GWM Haval’s toughest SUV just got tougher: 2026 Haval H9 updated in China with more standard hardcore off-road capabilities, but will this affordable Toyota Prado, Ford Everest rival land in Australia?

GWM Haval’s flagship H9 seven-seat SUV has been upgraded overseas and now features standard front and rear diff locks and other tweaks designed to bolster its capabilities.

The H9 shares its ladder frame underpinnings with the Tank 300, offering both a 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine (165kW/385Nm) with an eight-speed auto and a 2.4-litre turbo diesel motor (140kW/490Nm) with a nine-speed auto, both as a proper 4WD.

The model year upgrade adds a black-pack ‘Warrior Edition’ trim with a burgundy red interior trim option as well as a standard all-terrain tyre package.

Other features of the H9 remain unaltered, including its hardcore 4WD-inspired looks complete with trendy round LED clusters, a tailgate-mounted spare.

Inside, it features a similar array of equipment as the smaller Haval Raptor, including a 10.25-inch digital dash, 14.6-inch multimedia touchscreen, dual 50W wireless phone chargers, and synthetic leather interior trim.

The 2.5-ton towing capacity might fall short of what some Aussie buyers are looking for from a ladder-frame SUV.

More details on the model year update are expected to be revealed at the Chengdu motor show from August 29th.

While the H9 began being exported from China last year to markets like Russia and the Middle East, it has remained in left-hand drive form for the time being.

The Australian division has commented on the H9 in the past as a potential option for the line-up, mainly because it would present Haval with an eye-catching seven-seat halo product.

Last year, the brand’s communications boss Steve Maciver explained: “It’s safe to say we’re impressed with the product. We could have a second seven-seater in our market, but obviously pricing is key to that.”

“There could be some price differential in that the Tank 500 has technology and features the H9 doesn’t need. The Haval SUV strategy is to be capable, but not as capable as the Tank series.”

Maciver also suggested there may be a push from GWM HQ to have the H9 as a hero product to top-out the Haval range. The brand’s representatives have since admitted it may add a bit of confusion to GWM’s overall line-up, as it would also feature some overlap with the five-seat Tank 300 with which it shares its underpinnings.

The large SUV would need to sit in the gap between the H6 mid-size SUV (from $35,990) and Tank 300 off-roader (from $45,990) for it to make sense. 

The large SUV is also only offered with combustion engines, which may also be an issue for GWM’s broader strategy for dealing with Australia’s recently-implemented New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES). The NVES will significantly tighten the vice on non-electrified vehicles in the coming years, but as the H9 features a ladder-frame chassis it would have a higher CO2 target to hit compared to a seven-seat SUV alternative.

Other new SUVs earmarked by the brand include the Raptor hybrid soft-roader (as a potential next-generation H7 further down the track), and the brand's range-topping Tank 700, which is likely to receive the company's new 4.0-litre V8 engine in its next iteration.