The Haval H7 is a ‘Big Dog' families will love
Road manners are fair, with decent insulation and a relaxed cruising manner at freeway speeds. Body-roll under cornering, hard acceleration and firm braking is to be anticipated. Buyers will find German and Japanese rivals offer more polish where on-road dynamic adeptness is concerned.
The driving position is high-up and commanding while cabin space is considerable, simulating the feel of a much larger vehicle. Luggage capacity is 482 l, extending to 1,362 l with the seats folded.
Part of the allure surrounding Chinese marques is the generous provision of standard equipment. To this end, the H7 delivers and then some. For the money it offers buyers a great deal, with everything from leatherette upholstery to electric seat adjustment, heated seats, heated steering wheel, a panoramic roof, digital instrument cluster and a massive central infotainment screen that almost resembles a household smart television.
The suite of driver assistance features are plentiful, but as noted in previous reviews, the systems could do with sharper calibration for local market conditions. They tend to overreact and intrude, alarming the driver rather than offering meaningful aid.
All things considered, however, the H7 is a compelling package with a strong appeal in the busy C-segment market. It embodies that basic recipe that is holding the Chinese in good stead: bold looks, high specification and keen pricing.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
IOL News
10 hours ago
- IOL News
Will Suzuki build cars in SA? Minister Tau engaging with carmakers as tariff debate rages
Donald Trump's automotive tariffs, while only affecting the Mercedes-Benz operations in South Africa, have sparked conversations on whether the government is sufficiently protecting own market. According to Lightstone, around 37% of the vehicles that South Africans purchase are locally produced, while a significant 36% are imported from India and 11% from China. At a media event outlining South Africa's response to Donald Trump's tariffs, held in Pretoria on Tuesday, Minister of Trade and Industry, Parks Tau, revealed some interesting insights into the country's plan for the automotive industry. Asked whether the government was considering raising the import tariffs on Indian and Chinese vehicles in order to prevent our market from being flooded, Tau did not rule out such a move but said the Department of Trade, Industry and Commerce (DTIC) was not in favour of punitive measures. 'With regards to Chinese and Indian auto, it is a discussion that we're currently having with the intention of taking a less punitive approach, but rather taking a more proactive approach of getting some of those products manufactured in the country.' Tau said many Chinese manufacturers had expressed interest in establishing themselves in the country and were making contributions towards a revised Automotive Production and Development Program (APDP), which is currently under review. Tau said he could not comment on what the actual decision would be, regarding tariffs, but added that it was the government's intention to accelerate the policy development process and related instruments in the implementation of the APDP. Discussions with Suzuki Auto Earlier this year Naamsa CEO Mikel Mabasa revealed that at least three Chinese car manufacturers were considering setting up vehicle production facilities in South Africa. Interestingly, the DTIC has also been engaging with Suzuki Auto, which recently became the country's second best-selling brand, thanks largely to an affordable product portfolio sourced almost entirely from its Maruti Suzuki division in India. 'I should say that we spoke about the Chinese, but in the next two weeks, we'll also be engaging with both Japan and India. You would know that Suzuki has a great presence in the country right now, and we will be visiting. 'So whilst it's a Japanese company, they're exporting from India to the South African market. So we'll be touching (base with) both the parent company and the company that's exporting into the South African market to see how we can cooperate and collaborate, on the basis of seeking to attract them as an investor into our country. 'So we're not holding the stick as a starting point. We start with the carrot and then balance it with the stick," Tau concluded.
TimesLIVE
11 hours ago
- TimesLIVE
Porsche SE cuts outlook, plans bigger push into defence
Holding company Porsche SE, Volkswagen's largest shareholder, cut its full-year profit forecast on Wednesday, weighed down by the German carmaker's weak first-half performance, while reiterating its plans to invest in the defence sector. Why it's important US tariffs have dealt a heavy blow to global carmakers, forcing them to book billions of dollars in losses, issue profit warnings, slash forecasts and raise prices. Though the EU has reached a trade deal that brought US tariffs on EU-made cars down to 15% from the previously imposed 25%, some analysts remain cautious as the duty is far higher than the 2.5% rate before US President Donald Trump launched his trade offensive. German car and car parts makers are meanwhile exploring the defence sector as a potential growth avenue, as Europe ramps up military spending. Key quotes 'Against the backdrop of a changing geopolitical situation and growing security policy requirements, Porsche SE sees considerable development potential in the defence and security sector and intends to capitalise on this,' the company said in a statement. 'With regard to portfolio investments, our aim is to increase our involvement in the defence and defence-related sectors while maintaining our core focus on mobility and industrial technology,' chairperson Hans Dieter Poetsch said. By the numbers Porsche SE expects the adjusted group result after tax to land between €1.6bn (R32,860,000,000) and €3.6bn (R74,005,200,000) in 2025, compared with €2.4bn (R49,349,280,000) to €4.4bn (R90,469,676,000) anticipated earlier. It reported an adjusted net profit of €1.1bn (R22,617,419,000) for the first half of the year, down by nearly a half from last year's €2.1bn (R43,178,709,000). Context Porsche SE, controlled by the Porsche and Piech families, is highly exposed to Volkswagen's performance through its nearly 32% stake, which influences its valuation, earnings and financial guidance. It also owns 12.5% of luxury carmaker Porsche AG, with much of the rest held by the Volkswagen Group. For full-year 2024, Porsche SE had disclosed impairments of €19.9bn (R409,169,671,000) on VW and €3.4bn (R69,899,240,000) on Porsche AG.
TimesLIVE
13 hours ago
- TimesLIVE
Global EV sales up 21% in July as growth rate cools
Global electric vehicle (EV) sales grew 21% year-on-year in July, the slowest rate since January and down from 25% in June, as momentum in plug-in hybrid sales in China slackened, market research firm Rho Motion said on Wednesday. Why it's important China is the world's biggest car market and accounts for more than half of global EV sales, which in Rho Motion's data include battery-electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids. Its overall car sales growth slowed in July, with BYD, the world's largest EV maker, recording its third monthly drop in registrations. The relatively muted slowdown in overall EV sales, however, shows other markets are taking up some of the slack, with European sales benefiting from incentives aimed at speeding up decarbonisation. By the numbers Global sales of battery-electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids rose to 1.6-million units in July, Rho Motion data showed. China's EV sales growth, which averaged 36% a month in the first half, eased to 12% in July as the previously booming market was dampened by a pause in some 2025 government subsidy schemes for EV and plug-in hybrid purchases, Rho Motion data manager Charles Lester said. Chinese sales reached about one-million vehicles. European sales surged 48% to about 390,000 units, while North American sales climbed 10% to more than 170,000. Sales in the rest of the world jumped 55% to more than 140,000 vehicles. Key quote 'Despite regional variations, the overall trajectory for EV adoption in 2025 remains strongly upward,' Lester said. What's next?
