rear electric motors supported by a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine, which collectively combine for a hefty 321kW and a muscular 762Nm of torque.
They are massive numbers for a family SUV, but typically the call to set quarter mile records on the way to footy training are limited.
Transitioning between petrol and electric power is all done seamlessly, and in the majority of circumstances the ride is smooth and the acceleration is punchy.
Yet attack the corners with enthusiasm and H6GT suffers from body roll and the 19-inch rubber battles for grip, while a wooden brake feel doesn't generate much stopping confidence when you jump on the anchors. The brake and accelerator pedals are also positioned too close together.
With a 12m turning circle it can mean more steering wheel twirling in tight carparks.
The greatest frustrations came from cabin controls due to the lack of physical buttons. Finding various functions, like changing driving modes and turning on the seat heaters, was challenging and time-consuming through the menus. Shortcuts can make the job simpler but it still requires screen access.
Achieving more than 1000km with combined petrol and electric power is possible, with the hybrid doing its best work around town and in traffic rather than long highway runs.
Boot space in the Haval H6GT PHEV is on the small side for this size SUV, at just below 400L.
Would you buy one?
Kel: From the outset I was excited with the styling. But I found the driving experience to be mediocre and the new car smell was an acquired taste. Shortcuts through the touchscreen improve the functionality but I'm somewhat old-school and prefer toggles, dials or buttons. There were too many frustrations for my liking.
Grant: There was a love-hate relationship throughout our test. Awesome electric range, punchy performance, and the ability for both driver and passenger to ask for various things – such as 'turn down the aircon', 'turn on seat heaters' and 'change to sport mode' – was cool. But really, buttons would probably be faster. GWM Haval has got so many elements right, but some of the typically easy basics made driving hard work.
AT A GLANCE
GWM Haval H6GT PHEV ULTRA
PRICE $53,990 drive-away
WARRANTY 7-year unlimited km, five years roadside assist, battery 8 years or 150,000km
SERVICING $1980 for five, intervals annual or every 15,000km (first service is within 10,000km)
POWERTRAIN Petrol engine, electric motors on each axle, two-speed hybrid transmission, AWD, 321kW/762Nm with 35.43kWh battery
SAFETY Adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, traffic sign recognition, traffic jam assist, auto parking, auto emergency braking, rear cross traffic assist, 360-degree-view camera, blind spot detection
RANGE 180km EV driving, petrol 870km
THIRST 0.8L/100km, 5.4L/100km on petrol alone
SPARE Repair kit
BOOT 392L, 1390L with rear seats folded
Originally published as Haval H6GT PHEV plug-in hybrid review and family road test finds flashy but flawed
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Courier-Mail
7 hours ago
- Courier-Mail
GWM Haval H6GT PHEV plug-in hybrid review and family road test
Don't miss out on the headlines from Motoring. Followed categories will be added to My News. Based purely on figures, this is Australia's best plug-in hybrid SUV. GWM Haval has thrown down the gauntlet with its PHEV version of the H6GT, boasting an all-electric range of 180km and a further 870km using the turbocharged petrol engine. Most key rivals can only manage half that pure electric range, including challengers in the BYD Sealion 6 AWD, Jaecoo J7 and the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. Only available in one specification, GWM Haval has thrown everything into its flagship hybrid SUV, which starts from just below $54,000 drive-away. That's about on par with the Sealion 6 AWD Premium but more expensive than the top-shelf J7 ($47,990 drive-away), while there is also the Leapmotor C10 REEV Ultra Hybrid for $49,990. The Japanese-built Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV starts from $57,990 for the bare-bones derivatives, and pushes up to $74,490 for models with all the fruit. While the price is right, as are the numbers, our family test saw the H6GT throw up some challenges and frustrations. The lowdown What did you loathe? Kel ● Brake and accelerator pedals are too close together ● No wireless Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, you have to plug in ● Strange new car smell Grant ● Wooden braking feel ● Cabin and driving functions are frustratingly slow to find ● Stereo and Bluetooth system sound low-rent What did you love? Kel ● Peace of mind warranty ● Ability of voice recognition to differentiate between passenger and driver ● Ample back seat space for adults Grant ● Price and ongoing costs are alluring for a plug-in ● Impressive acceleration response from standstill ● EV range the best in this genre What do you get? The standard SUV wagon has just been released starting from $50,990. For an extra $3000 you get the coupe-like rear. Some would be asking 'does my bum look big in this?'