GWM Haval reveals new Toyota Prado rival, not confirmed for Australia

GWM has revealed its next-generation Haval H9, which wears bluffer, boxier styling than before.

The Chinese carmaker has published images of the vehicle on social media, but has yet to publish any specifications of the new off-roader.

“H9 is certainly on our radar but not confirmed for Australia at this stage,” said a spokesperson for GWM Australia.

“We have a number of exciting new GWM products on the horizon and we’re currently working with our Head Office colleagues to finalise our local SUV strategy for 2024 and beyond.”

GWM Haval reveals new Toyota Prado rival, not confirmed for Australia

GWM has been rolling out boxy-looking SUVs across its Haval and Tank brands, and there’s visual kinship between the new H9 and the smaller Haval Menglong/Raptor and the Tank 300 that’s sold here.

Expected to retain body-on-frame construction, the new Haval H9 has short overhangs front and rear and a long wheelbase.

There’s a chrome-laden grille up front flanked by single round headlights, while a prominent shoulder line runs down the side of the vehicle.

Down back, there are vertical tail lights and a tailgate-mounted spare wheel.

The overall look is extremely similar to the smaller Raptor.

Despite its name, the H9 may not be the largest member of the Haval SUV line-up. The company introduced a new generation of body-on-frame H5 SUV during 2023 which measures 5190mm long, or longer than a Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series.

The H5, based on the same underpinnings as the GWM King Kong Cannon ute, offers a choice of a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol four-cylinder engine or a 121kW 2.0-litre turbo-diesel four.

The outgoing H9 was offered exclusively with a 2.0-litre turbo petrol, and it appears likely the new model will also offer such an engine – though Car News China reports it could also offer an optional 2.4-litre turbo-diesel four.

The new H9 replaces the current generation model, which entered production in 2014 and was sold in Australia from 2016 to 2021.

Since the H9 was discontinued, GWM Australia has moved away from marketing its brands separately.

Haval Raptor: Unconfirmed for Australia

Instead, Haval and more premium Tank SUVs plus Ora electric cars are all marketed under the GWM banner.

With GWM expected to bring its LandCruiser-sized Tank 500 here this year, the brand will finally have a three-row SUV following the H9’s axing.

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