The Great Wall Haval H3, also known as the Great Wall Hover, is a compact sport utility vehicle produced by the Chinese manufacturer Great Wall Motors from April 2005 to 2012. It was the first Chinese car to be exported in large quantities to Western Europe in 2006, with 30,000 units shipped to Italy. Its main advantage over established European, North American and Asian rivals is its low comparative cost. A six-speed automatic concept version called the Great Wall Hover H7 was made and can reach speeds of up to 225 km/h or 140 mph. In Australia, it was badged as the Great Wall X240 until 2011, when the X240 nameplate was used on the Haval H5.
Design and engineering
One of the reasons for the comparatively low retail price of the Great Wall Haval H3 is that it is based heavily on older models by other manufacturers. The entry-level engine is the 4G64 2.4 litre gasoline inline-four supplied by Mitsubishi, the exterior resembles the Isuzu Axiom and the chassis is also Isuzu similar if not the same as the Isuzu MU, contrary to media reports that it was a Toyota 4Runner Chassis. The Haval H3 has a wheelbase of and a wheel track of. The Haval H3 is a sport utility vehicle, with selectable rear-wheel-drive or four-wheel drive.
Gallery
Engines and transmission
The gasoline-fuelled Great Wall Haval H3 uses the Mitsubishi 4G69 Sirius series straight-4 automobile engine. The 4G64 engine was introduced in 1988 in the Mitsubishi Galant and has been used by several other car manufacturers. The 4G64 engine produces and was used in H3s from the 2005 to 2009 model year. The other Mitsubishi engine, the 2.4 litre 4G69, was used in models from 2007 to 2010. The diesel version uses a motor built by Great Wall themselves, the GW2.8TC. Both versions have a 5-gearmanual transmission. Those models had the name Hover H3 and H5. For the Chinese market, Great Wall also offered a 2.5 litre and 2.8 litre TCI diesel engine with and respectively. These engines both use a modern common rail system from Bosch. The 2.8 litre diesel engine was used in models from 2006 to 2009 while the 2.5 litre version was available from 2009 to 2012. Both diesel engines were turbocharged.
Environmental and safety test
One of the main problems facing exported Chinese cars was European safety and environmental regulations. The Great Wall Haval H3 complies with the Euro-III emissions standard. It was awarded three stars from C-NCAP crash testing. In the Australasian New Car Assessment Program crash testing undertaken on 24 March 2010, the post-2009 model Haval 3 received a Four Star rating. The Great Wall Haval H3 has not yet been tested by Euro NCAP. With new engines which Great Wall Motor installed in the Haval H3, all models now comply with Euro 4 regulations. In Italy, a version of the Hover called the EcoDual is sold equipped to run on alternatives fuels, being equipped with LPG or CNG capabilities. From 2009 year vehicle have Euro 4 engine which was also installed in Hover 5
Limousine version
Great Wall also produces a more luxurious, limousine version of the Hover, called the Great Wall Hover Pi. Its name is also sometimes spelt Hover π. The first Hover Pi was given as a gift to Fidel Castro in 2006. The vehicle has so far been the best selling vehicle of its kind, being exported to Japan, South Korea, France, Italy, Malaysia, Russia, South Africa, and other overseas markets. In 2008, the Hover Pi's length was extended from 6.7 meters to 6.9 meters.
