The theme of the moment in motoring is China's emergence.
Globally and locally, the Asian country's automotive sector is pulling no punches, intriguing consumers and giving the heads of legacy brands sleepless nights.
Chronicling the onslaught from a product perspective borders on overwhelming because it seems every other week there is a new Chinese brand with fresh offerings to evaluate.
Giants such as Chery have come to market with offshoots in addition to the main namesake brand, serving different permutations of related ingredients across marques such as Omoda, Jaecoo and Jetour. There are more to come.
Great Wall Motors (GWM) has been operating locally for nearly two decades. It has also introduced a selection of divisions beneath one umbrella. P-Series deals with bakkies, Ora offers electric compacts with retro looks, Tank peddles boxy off-roaders and Haval is more of a generalised, mainstream retailer of crossovers and sport-utility vehicles.
The Haval Jolion and H6 need no introduction, having made a strong impression on value-driven shoppers. More recently the Haval line-up expanded to include the H7, a C-segment SUV offering with a brawny outward character.
In markets abroad, the H7 goes by a more colourful title: the Haval Big Dog. Makes you wonder why the brand went with a conventional alphanumeric handle since Big Dog suits the character of the vehicle quite nicely.
Prospective buyers in this arena would be looking at products such as the Toyota RAV4, Volkswagen Tiguan and Kia Sportage.
The H7 might appeal to individualists, largely thanks to its design which incorporates off-roader butchness with urban crossover flair, seen in aspects such as the tapering belt line and pumped-up haunches.
Pricing starts at R604,950 for the 2.0T Luxury, the 2.0T 4WD Super Luxury goes for R674,950 and the electrified 1.5T HEV Super Luxury costs R734,950. We drove the model in the middle of the grade walk. Prices include a seven-year/200,000km warranty and seven-year/75,000km service plan.
Packing a four-cylinder, 2.0l turbocharged-petrol with an output of 170kW/380Nm, the H7 feels reasonably brisk. Haval does not list a claimed 0-100km/h figure.
Fuel consumption is on the high side. The best we managed after conservative driving was 9.6l/100km. Expect that to shoot up to 12l/100km if slow urban conditions are on the daily agenda. Transmission is dealt with by a nine-speed automatic.
Perhaps potential buyers will have adjusted their fuel economy expectations accordingly, since this is a sizable four-wheel drive vehicle. It has a substantial footprint, with a length of 4,705mm, height of 1,780mm and width of 1,908mm, tipping the scales at 1,815kg.
An electronically locking rear differential and ground clearance of 210mm facilitates off-road prowess that is above-average for the class. The H7 rolls on 235/60/19 wheels.
Road manners are fair, with decent insulation and a relaxed cruising manner at freeway speeds. Body-roll under cornering, hard acceleration and firm braking is to be anticipated. Buyers will find German and Japanese rivals offer more polish where on-road dynamic adeptness is concerned.
The driving position is high-up and commanding while cabin space is considerable, simulating the feel of a much larger vehicle. Luggage capacity is 482l, extending to 1,362l with the seats folded.
Part of the allure surrounding Chinese marques is the generous provision of standard equipment. To this end, the H7 delivers and then some. For the money it offers buyers a great deal, with everything from leatherette upholstery to electric seat adjustment, heated seats, heated steering wheel, a panoramic roof, digital instrument cluster and a massive central infotainment screen that almost resembles a household smart television.
The suite of driver assistance features are plentiful, but as noted in previous reviews, the systems could do with sharper calibration for local market conditions. They tend to overreact and intrude, alarming the driver rather than offering meaningful aid.
All things considered, however, the H7 is a compelling package with a strong appeal in the busy C-segment market. It embodies that basic recipe that is holding the Chinese in good stead: bold looks, high specification and keen pricing.
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