How does the 2020 Haval H9 dominate the off-road market? An owner says: It's a truly thoughtful creation

Although SUVs have remained popular in China in recent years, it’s undeniable that off-roading is still a relatively niche community. On one hand, most people buy SUVs mainly for daily commuting, and off-road culture isn’t widely promoted. On the other hand, there aren’t many truly capable hard-core off-road SUVs on the market, and those that exist are quite expensive, making off-roading known as a “money-burning” hobby.

As a white-collar worker like me, though caught up in the hassles of daily life, I’ve always had an off-road dream — hoping to adventure through wild jungles and experience the thrill at the end of Hero Hill. The previous Haval H6 could occasionally handle some light off-roading, but it’s ultimately a city SUV. I’d been planning to buy a hard-core SUV, and when the 2020 Haval H9 was launched, its specs seemed very sincere. After a two-week wait, I finally took delivery in late August. After a month of use, I can only say: totally worth it！

Before settling on the 2020 Haval H9, I also compared it with other models in the same class, and the decision was easy. The Prado is a veteran hard-core off-roader, but it hasn’t had a generation change in over ten years, and many features are outdated. What’s worse, it even removed the rear differential lock. The Tonda may carry the banner of a joint-venture hard-core SUV, but don’t think I don’t know Zhengzhou Nissan originally made pickups. The Ford Everest has decent overall capability, but it’s not close to the 2020 Haval H9 in terms of specialized off-roading — after all, million-dollar features like “three locks” and “CCO Off-Road Cruise” aren’t available in just any vehicle.

In the month since taking delivery, my usage has mainly been for daily commuting, and during the Mid-Autumn holiday, I also invited some fellow off-roaders to try some extreme off-roading. In total, I drove over 3,000 kilometers. To be honest, after a month of experience, I’m very satisfied with the 2020 Haval H9 in all aspects. Below, I’ll share my experience using it in both urban and off-road settings, to offer some reference for those considering a hard-core SUV.

An Urban Homebody MVP

I believe most fellow drivers, like me, didn’t choose the 2020 Haval H9 just for off-roading. Its most common use cases are still in the city. Though positioned as a hard-core SUV, the comfort level of the 2020 Haval H9 is no less than that of any luxury SUV, and in terms of smart tech, it outshines foreign brands — truly an excellent choice for family travel.

Unlike its rugged appearance, the interior of the 2020 Haval H9 prioritizes comfort. Whether it’s the craftsmanship or materials, it can rival luxury brands. As soon as you enter the cabin, the first thing you notice is the very comfortable seats. Both the front and second rows come with seat heating, so the elderly and children in the back don’t have to worry about cold seats in winter. The front seats also offer electric lumbar support adjustment and massage functions, which are very practical for office workers like me, so you don’t have to worry about your “old back” giving out after a few hours of driving. When taking family out, their unanimous feedback is that it’s very comfortable, with no sense of travel fatigue even on long trips.

Another highly praised feature of the 2020 Haval H9 is its intelligent connectivity system, which solves many travel hassles. Before heading out in the morning, you can preheat or cool the car remotely, so you step into a comfortable temperature as soon as you get in. Just say your destination, and the GPS+BD dual-mode navigation will recommend the optimal route based on real-time traffic. If you feel stuffy, you can just use voice control to open the windows. Moreover, this intelligent voice interaction system is also a great playmate for kids. Any story they want to hear or question they want answered can be easily handled. Now, the first thing my child says when getting in the car is “Hi, Haval.” This system includes six major categories of functions: vehicle control, navigation, multimedia, Bluetooth calls, online weather, and news. It takes care of most operations that would normally distract the driver, making driving not only more convenient but also safer.

A Champion on the Off-Road Course

Before the Haval H9, only a few foreign brands like the Land Cruiser, Range Rover, and Prado had true professional off-road capability, making off-roading a game for only the wealthy. But with the arrival of the Haval H9, ordinary users can now experience professional off-roading, and it has become a faith model for many off-road enthusiasts, as well as a social media sensation on TikTok and Kuaishou. The 2020 Haval H9 I purchased takes off-roading ability even further — who doesn’t love million-dollar features like three locks and CCO low-speed off-road cruise?

Since choosing the 2020 Haval H9, it’s definitely not just about leisurely sightseeing — what we want is outstanding performance in extreme conditions. Taking advantage of the Mid-Autumn holiday, I gathered a few friends and headed to the off-road mecca, Laozhanggou, to experience the off-road capabilities of the 2020 Haval H9.

The name of Laozhanggou Village comes from a large footprint-shaped rock in the area, hence the name “Old Palm Valley.” The region features overlapping mountains and crisscrossing valleys, making it a famous off-road paradise near Beijing.

This is the famous “Hero Hill.” With its steep slope, many vehicles that try to conquer it end up failing. My 2020 Haval H9 climbed it quite effortlessly. The 2.0T engine has strong low-end torque, much more powerful than a typical 3.5L naturally aspirated engine. Turning on the CCO Off-Road Cruise mode allows the electronic control system to automatically manage the throttle, brakes, and gear shifting — I just need to focus on steering. And when encountering tight turns that are hard to navigate, the Haval H9-2020’s tank turn function allows steering in very tight spaces. With these two features, even for an off-roading novice like me, conquering Hero Hill was pretty easy.

Such roads can be a nightmare for any off-roader, putting both the vehicle’s off-road capability and the driver’s skills to the test. In such conditions, the soul of the 2020 Haval H9 — the “three locks” — comes into play. When a single wheel slips, engaging the central differential can handle it. If you encounter a bomb crater or cross-axle wheel loss of traction, the rear differential lock restores the vehicle’s power. The front differential lock is the lifesaver — even if one side of the vehicle is airborne or only one wheel has grip, it can still help you get out of trouble to the greatest extent possible.

This off-roading trip to Laozhanggou not only let me enjoy rare views outside the city but also showed me the wild side of the “H9 Club.” This is where it truly shines. I’ll look for opportunities to join the local off-road club and do more outdoor training with fellow H9 drivers — after all, “off-roading is nothing without bros.”

If I were to sum up my one-month experience in one sentence, it would be: no regrets. Many might think foreign brands have more prestige and more reliable performance, while domestic cars just pile on specs without real technical strength. I can now confidently tell you, with the 2020 Haval H9 around, there’s no worthy competitor in its class. Not only are there no comparable domestic models, but even foreign brands like the Prado and Everest can’t hold a candle to the Haval H9’s “three locks.” If you also want to experience real off-roading, come join us. Rain or shine, my fellow H9 drivers and I are waiting for you — to experience the thrill of off-roading together.