2023 Haval Big Dog off the cards; Dargo under evaluation for Oz

“[The 2023 Haval Big Dog] was a car that was under consideration,” GWM's head of marketing and communications, Steve Maciver, has told Wheels.

“We decided that [Big Dog] was probably not the right model for us, not the right technology for this market at this stage.

"That said, a new model – the Dargo – has now been unveiled. And again, that's another car which is on our radar."

The Dargo is essentially the same vehicle as the Big Dog, using all the same underpinnings, but with a fresher engine. Its Dargo name not named after an alpine town in Victoria, rather the Pinyin pronunciation of ‘Big Dog’.

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The Haval Dargo media launch in South America

It’s the badge GWM has chosen to run with for the global example of its boxy Haval SUV, and features a more powerful and modern 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine as seen in our H6, rather than the 1.5-litre the Big Dog launched in China with. It’s currently on-sale in South America.

Given Dargo uses the same underpinnings and powertrain technology as the Haval H6, we could expect a starting price under $50K for a front-drive model, climbing above that threshold for a more richly-equipped AWD trim – if it comes to market.

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What is the Dargo and where will it sit?

Measuring 4620 millimetres long, 1910mm wide and 1780mm tall, the Dargo is similar in its dimensions to a typical medium SUV – a segment already covered in Australia by Haval’s H6.

The Dargo, though, has a more off-road pitch than the H6. Dargo’s bluffer styling and advertised centre diff-lock communicate a more capable soft-roader, though it isn’t as hardcore as the Tank 300 hybrid which just launched in Australia.

Unlike the Tank 300 – which sits on a ladder-frame chassis – the Dargo utilises Haval’s modular Lemon platform, shared with the Jolion and even the Ora EV.

The Dargo is powered by a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder in global markets, and were it to hit Australia that would likely stay the same. Outputs are 146kW/325Nm – slightly different to the H6’s in Australia (150kW/320Nm), likely down to unique homologation processes.

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Globally, the Dargo is available in front-wheel or all-wheel-drive, though were it to come here it would likely be in AWD form only. A seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission is standard.

Inside, the Dargo gets some suede-cloth appointments, but keeps familial lineage with other Haval products, including the steering wheel, digital driver's display, 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen and general cabin architecture.

Far from being confirmed for our market, Maciver noted GWM Australia is keeping its options open to everything: “You're beginning to see the expansion of the range. If we can get those cars. Again, [Dargo] is another one that's not yet confirmed, but one that we are looking at.”