Buyers will the option of either a normal petrol engine, a self-charging HEV hybrid or a plug-in hybrid under the Hi4 banner.
New H7 will replace the current model based on the Haval Big Dog. Picture: GWM Haval South Africa Facebook page
A surprise debutant at the Kyalami Festival of Motoring in August, Great Wall Motors (GWM) South Africa has started revealing details of the new Haval H7 ahead of its imminent market launch.
Pre-orders open
Replacing the current H7 based on the Haval Big Dog, the newcomer uses the Haval Raptor as a base, which went on-sale in China in April as the Raptor Menglong Plus.
A derivative of the “real” Raptor that first entered production in the People’s Republic three years ago, the H7 can now be pre-ordered from all GWM’s dealership. However, final pricing hasn’t yet been announced.
Three engine options
Although previewed as a hybrid wearing the self-charging Hi4 badge at the Kyalami event, GWM Haval South Africa, in a new teaser image on its Facebook page, confirmed the H7 will have a choice of petrol, hybrid or plug-in hybrid powertrains.
Hybrid
Based on the Australian variant, the self-charging hybrid or HEV combines the same 1.5 T-GDI engine from the H6 HEV and outgoing H7 HEV with a more powerful 1.53-kWh battery pack.
According to carexpert.com.au, the combined output increases from 179kW/530Nm to 182kW/670Nm. A Dedicated Hybrid Transmission (DHT) will be the sole option.
PHEV
The plug-in hybrid, meanwhile, combines the same petrol engine with the second most powerful battery pack option available in China, a 33.7-kWh unit powering two electric motors.
A setup that makes the H7 all-wheel drive, the combination develops 320kW/750Nm, which translates to an all-electric range of 137 km and a combined 844 km with the combustion engine included.
Petrol
For the conventional petrol, the H7 is likely to retain the outgoing model’s 2.0 T-GDI engine as this is also the sole combustion option availed to the Raptor in China.
However, expect it to possibly have the power and torque figures as its departing sibling of 170kW/380Nm.
While the nine-speed automatic gearbox is likely to continue, it remains to be seen whether the new combustion engine H7 will again have the option of front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive as in the case of its soon-to-be predecessor.
Dimensions
Using the Menglong Plus’ figures, the new H7’s dimensions are as follows:
- Length: 4 912mm;
- Wheelbase: 2 850mm;
- Height: 1 905mm;
- Width: 1 950mm.
This makes it 207mm shorter and 125mm lower than the Big Dog-derived H7, with its wheelbase also being 40mm shorter and its width 44mm narrower.
Unknown is whether it have the same option of seven-seats as in Australia, or remain a five-seat only model.
Price?
At present, GWM South Africa is only expected to confirm pricing at the local launch, which will seemingly take place next week sometime.
As a reminder, pricing for the current Big Dog-derived model starts at R604 950 and ends at R734 950.
However, expect stickers for the new H7 to start lower given the more extensive range of powertrain options it will offer.
