Haval H2 vs Mazda CX-3 vs Mitsubishi ASX: here's our winner.
Haval H2 vs Mazda CX-3 vs Mitsubishi ASX: here's our winner.
By Farzana Chaumoo
The H2 is good looking, has a spacious cabin and a full-size spare. The ASX comes at a good price, offers a good safety package and good interior space. The CX-3 has a graceful design, inside and out, sharp handling and fun steering. How do they fare against each other? Read on…
Produced by the biggest Chinese SUV company, the H2 is a little vehicle that rivals the likes of Honda’s HR-V, the Hyundai Kona, the Mitsubishi ASX and Mazda's CX-3. The H2 is more affordable than the other vehicles in the segment, if you’ve been doing your research you would already know, but aside from its price – how good is it?
The H2 has a boot capacity of 300 litres which is small next to rivals like the Honda HR-V which offers 437 litres, the C-HR offers 377 litres and the Kona’s offers 361 litres. However, it does offer more luggage space than the CX-3, which only manages 264 litres. What you lose in space capacity in the H2s boot, you make up in driving without the fear of a puncture as the H2 has a full-sized spare wheel under the boot floor. The H2’s cabin is spacious, with good head, shoulder and legroom up front and in the rear.
If you’re planning on taking an H2 off-road, you may want to reconsider that as its only available in front-wheel drive and exclusively with a six-speed automatic transmission. The 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol also suffers from major turbo lag but at revs above 2500 rpm, you should be fine.
In terms of safety, the H2 scored the maximum five-star ANCAP (Australasian New Car Assessment Program) rating. It is fitted with disc brakes, traction and stability control and several airbags, six to be exact.
Read Chad Lückhoff’s review on the Haval H2 1.5T Luxury Auto
This segment of vehicles is tempting to look at and the desirability levels are dangerous. Despite the price tags, logic just goes out the window with cars sometimes, but when you combine cute looks like that of a CX-3 and its price tag of just above R315,000, the temptation will be knocking.
One needs to keep in mind though, that the CX-3 was built on the Mazda2 platform, which means its boot is too small for a family of four. So if you’re a young family taken by its prettiness, you may want to check first if your pram could fit in it.
For a single individual or a young couple, there are no hassles. I know a couple who enjoys the interesting looks, and the tight rear seat and the small boot doesn’t affect them at all. Believe it or not, there are buyers who are purchasing the CX-3 just for its looks.
The CX-3 comes with a suite of safety features that include 6 SRS airbags, Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) with integrated Traction Control System (TCS) is standard on all models, as well as Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) and Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD).
The CX-3 was last updated in July 2018, read Revisiting the Revised Mazda CX-3
Without having any major changes made to it, the Mitsubishi ASX has been consistently selling over the last decade. New entrants in the compact SUV segment are pressurizing the ASX harder than ever but, on a global scale, its managing good sales figures.
The ASX is a box on wheels but its 18-inch wheels give it a good stance while the paint also looks pretty good these days. It’s also not a pretentious vehicle as in there’s no soft plastics and no attempt to cover gaps or blanks. The ground clearance is significantly higher than the segment's low-riding Mazda CX-3 and is measured at 205mm.
Boot space in the ASX is excellent and starts at 393 litres, which is almost at the top of the class. Maximum luggage capacity can be increased to 1193 litres when you drop the 60/40 split-fold rear seats.
In terms of safety, the ASX also scored a maximum 5-star ANCAP safety rating, which was awarded in 2014. It features 7 airbags, ABS, stability and traction controls, reversing camera and emergency brake assist. There’s also three top-tether anchor points and two ISOFIX anchors for baby seats.
Verdict
The H2 looks really good, however, it can be let down by its driveability and refinement. Haval specs its SUVs really well with long lists of standard equipment and features like good rear legroom and a sunroof. But rivals like the Kona, HR-V, C-HR and C-X3 have a higher standard of build quality and driving experience which the Haval H2 is yet to measure up to. The H2 is available with a starting price of R259,900.
The CX-3 scores a little higher than the H2 and is our clear winner here, as it's got a little more presence, marginally better engines with improved fuel economy, and a more stylish interior for the starting price of R316 900,00.
The ASX may be as old as the hills but it's soldiering on and is the most expensive SUV in this trio. Starting at R359,995 its rather roomy, affordable and well equipped.