Chinese SUV brand Haval has introduced its first 4-wheel-drive model in South Africa. Although it has the body-on-frame configuration of an adventure SUV, such as the Toyota Fortuner (for example), and is priced accordingly, Haval’sflagship comespacked with the kind of features most would associatewith large luxury off-roaders.

The 7-seater H9 joins the H1, (#CarsAwards-nominated) H2, H6 and H6C in Haval’s local line-up. The brand, which was launched in South Africa in mid-2017, has 29 outlets countrywide, fully backed by parent company GWM in China, and its dealer footprint should reach 35 by the end of 2018.

There is only one H9 derivative: a 2.0 Petrol 4WD Luxury, priced at R599900 (which is, incidentally, exactly the same price as the flagship Mitsubishi Pajero Sport– at the time of being published, August 2018). Powered by a 180 kW 2.0-litre turbopetrol engine that produces peak torque of 350Nm (1800to 4500rpm), the H9 has an 8-speed (ZF-sourced) automatic transmission replete with shift paddles and a low-range transfer case.

The H9 features sophisticated headlights, illuminated side steps and 18-inch alloys, to name a few features.

Purposeful exterior

The H9 is underpinned by an independent double-wishbone front- and multi-link rear suspension and the SUV’s purposeful exterior is adorned with automatically-activated headlights (with adaptive front-lighting, a built-in cleaning system, as well as daytime running lights), fog lamps all round, illuminated side steps, a panoramic sunroof, roof rails, and 18-inch aluminium alloy wheels.

Luxurious interior

The H9’s leather-trimmed seats span 3 rows. The front seats are ventilated and include a massage function; while the driver’s seat is 8-way electrically adjustable driver seat (with extra lumbar support and memory function), the front passenger’s seat is 4-way electrically adjustable.

The leather-trimmed interior is equipped with a plethora of mod cons, including ventilated massage front seats.

The 2nd row splits 60/40 and is manually adjustable, while the 3rd row splits 50/50 and can be electrically folded into the floor to increase luggage space. With the rearmost seats folded down, the H9’s luggage bay has a claimed volume of 747 litres, under the removable luggage cover.

Some of the interior features include 3-zone climate control, an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with integrated satellite navigation, a 7-inch multi-info display in the instrument cluster, LED mood lighting, plus blind spot detection, cross-traffic alert and lane-change alert functions.

Various off-road modes

Meanwhile, the driver can select the most appropriate driving mode in the H9 via the multi-functional display knob on the secondary instrument panel. They are:

Auto mode:Dynamically apportions torque to all 4 wheels depending on the road surface.Sportmode: The Electronic Stability Programme (ESP) settings are tailored for enthusiastic driving.4L mode:In extreme off-road conditions, amplifies torque delivery to the wheel(s) with best grip.Mud mode:Allows adjustment of the ESP to allow a certain amount of slip on muddy surfaces.Sand mode:The transmission’s electronic stability control is adapted to optimise torque delivery to the driving wheels with the most grip to help prevent the vehicle from getting bogged down.Snow (wet) mode:ESP improves road holding by mitigating over- and understeer and aid stability.

With an asking price of R599 995, the H9 2.0 Petrol 4WD Luxury easily undercuts flagship adventure SUVs.

Safety spec

Apart from a full complement of airbags, the H9 comes equipped with, inter alia, ISOfix child seat anchors, tyre pressure monitoringand driver-status detection systems, as well as a rear-axle electronic limited-slip differential lock. Electronic driver aids include ABS, BA (brake assist) and ESP, HAC (Hill-start Assist Control), RMI (Roll Movement Intervention) and HAC (Hill-start Assist Control).

Warranty and after-sales service

The H9 has a 5-year/100 000 km warranty, a 5-year/60 000 km service plan, and 5-year/unlimited km roadside assistance.

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