Joining the South African range of its two-wheel drive small SUV derivatives, the 1.5-litre H1, H2 and H6, the large 7-seater H9 is powered by a 180 kW 2.0 Litre petrol turbo also found in the H6C.
The H9 is the fifth SUV model in the Haval range to be launched in South Africa in less than 18 months.
The H9 is powered by the 180 kW version of the brand’s 2.0-litre petrol engine with double-channel turbo charging.
The engine delivers its maximum power output at 5 500 rpm, with maximum torque of 350 Nm at 1 800 rpm all the way up to 4 500 rpm, which allows superior pull-away and acceleration performance.
Although the engine is an in-house development, Haval reached out to German engineering for the H9’s ZF 8-speed 4WD transmission.
The driver can select the most appropriate real-time road mode from six options (AUTO, 4L, Sport, Sand, Snow, and Mud) via the multi-functional display knob on the secondary instrument panel so that the system can automatically control the driving and braking force to achieve the best performances.
AUTO mode: Optimises distribution of torque to all wheels for easy driving on tar and dirt roads.
Sport mode: Drivers preferring more control for spirited driving along twisty mountain passes or challenging country roads have the choice of sportier gear changes. In sport mode, the Electronic Stability Programme (ESP) reduces system interference and improves the driving experience.
4L mode: For off-road driving, including extreme conditions, this setting amplifies torque delivery to the wheel(s) with the best grip, maximising performance to escape from sticky conditions.
Mud mode: Yet again this setting allows adjustment of the ESP to improve road holding on muddy surfaces, allowing a certain amount of slip.
Sand mode: The transmission’s electronic stability control is adapted to maximise torque to the driving wheels with the most grip to help prevent the vehicle from getting bogged down.
Snow (wet) mode: In wet weather, the ESP is controlled to improve road holding by avoiding over- and under-steer to assist driving stability.
Rear Axle Electronic Limited Slip Differential Lock: The rear axle offers a limited slip differential where the driving force of the wheel at the traction loss side is distributed to the wheel at the other side via the electro hydraulic control unit, which maximises the vehicle’s ability to utilise traction effectively, greatly improving the vehicle’s driving stability and enhanced ability to get out of difficult conditions in complex on- and off-road conditions.
Active safety features include all-round “all-directional” airbags, seat belt pre-tensioners, ISO-FIX child seat anchors, a tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS) and driver status detection system, all guaranteeing the safety for the vehicle occupants.
Electronic driver aids include ABS, BA (brake assist) and ESP, HAC (Hill-start Assist Control), RMI (Roll Movement Intervention) and HAC (Hill-start Assist Control) as well as CTA (Cross-traffic alert) and LCA (Lane-change Alert).
The H9 is a fully-specked vehicle in every way, boasting practical, comfort and luxury equipment throughout.
From the leather seats in three rows, including an 8-way electrically adjustable driver seat with lumbar support and memory function and 4-way electrically adjustable front passenger seat with ventilation and massage, manually adjustable second row of three seats and the electrically foldable twin seats in the third row, to a long list of features including three-zone climate control air-conditioning, an advanced multi-media system with an 8-inch touchscreen and integrated satellite navigation, the H9 is, well, fully equipped.
The new model is available as the H9 2.0 Petrol 4WD Luxury and is priced at R 599 900,00
The H9 has a 5-year/100 000km warranty, a 5-year/60 000km service plan, and 5-year/unlimited km roadside assistance.