. The answer is yes … but we've seen Mercedes-Benz have success with its coupe-styled SUVs, as has BMW who were among the pioneers. There is no short of kit, among the best complimentary gear is synthetic leather and suede trim, power tailgate with hands free function, panoramic sunroof, wireless phone charger, dual-zone aircon, 12.3-inch main touchscreen and a 10.25-inch display for the driver, heated and ventilated front seats, head-up display and an eight-speaker stereo with wired smartphone mirroring apps. Some minor changes were made to 2025 models late last year, including GWM badges replacing Haval (matt black versions are used on the tailgate instead of chrome), and voice command technology was also added to the infotainment. The latter was the most important inclusion as it saves users from having to dive into the labyrinth that is the vehicle settings. GWM has sacrificed buttons in favour of modern minimalisation and finding the various functions quickly can be challenging. When it comes to colour options, white is complimentary, red, blue, black and grey are an extra $495. Capped price servicing is available, and remains at the lower end of the scale – the first five all are $400 or below, but the fourth jumps to $705 due to a range of fluid replacements and new spark plugs. Warranty coverage is above mainstream average at seven years and unlimited kilometres. Use a fast public charger and the battery will be replenished from five per cent to full in about an hour, while going from 30 to 80 per cent would take 26 minutes. A home AC charger can take a flat battery to full in six hours, but double that using the standard household power point – on test we saw just below 10km for every hour of charge. Interior features of the GWM Haval H6GT PHEV Ultra a 12.3-inch main touchscreen, 10.25-inch display for the driver, heated and ventilated front seats, head-up display and an eight-speaker stereo with wired smartphone mirroring apps. How was the drive? On paper the H6GT looks outstanding. Using the launch control it can rip from standstill to 100km/h in less than five seconds courtesy of 130kW front and 135kW rear electric motors supported by a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine, which collectively combine for a hefty 321kW and a muscular 762Nm of torque. They are massive numbers for a family SUV, but typically the call to set quarter mile records on the way to footy training are limited. Transitioning between petrol and electric power is all done seamlessly, and in the majority of circumstances the ride is smooth and the acceleration is punchy. Yet attack the corners with enthusiasm and H6GT suffers from body roll and the 19-inch rubber battles for grip, while a wooden brake feel doesn't generate much stopping confidence when you jump on the anchors. The brake and accelerator pedals are also positioned too close together. With a 12m turning circle it can mean more steering wheel twirling in tight carparks. The greatest frustrations came from cabin controls due to the lack of physical buttons. Finding various functions, like changing driving modes and turning on the seat heaters, was challenging and time-consuming through the menus. Shortcuts can make the job simpler but it still requires screen access. Achieving more than 1000km with combined petrol and electric power is possible, with the hybrid doing its best work around town and in traffic rather than long highway runs. Boot space in the Haval H6GT PHEV is on the small side for this size SUV, at just below 400L. Would you buy one? Kel: From the outset I was excited with the styling. But I found the driving experience to be mediocre and the new car smell was an acquired taste. Shortcuts through the touchscreen improve the functionality but I'm somewhat old-school and prefer toggles, dials or buttons. There were too many frustrations for my liking. Grant: There was a love-hate relationship throughout our test. Awesome electric range, punchy performance, and the ability for both driver and passenger to ask for various things – such as 'turn down the aircon', 'turn on seat heaters' and 'change to sport mode' – was cool. But really, buttons would probably be faster. GWM Haval has got so many elements right, but some of the typically easy basics made driving hard work. AT A GLANCE GWM Haval H6GT PHEV ULTRA PRICE $53,990 drive-away WARRANTY 7-year unlimited km, five years roadside assist, battery 8 years or 150,000km SERVICING $1980 for five, intervals annual or every 15,000km (first service is within 10,000km) POWERTRAIN Petrol engine, electric motors on each axle, two-speed hybrid transmission, AWD, 321kW/762Nm with 35.43kWh battery SAFETY Adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, traffic sign recognition, traffic jam assist, auto parking, auto emergency braking, rear cross traffic assist, 360-degree-view camera, blind spot detection RANGE 180km EV driving, petrol 870km THIRST 0.8L/100km, 5.4L/100km on petrol alone SPARE Repair kit BOOT 392L, 1390L with rear seats folded Originally published as Haval H6GT PHEV plug-in hybrid review and family road test finds flashy but flawed
News.com.au
8 hours ago
- News.com.au
Haval H6GT PHEV plug-in hybrid review and family road test finds flashy but flawed
