The Haval H9 Warrior Edition has been revealed, showing off its off-road equipment upgrades and sinister black cosmetic treatment ahead of its debut at the Chengdu Auto Show in China.
While the original Haval H9, a seven-seat large off-road SUV to rival the Toyota Prado and Ford Everest, was sold in Australia between 2015 and 2021, its second-generation successor was never released here as it was effectively replaced by the similarly sized Tank 500 in 2023.
Brandishing a name familiar to off-road enthusiasts in Australia – given it’s used on the toughened-up Nissan Patrol Warrior and Navara Warrior developed by local engineering firm Premcar – the new hero of the MkII H9 range has now emerged in China following a similar theme courtesy of some rugged off-road upgrades of its own.
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Beneath the darkened exterior – which includes a black grille, bumpers, alloy wheels and wing mirrors – the H9 Warrior comes standard with front and rear electronic differential locks and all-terrain tyres.
Inside, there’s new crimson coloured trim, but the same a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster and 14.6-inch central multimedia touchscreen as seen in regular versions of the H9.
Further details will be revealed on August 26, when the H9 Warrior Edition is fully unveiled in China, including whether it will be powered by the 2.5-litre turbo-petrol engine or the 2.4-litre turbo-diesel available across the regular H9 lineup.
Pricing is also yet to be announced for the blacked-out off-roader.
There appears to be no change to other key numbers, including the H9’s 2500kg braked towing capacity, 800mm water fording depth, and 224mm of ground clearance – but, once again, GWM Haval is yet to confirm specifics.
The chances of the Warrior coming to Australia appear slim, given the second-generation H9 – which was introduced in China in September 2024 – has not been confirmed for local showrooms.
While it hasn’t been explicitly ruled out for a local launch, the H9 is not exported to the UK or any other right-hand drive country, and slow sales figures in China could also slim down its chances for Australia.
GWM Haval’s off-road focused Tank 300 and Tank 500 large SUVs are targeted at weekend warriors and adventure seekers, while the Haval H7 mid-size SUV – known as the Big Dog in China – is the largest Haval model sold here.
As well as the previous H9, Haval also sold the H8 herea. While the H8 name is no longer used in China or Australia, it was an even larger SUV with a 65mm longer wheelbase than the current H9’s 2850mm.
GWM is currently the best-selling Chinese auto brand in Australia, where it placed seventh in July to squeeze out BYD in eighth, with Chery’s 10th-place position making it three brands from China in the top 10.