Bobik is dead: why wait to buy a new Haval Dargo crossover
- June 8, 2022
- 0
Today in Russia, sales of the Chinese crossover Haval Dargo, known at home as the Haval Big Dog (translated as “Big Dog”), begin. Dealers have already opened up
Today in Russia, sales of the Chinese crossover Haval Dargo, known at home as the Haval Big Dog (translated as “Big Dog”), begin. Dealers have already opened up order acceptance, but it’s unlikely that many people will want to own a “pet” despite the dire shortage of new cars. Why the “big dog” will certainly turn out to be painful, problematic, untrainable and make its owner suffer, says the AvtoVzglyad portal.
The Tula plant has been producing Haval Dargo for two months now, so everything is ready for the start of sales, which started on June 8. Of course, the crossover was presented with pomp, and the car press drowned in sweet reviews, because today the whole hope of the domestic car market is in the Chinese comrades. Well, indeed, car manufacturers from China are increasingly surprising us with quite decent cars (for example, Geely Tugella, Chery Tiggo 8 Pro Max), but unfortunately not in this case.
For starters, we recommend that you remember the problems that the much-anticipated Haval F7 crossover from the Russian assembly had. In the winter of 2020, the owners found out that their cars ignited spontaneously! According to the owners, fires started when the engine was started remotely, but there were also cases where cars flared up while driving. The Chinese promised to pay for the damage, but, as they say, the sediment remained. The same problem could theoretically be with Haval Dargo, as they are assembled at the same manufacturing site. Unless, of course, the experts haven’t worked on the bugs.
In appearance, the Dargo turned out to be interesting and resembles the latest Ford Bronco. You might think this is a real villain. But there is no need to build illusions! The Dargo’s bodywork is load-bearing, so not intended for serious off-road driving, although it does have four-wheel drive in its arsenal. We’ll come back to the off-road “styles”, but now pay attention to the body shape. The angular design doesn’t have the best effect on aerodynamics. Which in turn increases fuel economy so the Dargo will be voracious on the highway, inevitably hitting the owner’s wallet.
However, the brutal appearance may attract those who buy with their eyes to the car. Such people will quickly be disappointed, because everything in the cabin is no longer so elegant. The decorative plastics are very cheap, which is surprising since this Haval model is a clear application for premium. And the Chinese comrades who bought a car in the Middle Kingdom notice that the same plastics soon begin to crack. So the trills of “salon crickets” become the eternal companions of the driver and passengers. Note the multimedia screen. It is placed so that it will shine strongly in the sun, and it is also easy to get it dirty with your fingers.
As for the space in the cabin, the average wheelbase of 2738mm won’t let you roam completely. Especially in the back seat. In addition, it is quite stiff and sits low. It turns out to be a situation where you have to sit with your knees up. This is especially true for tall passengers.
When we talk about the case, Chinese buyers are not thrilled about it either. They measured 320 liters of usable space, which is very little. So for trips to the country the car is hardly suitable.
Now let’s talk about the engine. All Russian Haval Dargos are equipped with a 2-litre supercharged petrol engine, tuned from 245 to 192 hp. Of. It is said that 92nd gasoline can be poured into it, and this is immediately alarming. This engine has a high compression ratio, so it must be very demanding on fuel quality. And if you’re refueling with low-octane gasoline, over time the blast will overhaul the unit.
The engine is mated to a seven-speed robotic gearbox with two wet clutches. The same goes for Haval F7. This transmission has been criticized more than once for the sharpness of the shifting, not only by our customers, but also by the Chinese. Such settings will certainly reduce the resource of an expensive “robot”. By the way, there was no info on changing these for F7, so Dargo seems to have the same story (let’s wait for a full test drive of the novelty).
Finally, we mention the four-wheel drive system. It is standard for crossovers: transfer case, universal joint, fifth generation Haldex clutch and rear differential. That’s just, judging by the calculations one of the internet sources cites, the clutch may not be able to withstand off-road loads. Then it will either turn off so that there is no overheating, or it will break. And this is a major refurbishment.
So we don’t recommend “buying” on the look of Dargo. A voracious car with a brick design and styles in a four-wheel drive transmission will not become the best friend of the family (and what the hell is a friend if they ask at least 3,200,000 rubles for it). Rather, it will bring a lot of disappointment, especially when the crossover appears on the secondary market. By the way, he, like all second-hand “Chinese”, alas, will not use liquidity. I’m afraid that the “dog” will be completely homeless.