Based purely on figures, this is Australia's best plug-in hybrid SUV. GWM Haval has thrown down the gauntlet with its PHEV version of the H6GT, boasting an all-electric range of 180km and a further 870km using the turbocharged petrol engine. Most key rivals can only manage half that pure electric range, including challengers in the BYD Sealion 6 AWD, Jaecoo J7 and the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. Only available in one specification, GWM Haval has thrown everything into its flagship hybrid SUV, which starts from just below $54,000 drive-away. That's about on par with the Sealion 6 AWD Premium but more expensive than the top-shelf J7 ($47,990 drive-away), while there is also the Leapmotor C10 REEV Ultra Hybrid for $49,990. The Japanese-built Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV starts from $57,990 for the bare-bones derivatives, and pushes up to $74,490 for models with all the fruit. While the price is right, as are the numbers, our family test saw the H6GT throw up some challenges and frustrations. What do you get? The standard SUV wagon has just been released starting from $50,990. For an extra $3000 you get the coupe-like rear. Some would be asking 'does my bum look big in this?'. The answer is yes … but we've seen Mercedes-Benz have success with its coupe-styled SUVs, as has BMW who were among the pioneers. There is no short of kit, among the best complimentary gear is synthetic leather and suede trim, power tailgate with hands free function, panoramic sunroof, wireless phone charger, dual-zone aircon, 12.3-inch main touchscreen and a 10.25-inch display for the driver, heated and ventilated front seats, head-up display and an eight-speaker stereo with wired smartphone mirroring apps. Some minor changes were made to 2025 models late last year, including GWM badges replacing Haval (matt black versions are used on the tailgate instead of chrome), and voice command technology was also added to the infotainment. The latter was the most important inclusion as it saves users from having to dive into the labyrinth that is the vehicle settings. GWM has sacrificed buttons in favour of modern minimalisation and finding the various functions quickly can be challenging. When it comes to colour options, white is complimentary, red, blue, black and grey are an extra $495. Capped price servicing is available, and remains at the lower end of the scale – the first five all are $400 or below, but the fourth jumps to $705 due to a range of fluid replacements and new spark plugs. Warranty coverage is above mainstream average at seven years and unlimited kilometres. Use a fast public charger and the battery will be replenished from five per cent to full in about an hour, while going from 30 to 80 per cent would take 26 minutes. A home AC charger can take a flat battery to full in six hours, but double that using the standard household power point – on test we saw just below 10km for every hour of charge. How was the drive? On paper the H6GT looks outstanding. Using the launch control it can rip from standstill to 100km/h in less than five seconds courtesy of 130kW front and 135kW rear electric motors supported by a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine, which collectively combine for a hefty 321kW and a muscular 762Nm of torque. They are massive numbers for a family SUV, but typically the call to set quarter mile records on the way to footy training are limited. Transitioning between petrol and electric power is all done seamlessly, and in the majority of circumstances the ride is smooth and the acceleration is punchy. Yet attack the corners with enthusiasm and H6GT suffers from body roll and the 19-inch rubber battles for grip, while a wooden brake feel doesn't generate much stopping confidence when you jump on the anchors. The brake and accelerator pedals are also positioned too close together. With a 12m turning circle it can mean more steering wheel twirling in tight carparks. The greatest frustrations came from cabin controls due to the lack of physical buttons. Finding various functions, like changing driving modes and turning on the seat heaters, was challenging and time-consuming through the menus. Shortcuts can make the job simpler but it still requires screen access. Achieving more than 1000km with combined petrol and electric power is possible, with the hybrid doing its best work around town and in traffic rather than long highway runs. Would you buy one? Kel: From the outset I was excited with the styling. But I found the driving experience to be mediocre and the new car smell was an acquired taste. Shortcuts through the touchscreen improve the functionality but I'm somewhat old-school and prefer toggles, dials or buttons. There were too many frustrations for my liking. Grant: There was a love-hate relationship throughout our test. Awesome electric range, punchy performance, and the ability for both driver and passenger to ask for various things – such as 'turn down the aircon', 'turn on seat heaters' and 'change to sport mode' – was cool. But really, buttons would probably be faster. GWM Haval has got so many elements right, but some of the typically easy basics made driving hard work.
