We drove the updated Haval H2 in Cape Town last week. One of the more popular SUV’S in the Haval stable, the sales of the mid-sized SUV have increased exponentially from 34 units in June 2017 to an astronomical 464 units just 2 years later in December of 2019 with a steady average of 400 units plus per month since June 2019. In two years and seven months a total of 7235 units have been retailed.
The general perception of the media, and indeed, it seems largely the buying public, is that Haval is one of the most value oriented and better built cars than most other Chinese based outfits.
The previous generation was perceived as quite heavy in the fuel economy dept, and hopefully this has been rectified.
Exterior Changes.
There are a number of subtle and not so subtle changes to the exterior styling of the H2. The new hexagonal grille is impressive, more so with the new bumpers and arrow head lights and hexagon tail lamps. The LED head lights have more distinct globes and bigger bulbs.
It has a new chrome insert and new twin exhaust pipes with a new splitter plate at the bottom. Also new 5-spoke Alloy wheels in 18 inch, that give the H2 a well planted feel on the road. The Haval centre logo in these, give the SUV a personal touch.
Into the Cabin.
Must say the new Haval H2 has quite a luxurious cabin with lots of soft touch material and it is very roomy for a mid-size SUV. It’s seats are at a good height so that there is not the normal awkward entry and exit for smaller or older passengers, but still gives the higher drive position so envied by so many SA drivers.
The 3D, fashionable and multi-functional dashboard embodies a reassuring sense of technology. It shows essential driving information, including instantaneous fuel consumption, remaining driving mileage and the latest technical entertainment options. And with Apple CarPlay, you can access and enjoy your iPhone safely while driving. All buttons for essential control of the SUV are close to hand.
The seats are quite sporty & comfortable, and it has a sizeable boot for luggage. The rear seats are fairly roomy as well.
Engine & Transmission.
The Haval H2 has the same 4 cylinder 1.5L turbo charged engine, which is powerful enough at sea level, but we will have to test it over 7-days to gauge whether the fuel economy has improved. It is mated with either a 6-speed auto gearbox, or the more impressive 6-speed manual transmission.
It pushes out 105kW maximum power output and 202Nm peak torque output.
SAFETY FEATURES.
The Haval H2 features 6-airbags to give you peace-of-mind. In the event of an accident, the airbags deploy to immediately relieve the applied impact forces to the driver/front passenger, and thus minimise harm. It has a 5-star Ancap safety rating. The Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) monitors the tyre pressure in real time. This system is able to detect any tyre anomalies thus increasing safety. Keyless entry, featuring advanced radio frequency identification technology, allows the chipset within the key to automatically lock and unlock the doors at the touch of the door handle.
| Pricing | 2019 new H2 | |||
| Configuration (versions) | 2WD | 2WD | ||
| City | Luxury | City | Luxury | |
| 6MT | 6AT | |||
| Retail | R269 900,00 | R294 900,00 | R304 900,00 | R329 900,00 |
In summary the Haval H2 has some impressive changes, and was very pleasant to drive in Cape Town, around fairly tight corners, where it acquitted itself well. The SUV is well planted, and drove well in auto & manual transmission. My particular favorite was the manual. Pricing is very competitive, and we can expect to see more of these on our roads in future.