Haval unleashes “Big Dog” DaGou

Haval has unveiled DaGou, which is Chinese for “Big Dog”, at the ongoing Chengdu Motor Show. Rumor had it that the car was meant to replace the frame-bodied Haval H5, but this proved to be far from the case.

Rather, the DaGou is a typical unitized crossover SUV with a transversely mounted engine. It uses McPherson suspension for the front axle and multi-link suspension for the rear axle, and has front-wheel drive (at least, the show car does).

The bold and striking exterior is a work by Phil Simmons, ex-Land Rover designer who changed his allegiances a couple of years ago. The body is 4,620 millimeters (15.16 feet) long, 1,890 mm (6.2 feet) wide and 1,780 mm (5.84 feet) tall with 2,738 mm (8.98 feet) between the axles. The lighting all around is LED-based, and the wheels measure 19 inches in diameter.

Inside, the dashboard is digital, the multimedia screen is wide and a knob is used to select transmissions. The doors sport pockets for bottles, and special handholds are provided for a safer off-road experience. The center tunnel consists of two tiers, and there are many paid options available including front power seats, two-zone climate control, all-around view cameras, glass sunroof etc.

For the time being, the SUV sill only ship in its most basic spec, a 1.5-liter turbo engine worth 169 hp (126 kW). The transmission is dual-clutch, and shifting is made easy thanks to a paddle shifter. Later on, the range will expand to incorporate the 4N20 series two-liter, four-cylinder turbo engine. This new version will offer all-wheel drive with lockable rear differential gear, as well as three special drive modes: Dirt, Sand and Snow.

Sales in China are expected to start in winter. Pricing, availability and trim levels remain to be announced.