The Advertiser
a day ago
- The Advertiser
Why the West has lost to China
These last few weeks I have been driving around in the latest and greatest cars from a number of European and Japanese manufacturers, cars that cost anywhere between $50,000 to around $500,000. While they're exceedingly lovely and do so many things well, it became clear to me as I kept losing my cool at the poor implementation of basic technology and general automotive smarts, that there is now an almost generational gap between where the Chinese automakers are and where the Western and Japanese manufacturers sit. Want your Apple CarPlay to work wirelessly without dropping out and driving you mad? Don't look to Europe. Want your infotainment system to look like something from this century? Don't look to Japan. Want the screen on your $200,000 European car to have the same quality and responsiveness as what you will find in a $30,000 MG, Chery, GWM etc? Look elsewhere. Want your reversing camera to be in high definition? Japan prefers it in 320p. Want to be able to control a huge amount of your car remotely via an app that works? Best to look East (or at Chinese-made Teslas). If you're wondering what I'm talking about, because you have bought into the hysteria that Chinese cars are poorly made and unsafe, then you're living about a decade in the past. If you're in the market for a new car, and even if you have absolutely no intention of buying a Chinese car, I implore you to go and drive a few and take a look at the price, warranty, and build quality. Play with the technology, look at all the things it can do and then come back to a known legacy brand and tell me with a straight face it's a better value for money or a superior technological proposition. Take a moment to realise that the phone, laptop, screen or whatever you are reading this on, is made in China – and soon, most cars will be too. Paul Maric and I recently had dinner with the CEO of a legacy manufacturer who flat-out admitted his company is decades behind and has no hope of catching up in the near future. His literal words were, "We buried our heads in the sand and now it's too late." How did we get here? Let's take a walk back in time. The Europeans have had almost 140 years of internal combustion engine, engineering and manufacturing excellence and know-how. The first Daimler/Mercedes vehicle was made in 1886. To say they had a first mover advantage with the automobile would be an understatement. However, as is the nature of capitalism and short-term greed, most CEOs, executives, and shareholders tend to think only in the short term. There could be no more obvious example of this than the technology and knowledge transfer that has occurred from the West to China in the automotive sector. When the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) opened its market to Western car companies decades ago, they all rushed in like schoolchildren looking for free lollies and their personal mega-bonuses. However, there was a slight caveat: if you want to sell your product in China, you must form a 50:50 joint venture with a Chinese company. Which, coincidentally, is likely fully or partially owned by the CCP. You could almost imagine all the European CEOs smirking at the time, "They will learn our ways, but I'm going to make so much money selling in China, I'll be long gone before that is an issue". Fast forward three or so decades, and here we are. The issue is clearly apparent if you are a shareholder in a legacy manufacturer in Europe or the United States. The Chinese have taken almost every single industrial, manufacturing, engineering and technological know-how from the West and now not only have similar, if not better, cars, excellent engineering, and know-how… but they have stopped desiring Western cars. In fact, they are actually making (arguably better for the money) cars for the Europeans under European brands! Tell that to someone in the late 1990s, and they would laugh at you. This whole shift of power to the East has been heavily aided by the electric vehicle revolution. You may have recently seen that several German automakers have joined forces to develop software together, a near-admission that if they don't respond to the technological Chinese threat faster, they're doomed. The Japanese, too, are in trouble, but at least they didn't take the initial bait as hard (arguably due to the poor social relations between the countries). Still, we're talking about an insular culture that invented the Walkman and then refused to adapt when MP3s and streaming became a thing. Where the Chinese differ from the Japanese is their willingness to hire and bring in foreign experts – paying them huge sums of money – to improve their products. To really make a point, think about how many Western car brands the Japanese have bought versus how many the Chinese own? In many respects, the way the Japanese schooled the Americans and Europeans in the late 80s and early 90s when it came to quality and lean manufacturing, the Chinese are now doing on a global scale with respect to technology and electrification. Like my colleagues at CarExpert and across the industry, I attend many events where I get to speak to CEOs of many car companies and I get asked very frequently what I thought of their cars, and more often than not, my first response is "have you driven a $30,000 Chinese car recently?" You know what? Most of them haven't, and the reason they haven't is because Europe and America have hefty tariffs to stop the Chinese from selling cars, which means most (but not all, with Ford's CEO Jim Farley being the most vocal exception) have no direct experience or idea of just how far behind they are. Australia is an incredibly unique market, where we have no meaningful tariffs and a low barrier to entry. This means that any manufacturer can easily set up shop in half a dozen key cities and experiment in our market. In fact, the aggression with which the Chinese have entered our market suggests to anyone with an economic mind that the goal here is not just profit, but to capture market share at the expense of legacy manufacturers. To drive them out and then, over time, raise prices. This is what China has achieved globally, encompassing everything from technology to core minerals. This is what happens when a country's government thinks 50 years ahead, rather than in a four-year election cycle. The irony that capitalist markets have blocked access to the 'communist' Chinese does not escape me. In a free market, everyone is allowed to sell their product without discrimination, but in Europe and America, when things get tough and the competition is better and cheaper, they close the market down. Of