Haval H9 VS Citroen C5 Aircross
Haval H9
Likes
- Ride and gearbox both great
- Space galore
- Unbeatable value proposition
Dislikes
- Some electrical gremlins
- Huge lag when taking off
- A longer warranty with public capped-price servicing would help
Citroen C5 Aircross
Likes
- Cute and stylish design
- Spacious boot for this class
- Easy to park
Dislikes
- Driving is a bit hit or miss
- Technology will fluster an average user
- Expensive compared to rivals
Summary
Haval H9
From almost the moment carmakers began popping up in China, we've talked of the soon-to-arrive boom in Chinese new-car sales in Australia.
They're coming, we said. And no, they're not much chop right now, but they'll get better and better and better, until they're one day giving the best from Japan and Korea a run for their money.
That was years ago now, and the truth is, they never really got good enough to seriously rattle any cages here in Oz. They inched closer, sure, but there was still a heap of daylight between them and the competition.
But we've just spent a week piloting the updated Haval H9 large SUV, and we can report that the gap hasn't just shrunk, it's near-enough vanished, the daylight reduced to a sliver in lots of important areas.
So is this the beginning of the Chinese revolution?
| Safety rating | |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | 2.0L turbo |
| Fuel Type | Premium Unleaded Petrol |
| Fuel Efficiency | 12.1L/100km |
| Seating | 7 seats |
Citroen C5 Aircross
Let’s be honest, medium SUVs are the bread and butter of the Aussie new car market and there are a lot of rivals to choose from.
Which is why the Citroen C5 Aircross Sport’s much-needed update is welcomed with open arms, especially since it’s the only model in the range.
It boasts more space than a lot of its rivals but it’s been let down in the past by a sparse safety sheet and older tech.
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The facelifted model sees tweaks to the design, safety and tech, making it more of a true competitor against the likes of the Kia Sportage, ever-popular Mazda CX-5 and practical Nissan X-Trail.
But are the changes enough for it to be considered as a family SUV? I’ve been testing it this week with my family of three to find out for you!
| Safety rating | |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | 1.6L turbo |
| Fuel Type | — |
| Fuel Efficiency | 5.7L/100km |
| Seating | 5 seats |
Verdict
Haval H97.1/10
The Haval H9 Ultra is proof that Chinese cars are at last living up to the hype. The value proposition is unbelievable, and a five-year warranty helps calm any ownership concerns. Is it bang-on against the competition? Not quite. Not yet. But you can be sure that other vehicles in the segment can feel the H9's hot breath on the back of their necks.
Would you consider a Haval, or do you still doubt the Chinese? Tell us in the comments below.
Citroen C5 Aircross7/10
So, what did my family think about the Citroen C5 Aircross Sport?
I love how it looks and its updated safety list. It’s fairly spacious inside and has a great boot space but it’s lacking a lot of family-orientated practicality in the back seat. The lack of individual storage and amenities is noticeable when you have a kid or two but even as an adult, not having a cupholder for your coffee/drink on a trip feels odd.
The multimedia system and reversing camera need to be improved, too. Overall, it will suit a small family which is out of the baby stage but can’t yet justify upgrading to a larger SUV. It gets a 6.5/10 from my family.
Design
Haval H97/10
It's a big and slab-sided beast, the H9, and it's unlikely to win too many beauty contests. But then, few in this category do, or attempt to, and it looks tough and purposeful, which is probably more important.
Front on, it looks positively massive, with its giant and silver-slatted grille, huge headlights and a jumbo foglight perched like alien eyes in the furthest corners of the front end.
From the side, lashings of silver (a touch too blingy for our tastes) break up an otherwise fairly bland profile, with the rubber-gripped sidesteps a nice touch. From the back, a large and largely unremarkable rear end is home to a massive, side-hinged boot opening, with the pull handle mounted to the far left.
It's not perfect in places, though, with some panels that don't quite match up, and more gaps between others than we'd like, but you have to look closely to notice.
Inside, the fit and finish is pretty good, with a giant faux-wood centre console home to a one-touch gear lever, an electric handbrake (a luxury still missing in some Japanese models) and most of the four-wheel-drive functions. The "eco" leather on the seats and the soft-touch dash are both nice under the touch, as is the steering wheel, and the second and third rows are pleasantly furnished, too.
