China’s GWM has launched a new overlanding version of the Haval H9 body-on-frame large SUV in the domestic market.
Initially revealed at the Guangzhou motor show in November in concept form, the Haval H9 Crossing Edition is now available to the public and gets a number of tweaks to make it the ideal version for travelling cross country or off the beaten path.
The biggest change is the addition of a dual fuel tank system with a total capacity of 131 litres. The regular diesel-powered H9 has a 78L fuel tank. Haval claims the dual tanks allow for a total range of up to 1400km, according to lenient WLTC testing.
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Power still comes from a 2.4-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine which produces 137kW of power and 490Nm of torque. This is mated to a nine-speed automatic transmission with drive sent through an on-demand four-wheel drive system with optional front and rear locking differentials.
The production version of the Haval H9 Crossing Edition misses out on the wild roof rack kit with integrated spotlights and side ladder but still gets some tweaks.
One of these includes a 30mm suspension lift increasing the minimum ground clearance to 235mm, as well as approach, breakover departure angles to 33 degrees, 25 degrees and 26 degrees, respectively. There’s also an 800mm wading depth.
Other changes include all-terrain tyres for the 18-inch alloy wheels, standard matte grey exterior paint, plus ‘Rock’ and ‘Expert’ drive modes.
Some features like interior ambient lighting, the surround-view camera and semi-autonomous park assist have been removed.
The rest of the H9 remains largely unchanged in this Crossing Edition version. This means a boxy, almost Toyota Prado-like silhouette with rectangular headlight housings but round LED headlights.
It measures in at 5070mm long, 1976mm wide and 1960mm tall with a 2850mm wheelbase. This makes it just a smidge longer than a Prado.
Inside there’s a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, 14.6-inch touchscreen multimedia system, as well as front seats with heating, ventilation and a massage function. You’re able to opt for a five- or seven-seat configuration.
GWM has long been coy on whether the Haval H9 will make a return to the Australian market. It was offered here in first-generation from 2015 to 2021.
At this stage it’s unclear whether it will ever launch locally in the current, second-generation form. If it did, it would compete very closely with the Tank 300 and Tank 500 body-on-frame SUVs also sold by GWM locally.