course, it makes sense to protect jobs and the local industry, but it also insulates those automakers from understanding their competition before it's too late. I know many of you will rush to the comments to say I am wrong, and I might be – in fact, I hope I am. There are also many areas where Chinese carmakers can improve. The thing is, though, they are listening and they are actually improving. For example, one Chinese OEM updated one of its best-selling cars three times within a 12-month period, purely based on customer feedback. I am not talking about minor changes; they redesigned the entire rear and altered the vehicle's dynamics, while also enhancing the interior. They treat cars like smartphones. From what I have seen during my recent trips to China, from the nine million senior software engineers to the incredible factories, R&D centres and the industrial and manufacturing knowledge that exists in the country, I can only assume that the tide has shifted so far East that it will never shift back again. There's an excellent quote from Apple CEO Tim Cook about how the West continues to misunderstand and underestimate the Chinese manufacturing complex. I have left it below in full, and while it doesn't directly apply to vehicle manufacturing, it gives you a good idea of why China is leaving the West behind: You may have noticed that I have excluded the South Koreans from this, and that's for good reason: they can adapt and change, which has so far enabled them to remain very competitive with the Chinese. Like the Chinese, the Koreans and Indians are also eager to hire the best and learn as quickly as possible while having a long-term view. This may just be their saving grace. Content originally sourced from: These last few weeks I have been driving around in the latest and greatest cars from a number of European and Japanese manufacturers, cars that cost anywhere between $50,000 to around $500,000. While they're exceedingly lovely and do so many things well, it became clear to me as I kept losing my cool at the poor implementation of basic technology and general automotive smarts, that there is now an almost generational gap between where the Chinese automakers are and where the Western and Japanese manufacturers sit. Want your Apple CarPlay to work wirelessly without dropping out and driving you mad? Don't look to Europe. Want your infotainment system to look like something from this century? Don't look to Japan. Want the screen on your $200,000 European car to have the same quality and responsiveness as what you will find in a $30,000 MG, Chery, GWM etc? Look elsewhere. Want your reversing camera to be in high definition? Japan prefers it in 320p. Want to be able to control a huge amount of your car remotely via an app that works? Best to look East (or at Chinese-made Teslas). If you're wondering what I'm talking about, because you have bought into the hysteria that Chinese cars are poorly made and unsafe, then you're living about a decade in the past. If you're in the market for a new car, and even if you have absolutely no intention of buying a Chinese car, I implore you to go and drive a few and take a look at the price, warranty, and build quality. Play with the technology, look at all the things it can do and then come back to a known legacy brand and tell me with a straight face it's a better value for money or a superior technological proposition. Take a moment to realise that the phone, laptop, screen or whatever you are reading this on, is made in China – and soon, most cars will be too. Paul Maric and I recently had dinner with the CEO of a legacy manufacturer who flat-out admitted his company is decades behind and has no hope of catching up in the near future. His literal words were, "We buried our heads in the sand and now it's too late." How did we get here? Let's take a walk back in time. The Europeans have had almost 140 years of internal combustion engine, engineering and manufacturing excellence and know-how. The first Daimler/Mercedes vehicle was made in 1886. To say they had a first mover advantage with the automobile would be an understatement. However, as is the nature of capitalism and short-term greed, most CEOs, executives, and shareholders tend to think only in the short term. There could be no more obvious example of this than the technology and knowledge transfer that has occurred from the West to China in the automotive sector. When the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) opened its market to Western car companies decades ago, they all rushed in like schoolchildren looking for free lollies and their personal mega-bonuses. However, there was a slight caveat: if you want to sell your product in China, you must form a 50:50 joint venture with a Chinese company. Which, coincidentally, is likely fully or partially owned by the CCP. You could almost imagine all the European CEOs smirking at the time, "They will learn our ways, but I'm going to make so much money selling in China, I'll be long gone before that is an issue". Fast forward three or so decades, and here we are. The issue is clearly apparent if you are a shareholder in a legacy manufacturer in Europe or the United States. The Chinese have taken almost every single industrial, manufacturing, engineering and technological know-how from the West and now not only have similar, if not better, cars, excellent engineering, and know-how… but they have stopped desiring Western cars. In fact, they are actually making (arguably better for the money) cars for the Europeans under European brands! Tell that to someone in the late 1990s, and they would laugh at you. This whole shift of power to the East has been heavily aided by the electric vehicle revolution. You may have recently seen that several German automakers have joined forces to develop software together, a near-admission that if they don't respond to the technological Chinese threat faster, they're doomed. The Japanese, too, are in trouble, but at least they didn't take the initial bait as hard (arguably due to the poor social relations between the countries). Still, we're talking about an insular culture that invented the Walkman and then refused to adapt when MP3s and streaming became a thing. Where the Chinese differ from the Japanese is their willingness to hire and bring in foreign experts – paying them huge sums of money – to improve their products. To really make a point, think about how many Western car brands the Japanese have bought versus how many the Chinese own? In many respects, the way the Japanese schooled the Americans and Europeans in the late 80s and early 90s when it came to quality and lean manufacturing, the Chinese are now doing on a global