Citroen C5 Aircross
The facelifted model sees a sportier front with the grille redesigned to highlight the double chevron badge.
The bonnet curves around the badge, as do the two long LED strip lights that connect the headlights. The bonnet also sports new divots that give it a gruffer edge.
The wide profile at the rear and new three-pronged tail-lights create some interest.
The black plastic moulding that runs along the base of the car could look unfashionable on a lighter colour but on our blue paintwork, it looks good. As does the contrasting black roof!
The interior trims are finished in a combination of synthetic and Nappa leather but boast a two-tone colour which might not land with everyone. Particularly given the navy portions seem to be glittery in certain lights.
Sitting at 1859mm wide, 1695mm high and just 4500mm long, the overall exterior design is sporty but cute. It should appeal to those who want a nice-but-not-loud-looking car and something that is easy to park.
Practicality
Haval H98/10
Very practical, thanks for asking. It's a behemoth (4856m long, 1926mm wide and 1900mm high), so space is really no problem in the cabin.
Up front, there are the prerequisite brace of cupholders, mounted in a centre console so wide you could play football on it, and the seats are big and comfortable (and they'll give you a massage to boot). There is room in the front doors for bottles, and the infotainment, while a little slow and clunky, is easy to understand and operate.
Climb into the second row and there's heaps of space (both leg and headroom) for passengers, and you can, without doubt, fit three kids across the back. There is a storage net on the rear of each of the front seats, room for bottles in the doors and two more cupholders in the pulldown divider.
There's no shortage of niceties for backseat riders, too, with air vents and temperature controls and heated rear seats. And there are two ISOFIX points, one in each window seat.
Things aren't so luxurious for third-row passengers, with thin-and-hard seats mounted in cramped surrounds. But there are third-row vents and a cupholder for seats six and seven.
The side-hinged boot opens to reveal a laughably small storage space with the third row in place, but things improve considerably when you flatten (electronically, no less) the rear seats, with a gigantic storage area that will have your phone ringing hot every time one of your friends is moving house.
Citroen C5 Aircross
The interior is spacious for a medium SUV but the back seat knocks off some points for family practicality. So, let’s start in the back.
Despite there being plenty of headspace for my 168cm (5’6’’) height, the legroom is cosy behind my driving position.
Meaning a 0-4 rearward facing child seat will encroach on front passenger space. It’s probably best suited to a family which is out of the baby stages but it was cumbersome fitting my big harnessed-booster seat in there, too.
It has ISOFIX child seat mounts on the outboard rear seats and three top tethers but two seats will fit best. The floor is flat, which offers far more comfort for a middle seat passenger and I love how the seats can be individually shifted.
The amenities and storage in this row are sparse. You get directional air vents, reading lights, netted map pockets and shallow storage bins in the doors.
Siblings may squabble over the single USB-A port on a long road trip but more than that, there are no cupholders or drink bottle holders back there or even a centre armrest.
That said, the 182mm ground clearance made it an easy car for my six-year-old to get in and out of; plus, the stadium-like seating and wide windows meant he had an awesome view this week.
Now for the front. It has ample amenities, storage and tech. You get plenty of head- and legroom, plus with the panoramic sunroof the cabin manages to feel airy, too.
Individual storage is great with an extra deep middle console, glove box, two cupholders, bins in each door and two very handy utility trays situated near the toggle-type shifter.
Charging options are much better up front, too, and you can choose between a wireless charging pad, two USB-A ports and a 12-volt socket to charge your device.
It's super easy to connect to the wired Apple CarPlay and there’s wired Android Auto for those users.
The built-in satellite navigation is straightforward but that’s where the simplicity ends. I did not find the multimedia system or the digital instrument panel to be terribly intuitive to use and the touchscreen controls can be laggy.
I’m sure you could get used to it over time but I felt flustered.
For this size SUV, the boot space is great at 580L with all seats in use but you can bump it up to 1630L if you fold the back row.
The floor can be adjusted to make a level load space or dropped to give you greater depth for bulkier items and there is a temporary spare tyre underneath the floor.
There are luggage tie-down anchors, a cargo blind and I always like having a powered tailgate.
