FROM colleagues hinting that I’d have to get a second long-termer “as a spare”, to fellow journalists in the industry remarking that “I had taken one for the team”, the arrival of our first-ever (and probably world-first) Chinese long-term test car raised many an eyebrow. But – perhaps bizarrely – I was looking forward to it. You see, in the world of modern motoring, there aren’t many unknowns. It is highly unlikely that a “normal” car will give lots of trouble (and therefore lots to write about) in the first 20 000 km. But a Chinese car over the same duration? Who knows? The consumer journalist in me could scarcely resist finding out.
The subject of the test was GWM’s H5, equipped with a 2,4-litre petrol engine and 4×2 drivetrain. At the time of its introduction, it cost just over R200 000, which was rather remarkable considering the size of the vehicle, the standard specification and, at first glance, the neat build quality. The question was, however, whether the H5 would look as good when the time came to return it, and whether it was a comfortable-enough family vehicle.
Initial impressions from my family were mixed. Although the H5 didn’t smell nearly as bad as some Chinese cars we’ve tested at CAR, there was enough of an odour for my wife to comment on. However, as the mileage grew, the smell became less prevalent and the feedback more positive.
The H5 has a very spacious cabin (around Fortuner in size) and there’s a big luggage area (352 dm3) with a thick rubber mat. Unfortunately, the boot’s sliding cover is mounted too low and restricts the amount of luggage you can pack, so I removed and stored it for the rest of the test term (not ideal from a security point of view). Head-, shoulder- and legroom are all good. A spare wheel is fitted under the body of the vehicle.
Although the steering wheel is adjustable only for rake, there’s enough adjustment (electrically) from the driver’s seat to make a comfortable seating position reasonably simple to find. For some other testers, however, the driving position was too high.
The design of the H5’s facia is conservative but neat. There’s a welcome absence of the weird design touches found on some Chinese vehicles. Fit and finish are also reasonable given the price, but you can spot inconsistencies in the grade of plastics used. Some of the fittings scratch rather easily (the cubby lid and door panels, as examples). That said, nothing ever worked loose or fell off, and I can vouch for the H5 having worked hard (more of this later). A few minor complaints include an absence of cupholders in the centre console, lack of a trip computer, an indicator stalk that sounded like it was about to break off and a driver’s side sunvisor that wouldn’t stay in position.
The standard specification list reads like a fairy tale considering the price and the size of the vehicle. Dual airbags, Isofix anchorages, ABS with EBD, power steering, electric windows/mirrors, leather upholstery, remote audio controls and a touchscreen infotainment (with Bluetooth) system that also doubles as the screen for the reverse park system (with camera) are standard among other items.
Powering this H5 is a Mitsubishi-based 2,4-litre petrol engine that develops 100 kW at 5 200 r/min and 200 N.m at 4 000 r/min. It is coupled with a five-speed manual transmission that drives the rear wheels. Now keep in mind that the H5 weighs around 1,8 tonnes and you’ll understand that performance is not sizzling. We recorded a best 0-100 km/h time of 14,4 seconds and GWM claims a top speed of 160 km/h.
While the engine is fine round town (except for being very thirsty), it struggles as speeds rise and when faced with overtaking manoeuvres. Noise levels are high at speed and general refinement is poor. The transmission is as big a culprit as the engine in endowing the H5 with poor levels of NVH. Through the shift action it feels strong and very mechanical but requires a firm hand and doesn’t like to be hurried. At speed, noticeable vibration was evident through the gearlever, although this improved later in the test term.
As stated before, GWM has already made improvements to this model if our new H5 2,0 VGT long-termer is anything to go by, and this also applies to the ride quality. My H5 had a very firm ride and a top-heavy feel that, coupled with vague steering, didn’t really inspire confidence. The overly firm ride was also the one remaining issue my wife had with the vehicle, especially when seated in the rear.
Our H5 was used as the office Jack of all trades. It performed tracking-vehicle duties during filming (lots of hard-edged equipment in the boot), was used to tow a large trailer from Johannesburg to Cape Town during our 2012 Performance Shootout, and even served as a support vehicle during this year’s Rally to Read, a national initiative that distributed more than R10 million worth of education material to rural schools. On this trip, the H5 travelled to the Bokkeveld and back. Earlier in the year, the H5 also explored the Karoo, travelling mostly on gravel roads. Yes, it worked hard. And, in doing so, we learned a few things about it that normal family use would not have revealed.
Firstly, it proved absolutely reliable. The only item we had to replace during the 20 000 km test was a blown front bulb (replaced for R40 by the service agent). Secondly, the interior proved robust and the majority of the scrapes polished out. Thirdly, the ride improved markedly with a heavy load, that interestingly doesn’t seem to affect its performance too much. Finally, the engine and transmission vibrations became less noticeable towards the end of the test term.
However, the running costs were high. The service intervals are set at a low 10 000 km (GWM is investigating 15 000 km intervals) and there’s no standard service plan. Admittedly, the services aren’t expensive (I paid R1 800), but you have to do your (long-term) sums. The purchase price is low, but the fuel consumption is not (expect round 12,0 litres/100 km or more).
By the way, GWM’s service network is still growing (currently around 70 outlets), but the dealers are often outside major centres, and may require a bit of a drive to find. Both our service experiences were pleasant and devoid of frills (or problems). GWM has a R150 million parts warehouse in Durban and you shouldn’t have to wait long for parts. However, if you look at our reader input (we received a lot of feedback on this vehicle, by the way), some owners are not happy with a) reliability and b) how long they’re being forced to wait for parts.
Test Summary
Perhaps the biggest compliment I can give the H5 is that my wife misses it. Because of its hard-wearing cabin and resistance to torture, it became a desirable addition to the fleet. Sandy feet, transportation of bulky items, traversing rough roads … the H5 proved to be such a versatile vehicle that, as the year progressed and its can-do attitude became clear, I often received requests by fellow testers to use it over weekends. It’s an honest vehicle that (in our experience) appears to have good build integrity.
Based on the long-termer, however, the H5 is still rough round the edges in some areas and GWM needs to address the glaring NVH issues that affected this test car. It also needs to find a more economical petrol engine. That said, if there’s one thing we’ve learned from subsequent GWM test vehicles, it is that this brand learns fast.
This is a test that could’ve turned into an embarrassing PR disaster, but it did not. GWM’s management team seems to have enough faith in its products and, given our first-hand experience, that faith is justified. It makes you wonder about the brands that don’t even make test vehicles available…