The Haval DaGou (which translates as “Big Dog”) has come out in late September, and sales have been increasing ever since.
Over 8,500 SUVs found new owners in November alone, surpassing October by 22% and beating the main competitor – the Kia Sportage – with its 8,200 units sold within the same timeframe.
The Haval DaGou originally debuted at the Chengdu Auto Show earlier this year. It is 4,620 mm (15.16 ft.) long, 1,890 mm (6.2 ft.) wide and 1,780 mm (5.84 ft.) tall with 2,738 mm (8.98 ft.) between the axles. The SUV has a transversely mounted engine, a unitized body, and multi-link rear suspension. The chassis is technically related to that of the latest Haval H6, but the exterior designed by Phil Simmons, ex- Jaguar Land Rover designer, is brand new.
Powertrain options include a 1.5-liter turbo engine with 169 PS (167 hp / 125 kW) and its 2.0-liter counterpart with 204 PS (201 hp / 150 kW). There is a seven-speed DCT that supports manual switching, and while the entry spec is front wheel drive only, the top spec makes use of AWD, rear diff lock, and six selectable drive modes.
The AWD spec will only ship in early 2021, though, and the prices remain to be announced. The FWD version starts from 119,900 Chinese Yuan (currently around $18,300 USD). It remains unknown whether the model will be exported.