Price and features
Haval H99/10
Let's be honest, Haval hasn't been around anywhere near long enough in Australia to sell on anything even resembling badge loyalty. So if it is any hope of increasing its 50-odd sales a month (March 2018), it knows it has to sweeten the pot on price.
And it doesn't get much sweeter than the $44,990 sticker glued to the H9 Ultra. That's about $10k cheaper than the cheapest Prado (and a staggering $40k cheaper than the most-expensive version), and the Ultra is absolutely swimming with kit for the money.
Outside, the alloy wheels are 18 inches, there are LED daytime running lights, front and rear fog lamps, dusk-sensing headlights with a follow-me-home function and standard roof rails.
Inside, the faux-leather seats are heated in the first two rows (and ventilated in the front), and there's even a massage function for the driver and passenger. The windows are powered, as is the fold-flat function for the third row, and there's a sunroof, leather-wrapped steering wheel and aluminium pedals, too.
On the tech front, an 8.0-inch touchscreen (but no Apple CarPlay or Android Auto) is paired with a 10-speaker stereo, and there is standard navigation, keyless entry and push-button start.
Finally, there's a heap of safety and off-roading kit, but we'll come back to that under our other sub-headings.
Citroen C5 Aircross
There is only one model for the C5 Aircross Sport and it will set you back $54,990, before on-road costs.
That prices it as the most expensive compared to its rivals with the Mazda CX-5 GT SP ($51,810) coming in closest but the Nissan X-Trail ST-L ($46,790) and the Kia Sportage SX+ ($41,850) are even more affordable.
The only included paint colours are 'Polar White' and 'Nera Black'. Our model’s 'Eclipse Blue' will add on $690.
However, the C5’s price tag doesn’t feel too cheeky because of the feature-heavy specification, including heated front seats, electric driver’s seat with massage function, a panoramic sunroof and a mix of premium Nappa leather and synthetic leather interior trim.
You also get a powered tailgate, rear privacy glass tinting, full LED lights on the exterior, individually sliding seats on the back row and black 19-inch alloy wheels.
The technology has been upgraded with the dashboard being headlined by a 10-inch touchscreen multimedia system and a 12.3-inch digital instrument panel.
Built-in satellite navigation, as well as wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are also included as standard equipment.
On top of that, the safety list has been significantly improved, but more on that later.
Under the bonnet
Haval H96/10
It's like a diesel in disguise, this 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine, making 180kW at 5500rpm and 350Nm at 1800rpm. It's paired with an eight-speed automatic gearbox, and drives all four wheels. That means a sprint to 100km/h of "just over 10 seconds” - about two seconds faster than the car it replaces.
Haval's All-Terrain Control System is also standard, meaning you can choose between six drive settings, including Sport, Mud or 4WD Low.
Citroen C5 Aircross
The C5 Aircross Sport has a 1.6-litre, four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine with a maximum power output of 133kW and 250Nm of torque. It’s not super grunty but there’s plenty here to keep you up to speed on the open road.
It is a front-wheel drive and has an eight-speed auto transmission but the gear changes can feel a bit jerky at lower speeds.
Efficiency
Haval H96/10
Haval reckons you'll get 10.9 litres per 100 kilometres on the combined cycle, with emissions a claimed 254g/km. The H9's 80-litre tank will only accept premium 95RON fuel, which is a shame.
Citroen C5 Aircross
Ah, this is where it earns back some points!
I was very impressed by the efficiency of this because the official combined cycle fuel figure is 5.7L/100km and my real-world usage came to 6.2L! That’s fantastic for this sized SUV and for a turbo.
With a fuel tank of 53L and based on the combined fuel figure, you should be able to get a driving range of around 930km, which is good for those families who like to do road trips.
Driving
Haval H97/10
We did a lot of kilometres in the Haval (perhaps subconsciously we were waiting for it to fall over), and over all sorts of road conditions, and it never skipped a beat.
The obvious standout is the ride, which is now very good, and disposes of CBD bumps and corrugations without fuss. At no stage does it feel dynamic or overly connected to the road, but it creates a comfortable disconnect that makes you feel you're floating above the ground. Not good for a performance car, sure, but it suits the character of the big Haval just fine.
The steering has a wafty vagueness, though, and it doesn't inspire confidence on anything twisty, with plenty of corrections when you're tackling something challenging.
