WeeklySA_AdminHAVAL H7: A family SUV that is styled to resemble an old-school off-roader and positioned as a rival to the Toyota RAV4, VW Tiguan, Kia Sportage, Hyundai Tucson
By Ali Mphaki
Who let the dogs out, is a question once asked by that one-song wonder group Baha Men back in 2013. Woof, woof, woof, woof, they barked as they chased. “Get back, Gruffy, back, Scruffy
Get back you flea infested mongrels”, so goes the ditty. “ The party was nice, the party was pumpin’. Heya, yippie yi yo And everybody havin’ a ball Huh, huh, yippie yi yo..
Indeed the party has been pumping for the likes of Toyota RAV4, VW Tiguan, Kia Sportage, Hyundai Tucson, as well as the Subaru Forester.
They have been having a ball. Enter the new Haval H7 – a product sold in China as the “Big Dog” – disrupting the segment with its aggressive pricing and feature-laden interior. Call it a gate-crasher, if you like. Down here in South Africa the new Haval H7 will be offered in two trim grades: Luxury and Super Luxury, the latter being exclusive to the 4WD and hybrid derivatives.
I tell the fellas start the name callin’ because the “Big Dog” is part of GWM ever-expanding product range, with GWM confirming the arrival of four additional models to the South African market in the first and second quarters of the year.
But before we get carried away, at a first glance the new HAVAL H7 is noticeable with its bold, retro-inspired silhouette. The H7’s dimensions are 4705mm long, 1908mm wide, 1780mm tall and with a wheelbase of 2810mm, slightly longer than the RAV 4 and Kia Sportage.
Boasting a Ford Bronco-inspired front end with circular LED headlights in dark trim and striking 3-tier grille it delivers a confident, adventurous presence, while inverted L-shaped taillights and a skid plate add a distinctive finishing touch.
Like it or loathe the Haval brand, one thing you cannot deny is the fact that with the H7’s striking stance and unique design, the newcomer somehow manages to stand out from the crowd whilst also inspiring that go-anywhere confidence of a SUV.
The “Big Dog” s interior doesn’t disappoint either. It would seem the manufacturer had prioritised comfort and flexibility, what with real leather seats with heating and ventilation in the front row, individually folding rear seats for extra loading space, a heated multi-function steering wheel, and a cooling armrest for added convenience.
Lijkely to brighten your kilometres is the Haval H7s panoramic sunroof, flooding the cabin with natural light and filling your favourite space with the beauty and tranquillity of the outdoors.
To ensure you stay seamlessly connected in the all-new Haval H7 is a 14.6” touchscreen, wireless charger, and 12.3” virtual cluster. If music be the food of love, inside the Haval H7 you will enjoy immersive sound from 8 DTS speakers, Apple CarPlay®, Android Auto and Head-Up Display for instant access to key info.
Propelling the Haval H7 is a new-generation 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbopetrol motor that develops 170 kW/380 Nm and is mated with a 9-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. A 1.5-litre petrol-hybrid version, with outputs of 179 kW and 530 Nm, will go on sale in the 2nd quarter of 2025.
If the warm welcome received by its H6 sibling is anything to go by, the new boxy Haval H7 seem well positioned to win more friends and keeping them within the GWM family.
Who let the Big Dog out, is a question rival manufacturers will continue to ask going forward.
PRICING:
Haval H7 2.0T Luxury DCT R601 950
Haval H7 2.0T Super Luxury DCT 4WD R671 950
Haval H7 1.5T HEV Super Luxury DHT R730 950
Prices include a 7-year/200 000 km warranty, 7-year unlimited roadside assistance, and 7-year/75 000 km service plan. The hybrid derivative adds on an additional 8-year/150 000 km components warranty.
Motoring: Briefs
ALL THE LOSERS IN 2024
Last year, just 9 units of the Fiat Tipo were sold in South Africa, falling from 87 examples in 2023. The last time a Tipo was registered new in Mzansi was August 2024, which leads us to believe this C-segment model – which was offered in both hatchback and sedan guise – has been quietly discontinued locally (in fact, it’s not currently listed on Fiat SA’s website).
Another discontinued model to feature on the list was the V8-powered Audi R8 (production ended in the opening quarter of 2024), which likewise attracted 9 buyers last year. Interestingly, 8 units of the Mahindra XUV500 were registered locally in 2024, despite the fact this SUV was replaced by the XUV700 as long ago as November 2022.
Next we have the fully electric Jaguar I-Pace (7 units), which is due to ride off into the sunset at some point this year (it’s currently still listed on Jaguar SA’s website), followed by the Ferrari Roma with 6 units (we believe all local allocations for this Prancing Horse have long since been filled).
As many as 6 nameplates reached just 4 registrations apiece in 2024, including a trio of axed models: the Honda WR-V, Hyundai Atos and Suzuki Vitara Brezza.
ASK THE CHINESE
It is maybe no surprise that China sold the most new cars in 2024. Measured by automobile unit production, China has been the biggest in the world since 2008. Companies like Tesla, BMW, Volkswagen, Ford, Toyota, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche and Audi – as well as engine companies such as Cummins – all have joint venture set-ups operating in China. In a country where motoring requirements differ vastly from typical European or US needs, small-capacity engines reign supreme, and a car with a V8 under the hood is a rarity.
The top-selling model in China is the BYD Song. The compact crossover is available with a 1.5-liter turbocharged petrol engine, a hybrid drive train, or as a full EV. The BYD Qin PLUS follows in second… this sedan is available as a plug-in hybrid, or a full EV. In third place, a car made in China but with American origins: the Tesla Model Y.
GWM SEVEN YEARS OF PLENTY
GWM South Africa has introduced an extended 7-year/200 000 km warranty for all models across its line-up – except one, that is. Yes, the Chinese firm has ditched its previously standard 5-year/100 000 km arrangement in favour of a new 7-year/200 000 km warranty, applying the latter to the Haval Jolion, H6 and new H7 as well as the P-Series, Tank 300, Tank 500 and Ora 03 – but interestingly not to the long-in-the-tooth Steed bakkie.
GWM SA describes this new extended warranty as “comprehensive and transferable”, seemingly in a thinly veiled swipe at rival firm Chery, which offers a 10-year/1-million km engine-specific warranty that is “exclusive to the original owner” (and is thus not transferable should the vehicle subsequently be sold). Fully electric and hybrid derivatives in GWM’s range, meanwhile, still feature an additional 8-year/150 000 km warranty specific to the battery pack. As a reminder, the hybrid versions of the Jolion and H6 gained the 7-year/200 000 km new-vehicle warranty coverage back in February 2024.
FORD PUMA LEADS
The Ford Puma has been crowned the UK’s best-selling new car for the second year running, as a late challenge from the Kia Sportage fell through in the final month of 2024.
The increasingly popular Kia Sportage SUV followed up several months of very consistent sales form with table-topping performances in the Autumn registration charts. By November, the sales gap between the Puma and Sportage had closed to less than 100 sales, but Kia’s hopes of taking 2024’s best-seller title were dashed in December, as the Sportage failed to make the top ten.
Mini will be pleased that its next-generation Cooper is picking up where its now-retired Mini hatch left off, and will be hoping its newest small car can carry this sales form into the new year, while several months of consistent registration number for the Volvo XC40 has seen the compact SUV take ninth in the final month of 2024, while the Audi A3 fails to keep its place in the top ten.
Volkswagen can be proud of its sales performance in 2024. The current market leader accounting for around 9% of all new car sales last year, the German brand has seen both its Golf and Polo models consistently compete and finish in the annual top ten
