On October 4th, cars.co.za, South Africa’s leading motoring website announced their 39 finalists (3 in each of 13 categories) for the 2019/2020 Cars.co.za Consumer Awards – powered by WesBank.
The finalists were selected out of 65 vehicles that Cars.co.za’s extended editorial team agreed were the best derivatives available in the South African new passenger vehicle market as at the 1st September 2019. The #CarsAwards – now in its 5th year – was conceived to be South Africa’s definitive automotive awards programme and it has steadily grown in stature, reach and influence with the support of WesBank, South Africa’s largest vehicle finance provider. The 13 category winners and Brand of the Year recipient will be announced at a glittering awards ceremony in Johannesburg on February 2020.
Haval was delighted at the prospect of being made a semi-finalist in the Adventure category and then even more so on Friday when the finalists were announced, named as one of three finalists in the Adventure category. This is the first time in the history of the awards that a Chinese automaker has reached the finals for this coveted award.
What is the meaning of ADVENTURE? Well according to the English Dictionary Adventure is an unusual and exciting or daring experience. At Haval, the face of Adventure is most certainly the all-terrain conquering; go anywhere; do anything king of Chinese luxury 4X4 SUVs, the Haval H9.
The Haval H9 is the pinnacle of luxury in this segment featuring specifications seen only in much larger SUVs than the three opponents for overall honours in the Adventure segment. As standard equipment the Haval H9 features leather seats with massage function for the driver and the front passenger, a ventilated 8 Way Memory Electrically Adjustable Driver Seat makes driving absolutely comfortable.
For would-be Adventurists, it features top-level Off-road Equipment in the form of a two-litre Turbo high power petrol engine in conjunction with an 8 speed ZF automatic gearbox with an electronic gear lever as well as paddle shifters. Power output stands at 180kw at 5500rpm
while the torque figures are 350Nm/1800-4500rpm as a steady curve through the rev range.
A Borg-Warner double-speed Torque On Demand system comes as standard fitment ensuring stronger performance in obstacle crossing, climbing and self-recovery while offering better noise isolation and a more comfortable driving feeling. The Eaton electronic limited-slip differential lock or Hydraulic Control Unit (HCU) provides proper braking for slipping wheels, thus increasing opposite driving wheel’s adhesion or grip levels. Hill descent mode is also a standard feature taking the stress away from steep declines. To further assist your off-road adventures, a New Generation ATS (all-terrain control system) coordinates the engine, transmission and chassis according to different road conditions to help drivers to overcome different terrain be it the highway, snow, sand or even muddy trails.
The Haval H9 features front double-wishbone independent suspension and rear multi-link non-independent suspension to further enhance the smooth and versatile drive the vehicle offers. An approach angle of 28° and departure angle of 23° together with a minimum ground clearance of 206mm ensures comfort in almost any off-road situation. Sporting a separate frame to body Function meaning the Engine, Transmission, Suspension and body are installed on high rigidity beams and the frame is connected with wheels by Front and the Rear suspension means the road impact is carried by the frame, which provides good stability and comfort ensuring excellent levels of safety and off-road performance while guaranteeing body stability.
As is the norm with all Haval SUVs, safety is a key focus point on the H9 and in this department as with the others mentioned above, the Chinese manufacturer doesn’t hold back at all. The system controlling everything is the very latest in BOSCH 9th-generation ESP systems featuring Driving Assist Monitoring, a system that alerts the driver to fatigue, AFS or Automotive Headlights Adaptive Front Lighting System which improves night driving safety, high-rigidity Safety Bodywork for safety in accidents, 6 SRS airbags as well as Active Headrests.
To further enhance occupant comfort the Haval H9 features a three-zone automatic air conditioning system while the large and luxurious interior space builds a humanized and comfortable driving and passenger experience. The flexible 7-seat design enables you to plan the space utilisation as you wish, in order to meet various space utilization demands of the driver and passengers under different conditions.
The list of specifications as standard equipment is endless and one could go on and on. At a retail price of R609900, the Haval H9 is most certainly great value for money without giving away in any area be it performance, off-road prowess or luxury. But don’t just take our word for it; some of the most highly acclaimed South African motoring media have made their own comments regarding the flagship from the Haval brand.
“Impressively spacious, superbly practical, well-made and lavishly equipped (the front seats are ventilated and include a massage function; the driver’s seat is 8-way electrically adjustable with extra lumbar support and memory function; there’s LED mood lighting, blind spot detection, plus cross-traffic alert and lane-change alert functions… the list goes on and on), the H9 2.0T 4WD Luxury is a tremendous value proposition… cars.co.za David Taylor Oct 24th, 2018
“That said, the H9 offers Prado-like levels of practicality and versatility (with more spec) at a price that’s lower than a Fortuner’s, and this fact alone makes it worthy of an extended test drive…” December 2018 CAR magazine
“Luxury, well-appointed interior, large, quiet, safe, and comfortable seven-seat SUV. Good on-road and off-road performance for a bargain price.” Ferdi De Vos Road Trip
“You can rest assured that the H9 is one of the most attractive new car packages on sale in SA today. You want space, you got it. You want tech, you got it. You want presence, the H9 drips that too.” PRITESH RUTHUN IOL
Haval H9 announced as a finalist in 2019/2020 Consumer awards https://t.co/IeTlaweD3R #ArriveAlive #Finalist #ConsumerAwards @HavalSouth pic.twitter.com/97bWvj4S3t
— Arrive Alive (@_ArriveAlive) October 25, 2019