scale with respect to technology and electrification. Like my colleagues at CarExpert and across the industry, I attend many events where I get to speak to CEOs of many car companies and I get asked very frequently what I thought of their cars, and more often than not, my first response is "have you driven a $30,000 Chinese car recently?" You know what? Most of them haven't, and the reason they haven't is because Europe and America have hefty tariffs to stop the Chinese from selling cars, which means most (but not all, with Ford's CEO Jim Farley being the most vocal exception) have no direct experience or idea of just how far behind they are. Australia is an incredibly unique market, where we have no meaningful tariffs and a low barrier to entry. This means that any manufacturer can easily set up shop in half a dozen key cities and experiment in our market. In fact, the aggression with which the Chinese have entered our market suggests to anyone with an economic mind that the goal here is not just profit, but to capture market share at the expense of legacy manufacturers. To drive them out and then, over time, raise prices. This is what China has achieved globally, encompassing everything from technology to core minerals. This is what happens when a country's government thinks 50 years ahead, rather than in a four-year election cycle. The irony that capitalist markets have blocked access to the 'communist' Chinese does not escape me. In a free market, everyone is allowed to sell their product without discrimination, but in Europe and America, when things get tough and the competition is better and cheaper, they close the market down. Of course, it makes sense to protect jobs and the local industry, but it also insulates those automakers from understanding their competition before it's too late. I know many of you will rush to the comments to say I am wrong, and I might be – in fact, I hope I am. There are also many areas where Chinese carmakers can improve. The thing is, though, they are listening and they are actually improving. For example, one Chinese OEM updated one of its best-selling cars three times within a 12-month period, purely based on customer feedback. I am not talking about minor changes; they redesigned the entire rear and altered the vehicle's dynamics, while also enhancing the interior. They treat cars like smartphones. From what I have seen during my recent trips to China, from the nine million senior software engineers to the incredible factories, R&D centres and the industrial and manufacturing knowledge that exists in the country, I can only assume that the tide has shifted so far East that it will never shift back again. There's an excellent quote from Apple CEO Tim Cook about how the West continues to misunderstand and underestimate the Chinese manufacturing complex. I have left it below in full, and while it doesn't directly apply to vehicle manufacturing, it gives you a good idea of why China is leaving the West behind: You may have noticed that I have excluded the South Koreans from this, and that's for good reason: they can adapt and change, which has so far enabled them to remain very competitive with the Chinese. Like the Chinese, the Koreans and Indians are also eager to hire the best and learn as quickly as possible while having a long-term view. This may just be their saving grace. Content originally sourced from: These last few weeks I have been driving around in the latest and greatest cars from a number of European and Japanese manufacturers, cars that cost anywhere between $50,000 to around $500,000. While they're exceedingly lovely and do so many things well, it became clear to me as I kept losing my cool at the poor implementation of basic technology and general automotive smarts, that there is now an almost generational gap between where the Chinese automakers are and where the Western and Japanese manufacturers sit. Want your Apple CarPlay to work wirelessly without dropping out and driving you mad? Don't look to Europe. Want your infotainment system to look like something from this century? Don't look to Japan. Want the screen on your $200,000 European car to have the same quality and responsiveness as what you will find in a $30,000 MG, Chery, GWM etc? Look elsewhere. Want your reversing camera to be in high definition? Japan prefers it in 320p. Want to be able to control a huge amount of your car remotely via an app that works? Best to look East (or at Chinese-made Teslas). If you're wondering what I'm talking about, because you have bought into the hysteria that Chinese cars are poorly made and unsafe, then you're living about a decade in the past. If you're in the market for a new car, and even if you have absolutely no intention of buying a Chinese car, I implore you to go and drive a few and take a look at the price, warranty, and build quality. Play with the technology, look at all the things it can do and then come back to a known legacy brand and tell me with a straight face it's a better value for money or a superior technological proposition. Take a moment to realise that the phone, laptop, screen or whatever you are reading this on, is made in China – and soon, most cars will be too. Paul Maric and I recently had dinner with the CEO of a legacy manufacturer who flat-out admitted his company is decades behind and has no hope of catching up in the near future. His literal words were, "We buried our heads in the sand and now it's too late." How did we get here? Let's take a walk back in time. The Europeans have had almost 140 years of internal combustion engine, engineering and manufacturing excellence and know-how. The first Daimler/Mercedes vehicle was made in 1886. To say they had a first mover advantage with the automobile would be an understatement. However, as is the nature of capitalism and short-term greed, most CEOs, executives, and shareholders tend to think only in the short term. There could be no more obvious example of this than the technology and knowledge transfer that has occurred from the West to China in the automotive sector. When the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) opened its market to Western car companies decades ago, they all rushed in like schoolchildren looking for free lollies and their personal mega-bonuses. However, there was a slight caveat: if you want to sell your product in China, you must form a 50:50 joint venture with a Chinese company. Which, coincidentally, is likely fully or partially owned by the CCP. You could almost imagine all the European CEOs smirking at the time, "They will learn our ways, but I'm going to make so much money selling in China, I'll be long gone before that is an issue". Fast forward