New tough hybrid off-road 2025 Haval Raptor breaks cover - but will this Nissan X-Trail or Mitsubishi Outlander rival ever make it to Australia?

A facelifted version of Haval’s off-road mid-size Raptor SUV has broken cover in China.

Documents filed with the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology show a new styling direction for Haval’s more off-road focused SUVs.

Locally GWM continues to focus on its more road-going Haval Jolion and H6, but in its home market of China it offers a range of more off-road focused alternative models to slot below the more rugged Tank range. These consist of the Cool Dog small SUV, Big Dog mid-sizer, and this Raptor upper mid-size SUV.

The facelifted Raptor debuts a new upright grille design, more square light fittings in a move away from the retro-styled round ones which sit in its predecessor, and more contemporary wheel designs.

The Jolion and H6 offered in Australia are offered with plugless hybrid (HEV) set-ups, the current Chinese-market versions of the Big Dog and Raptor are offered with the brand’s latest Hi4-T (hybrid intelligent 4WD) plug-in system that is yet to launch in Australia. 

The brand boasts this system is capable of having both incredibly low fuel usage, but also leverages its electric drive systems to enhance off-road driving. Vehicles with the Hi-4 system are also designed to be equipped with relatively large hybrid battery units.

The tech is designed to compete with BYD’s DM-i plug-in hybrid set-up, which just launched in Australia in the Sealion 6 and will appear in the Shark dual-cab ute later this year.

This updated version of the Raptor has lower claimed fuel consumption (1.13L/100km) as well as a set of LFP batteries sourced from GWM’s own battery manufacturer, Svolt. It is offered with either 81km or 115km of electric-only driving range.

The drivetrain continues to consist of a 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine mated to dual electric motors for total outputs of 282kW/750Nm.

The interior for the facelifted model hasn’t yet been revealed, but the outgoing version has a 14.6-inch multimedia touchscreen and a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, a 9.0-inch head up display, synthetic leather interior trim and a 586-litre boot capacity. It also features a household power outlet and a 220-volt (3.3kW) vehicle-to-load system and a single-pedal driving mode.

Chinese media expects the facelifted Haval Raptor to be unveiled at the Chengdu motor show at the end of August. GWM’s local division has previously ruled out the Big Dog, Cool Dog and Raptor, in favour of the more mainstream Jolion and H6. However, after the 2024 Beijing motor show it changed its tune a little, opening the door to introducing one or more of them as hero hybrid products.

Thus far GWM said the Haval flagship H9 is a strong possibility for our shores as a way to cap out its range, while it said it would reconsider its position on Big Dog potentially as a way to introduce Hi4-T to our market.

GWM is in a process of evolution in Australia, introducing an expanded range of SUVs under its Tank brand as well as upgraded versions of its core range. It just introduced an upgraded version of its Jolion small SUV, and is due to release a facelifted version of the H6 mid-sizer before the end of the year.

Also on the cards for an Australian launch is the Tank 700, a large modern-military-styled SUV that uses the most powerful drivetrain in the GWM stable, a 385kW/750Nm plug-in hybrid system mated to a 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol engine. If it is approved for an Australian launch, expect it to cost in excess of $100,000.

On the other hand, the brand has said no to some of its more niche EV models and its entire WEY luxury sub-brand, which is focused on the European market in the short-term.