The 2018 Haval H7, previously scheduled to debut
here in the second half of this year, has been pushed back to “early 2018”,
with initial details also released this
week.
Despite the fact it will likely be priced against
medium SUVs, the H7 measures 4900 mm in long-wheelbase ‘L’ guise – putting it in
closer contention with large crossovers like the Kia Sorento, Mazda CX-9 and
the Toyota Kluger.
The H7 will be motivated by
four-cylinder turbo petrol power only. The 2.0-litre unit develops 231 Hp of
power and 350 Nm of torque. Drive will be sent to the front wheels via a
six-speed dual-clutch transmission.
The H7 will be packed with technology when it
arrives in local showrooms, with the high-spec Lux variant scoring a 12.3-inch
virtual driver’s instrument panel, electric tailgate, semi-automatic parking,
blind spot monitoring, lane change assist, rear cross traffic alert and a
360-degree camera system.
While autonomous emergency braking (AEB) and forward
collision warning remain glaring omissions from the spec sheet, Haval has
confirmed it is working on adding the potentially life-saving technologies in
the first quarter of 2018.
It’s unclear where this leaves the current H8 “large
SUV” – which measures 4806 mm long – though it’s possible a replacement for the
company’s current large family hauler is in the works and will grow in size.
