Haval F5 a chance for Oz

Haval has unveiled a new F5 SUV and an upgraded H6 SUV at this week's Beijing motor show, but Australia must wait for a new-generation platform and right-hand drive before they hit local showrooms.

Haval's F5 is more than an alphabetical change for the giant Great Wall Motors Group.

It is seen as part of a global design trend to capture younger buyers wanting fashionable styling and the latest connectivity, and it also confirms that the company remains firmly committed to SUV production.

Haval's F5 is more than an alphabetical change for the giant Great Wall Motors Group.

The F5 has the sloping roofline, narrowed glasshouse profile and details such as the stretched headlights, D-shaped steering wheel, boot-mounted rear spoiler and integrated roof rails that now identify the genre.

Behind the launch of the F5 are plans by Haval parent, Great Wall Motors, to introduce a new platform to the F5 and H6 that will coincide with right-hand drive production.

For Australia, the new platform is likely to wear the latest F5 and H6 bodies and become available from 2020. Meanwhile, China will have the F5 and H6 on the carry-over platform.

The F5 will be powered by a new 1.5-litre direct-injection turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine.

The current platform for the Australian H6 and the new F5 has a 2680mm wheelbase, with the F5 having a shorter overall length of 4470mm (down 130mm on the H6), a lower roofline (by 82mm) and the same body width.

The F5 will be powered by a new 1.5-litre direct-injection turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine rated at 124kW at 5000-5600rpm and torque of 285Nm at 1400-3000rpm.

That engine is mated to Great Wall's in-house designed and built seven-speed (wet) dual-clutch auto transmission.

Is the F5 design appealing enough for you to consider buying a Chinese-built SUV? Tell us what ypou think in the comments below.