Test drive Haval F7. Are Chinese cars starting to catch up with smartphones?
Cars from the new F series, in contrast to the models with the H index, are aimed at a young audience that values modern technologies. Actually, the letter F, according to the idea of the creators, is decoded as Future, Fashion and Fun – that is, “future”, “style” and “pleasure”. A crossover body design should emphasize this feeling, because it looks like … By the way, how? Admit that you can not look at this crossover, without thinking that he is Chinese? Subconsciously, the brain begins to look for features that designers from China have borrowed from other automakers. But let’s admit: we have one of the most interesting Chinese models, judging by appearance.
Yes, Hawelle F7 looks familiar: a large grille, narrow headlights, vertically oriented niches for fog lights, stretched taillights, massive bumpers and a trunk lid with a brand name stretched wide … But so what? So many are doing now. In general, the Chinese crossover looks quite original. But there is still a Haval F7x – a car with a fashionable body “cross-coupe.” Here the expression “BMW X4 for the poor” is already asking for the language. But this version of the model is not yet sold in Russia. Its only going to put on the conveyor in Tula and start selling in our country.
But in the cabin Haval F7 felt that the interiors of cars of the Bavarian brand obviously did not give rest to the creators! Just look at the center console deployed to the driver and the characteristic joystick of the gear selector. Salon looks quite harmonious. Although weird enough too. How do you, for example, USB-port, located … in the case of a rear-view mirror? Do not want to use it? Then for you there is one more nest, located … Under the central tunnel! His only need to grope, putting his hand in a special hole. Or how do you like the set of buttons below the multimedia system: there are two keys at once that are responsible for choosing the driving mode, but only one that includes heating the two front seats at once. After pressing it, the driver or passenger will still have to climb into the “multimedia” to change the heating force or turn off the heating of one of the seats altogether.
Or take, say, a climate control twist. It seems to be great that in the Haval F7, not everything is at the mercy of sensors, as in other modern cars. But after turning the knob on the center console, it turns out that it is not responsible for the temperature, but for the degree of blowing. And to change the temperature, you need … That’s right! Again use the screen! In general, the interface is very strange. I would not like to be guided by stereotypes, but for some reason, such somersaults with buttons and functions are most often found on machines from the Middle Kingdom.
Dimensions Haval F7 – 4620 x 1846 x 1690 mm with a wheelbase of 2725 mm. Ground clearance of the Russian version – 190 mm. Buyers will be available only four options for painting the body, but all – “metallic”: white, black, gray and blue. By default, 17-inch alloy wheels are installed on the Haval F7, and at an additional cost the client can get 19-inch wheels in one of two design options.
The place is damned?
No, we are not talking about the Hawale plant in the Tula region, where the assembly of the F7 crossover began. With him, everything is just fine! Yes, and no complaints about the build quality. For a test drive we got the first production cars with a mileage of only 300 km. The fit of the parts and the quality of the materials are generally pleasing. But about ergonomics have something to say. In the top-end version of the Haval F7, the driver’s seat has electric adjustments in six directions, and the seat itself is distinguished by quite comfortable shapes. However, the steering column is clearly not enough range for the flight, because of what the steering wheel has to reach. The steering wheel itself, in spite of its fitness form with a beveled section, does not fall into the hand so that the driver’s instinct immediately wakes up in the driver. Add to this a lowly located pedal assembly and a short pillow, and you approximately understand what you are tired of in a long journey. Surprisingly, everyone who in our carriage got behind the wheel of a Haval F7 immediately began to complain about something.
The list of options for equipping the Chinese crossover contains important pleasant options, for example, electric adjustment of the driver’s seat in six directions, heated front and rear seats, heated steering wheel, climate control, a panoramic roof, etc. Let it not the level of a premium car, everything necessary for a comfortable ride here. However, even in the top version, the trim is only a leather substitute, and there is no real leather even for an extra charge (however, these days it is everywhere on this class of crossovers)
But with the back row everything is exactly the opposite! It is no secret that in China there is a kind of cult long-wheelbase cars and passenger driving behind. And in the Haval F7, it feels very good: the legroom reminds a car of a premium brand, in the back row you can really get comfortable…
