Haval boosts range with facelifted H2

Haval unveiled its face-lifted H2 at the Festival of Motoring at Kyalami, ahead of its local sales debut in the first quarter of next year.

The compact Chinese crossover vehicle, which was launched here in May 2017, sports a fresh new look with a revised front grille, updated front and rear bumpers, widened wheel arches and arrow-shaped lights. The 18-inch wheels are retained, but adopt a new five-spoke design.

The updated interior features Apple Carplay and a sunroof as standard across the four-model range, with a panoramic sunroof for the Luxury model. A new gear shifter has been introduced for the auto model and there are various minor updates to the upholstery and finishing.

Mechanically, the H2 is unchanged and, as before, is powered by a 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine with outputs of 105kW and 202Nm, driving the front wheels via a choice of either a six-speed manual or six-speed auto transmission.

The H2 is one of Haval’s best sellers and attained the second-best sales volume in SA’s small SUV category from the third quarter of this year.

The vehicle is available in two equipment grades. Items like cruise control, keyless entry, dual front airbags, stability control, ABS brakes and a reversing camera come standard in both derivatives, while the Lux lays on extras like a leather steering wheel, leather seats, side and curtain airbags, and LED headlamps.

The H2 has a five-star Ancap (Australasian New Car Assessment Program) safety rating. A five-year/100,000km warranty and five-year/60,000km service plan are part of the deal. 

Haval has also launched a Luxury version of its H6 SUV, which is on display at the Festival of Motoring.

Chinese giant Haval arrived in SA two years ago when it took over the GWM brand’s previous local distributor and the company was renamed Haval Motors Africa. It introduced the Haval H1, H2, H6 and H9 SUVs, selling alongside the Steed bakkie range from GWM, which has been in the country since 2007. 

Haval’s vehicles have gained a reputation for good value for money, with better build quality, safety and refinement than other Chinese vehicles, which has led to impressive local sales.

Haval has grown its network to 53 dealers, with another four to open before the end of the year.