Haval H9 2017 Review

With features like a dual-range transmission and locking rear diff, Haval’s Prado-size seven-seat H9 SUV is the company’s only true off-roader. One sore point, has been the big wagon’s suspension and steering which lack the cohesiveness of most of competitors -- especially in the rough stuff. So Haval, in conjunction with Ironman 4x4, have come up with an off-road suspension package that it hopes will soon be on the accessories menu at Haval dealerships.

The Northern Territory is home to some of Australia’s most outstanding natural beauty… And some of its ugliest, toughest roads and tracks! It’s tailor-made as a venue to test Haval’s prototype H9 suspension kit.

With an eye to attracting Aussie buyers looking for serious off-road ability, the Chinese SUV specialist brand has sort out local expertise. It’s 4WD suspension and accessory specialist Ironman 4x4 that has taken on the task.

Springs and dampers are new; the heavier-duty springs are taller, providing a 50mm lift when unladen (the maximum suspension lift permitted without an engineer’s certificate), and the new shocks have different valving. Front-end geometry has been altered as part of the deal with Ironman setting a slightly different toe-in angle to enhance turn-in.

Standing unladen, the prototype H9 looks a bit odd sitting high on its suspension with an obvious wheel arch gap and with wheels that look small and out of scale.

Throw on some fit-for-purpose chunky all-terrain or mud-terrain off-road tyres (the H9 runs highway-terrain Coopers) and some gear in the back (plus, if Haval Australia gets its way, accessories such as a bullbar) and the H9 will settle on its suspension and look the part.

On the tarmac leaving Darwin, the H9 felt firm and just slightly fidgety on its suspension. It wasn’t by any means annoying, but you could tell that the suspension was firmer than standard. Over potholes and bumps, the H9 remain composed. Turning in on open fast corners, the steering felt precise and while not a Cayenne or X5, certainly a lot better than the standard car.

Where it all got interesting was on the rough, corrugated road leading into Litchfield National Park’s Wangi Falls. Here, the new suspension came into its own, providing a supple yet well-controlled ride.

Large bulldust holes were swallowed up at speed, the suspension compressing and then simply returning to normal ride height without oscillating on its springs. And while it felt on the firm side barrelling along on smooth dirt, over corrugations the live rear axle remained planted with none of the typical axle hop and loss of directional stability that affects some of the H9’s counterparts.

On the Litchfield Daly Railroad Road (now there’s a mouthful), the Haval soaked up the mounds and hollows of the track (it’s not really a road) very well.

It’s hard to give a suspension gushing praise when travelling such relatively short distances – and given it’s off-road touring purpose, when effectively unladen. Nonetheless, in the bounds of this brief taste test, the modification looks very promising as not only a 4WD touring suspension, but as good all-round underpinnings for a body-on-frame SUV like this.

Mixed Blessings
The rest of the H9 is a mix of good and bad. While the brand itself is relatively new, the H9 showed no glaring quality problems. Indeed, the interior looked well-finished and while the green exterior paintwork seemed to be a darker shade here and there, it had a nice lustre and no obvious paint finish defects.

The seats are comfortable and the instruments and controls easy to find – except, that is, the infotainment screen. It’s angled upwards towards the top of the centrestack and in our strong sunlight doesn’t have enough contrast -- especially with the reversing camera engaged.

Haval has also chosen a very odd navigation guidance voice for the H9. It is very synthesised, sounding much like Dr Stephen Hawking.

Indeed, if you’re the type of person who sets their watch to chime every hour, who has a doorbell with selectable chimes (that you set to chime Jingle Bells during the festive season, for example) and Tubular Bells is your favourite album, then you’ll love the H9. It has a chime for cruise control speed adjustment to 4WD mode selection and just about everything in between.

For the rest of us who find the incessant chiming just plain annoying, the good news is that Haval Australia gave Haval HQ in China a ring to ask them to wipe the chimes from the menu. China listened, and so for the 2018 H9 some of the bells will no longer toll.

Good news too, for those who don’t like the H9’s hazard lights flashing when even just braking slightly more heavily than normal, this too will be tamed down for MY18.

In the engine room
The H9’s main handicap isn’t as easily fixed. For starters, most buyers in this segment favour a turbo-diesel and Haval has none to offer. Then there’s the problem of the 2.0-litre turbo-four’s performance – or lack thereof, especially off the mark.

The 160kW four-cylinder revs out quietly and cleanly and the six-speed auto shuttles the relatively low amount of torque (324Nm) down the line smoothly, but it was plain to see even just two-up that this powertrain was working hard. With a full complement of occupants and their gear it’d be even harder pressed.

Thirst is the other issue. We jumped into the vehicle after it had driven an easy 30km down the Stuart Highway from Darwin, with the trip computer showing a consumption average north of 20L/100km.

After a 150km drive, the average settled at 15.6L/100km – still too high, and way above the official 12.1L/110km combined cycle figure.

The Haval H9’s prototype off-road suspension appears to work really well and is a solid step in the right direction -- not only as an off-road tourer, but also as proficient family wagon.

The biggest problem the H9 faces is its lack of power and thirst. The 2018-model H9, with its 180kW/350Nm engine, new eight-speed auto and 10 per cent claimed lower fuel consumption, can’t come soon enough.

2017 Haval H9 Premium pricing and specifications:
Price: $46,490 (including on-road costs)
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 160kW/324Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel: 12.1L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 278g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Four-star ANCAP