2025 GWM Haval H7 Review Australia – Big Dog Energy, Hybrid Smarts

The 2025 GWM Haval H7 Australia. We get up close and personal with its history, interior build, hybrid performance, safety features, abilities, price, positives and negatives, and if it can compete with competitors like Toyota RAV4 and Mitsubishi Outlander.

A New Breed of SUV for Australia

In the past, if you drove your local servo in a Chinese SUV, you’d receive side-eye glances and perhaps a friendly snort. Bring it forward to today and it’s no joke. GWM has stormed Australia with cheap utes, aggressively styled SUVs, and now, the Haval H7 – or “Big Dog” as it’s playfully known in China.

The H7 is a game-changer. It’s not anymore about “cheap and cheerful” anymore. This is a hybrid-powered, tech-packed, seven-year-warrantied declaration of purpose. And it’s squarely targeted at Aussie families who need the technology prowess of a Toyota RAV4 but don’t have to wait a year or pay a premium.

GWM has already shown its hand with the HavalJolion and H6. The H7 is its next step up the board — a midsize SUV that falls nicely between the H6 and the more rugged Tank 300. The catch here is attitude. The H7 doesn’t take refuge in bland styling. It’s bold, boxy, and has a certain big dog vibe. The message here is unmistakable: this SUV is here to be seen.

Interior: More Than Skin Deep

Hop into the H7 immediately establishes itself as a serious contender to the wide Japanese and Korean SUVs.

The quality of the build is truly impressive. No creaks, no plasticky ring — what you get is solid-feeling stuff, smooth switchgear, and clever design flourishes. The dashboard is fill with a 14.6-inch infotainment screen that would not be out of place in a German SUVs. Behind the steering wheel, a 12.3-inch digital driver’s display feeds you speed, navigation, and everything else, while a head-up display ensures your eyes stay on the road.

Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are integrated, wireless charging is standard, and even the climate controls are clever.

The seating is comfortable for its class, with leather-trimmed upholstery and power adjustments. The back bench provides ample knee and headroom, making it suitable for families. Up top, a panoramic sunroof bathes the cabin with light.

Storage is convenient, with door bins, cup holders, and — best part here — a boot floor with a flip-out picnic table. It’s that sort of “didn’t know I needed it, now I couldn’t live without it” feature.

Space for cargo measures 483 litres with the seats in place, growing to 1362L when they are folded down. Ideal for family shops, sporting equipment, or a weekend on the run.The sole letdown? No spare. Instead, there’s a tyre repair kit — good enough for driving around the city, less comforting should your escapades take you into the bush.

Performance: Smooth Hybrid Bite

Under the H7’s rugged exterior is a hybrid powertrain designed for Australian rough conditions.

It paired a 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine with an electric motor makes a total of 179 kW and 530 Nm. Those figures are typically the domain of bigger, more thirsty SUVs, but the H7 delivers them with remarkable smoothness. In-town, the electric motor softens stop-start traffic, and on highways the turbo-petrol comes into play for assertive overtakes.

Fuel economy is its biggest calling card. At 5.7L/100km claimed, it promises petrol savings that will catch the eye of anyone sick of handing over a chunk of their pay at the bowser. In real-world testing, expect something closer to 6–7L/100km depending on driving style — still respectable for a midsize SUV tipping the scales over 1.7 tonnes.

Handling is calibrated to comfort, not thrills. Steering is light, ride is soft, and road noise is low. Ideal for families, less so for enthusiastic drivers.The only down point?Braking feedback. Like most hybrids, it can be a bit spongy as the regenerative unit merges with the mechanical brakes.

Safety: Loaded With Driver Assistance

GWM realizes Aussie consumers won’t settle on safety — so they’ve put it all on the H7.

Safety goodies as standard include:

Adaptive cruise control with stop/go

Autonomous emergency braking

Lane-keeping assist and lane-departure warning

Blind-spot monitoring

360-degree camera with parking sensors

Driver fatigue alert

Seven airbags

That’s a solid list, up with or even surpassing set Japanese rivals. The sole holdout is an ANCAP rating, which has yet to be announced. But equipped with its spec sheet, the H7 is battle-ready for five stars when it’s tested.

Capabilities: Looks Tough, Plays Safe

On paper, the H7 is an adventurer: squared bumpers, chunky wheels, roof rails, and big-dog size. Don’t be fooled, however — this is a soft-roader in disguise.

It’s pure front-wheel drive, so don’t go planning on going rock crawling or dune-bashing. It will, however, handle dirt roads, gravel tracks, or muddy footy fields with ease. For the average Australian family, that’s more than sufficient.

It comes with a 1500kg braked towing capacity, so it can tow a small camper, box trailer, or jet ski. It won’t do the job of a LandCruiser, but it’ll do for weekend warriors.

Pricing and Availability

Now’s where the H7 gets seriously appealing.

Price: $46,990 drive-away nationwide.

Warranty: 7-year unlimited kilometre warranty.

Hybrid battery warranty: 8 years / unlimited km.

Servicing: 5 years capped-price + roadside assist.

That’s a package that undercut the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid by thousands, and beats it in warranty coverage, too. In a market where hybrids are sought after and waiting lists run months, the H7 provides an available-to-drive alternative.

Pros and Cons

What Works

Unmistakable styling — cuts through traffic.

Roomy and tech-saturated interior.

Powerful hybrid performance and torque.

Comprehensive warranty and aftersales.

Great value for less than $50k.

What Doesn’t

No AWD option — styling overhypes off-road potential.

Braking feedback isn’t class-leading.

Single variant on sale in Australia.

No spare wheel — only a repair kit.

Final Verdict: The Big Dog Joins the Pack

The 2025 GWM Haval H7 isn’t ideal. But then, so is any SUV for under $50k. What it does deliver is impressive: aggressive styling, upscale-feeling cabin, solid hybrid punch, and a price tag that makes competitors sweat.

For the families who desire hybrid efficiency and technology but not the premium price, the H7 is a breath of fresh air. It will not be a substitute for hard-core off-roaders, and it will not convert badge snobs. But for the crushing majority of Aussie buyers? It is sensible.

GWM has traveled a long way from being the underdog. With the H7, they’ve let out a Big Dog that could very well take an even bigger bite out of the Australian SUV market than anyone would expect.