I’ve always associated SUVs with a very specific kind of life. The kind I grew up in.

My mom loves a big SUV. Not “cute and compact,” not “in-between.” I’m talking seven-seater,
everyone-get-in, sports bags in the back, groceries somewhere in between, and still enough
space for whatever the weekend requires. It made sense. Three kids, school runs, sports, life
happening all at once.

So when I was invited to experience the HAVAL H6 PHEV, my first instinct was to ask: would
my mom drive this? And the honest answer is… no!

Not because it’s lacking, but because it’s not her kind of big. She needs space-space. The kind
that carries a whole household. And I get it, that’s the life she lived.

But for me? This makes perfect sense.

I’m not a huge SUV girl. I like something that feels balanced. Easy to move through the city with,
but still spacious enough to support how I actually live. I drive a hatchback, and I love it… until
my brothers get in. They’re tall and every time they sit there, I can feel their knees negotiating
with the dashboard.

I’m also in production so my car isn’t just for me, it’s basically part of the job. Cameras, lights,
tripods, bags.

So this car sits in that sweet spot. Not too big, not too small. Just right for where I am.

I’m not big on how cars look from the outside. That’s never really been my thing so what got me
was the inside. The convenience of it, specifically the wireless charging for my phone and my
AirPods. No cables, no stress. Apple CarPlay that just works. A screen that’s clear and easy to
use. It’s all very intuitive, very “this makes sense for my life.”

There’s even a sunroof which, if I’m being honest, doesn’t really add anything for me but I know
South Africans love a sunroof, so I guess that’s a win.

The day itself started in Midrand, then we drove out to Harties and later Muldersdrift, one of
those routes that lets a car introduce itself properly.

The first thing that stood out? Silence. I started the car and genuinely paused. No sound, no
drama. For a second I thought I’d done something wrong. It only made sense once I put it into
drive and it just moved. Smooth is an understatement. It glides and because I drive manual
every day, this felt like a break from thinking. No clutch, no overthinking, just ease.

Now add Kelvin Momo into that.

He was playing the entire day and I’m not exaggerating when I say it made the experience
better. Driving to his song Peak Hour on an open road, no traffic? It’s delicious.

From Midrand to Harties, I was driving. Calm, present, enjoying it maybe too calm because I
didn’t test out the car fully.

From Harties to Muldersdrift, I was a passenger. Different driver, different energy. Less gentle,
more “let’s see what this car can do.” And the car handled it effortlessly. That’s when I realised,
it meets you where you are. However you want to drive, it adjusts.

There are also small details that just make sense. At some point, someone in the back didn’t
have their seatbelt on and the car made sure everyone knew. Not aggressively, just enough to
say, “guys, fix this.” I actually appreciated that. It feels like the car is looking out for everyone in
it.

Then after our lunch at Muldersdrift, we got caught in traffic to Midrand. The real test. The car
held up. Still smooth, still calm, still easy to sit in. Which matters, because most of our driving is
not open-road moments, it’s everyday movement, back and forth, thinking about life in between.

If I’m being honest though, to really enjoy this car, you take it out. Wake up early. Drive to Sun
City. No traffic. Kelvin Momo playing. Let it stretch a bit. That’s where it hits.

By the end of the day, I wasn’t thinking about specs or performance. I was thinking about how
easily it fits into my life.

Work. My brothers. Dropping people home. Gym bag. Music. Movement.

It’s never been about the biggest car in the room for me but one that understands how I move
and the new Haval H6 PHEV seems to get it!