three or so decades, and here we are. The issue is clearly apparent if you are a shareholder in a legacy manufacturer in Europe or the United States. The Chinese have taken almost every single industrial, manufacturing, engineering and technological know-how from the West and now not only have similar, if not better, cars, excellent engineering, and know-how… but they have stopped desiring Western cars. In fact, they are actually making (arguably better for the money) cars for the Europeans under European brands! Tell that to someone in the late 1990s, and they would laugh at you. This whole shift of power to the East has been heavily aided by the electric vehicle revolution. You may have recently seen that several German automakers have joined forces to develop software together, a near-admission that if they don't respond to the technological Chinese threat faster, they're doomed. The Japanese, too, are in trouble, but at least they didn't take the initial bait as hard (arguably due to the poor social relations between the countries). Still, we're talking about an insular culture that invented the Walkman and then refused to adapt when MP3s and streaming became a thing. Where the Chinese differ from the Japanese is their willingness to hire and bring in foreign experts – paying them huge sums of money – to improve their products. To really make a point, think about how many Western car brands the Japanese have bought versus how many the Chinese own? In many respects, the way the Japanese schooled the Americans and Europeans in the late 80s and early 90s when it came to quality and lean manufacturing, the Chinese are now doing on a global scale with respect to technology and electrification. Like my colleagues at CarExpert and across the industry, I attend many events where I get to speak to CEOs of many car companies and I get asked very frequently what I thought of their cars, and more often than not, my first response is "have you driven a $30,000 Chinese car recently?" You know what? Most of them haven't, and the reason they haven't is because Europe and America have hefty tariffs to stop the Chinese from selling cars, which means most (but not all, with Ford's CEO Jim Farley being the most vocal exception) have no direct experience or idea of just how far behind they are. Australia is an incredibly unique market, where we have no meaningful tariffs and a low barrier to entry. This means that any manufacturer can easily set up shop in half a dozen key cities and experiment in our market. In fact, the aggression with which the Chinese have entered our market suggests to anyone with an economic mind that the goal here is not just profit, but to capture market share at the expense of legacy manufacturers. To drive them out and then, over time, raise prices. This is what China has achieved globally, encompassing everything from technology to core minerals. This is what happens when a country's government thinks 50 years ahead, rather than in a four-year election cycle. The irony that capitalist markets have blocked access to the 'communist' Chinese does not escape me. In a free market, everyone is allowed to sell their product without discrimination, but in Europe and America, when things get tough and the competition is better and cheaper, they close the market down. Of course, it makes sense to protect jobs and the local industry, but it also insulates those automakers from understanding their competition before it's too late. I know many of you will rush to the comments to say I am wrong, and I might be – in fact, I hope I am. There are also many areas where Chinese carmakers can improve. The thing is, though, they are listening and they are actually improving. For example, one Chinese OEM updated one of its best-selling cars three times within a 12-month period, purely based on customer feedback. I am not talking about minor changes; they redesigned the entire rear and altered the vehicle's dynamics, while also enhancing the interior. They treat cars like smartphones. From what I have seen during my recent trips to China, from the nine million senior software engineers to the incredible factories, R&D centres and the industrial and manufacturing knowledge that exists in the country, I can only assume that the tide has shifted so far East that it will never shift back again. There's an excellent quote from Apple CEO Tim Cook about how the West continues to misunderstand and underestimate the Chinese manufacturing complex. I have left it below in full, and while it doesn't directly apply to vehicle manufacturing, it gives you a good idea of why China is leaving the West behind: You may have noticed that I have excluded the South Koreans from this, and that's for good reason: they can adapt and change, which has so far enabled them to remain very competitive with the Chinese. Like the Chinese, the Koreans and Indians are also eager to hire the best and learn as quickly as possible while having a long-term view. This may just be their saving grace. Content originally sourced from: These last few weeks I have been driving around in the latest and greatest cars from a number of European and Japanese manufacturers, cars that cost anywhere between $50,000 to around $500,000. While they're exceedingly lovely and do so many things well, it became clear to me as I kept losing my cool at the poor implementation of basic technology and general automotive smarts, that there is now an almost generational gap between where the Chinese automakers are and where the Western and Japanese manufacturers sit. Want your Apple CarPlay to work wirelessly without dropping out and driving you mad? Don't look to Europe. Want your infotainment system to look like something from this century? Don't look to Japan. Want the screen on your $200,000 European car to have the same quality and responsiveness as what you will find in a $30,000 MG, Chery, GWM etc? Look elsewhere. Want your reversing camera to be in high definition? Japan prefers it in 320p. Want to be able to control a huge amount of your car remotely via an app that works? Best to look East (or at Chinese-made Teslas). If you're wondering what I'm talking about, because you have bought into the hysteria that Chinese cars are poorly made and unsafe, then you're living about a decade in the past. If you're in the market for a new car, and even if you have absolutely no intention of buying a Chinese car, I implore you to go and drive a few and take a look at the price, warranty, and build quality. Play with the technology, look at all the things it can do and then come back to a known legacy brand and tell me with a straight face it's a better value for money or a superior technological