Adding another feather to its cap after it successfully launched Haval SUVs in Pakistan, Sazgar Engineering Works Limited (SEWL) decided to catch the attention of the twin-city dwellers and hosted an inaugural ceremony of a two-day exhibition featuring Haval’s Jolion and H6 at the Centaurus Mall, Islamabad, on Friday.
The event, wherein the general public can now have a closer look and get acclimated to the vehicles, was attended by the Senior Vice President (SVP) Pak Golf Construction Sardar Yasir Ilyas as the chief guest.
The first day of the event saw a large crowd of people gathering around and having a closer look at the vehicles, the majority of whom were awestruck with the design and the build quality of the vehicles.
Background
To recap, SEWL formed a partnership with Haval and acquired a category-A greenfield status to manufacture vehicles in Pakistan earlier this year. The company launched two crossover SUVs, namely, the Jolion and the H6, to compete in the growing compact SUV market of Pakistan.
Haval – a marquee owned by a Chinese automotive group know as the Great Wall Motors (GMW) – is one of the largest automakers in the world’s biggest car market. With a lineup composed completely of SUVs, the Haval enjoys a strong reputation in 60 countries and is one of the largest SUV makers in the world, with a diverse lineup of SUVs.
Both SUVs are offered in Pakistan with a 1.5-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder petrol engine that produces 147 horsepower (hp) and 220 Newton-meters (nm) of torque and sends all the power to the front wheels via a 7-speed DCT automatic gearbox.
The SUVs are also loaded with modern features such as Parking Sensors, 360-degree cameras, blind-spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, autonomous braking, collision warning, 6 airbags, among a comprehensive list of other comfort and safety features.
Current Status
Ever since the launch, the Haval twins have witnessed two price hikes within a few months. The starting prices of the Jolion and the H6 SUVs were Rs. 5.52 million and Rs. 6.29 million respectively. However, after the recent price hike, the prices of Jolion and H6 SUVs have increased to Rs. 6.02 and Rs. 6.85 million respectively.
The company has cited the recent supply chain issues, increase in raw material costs, and the depreciation of the Pakistani Rupee against the US Dollar to be the reason for the price hikes.
Despite the increase in prices, Mian Muhammad Ali Hameed, Executive Director Sales and Marketing, SEWL, stated that the demand for the Haval SUVs has been incredibly high ever since the launch.
He added that the company is eager to begin the local production of the Haval SUVs in Pakistan, which would also pave the way for the expansion of the brand’s presence across Pakistan.
Future Plans
During his conversation with ProPakistani, Hameed stated that the local assembly of the Haval SUVs would begin next year, and this would help in the stability and possible reduction of the vehicle prices.
He added that the vehicle already had the attributes needed to succeed in the market, further highlighting that, despite the SUVs being turbocharged, both the Jolion and the H6 are compliant with normal fuel, unlike other turbocharged vehicles that are compliant with hi-octane or Euro-5 fuel only, which is more expensive.
He emphasized that the company’s primary focus is to start assembling the vehicles locally, so as to maintain a strong foothold in the market. Hameed stated that upon the beginning of the local production, the company would introduce new variants of both vehicles with additional features at a better price.
