The latest Haval H6 has been very well received by the South African buying public. But just how safe is this Chinese crossover? Well, the results of a fresh crash test conducted in Australia give us a strong indication…

The Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) has announced the results of its latest round of crash testing, with the Haval H6 scoring a full 5-star safety rating.

The independent vehicle-safety body said the Chinese crossover “performed well across all areas of assessment”, achieving solid scores for its protection of adult occupants (90%), children (88%) and vulnerable road users (73%), such as pedestrians and cyclists. In addition, the H6 scored 81% in the safety assistance category, with ANCAP lauding the vehicle for its ability to “actively avoid or reduce the effects” of a range of potential crashes.

We should point out that while a suite of autonomous emergency braking functions (AEB covering city, interurban, vulnerable road users, junction assist and backover) and an active lane support system are included as standard across the range in Australia and New Zealand, here in South Africa the presence of these safety assistance features are dependent on trim level, with the base model missing out on certain items. In addition, all models offered Down Under ship standard with seven airbags, which is one more than the number included as standard in theSA-spec H6 range.

Watch the Haval H6 crash test below…

Still, the H6’s performance in both the side-impact and oblique-pole tests was admirable, with full points scored in terms of protection for the driver in both cases. Full points were likewise awarded by ANCAP for front- and rear-seat occupants in relation to whiplash protection.

While the front-seat passenger received strong protection in the frontal offset test, protection to the driver’s chest was rated as “marginal”, which ANCAP says indicates “some risk of chest injury based on dummy measurements”. A penalty was furthermore handed to the H6for the performance of the driver’s footwell, which “showed some signs of loss of integrity in the frontal offset test”.

“There has been a lot of interest in a safety rating for the H6, and this now provides consumers with an independent assessment of its safety performance,” said Carla Hoorweg, ANCAP chief executive officer.

“This is an impressive achievement by Haval. Delivering a 5-star vehicle to the market, against ANCAP’s latest 2022 protocols, demonstrates the brand has kept pace with the latest ANCAP safety standards and consumer safety expectations,” Hoorweg added.

The H6 has proven quite popular here in South Africa, with 394 units registered locally in January 2022 and a further 329 units finding homes the following month. The current local H6 range comprises four derivatives, with pricing bookends of R431 900 and R529 900, while a hybrid version of the H6 is scheduled to arrive on local shores later in 2022.

See specification and pricing for the Haval H6 range

Buy a used Haval H6 on Cars.co.za

Watch our Haval H6 video review below…

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