GWM confirms mid-October Australian launch for all-new Haval H7

Australian debut and launch timing

GWM has confirmed the all-new Haval H7 for Australia from mid-October 2026, replacing its relatively new local H7 with a different model rather than a mild update. The new H7 is due to arrive first in five-seat form, with hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions both using the company’s Hi4 electrified all-wheel-drive setup. Before the showroom launch, GWM gave the H7 its Australian public debut at Everything Electric Sydney at Sydney Olympic Park on 18 September 2026, making the event a concrete milestone in the rollout. ²⁷¹

The timing and launch messaging remain deliberately provisional. GoAuto said final pricing, grades and Australian specifications would be announced in coming weeks, while CarExpert reported the car would go on sale midway through October 2026 and that GWM had invited expressions of interest. That means the current pricing signal is an indication, not a full local specification. ²¹

Powertrains and quoted performance

Government certification documents cited by GoAuto and CarExpert indicate both Australian versions use a turbocharged 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine producing 110kW. CarExpert said the conventional hybrid combines that engine with 80kW front and 130kW rear electric motors for a combined output of 240kW, while the plug-in hybrid uses 80kW and 150kW motors for 320kW combined. GoAuto noted that GWM had not yet formally confirmed those figures as part of the Australian specification, so they should be treated as reported certification data rather than fully published local specs. ²³⁶

GWM’s Australian site goes further for the PHEV, claiming up to 320kW and 670Nm, a 0-100km/h time of 4.9 seconds and up to 137km of electric range. The same page says those range figures are based on GWM internal testing under optimal conditions, while GoAuto said local battery capacities, electric driving range and fuel consumption had not yet been formally confirmed. That leaves the performance and range claims partly manufacturer-stated and still awaiting complete Australian publication. ³²

Dimensions, body style and equipment

The initial Australian H7 is the standard-length five-seat model. GoAuto reported it measures 4680mm long, 1950mm wide and 1843mm high on a 2738mm wheelbase, while CarExpert described it as a boxy mid-size SUV aimed at buyers wanting a more rugged-looking family option with all-wheel drive. GWM’s local page calls it a mid-large SUV and lists features such as a 15.6-inch infotainment screen, 360-degree camera system, panoramic sunroof, rear differential lock, over-the-air updates, adaptive cruise control, eight drive modes, 19-inch alloy wheels and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto. ⁶¹³

GoAuto said the new H7 remains a monocoque SUV with MacPherson-strut front suspension and multi-link rear suspension, rather than a body-on-frame off-roader. Zecar reported that the H7 and the Cannon Hi4-T PHEV made their Australian public debut at Everything Electric Sydney, reinforcing that GWM used the event to introduce the electrified models before retail delivery. ²⁷

Pricing, availability and variant structure

GWM’s first Australian pricing signal for the H7 is below $50,000 drive-away. GoAuto said the hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions would be priced from below that level, while CarExpert reported the boxy SUV would be priced from under $50,000 drive-away and expected to arrive midway through October. The launch remains incomplete: GoAuto said final pricing, grades and specifications would follow in coming weeks, and CarExpert said four variants were expected initially with prices topping out at around $54,000 drive-away. ²¹⁴

The five-seat H7 is only the first stage of the range. CarExpert and GoAuto both reported that a longer seven-seat version is scheduled for 2027, with CarExpert saying the extended body would sit on a 2850mm wheelbase and GoAuto noting Chinese-market dimensions of 4912mm overall length. That would finally give GWM a seven-seat Haval option below the larger Tank 500 in Australia. ⁶¹²

How the new H7 differs from the outgoing model

The new H7 is a sharp departure from the current Australian H7, which launched locally in August 2025 as a front-wheel-drive hybrid. CarExpert’s review of that model said it was roomy and comfortable, but criticised its brake feel and driver-assistance tuning. By contrast, the new-generation H7 shifts to all-wheel drive and a much squarer, more off-road-influenced design, so the H7 badge is being carried into a substantially different vehicle. ⁶⁵²