Going With More: GWM Previews Haval H9 in Baoding China – Feature

In the past few years, Chinese Automotive manufacturers have really staked a claim on the Philippine market. These are the brands that are the most aggressive when it comes to launching numerous models every year, and they are also very keen to share with us just how good their brand is by inviting us to China every so often.

GWM is one of the brands I’ve always had a healthy respect for; their cars are well-made, and fit a need rather than just flooding the market like others do. Their latest soon-to-be-launched model is something that might actually shake things up, and we got to sample it in China before it launches this February 4.

Go With More

We’re so used to made-up taglines and mottos from companies that try too hard, but GWM’s “Go With More” is simple and quite clever as a play on the brand’s name, but in reality, it also speaks of the automaker’s commitment to actually giving more when it comes to their products.

In the “dog-eat-dog” world of the automotive industry, it’s more important now to stand out and deliver, rather than just exist. Chinese brands flooded the market in the past 5 years, but slowly the weaker ones have died off, the ones that offer nothing more than just “meh” products have gone the way of the dodo, leaving the stronger ones to fend for themselves.

GWM is one of those groups that was smart enough to make products that mean something to the customer, which we got a taste of by touring their facilities in their hometown of Baoding, China. Baoding is situated to the west of Beijing, a 2-3 hour bus ride from the Metropolis capital to a more provincial city. Baoding, though, is your typical Chinese Province in the sense that it’s very progressive and developed, given the huge amount of industrial support it gets from the manufacturing side.

On our first full day in Baoding, we were brought to some key facilities within the GWM group, the highlights of which include the crash test area, hydrogen facility, and a fully-fledged test track. The crash test area is a new one for me. I’ve been on a lot of trips, and this is my first time actually seeing one. Lucky for me, GWM has one of the biggest and most advanced in Asia. Next up was the hydrogen R&D center, which, for me, is very interesting because I’ve always had a strong belief that it could be a worthy alternative to fossil fuels. The hydrogen technology is currently being applied to commercial trucking, but research and development continue for a passenger car application; nonetheless, GWM is the first manufacturer that’s actually taken me around such a place.

We rounded out our first full day with the customary test drive experience. What surprised me was that GWM has its own test driving facility that comprises a multiple surface track, steep incline testing, and even a high speed banked track. Having done this sort of thing multiple times already, I can, in this case, say that GWM’s cars are well-made and seem to have enough built-in capabilities to say they are engaging to drive.

Haval H9 Pre-Launch Showcase

Our main reason for going to Baoding was to experience the Haval H9, a 7-seater SUV slated to take on the likes of the Montero, Fortuner, and many more. As we all know, that segment is one of the best-selling and is very contested. We were assured, however, that the H9 was spec’d and developed as a possible challenger to the “established” nameplates in the segment.

Keen to prove a point, we were brought 2 hours outside the city center to a mountainous area, through the twisties, we got a glimpse of what the countryside looks like during the dead of winter, and I have to say that in that part of China, it was beautiful. One of the most awe-inspiring places I’ve ever been blessed to visit, it was complete with sculpted hillsides, clear lakes, and healthy wooded areas, a true wilderness.

Nestled in a valley between the peaks was a small town that I could only describe as quaint. In this town, however, there was a facility built as an exclusive off-road proving grounds for GWM. That property was huge; it featured a “main house” akin to a Bond villain’s lair, and within that property was a 3.8-kilometer off-road track that featured river crossings, terrible terrain, very steep inclines, and basically anything you can throw at a car.

For this part of our trip, we weren’t actually allowed to drive the cars (for safety purposes), while we were at first a little “miffed” at that, I soon came to realize that they had every right to keep us away from driving. From the moment we buckled into the Haval H9, the driver, without any warning, began to drive over gravel mounds, go down a flight of stairs, and drive up and down a 40-degree incline, all of which happened in the span of just a few minutes.

Still gathering my thoughts, we briskly proceeded across the property into the wilderness, crossing a river, steaming through a dirt track, and bouncing around inside the cabin. I was shocked at just how capable the H9 is, and how bearable it was despite the rough terrain. I didn’t hear or feel any broken parts or panels; the car stayed together all throughout the experience. This is very impressive because our driver really did drive the pants off this car, and the track was not easy peasy; it could serve as a special rally stage. That’s how demanding it was, yet the H9 just kept going; it didn’t even bog down or show any hint of struggle.

Worthy Adversary

Overall, the Haval H9 is something worthy of consideration by anyone looking into the 7-seater SUV market. We can’t disclose much about it yet, but it will come with AWD and a diesel engine at a very, very competitive price point.

GWM isn’t as big as it should be yet in the Philippines, but the lineup is actually well stocked already; it is one of the few brands that completes most types of propulsion (EV, HEV, and ICE). Having seen the present and future outlook, I’d like to think they have a strong chance of making a bigger dent in the market, because the cars actually have character besides being capable. We want to buy cars because we like them, not just because we need them. GWM knows this and is very well aware.