The Big Chinese 4x4 Showdown

[Frederic]

There used to be a time where Chinese 4x4's were rare in the UAE, and the overall consensus amongst the public would be to avoid them, or walk around them with some curiosity, not really being sure as what to expect and how these would perform in the UAE deserts.

Over the last couple of years, we have seen the introduction of several 4x4's in the UAE coming from the Far East, often with a big marketing campaign and lots of bang for the buck. Often accompanied by very interesting warranty and service deals.

In below topic, the aim is to compare the most recent models and discuss their potential performance and pricing. We will focus mostly on the 4x4 capabilities, and not so much on the comfort creatures or technology.

To value these vehicles on their performance in the desert is not easy. But by looking at their specs in terms of power, ground clearance, and approach/departure angles, we can have a fairly good impression on what to expect from them. 

Of course, the real answer will only come after a couple of years to see if they really can rival with the Japanese reliability or the Jeep versatility and power. For now, let's have a look at below selection of 5 4x4's we compared:

Jetour T2

BAIC BJ40 Plus

Haval H9

Haval Dargo

Tank 300

 

@frederic demolderand @Faraz94 are proud owners of BAIC and Haval 4x4's, and drive regularly with us. Would love to hear their comments and experiences, and invite everyone to chip in with their feedback and opinions !

 

[Luke K P]

jetour t2 in a swb 3 door would be awesome

[Andrew John Melvill]

Really like the look of the Tank 300 and it does get great reviews in Aus and SA. Will wait a bit to see how it performs in the wild for a year or two and then have a more detailed look at one.

[Gaurav]

1 hour ago, PAJERO petelczyc luke said:

jetour t2 in a swb 3 door would be awesome

I know what you are thinking: best power-to-weight ratio (real big secret for winning off-road toy).

I noticed that too 254 hp (most in all 5 cars) and kerb weight of 1869 kgs, make it 135 hp/ton.