proposition. Take a moment to realise that the phone, laptop, screen or whatever you are reading this on, is made in China – and soon, most cars will be too. Paul Maric and I recently had dinner with the CEO of a legacy manufacturer who flat-out admitted his company is decades behind and has no hope of catching up in the near future. His literal words were, "We buried our heads in the sand and now it's too late." How did we get here? Let's take a walk back in time. The Europeans have had almost 140 years of internal combustion engine, engineering and manufacturing excellence and know-how. The first Daimler/Mercedes vehicle was made in 1886. To say they had a first mover advantage with the automobile would be an understatement. However, as is the nature of capitalism and short-term greed, most CEOs, executives, and shareholders tend to think only in the short term. There could be no more obvious example of this than the technology and knowledge transfer that has occurred from the West to China in the automotive sector. When the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) opened its market to Western car companies decades ago, they all rushed in like schoolchildren looking for free lollies and their personal mega-bonuses. However, there was a slight caveat: if you want to sell your product in China, you must form a 50:50 joint venture with a Chinese company. Which, coincidentally, is likely fully or partially owned by the CCP. You could almost imagine all the European CEOs smirking at the time, "They will learn our ways, but I'm going to make so much money selling in China, I'll be long gone before that is an issue". Fast forward three or so decades, and here we are. The issue is clearly apparent if you are a shareholder in a legacy manufacturer in Europe or the United States. The Chinese have taken almost every single industrial, manufacturing, engineering and technological know-how from the West and now not only have similar, if not better, cars, excellent engineering, and know-how… but they have stopped desiring Western cars. In fact, they are actually making (arguably better for the money) cars for the Europeans under European brands! Tell that to someone in the late 1990s, and they would laugh at you. This whole shift of power to the East has been heavily aided by the electric vehicle revolution. You may have recently seen that several German automakers have joined forces to develop software together, a near-admission that if they don't respond to the technological Chinese threat faster, they're doomed. The Japanese, too, are in trouble, but at least they didn't take the initial bait as hard (arguably due to the poor social relations between the countries). Still, we're talking about an insular culture that invented the Walkman and then refused to adapt when MP3s and streaming became a thing. Where the Chinese differ from the Japanese is their willingness to hire and bring in foreign experts – paying them huge sums of money – to improve their products. To really make a point, think about how many Western car brands the Japanese have bought versus how many the Chinese own? In many respects, the way the Japanese schooled the Americans and Europeans in the late 80s and early 90s when it came to quality and lean manufacturing, the Chinese are now doing on a global scale with respect to technology and electrification. Like my colleagues at CarExpert and across the industry, I attend many events where I get to speak to CEOs of many car companies and I get asked very frequently what I thought of their cars, and more often than not, my first response is "have you driven a $30,000 Chinese car recently?" You know what? Most of them haven't, and the reason they haven't is because Europe and America have hefty tariffs to stop the Chinese from selling cars, which means most (but not all, with Ford's CEO Jim Farley being the most vocal exception) have no direct experience or idea of just how far behind they are. Australia is an incredibly unique market, where we have no meaningful tariffs and a low barrier to entry. This means that any manufacturer can easily set up shop in half a dozen key cities and experiment in our market. In fact, the aggression with which the Chinese have entered our market suggests to anyone with an economic mind that the goal here is not just profit, but to capture market share at the expense of legacy manufacturers. To drive them out and then, over time, raise prices. This is what China has achieved globally, encompassing everything from technology to core minerals. This is what happens when a country's government thinks 50 years ahead, rather than in a four-year election cycle. The irony that capitalist markets have blocked access to the 'communist' Chinese does not escape me. In a free market, everyone is allowed to sell their product without discrimination, but in Europe and America, when things get tough and the competition is better and cheaper, they close the market down. Of course, it makes sense to protect jobs and the local industry, but it also insulates those automakers from understanding their competition before it's too late. I know many of you will rush to the comments to say I am wrong, and I might be – in fact, I hope I am. There are also many areas where Chinese carmakers can improve. The thing is, though, they are listening and they are actually improving. For example, one Chinese OEM updated one of its best-selling cars three times within a 12-month period, purely based on customer feedback. I am not talking about minor changes; they redesigned the entire rear and altered the vehicle's dynamics, while also enhancing the interior. They treat cars like smartphones. From what I have seen during my recent trips to China, from the nine million senior software engineers to the incredible factories, R&D centres and the industrial and manufacturing knowledge that exists in the country, I can only assume that the tide has shifted so far East that it will never shift back again. There's an excellent quote from Apple CEO Tim Cook about how the West continues to misunderstand and underestimate the Chinese manufacturing complex. I have left it below in full, and while it doesn't directly apply to vehicle manufacturing, it gives you a good idea of why China is leaving the West behind: You may have noticed that I have excluded the South Koreans from this, and that's for good reason: they can adapt and change, which has so far enabled them to remain very competitive with the Chinese. Like the Chinese, the Koreans and Indians are also eager to hire the best and learn as quickly as possible while having a long-term view. This may just be their saving grace. Content originally sourced from:
