Haval’s eagerly awaited rival for the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado and, from a size perspective, the Land Cruiser 300, has again emerged in a single image in China, this time with an official name.
It is massive
Known until now by its internal moniker P04, the distinctly American-style newcomer revives the H5 nameplate last used on a model sold by its parent company Great Wall Motors (GWM), the Hover.
A dramatic departure from said model though, the new H5 measures 5 190mm long, 1 835mm wide and 1 905mm tall, with the final wheelbase stretching 3 140mm. In terms of the former figure, the H5 is longer than the 4 980mm Land Cruiser 300 and the 5 165mm Nissan Patrol.
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According to the information uncovered by carnewschina.com that had been submitted to China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the H5 will have a choice of three grille options, two designs for the 18-inch alloy wheels and three trim levels corresponding to the grille; base, L and Max.
While no final images previewing the interior emerged, prior sightings confirmed the presence of a touchscreen infotainment system, Ford Mustang-inspired three-spoke steering wheel, a freestanding digital instrument cluster, minimalist centre console and a chunky gear lever.
Power of four only
Underneath, the H5 will utilise a body-on-frame platform derived from the GWM King Kong Cannon bakkie with a choice of two-wheel-drive or part-time four-wheel-drive.
As previously indicated, despite its similar profile to the long discontinued Ford Excursion, the H5 won’t have access to a six-or-eight-cylinder engine.
Instead, two units taken from the King Kong Cannon have been approved; a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol outputting either 145kW or 165kW, and a 2.0-litre turbodiesel rated at 122kW. No other transmission but an eight-speed automatic has been mentioned.
No word yet about South Africa
Reportedly on-track to make its official public debut at the Chengdu Auto Show in August, the CarNewsChina report claims Haval will commence sales in the fourth quarter of this year in China, with exports likely to start soon after.
Although still not confirmed for South Africa, chances are that Haval South Africa could green light sales in 2024 should approval be given based on prior sales of the Hover and the original H5.
