Australia Soon To Be Invaded By Haval: Chinese SUV Brand Vows To Overtake Toyota

Chinese SUV brand Haval is entering the Australian market. This early, it is already bragging it will corner the spot long lorded by Toyota.

Haval will initially launch three models in Australia, the H2, large H8 and seven-seat H9. A report by Carsguide.com.au states the H2, which is the cheapest among the Haval models and is sized the same as a Honda HR-V, will be sold in Australia starting around $20,000. The more expensive H9, a seven-seat heavy-duty four-wheel-drive similar in size and style to a Toyota Prado, will cost $45,000.

The $20,000 and $45,000 price tags of the H2 and H9 is less $5,000 and $15,000 respectively over their Toyota competition. The other two models, the mid-sized H6 Coupe and slightly larger H7, will be brought in by 2016.

Haval will initially sell turbo petrol-powered vehicles in Australia, but it said the diesel variants are due to follow anytime soon. Australia will see the Chinese vehicles in the market in June.

Tim Smith, formerly of Kia Motors but is now Haval Australia’s chief marketing officer, said China has shipped out 200 Haval vehicles and are already their way to Australia. He admitted, though, that the sale has yet to be formally approved by the Federal Government.

“Haval is the Number 1 SUV brand in China, and we have the confidence that, over time, it can grow up to be the number one SUV brand (in Australia),” Haval CEO Wang Fengying told Australian journalists at the Shanghai motor show. “It will take time to achieve the goal, but the goal has been set,” she added.

Smith said he expects all five Haval models will earn and pass the maximum safety rating standards of local independent crash-tester ANCAP. So far, only the Haval H6 has been tested and was awarded five stars by ANCAP’s Chinese affiliate C-NCAP.

Achieving 5-star ratings would put Haval ahead of the other established car makers, including the Mini Cooper, BMW 2 Series Active Tourer, Kia Carnival and Suzuki Celerio.

Alysha Webb, an industry consultant and former bureau chief for Automotive News China, thinks Haval has a chance to make it big in Australia. “I think they have a shot, they’re a very flexible company, a very forward looking company,” Webb told News Corp Australia.

She noted Haval’s decision to stop selling the H8 when they didn’t get the quality right. “That was a big call. Although it looked bad, that showed they were willing to take the hit to put out a good product.”

To report problems or to leave feedback about this article, email: e.misa@ibtimes.com.au.n