Turning the corner

Newly launched Haval H2 makes impressive strides for Chinesebuilt vehicles

IN A local market that has seen its fair share of fly-by-night Chinese brands, Great Wall Motors is one that has stood out for achieving a measure of staying power. It has sold over 55 000 GWMs and enters its tenth year of operation in South Africa.

It is now fully controlled by the Chinese parent company and the local subsidiary has been rebranded Haval Motors South Africa. It will continue selling GWM Steed bakkies and reintroduce the GWM H5 and H6 SUVs, and also introduces the more upmarket Haval SUVs to the local scene. Haval is the premium sub-brand of GWM and the best-selling SUV brand in China, with over one million units sold there last year.

The first to come our way from the Haval stable is the H2, a well-specced compact SUV that is pitched against competitors like the Ford Ecosport, Nissan Qashqai, Suzuki Vitara and Mazda CX-3 to name a few.

Available in front wheel drive only, the H2 sells in a range of six derivatives priced between 245 grand and 310 grand, making it competitively priced against its abovementioned rivals which sell in the 268 to 330 grand range.

Unlike so many cheap and nasty Chinese vehicles I’ve experienced, the Haval H2 seems like it’s turned a corner with its much better levels of quality, refinement and safety.

ABS brakes and airbags (two in the baseline version and six in all the others) are standard across the range, and the H2 scored a five-star rating in the Chinese NCAP crash test.

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Spec levels are generous, with higher models getting electrically adjustable driver’s seat, auto headlamps and wipers, and stability control. Even the bottom-of-the range Haval H2 comes standard with a trip computer, cruise control, audio system with Bluetooth, electric windows, reverse radar, and aircon. But it’s the cabin quality that is a game changer compared to what we’ve experienced in Chinese vehicles before. In 2013 Great Wall Motors hired former BMW M-division design chief Pierre Leclercq as its vice president of design, and his work shows in the H2’s modern exterior styling and smart interior finishes, which includes a rich-feeling soft-touch dashboard that is more commonly found in more expensive vehicle segments.

It’s a roomy cabin that will comfortably seat two rows of adults and the boot - which contains a full-size spare wheel - is a decent size even without the rear seats flipped down.

A brief test drive around the Kyalami circuit, where last week’s media launch was held, also confirmed that the H2 has good mechanical refinement and clean cornering manners. Powering all versions is a four-cylinder 1.5 petrol turbo with outputs of 110kW and 210Nm, which comfortably outpowers most of its class rivals. It makes decent oomph and stays fairly silent, while wind noise is also well surpressed.

The two transmissions on offer - a six speed manual and six speed auto - both operated smoothly and fitted in with the rest of a seemingly well-sorted drivetrain.

The Haval H2 is being pitched into a highly competitive market segment to traditionally Chinese-wary consumers, but on first impressions this vehicle presents a value-for-money package without any noticeable build-quality shortcuts.

After-sales peace of mind includes a 5 year/100 000km warranty, 5 year/60 000km service plan, and 5 year/unlimited mileage road side assistance.

HAVAL PRICING

H2 1.5T City manual - R244 900 H2 1.5T City auto - R279 900 H2 1.5T Premium manual - R254900 H2 1.5TH Premium auto - R289 900 H2 1.5T Luxury manual - R274 900 H2 1.5T Luxury auto - R309 900

HAVAL H2 VS RIVALS Haval H2

110kW/210 Nm (priced R244 900 to R309 900)

Ford Ecosport Hyundai Creta 1.0T

92kW/170Nm - R307 900 82kW/138Nm - R321 900

1.6 Titanium Ford Ecosport 1.5 Titanim auto Executive

90kW/150Nm - R319 900 (R339 900 auto) Neat interior execution, including a soft-touch dashboard. 115kW/ 204Nm - R284 800 (R302 100 auto) - R310

Mazda CX-3

- R365 400

Nissan 2.0

700 (R322 700 auto)

Qashqai Active Mazda CX-3 2.0 Dymanic Mazda CX-3 2.0 Individual auto 1.2T

85kW/190Nm - R330 900

Visia Opel Mokka x 1.4 Turbo Enjoy

103kW/200Nm - R317 500

Renault Captur 1.2T Dynamique auto Toyota C-HR 1.2T

88kW/190Nm - R304 900 85kW/185Nm - R318 500

Suzuki Vitara 1.6 GL

- R267 900 (R321 900 auto) 86kW/151Nm

Suzuki Vitara 1.6GL+

- R303 900