The GWM Haval H9 wants to fight the Toyota Fortuner
The Toyota Fortuner is undoubtedly the king of the midsize pickup-based SUV segment. It’s really infamous (IYKYK) at the moment too. GWM Philippines wants to try to steal some buyers from it and they plan to do it with the Haval H9.
Unveiled at the 2024 Beijing Auto Show, the GWM Haval H9 is now on its second generation and will make its first Philippine appearance at the upcoming 20th Manila International Auto Show (MIAS) where it is set to be previewed.
Despite the Chinese automaker having its sights on popular midsize SUVs, this is actually larger. It measures at 5,070mm long, 1,976mm wide, 1,930mm tall, and rides on a 2,850mm wheelbase. This makes it larger than the latest Toyota Land Cruiser Prado (J250) too.
On to the looks, the GWM Haval H9 features will have a lot of road presence with its large and boxy appearance. It’s very bold with the large circular headlights, large grille with horizontal slats, and pair of two-piece taillights.
Inside, it won’t feel out of place competing with more expensive SUVs with its premium looks and materials. It’s also very much squared-out like the exterior
While specifications and features aren’t final yet, the Haval H9 shown at the preview gives us a good idea of what to expect. We could see 19-inch alloy wheels, full LED exterior lighting, panoramic sunroof, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, 14.6-inch touchscreen infotainment system, and bright orange leather upholstery.
The unit shown to us was also powered by a 2.4-liter four-cylinder turbodiesel that produces 186 horsepower and 480 Nm of torque, mated to a nine-speed automatic transmission.
Other markets also get the option of a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder gasoline engine making 224 horsepower and 385 Nm, mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. The latter is shared with the GWM Tank 300.
GWM Philippines has not yet announced any details on pricing but in case you’re curious and want to see the Haval H9 in the metal, the 20th MIAS is just a week from now, happening from April 10-13, 2025 at the World Trade Center Metro Manila in Pasay City.
