SUV Haval F7 - a powerful Chinese with a European "soul"

As of 2020, the most popular Chinese car brand is Haval, and it is not going to give leadership to competitors. Not the last role in the popularity of the company was played by Haval F7 - a five-door frame SUV. Its demand among the Russian buyer is due to modern design, good equipment, a large selection of trim levels for any budget. Let's see what exactly this car is interesting for.

Features

Let's briefly go over the main characteristics right away in order to generally have an idea of ​​​​what the Haval F7 is and whether it deserves the attention of the Russian consumer. Here are its parameters:

• ✅ Overall dimensions: 4620x1846x1690 mm
  
• ✅ Clearance - 190 mm
  
• ✅ Wheelbase - 2725 mm
  
• ✅ Fuel tank volume - 56 liters
  
• ✅ Curb and gross weight - 1720/2230 kg
  
• ✅ Trunk capacity - 723/1443 l
  

At full throttle, the frame Haval F7 squeezes 195 km / h. Fuel consumption - from 7,5 liters in the extra-urban cycle to 12,5 liters in the city. The car complies with Euro-5 environmental standards, consumes AI-95 gasoline.

Design

Haval F7 is a Chinese car, but looking at it, one gets the strong impression that this is another model that has come off the assembly line somewhere in Europe. This “another one” is a design flaw - there is no uniqueness in the exterior. If you catch a glimpse of the crossover from the back, you involuntarily recognize it as the Jaguar F-Pace, and in front, the brainchild of the PRC auto industry can be easily confused with a British car. On the other hand, such a similarity is even a plus for a crossover, because for almost half the price, the buyer gets a car with an appearance that is very close to the solid exterior of a Jaguar.



As soon as we move away from comparisons, it immediately becomes clear that the Haval F7 is a stylish car in its own right. Its exterior does not cause misunderstanding and rejection, it looks interesting, especially for a car in the price category up to 2 million rubles. A large radiator grille, deep “nostrils” on the front bumper, wheels with a radius of 19 inches - all this will not let you get lost in the stream.

Salon

Inside, the "Chinese" looks no less interesting than the outside. The first thing you notice when landing in the cabin is that the inside of the car feels even bigger than it looks from the street. This is largely due to the large hood: it seems that under it is not a one and a half liter “turbo four” in the same standard configuration, but an engine with at least 6 cylinders.



It is comfortable to sit inside, there is enough space both above your head and under your feet, not only in front, but also in the back. The driver's seat is designed in a pseudo-sports style: a steering wheel “cut off” at the bottom, a curved automatic transmission joystick and paddle shifters for shifting gears.



The build quality of the cabin, despite the fact that this is China, is quite decent. The aroma inside the new car is certainly not the same as in German or Japanese cars, but without a pungent chemical smell. Plastic on all surfaces is smooth, pleasant to the touch. The upper part of the front panel is even stitched with decorative stitching - it seems that the element is made of leather. In fact, artificial leather is also available. It covers the chairs, the central tunnel and inserts on the doors.

Equipment

There are not so many electronic driver assistance systems in the Haval F7, but there are still basic ones. For example, cruise control works relatively well and is controlled by buttons on the steering wheel. To control the multimedia system, navigator, heated front seats and other functions, a touch screen is provided to the right of the dashboard. The last one is also electronic. As an alternative to touch control, a joystick is implemented on the center console.



All-round cameras, or rather, the image they transmit leaves much to be desired. The picture is blurry, and if the sun's rays hit the lens, you don't even have to look at the monitor - you still won't see anything. The ultrasonic sensors of the parking sensors work with a large margin, so filigree parking in a cramped yard is out of the question, you need to rely only on the driver's instinct and your own eyesight.

trunk

A crossover without a big trunk is a misunderstanding. Fortunately, Haval F7 has a complete order with this. 723 liters are allotted for storing various things. The volume expands when the rear seat is folded down and reaches as much as 1443 liters in this position. The dokatka lies underground, so it does not take up extra space. The only drawback is that there is no electric tailgate.

Dynamics

If there may still be some questions about design or equipment, the Haval F7 is quite good on the go and certainly does not throw up unpleasant surprises. The car rides not so “thoroughbred” in comparison with competitors from Europe and even South Korea, plus the suspension is quite sensitive, which can be critical in conditions of not the best Russian roads, but in general the ride is quite balanced. Cross-country ability, dynamics and controllability - a well-deserved solid four. Despite the short overhangs, everything is thought out here, the clearance is frankly small. The machine tolerates diagonal overhangs well and there is no overheating of the clutch during slipping. But ride height is so lacking that many OffRoad-loving owners are in the mood for a suspension lift.



The comfort of the driver and passengers during the movement of the SUV practically does not suffer. Yes, you can hear the rotation of the wheels, but the noise of an aerodynamic nature practically does not penetrate into the cabin. On small bumps, the suspension keeps smoothly, but on large potholes you will have to pretty shake. In corners, the car rolls slightly - at first it is annoying, but with experience it already passes.

Packages

Crossover Haval F7 for the Russian buyer is available in four trim levels: "Comfort", "Elite", "Premium" and "Tech Plus". Two trim levels offer the greatest variety of engine options: "Elite" and "Premium". In the first, 150 hp engines are available. 2WD, similar, but already 4WD, and 190 hp. 4WD. In the second option, there are only two - 150 hp. and 190 hp 4WD.



All configurations differ not only in available motors and price, but also in options. For example, starting with the “Elite” variant, the crossover gets a rear spoiler, front LED headlights, and with “Premium” a panoramic glass roof is added for a better view from the passenger compartment.

Prices in Russia

The cost of the Haval F7 crossover in Russia starts at 1 rubles in the Comfort package. For this money, only one engine option is available - a 629-horsepower “turbo engine” with front-wheel drive and a robotic automatic. For the maximum configuration, you will have to pay from 000 rubles. For this money, the buyer receives 150 horses under the hood, a plug-in all-wheel drive and a manual transmission equipped with a dual clutch. Check the current prices on the official website of the automaker - they may change.

Summing up

For the money, the Haval F7 crossover is a worthy unit for urban driving. Despite the frame structure, few people risk going into tough off-road on it. but it handles dirt roads, city curbs and bumps just fine. Of course, for all the pluses there are noticeable minuses, there is no getting away from this, but it is impossible to call this car frankly Chinese in the bad sense of the word. There is some discomfort due to minor flaws, but if you once again remember the cost of the car, the cons fade into the background.