Remember when GWM showed us the Haval H7 Big Dog last year? Not to be confused with the H7 PHEV that GWM Philippines is set to launch in the country soon, the Haval Big Dog is a compact crossover SUV that combines retro-inspired looks with a plug-in hybrid powertrain, while retaining the 4WD capability of its frame-based siblings.

The result is a rather dashing crossover SUV that not only looks good, but can also travel on pure electric power over certain distances. For the 2026 model year, GWM decided to update and upgrade the Haval Big Dog, and boy, were they busy giving it a more powerful plug-in hybrid heart.

Now called the Haval Big Dog Plus, the plug-in hybrid crossover now gets a bigger 33.7 kWh lithium-iron phosphate battery pack, which replaces the previous 19.09 kWh battery pack. On a full charge, GWM claims this gives the Haval Big Dog Plus an EV range of up to 200 km, based on the CLTC cycle. Meanwhile, its total system range is now rated to cover more than 1,000 km instead of up to 1,000 km from the previous version. Since it's a plug-in hybrid, it comes with a vehicle-to-load (V2L) function as standard and is rated to support up to 6 kW of power.

Besides getting a bigger battery, the Haval Big Dog Plus gets more powerful electric motors, which complement the 1.5L turbocharged engine. The result is a combined system output of 320 kW or 435 PS, eclipsing the previous 326 PS output from before. As before, it gets a two-speed dedicated hybrid transmission (DHT) and a BorgWarner 4WD system with Sport, Snow, 4WD, Mud, and Sand modes.

Design-wise, the Haval Big Dog Plus still looks the same as before, but has some minor design changes. For starters, the grille gets a slight redesign and features a semi closed-off look, and features a bolder “HAVAL” lettering. The signature round LED headlights, generous black body cladding, bulging wheel fenders, roof rails, distinct LED taillights, and massive tailgate have been carried over.

Hop inside, and GWM also gave the interior some revisions. The pistol-style gear selector is no more, as GWM gave the Haval Big Dog Plus a new electronic column shifter. The result is more space on the center console, along with a new wireless charging pad.

Unlike most Chinese brands, the center console of the Haval Big Dog comes with plenty of buttons for the drivertrain and other in-car features. Also present inside the Haval Big Dog Plus are two high-definition displays. One is a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, while the other is a 14.6-inch touchscreen infotainment system.

For now, it looks like GWM has no plans to offer the Big Dog Plus PHEV outside of China. With the Haval H7 PHEV already confirmed for the Philippine market, it looks like the Big Dog will be some sort of forbidden fruit to Filipino customers.