The rolling delivery of power is surprisingly strong and smooth when you plant your foot. But there are downsides to a small turbocharged engine shoving the size of a block of flats around. For one, the engine has this staggering delay when you first plant your foot from a standstill - as though you're playing chess with the engine and it is figuring out its next move - before finally surging into life. It makes overtaking moves a heart-stopping challenge at times.
The petrol engine (which does a remarkable job of masquerading as a diesel) can feel a little rough and rugged when you really plant your foot, too, and you'll find all the useable power lurking at the low-end of the rev range. It is bloody comfortable, though. The vision is very good out of all windows, including the rear windscreen. And the gearbox is terrific, seamlessly and smoothly swapping cogs.
But... there were some electrical gremlins. For one, the proximity unlocking is the weirdest we've encountered - sometimes it works, other times its more complicated, and you need a textbook to figure out how it talks to the boot. The alarm went off twice despite me unlocking the doors, too. It might be some user error that I don't understand, but worth mentioning either way.
Citroen C5 Aircross
Despite its city-friendly size, the C5 Aircross Sport is just as happy cruising on the open-road as it is in an urban environment.
The ride is smooth enough once you get up to a steady speed but the suspension can feel harsh on a bumpy road.
Also, the auto stop-start function can make it feel sluggish to respond, so I disabled this on most trips.
There is plenty of power so you'll feel confident overtaking or getting up to speed on the open road. However, you have to be a little more aggressive with the accelerator when you’re hitting hills.
The steering can, at times, feel vague when you’re at lower speeds but is otherwise responsive.
The cabin space is quiet and nice to be in on the highway and you’ll be able to chat with your passengers with ease.
What I like most about this though is the visibility – the windows are large and I feel like I have a clear view most of the time, which isn’t always the case in an SUV.
Parking this is a cinch with entry to tight car parks helped by a 10.7m turning circle!
However, the 180-degree view camera isn’t great and near hopeless at night time. A clearer image would be welcome but front and rear parking sensors ease the annoyance.
Safety
Haval H97/10
The safety story starts with dual front and front-side airbags, as well as curtain bags that stretch across all three rows. You'll also find a revising camera, as well as front and rear parking sensors.
Happily, Haval has also embraced the newer technologies, so you'll get lane-departure warning, rear cross-traffic alert and blind-spot monitoring. Off-road, hill descent control is standard, and Haval claims a safe fording depth of 700mm.
The H9 received a four-star ANCAP crash rating when the outgoing model was tested in 2015.
Citroen C5 Aircross
The updated safety list is most welcomed, especially on a family SUV.
The C5 Aircross Sport has the following as standard - daytime running lights, forward collision alert, lane keeping aid, lane departure alert, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, intelligent seat belt reminders, traffic sign recognition, 180-degree view reversing camera, front and rear parking sensors and adaptive cruise control with stop and go function.
Special mention for the new fatigue detection alert. When it triggers it doesn’t stop sounding until both of the driver's hands are detected on the steering wheel.
The autonomous emergency braking with car, pedestrian and cyclist detection is operational from 10 – 80km/h (5.0 -140km/h for car detection), however the pedestrian and cyclist functions are only detectable in the day time. It’s usual to see it operational at night, as well.
Despite the new safety items, it still only has six airbags, which includes curtain airbags covering both rows but that’s pretty low for a family car nowadays.
It was awarded four from a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating back in 2019 but didn’t have all of the new items at the time of testing.
Ownership
Haval H97/10
Expect a five-year/100,000km warranty, with service intervals pegged at six months and 10,000km. Service costs are available at Haval dealerships, so be sure to check them out before you sign on the dotted line.
Citroen C5 Aircross
The on-going costs are super-reasonable on the C5 Aircross Sport, with a five-year/unlimited km warranty included.
You can also choose to pre-purchase a three- or five-year capped-priced servicing plan, both significantly cheaper than the pay-as-you-go option.
On the three-year plan, services are $1100 or an annual average of $366.
It’s a flat $2000 for the five-year plan, (averaging just $400 per service), which is very competitive for the class.
Servicing intervals are every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever occurs first.
The Aircross also comes with a five-year roadside assistance plan that is offered through Digicall Assist, for added peace-of-mind.