When you're used to working with H05VV-F, you could indeed be forgiven for thinking that H03VH-H was meant to be speaker wire (although the coded version does make a nice and durable - and very affordable - lead for speakers with passive crossovers).
By the way, the sole Australian plug to IEC (60)320 C15 cordset currently in my stash uses the CSP (chloro-sulfonated polyethylene IIRC) synthetic rubber formulation; all of the elastomer-insulated cords specified by AS/NZS 3191 can run at a conductor temperature of 90°C, although H03RT-F is still common on clothes irons (and H05RR-F on cooking appliances and radiant heaters) as the harmonised cords are still perfectly legal to use here. It was made by the Australian division of Burton Corporation, one of the few manufacturers nice enough to date-code their cordsets as routine; this one was made December 1994 and is still in good condition. I also have a standard C13 cordset made by the same company the following September, with normal H05VV-F3G1.0 (also nice and flexible). Both are 2m long.
My conclusion? The better-quality PVC insulation is just as flexible (at room temperature - and remember that there's also the "V3" grade with enhanced low-temperature flexibility) as the elastomers (apart from silicone rubber of course which is in a class of its own). So there indeed seems to be some element of "cashing in" on the part of the rubber cable guys (although the rubbers also have the advantage of greater abrasion resistance, for heavy-duty professional usage).
Also, the harmonised "R" material designation is intentionally vague - it just covers any natural and/or synthetic rubber formulation with a temperature rating of 60°C, although the most common modern versions appear to use EPR (ethylene-propylene rubber). (A higher grade of EPR that can stand up to 90°C is also specified, with the "B" designation.)
