HAVAL H2 Scheduled for Launch on the 25th of May - We've been in one already actually.

The HAVAL H2 is about to be officially launched in Malaysia. It will be launched on the 25th of May 2016 at their One Utama roadshow scheduled for this 25th to the 29th of May 2016 (as stated above). This are the photos of the preview done at the Great Wall / HAVAL display sometime November 2015 at the MAI-MST Autoshow. As a recap, or to those that missed the earlier article which was part of the show highlights, I had sat inside the white one you see in the photo below and got the friendly guy from GO AUTO Malaysia to start up this new SUV that will be launched very soon.

The H2 is powered by a 1.5liter turbocharged engine with 147hp/210nm torque via a 6 speed automatic transmission (normal torque convertor type instead of the AMT used in the HAVAL M4). The H2 is smooth at idle and there is no harsh noise intrusions in the cabin even when revving the engine a little. But this was at the autoshow. No driving experience yet.

But it looks promising with the exception to its weight according to its specs - 1450kg means that it weighs closer to a Honda CRV (1500kg) rather than the smaller HRV (1200-1300kg) but do note that it actually has a wheelbase that is closer to the CRV than the HRV. So it is slightly larger or what you can say a B/C Segment SUV.

The cabin is well equipped and the plastics used seem to be a mix of soft touch plastics on the dashboard to plasticky quality on the center console.The mix is acceptable at this price (even the HRV gets away with hard plastics) and I find the interior pleasing to the eye. Equipment levels will be high. Much like the small Haval M4 which is being sold with every equipment a car company can throw inside at the price offered. This version I sat inside had a sunroof too. The only thing I find lacking is the steering is not telescopic and only adjustable for height (up and down). Sitting position is very SUV, and like the Haval M4, I would like the steering wheel to be higher up or the seat lower by at least two inches for it to be proper. Of course, 'Proper' here means a seating position that allows attacking corners, not going to the shopping mall or for school runs. And it is a SUV.

The styling is nice. I think it is distinctive and does not really look like the Chinese have taken any design outright. It holds its own. The styling is a little retro modern, especially with the two tone paint. The white one also looks pretty good. It looks better in the flesh than in the photos. That front grille may seem a little too large but it isn't. The car looks fresh and somewhat European in execution. The people at HAVAL are good at adding elements from other cars and making it their own. This looks like their own design instead of something which is from the front of a Range Rover, the side from a Toyota and the rear of a Volkswagen. This is their own design in my opinion. And a successful one at that. Now at least HAVAL will have more cars to sell than just the Haval M4 mini SUV.

I believe HAVAL will bring in 300 or so units will be imported (CBU) with local CKD assembly following shortly after that. The targeted price for CKD cars would be between RM85,000-RM95,000. I have no idea how much the CBU cars will be priced at the moment.

This puts it below the Honda HRV and other small SUVs like the new Hyundai Tucson, Mazda CX-3 (which you will see below), CX-5 and also the Mitsubishi ASX. It is also slightly larger than the HRV and is actually more C segment SUV than a B segment SUV in terms of size, which is why I am also comparing it with the CX-5