Breaking news: 2020 Haval H2 builds on established virtues, but gets a new face.
Becoming one of any market segment’s top sellers doesn’t happen without pretty good cause – especially when that segment revolves around compact SUVs. And yet, within two years of its arrival in South Africa, the Haval H2 has managed to become a strong-selling challenger to the establishment. And there’s more good news to come in 2020, when this popular SUV will receive its mid-life facelift. Reporting directly from the local unveiling at the 2019 SA Festival of Motoring, we tell you what to exp
Haval is rightly proud of the success they’ve achieved in South Africa in a very short period of time. Arriving as an unknown entity in 2017, this Chinese manufacturer gambled heavily on local buyers’ appetite for high-value SUVs, and tailored their model range accordingly – and to great effect too, it must be said.
Yes, Haval’s claim of being “the fastest growing SUV brand in South Africa” is a little silly, because when you start from essentially nowhere, any growth is logically bound to break sales records. But, putting that aside, the Haval brand has seen widespread market acceptance in the two years since their arrival, largely based upon the popularity of their H2- and H6 model ranges.
So what’s new?
This mid-life facelift doesn’t mess around with the oily bits under the skin. It’s mainly a cosmetic update, with new bumpers all round, new alloy wheels, and re-styled light clusters and radiator grille. To go with the new lights and bumpers, the fenders and bonnet have also been restyled, with the combined visual effect of this facelift adding some much-needed aggression to the H2’s appearance and largely getting rid of the current version’s rounded, cuddly image.
High-tech additions will include LED headlamps for certain trim levels, while the interior will feature full smartphone integration (Apple CarPlay) for the new touchscreen infotainment system in an otherwise largely unchanged cabin design. In addition, the facelifted H2 will have an opening glass sunroof as standard across the range, with high-spec Luxury derivatives upgrading to a full-length panoramic roof.
When is it coming here?
The updated H2 is scheduled to land in South Africa around March 2020, and will be available in four derivatives, spread over three trim levels and with two transmissions. All variants will use the same 1.5-litre turbopetrol engine as the current model, as well as the same gearbox options, suspension components, and 5-star Australian NCAP crash test rating. Both gearbox choices will be 6-speed units, in manual- or automatic flavours. And, seeing as the engine won’t change either, expect the engine’s outputs to remain at 105 kW and 202 Nm.
Is it worth waiting for?
If you absolutely have to have the latest model in your driveway, the facelifted Haval H2 is more attractive and better-equipped, and thus justifies waiting a few months for the newer one to arrive. But, seeing as there are no fundamental differences between them, the current model H2 will still suit you just as well: it’s practically as good as the upcoming one, and it’s available already. Most importantly, this extensive cosmetic update demonstrates that Haval is serious about improving their mainstream model ranges on a continuous basis. In a constrained market, that commitment is truly confidence-inspiring.
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Our impressions of the H2 were generally positive after road testing it as well.