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Photos from open sources
Photos from open sources
Photos from open sources
Photos from open sources
The Tula plant has been producing Haval Dargo for two months now, so everything is ready for the start of sales, which started on June 8. Of course, the crossover was presented with pomp, and the car press drowned in sweet reviews, because today the whole hope of the domestic car market is in the Chinese comrades. Well, indeed, car manufacturers from China are increasingly surprising us with quite decent cars (for example, Geely Tugella, Chery Tiggo 8 Pro Max), but unfortunately not in this case.
For starters, we recommend that you remember the problems that the much-anticipated Haval F7 crossover from the Russian assembly had. In the winter of 2020, the owners found out that their cars ignited spontaneously! According to the owners, fires started when the engine was started remotely, but there were also cases where cars flared up while driving. The Chinese promised to pay for the damage, but, as they say, the sediment remained. The same problem could theoretically be with Haval Dargo, as they are assembled at the same manufacturing site. Unless, of course, the experts haven’t worked on the bugs.
In appearance, the Dargo turned out to be interesting and resembles the latest Ford Bronco. You might think this is a real villain. But there is no need to build illusions! The Dargo’s bodywork is load-bearing, so not intended for serious off-road driving, although it does have four-wheel drive in its arsenal. We’ll come back to the off-road “styles”, but now pay attention to the body shape. The angular design doesn’t have the best effect on aerodynamics. Which in turn increases fuel economy so the Dargo will be voracious on the highway, inevitably hitting the owner’s wallet.
However, the brutal appearance may attract those who buy with their eyes to the car. Such people will quickly be disappointed, because everything in the cabin is no longer so elegant. The decorative plastics are very cheap, which is surprising since this Haval model is a clear application for premium. And the Chinese comrades who bought a car in the Middle Kingdom notice that the same plastics soon begin to crack. So the trills of “salon crickets” become the eternal companions of the driver and passengers. Note the multimedia screen. It is placed so that it will shine strongly in the sun, and it is also easy to get it dirty with your fingers.
As for the space in the cabin, the average wheelbase of 2738mm won’t let you roam completely. Especially in the back seat. In addition, it is quite stiff and sits low. It turns out to be a situation where you have to sit with your knees up. This is especially true for tall passengers.
When we talk about the case, Chinese buyers are not thrilled about it either. They measured 320 liters of usable space, which is very little. So for trips to the country the car is hardly suitable.
Now let’s talk about the engine. All Russian Haval Dargos are equipped with a 2-litre supercharged petrol engine, tuned from 245 to 192 hp. Of. It is said that 92nd gasoline can be poured into it, and this is immediately alarming. This engine has a high compression ratio, so it must be very demanding on fuel quality. And if you’re refueling with low-octane gasoline, over time the blast will overhaul the unit.
The engine is mated to a seven-speed robotic gearbox with two wet clutches. The same goes for Haval F7. This transmission has been criticized more than once for the sharpness of the shifting, not only by our customers, but also by the Chinese. Such settings will certainly reduce the resource of an expensive “robot”. By the way, there was no info on changing these for F7, so Dargo seems to have the same story (let’s wait for a full test drive of the novelty).
Finally, we mention the four-wheel drive system. It is standard for crossovers: transfer case, universal joint, fifth generation Haldex clutch and rear differential. That’s just, judging by the calculations one of the internet sources cites, the clutch may not be able to withstand off-road loads. Then it will either turn off so that there is no overheating, or it will break. And this is a major refurbishment.
So we don’t recommend “buying” on the look of Dargo. A voracious car with a brick design and styles in a four-wheel drive transmission will not become the best friend of the family (and what the hell is a friend if they ask at least 3,200,000 rubles for it). Rather, it will bring a lot of disappointment, especially when the crossover appears on the secondary market. By the way, he, like all second-hand “Chinese”, alas, will not use liquidity. I’m afraid that the “dog” will be completely homeless.
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Source: Avto Vzglyad
I’m Sandra Torres, a passionate journalist and content creator. My specialty lies in covering the latest gadgets, trends and tech news for Div Bracket. With over 5 years of experience as a professional writer, I have built up an impressive portfolio of published works that showcase my expertise in this field.
