- Olga Kokorina
- Translated by Olga Apetenok
- Ru He Fr
Hongqi H5 sedan. The first mass-produced car
The Hongqi H5 is a luxury car produced by the Chinese manufacturer FAW under the Hongqi brand since 2017. In 2022, the manufacturer presented the second generation, intended for export. Therefore, it is worth taking a closer look at the first mass-produced car of the Hongqi brand, FAW’s most expensive brand, quite suitable even for elite buyers. The H5 sedan was designed both to conquer other markets and to attract a wider audience. Therefore, it is more affordable, but still luxury. The new Hongqi H5 2022 will arrive at dealerships by the end of the summer. A starting price is 25,500 dollars.
First generation
The appearance of the Hongqi H5 was preceded by a concept car shown at the 2017 Shanghai Motor Show, while the production sedan debuted at the Guangzhou Motor Show a little later. The model is based on the same platform as the third-generation Mazda 6, known in the Chinese market as Mazda Atenza and produced by the FAW-Mazda joint venture. The first generation H5 turned out to be very popular: even in the last year of its release, 84,000 sedans were sold. The car was 4,945 mm long, 1,845 mm wide and 1,470 mm high. The wheelbase was 2,875 mm, providing a spacious interior. The sedan was equipped with a single 1.8-liter turbocharged engine with 178 hp and 250 Nm and a 6-speed automatic gearbox. The model was front-wheel drive.
To increase the number of modifications and consolidate the success of the car on the market in 2020, a new 1.5-liter turbocharged engine with 169 hp and 258 Nm was added to the model range. The engine was mated to a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox. The previous 1.8-liter engine was supplemented with a 48-volt mild-hybrid system, which increased the total output to 197 hp. Additionally, the manufacturer introduced the Hongqi H5 Sports, a modification with a sports styling package. The car featured more aggressive front and rear bumpers, redesigned grille, gloss black trim and trunk spoiler, and quad exhaust pipes. However, the powertrain remained the same as that of the regular H5.
Second generation
The new Hongqi H5 already has its own platform, although it does not differ from analogues of other companies. The wheelbase has grown to 2,920 mm, the car has become longer (by 43 mm, up to 4,988 mm) and wider (by 30 mm, up to 1875 mm). Externally, the new sedan is similar to the old H9, both are made in the same style. Typically, Chinese developers use the talents of Italian design masters, but this time FAW hired designer Giles Taylor, who previously worked for Rolls-Royce.
The Hongqi H5 2022/2023 is distinguished by the absence of dual screens, as each screen is separate. The digital dashboard is in front of the driver and a huge vertical multimedia screen sits in the middle of the center console. The complex has voice control and live update function. A head-up display is also provided, the front seats are equipped with an electric drive, heating and ventilation. At the same time, the list of equipment is relatively poor: 6 airbags, a panoramic roof, adaptive cruise control, automatic high beam, panoramic cameras and a parking assistant.
Taking into account the experience of the first generation, the developers of the new Hongqi H5 offer three engines at once: a 1.5-liter turbo gasoline engine (156 hp, 258 Nm), a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine (224 hp, 340 Nm) and a hybrid system based on a 1.5-liter engine. The first modification has a 7-speed robotic gearbox, the second offers an 8-speed automatic gearbox, while the third has an electromechanical variator. The main advantage of the latter is its modest fuel consumption, which is only 4.8 liters per 100 km compared to 6.0-6.3 liters for gasoline versions.
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