Pieter says
I like the look of the Haval even though it’s still a relatively unknown car on our roads. You can compare the gadgets and trim levels with any of the German car makers, such as the electric parking brake and the ample space for the occupants in the back. The majority of Chinesemanufactured vehicles’ interior gives you a plastic feel, but that is definitely not the case with the Haval. It’s nice and solid inside, you don’t hear any rattles, and the gear shift paddles are a treat. They even work in normal automatic mode where you can choose a lower or higher gear yourself. At 100 km/h the engine turns at 2 000 rpm and you don’t even feel the caravan at the back. The radio’s knob between the front seats is similar to that of Mercedes-Benz, but where the Mercedes’s controls all the radio functions, this one only adjusts the volume. The seatbelt lights on the mirror are great but I think they’re going to be annoying at night (and I don’t see a way to switch it off). It’s also strange that a car with so many luxuries doesn’t have a satellite navigation system. The dual-clutch transmission is alert and reacts immediately, and the engine runs well. All this and comfort too. For me the hill descent control works if you want to crawl down a hill without using the brakes. The engine does not gain momentum but rather regulates the downhill speeds. The grille also has another grid behind it that protects the radiator in case a bird crosses your path. When you lock the Haval with the remote the windows that are still open close by themselves. I like that. You’d expect to pay in the region of R500 000 for this level of luxury, but at R390 000 it’s a steal.