Multi Purpose with Style

Ever since the 1950’s, the world’s concept of luxury and style, in one way or another, has been defined by the Italians. Be it at fashion week in Milan, or along the coast of Lake Como, Italians really know what it means to live La Dolce Vita.

And now that the money is flowing out of Asia like Opera out of Pavarotti, rich Asians want a slice of that lifestyle. They’re over the “practical family car” phase and are confidently stepping into the “I want to snap necks in a good way” phase, and Haima is decidedly fueling that fire with the all-new Haima 7X MPV, a vehicle the Laus Auto Group is proud to launch in the Philippines.

Designed by the chief of design at Pininfarina Shanghai, the Haima 7X looks like it just jumped out of a sci fi novel, with all its sharp edges and unique design features, like the massive grille, which hides the headlights. If not a sci fi novel, perhaps a Yacht Owners’ monthly, since designer Pier Luigi Ferrari states they used power yachts as inspiration for the design of the vehicle, flying bridge and all. For all its edgy and futuristic design, the 7X has a very fluid aura, and that’s part of what makes the 7X a very handsome vehicle. The vehicle makes copious use of black accents to really accentuate the lines of the vehicle, like the taillights which look like they’re floating because of the blacked-out trunk, which simultaneously draws attention to the flying bridge design of the roof. Down the side, the 7X carries a signature line from the back all the way to the front. According to the official statement, this is supposed to mimic a bow wave on a luxury yacht, and one can clearly see scallops in the bodywork where the styling line cuts the body, reminiscent of water splashing off the bow. Proportionality wise, it looks much smaller than it is, and that was a very pleasant surprise upon setting eyes on the real-life model.

That effect translates to the interior when one sits inside the car. The rear captain seats provide ample space both in length and width, making the rear a highly comfortable place to sit. The front as well is a pleasant place to sit, and the 7X does a very good job of making the cockpit feel spacious in front, yet the dashboard has a very clear focus on the driver without feeling claustrophobic.

Refinement is also high quality, easily on par with offerings from Europe. From the soft touch materials that cover the dash and line the doors to the leather seats and grab handles, all the surfaces that the eye falls on is covered in premium materials to cocoon the occupants in an air of opulence that they may be unfamiliar with. Even the speaker grill has a premium design to it, despite being out of sight most of the time near your foot. This level of attention to detail has become quite the norm among Chinese cars of late, slowly surpassing their Japanese counterparts in terms of interior quality.

In terms of performance, the 7X is definitely not lacking in power and torque. With 162 horsepower, and 240 Newton meters on tap, it surpasses most of its rivals by a huge margin, and nips at the heels of most turbodiesel SUVs. All from a 1.5 liter, turbocharged, inline four-cylinder engine and a 6-speed automatic transmission, which bodes well for fuel consumption, something most of its competitors must rightly be worried about. While we were unable to take the 7X out on the road yet, the suspension system it brings to the table is par for the course, with a MacPherson Strut front and multilink rear setup not unlike most MPVs available in the Philippines today. Unlike most MPVs available today, though, the 7X likely has a very low center of gravity, because of its uniquely low roofline. While it may have a similar ride height to its competitors, that low roofline means the chassis keeps most of its weight down low, and that will pay dividends in the corners.

Primarily, the 7X has all the features and accessories one would come to expect of a modern, 7-seater SUV. Aside from the usual Reversing camera, ISOFIX Tethers, and Traction control, the 7X also comes with Cruise control, Hill descent control, Tire Pressure monitoring, Hill start, and Braking assist, all of which are increasingly becoming standard on premium MPVs. What is a more premium option is the 7X’s In-car entertainment, which has Smartphone connectivity, as well as what Haima calls Wi-Fi Reception. One aspect it falls a little short in is the number of airbags. Where some of its competitors have started offering side and curtain airbags, the 7X makes do with only driver and front passenger airbags. They aren’t a necessity, of course, since our regulations only require the 2 airbags, but we look for the other airbags only to hope we never have to use it.

As we wind down to the price of the 7X, it seems that’s where Haima has decided to outdo the competition. At a hair under 1.2 million Philippine Pesos, the Haima 7X is not the cheapest vehicle in this segment – it finds itself squarely in the middle of the range in terms of price. But any buyer would be hard pressed to find an MPV that’s this well equipped for under that price, nor one that looks quite this good. And while beauty is in the eye of the beholder, the 7X is quite the sight to behold.

As the virtual successor to the V70, labelled MPV of the Year by CAGI in 2018, there are certain expectations that people will have when viewing the 7X, and one of them will be longevity. Filipinos have had an interesting relationship with non-Japanese brands in the past – all related to or ruined by reliability. Speaking with Ms. Carisa Laus of distributor Laus Auto Group, one of the key components to the brand’s success or failure is their after-sales service. As it happens, Ms. Carisa mentioned that without the after-sales service network that can take care of their customers, many Haima owners wouldn’t be Haima owners for long. The reason they have remained loyal to Haima is because the brand takes care of them and keeps them well-stocked with spares should they be needed.

In the early 2000s, Filipinos developed a stigma against the French auto manufacturer Peugeot, because the parts network available to them was nearly non-existent at the time. In the early 2010s, it was the turn of the Chinese vehicles to take the ridicule, plagued by the same non-existent parts and service center network that took down Peugeot. Now, one can’t walk 5 meters from their house without seeing at least one car that comes from a Chinese company, and that popularity is well deserved because these companies, Haima included, have stepped up their game to give us worthwhile products at affordable prices, and are taking care of their customers once they’ve parted with their hard earned cash.

The stigma is no longer part of the reality for these brands, and the cars they offer deserve attention. All that’s left to do is for the general public to take the plunge and try it out for themselves.