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- Haval and Chery SA sold more than 1 200 new vehicles in August 2022.
- Chinese brands are becoming more popular in South Africa.
- News24 Motoring reader Liam Lewis writes in and shares why he and his wife bought a Haval H1.
Chinese vehicles are becoming increasingly popular in South Africa, and the proof is in the latest monthly new car sales reports.
Earlier in September, News24 Motoring reported both Chery and Haval had sold more than 1 200 new vehicles each as more local motorists turned to Chinese brands.
Chery and Haval are not only offering affordable alternative vehicles, but their products are also stylish and well-built.
News24 Motoring reader Liam Lewis claims they're pretty reliable too.
Lewis shares his story with us and says his wife bought a Haval H1 in September 2018.
'It has never left us stranded'
"It was brand new, came with a three-year service plan or 60 000kms (whichever came first), and a five-year warranty.
"I had suggested the H2, but my wife prefers smaller vehicles. It came with loads of features such as alloy rims, electric windows, power steering, a multi-functional steering wheel, cruise control, air conditioning and Bluetooth. All this for only R159 000 at the time. I trust the Haval GWM brand as I previously owned the Steed 5 bakkie and found it quite reliable.
"Currently, our H1 is four years old in September; it has never left us stranded and still has the original manufacturer car battery. It's still using the original key remote battery, and the vehicle has no road noise. After four years of ownership, we expected some squeaky sounds and rattles, but to date, there are none, and the car is still solid."
But why buy a Haval?
Lewis says they had considered the Kia Picanto and VW Polo before they bought the H1.
"We found the ground clearance higher in the H1, and the price range was much better along with more standard features too. I opted against the VW Polo as this vehicle is considered a high-risk vehicle for hijackings or theft", says Lewis.
He says the dealership they bought the H1 from was in Johannesburg, Haval Little Falls in Roodepoort. "They were terrific. The other dealership we used for services was not so great (West Rand Haval on Ontdekkers Road).
Our H1 Haval still looks as good as the day we bought it four years ago. My daughter still talks about my 2015 GWM Steed bakkie as we made many trips to Kruger National Park and Pilanesberg back then.
Because of Haval's good-looking cars, its reliability, and the price range of the new vehicles, we are considering buying another one of their cars. We're interested in purchasing either a Haval Jolion or even the P-Series pickup truck next.
