The Hongqi H9 Can Take On S-Class Anyday For Half The Price

What Is Hongqi?

Hongqi is a moniker used by FAW group for its luxury-oriented products like Hyundai uses Genesis. But the legacy behind the name dates back to 1958 or the Chairman Mao era. The pre-Cold War versions of Hongqi, which means ”Redflag” in Chinese, were used to ferry VVIP state officials and were produced in very limited numbers until 1980.

After that, during mid mid-2000s some badge-engineered Audis and Lincolns were adorned with the Hongqi mark before a thorough overhaul and the launch of the H9 nameplate in 2020

Behold The Hongqi H9

The H9 doesn’t look like anything else on the road to tbh. Kudos to its design team for coming up with their iteration of style which if not beautiful (debatable in comments) still looks massively imposing and a bonafide head-turner. Thanks to the design boss at FAW group Giles Taylor. Who previously worked as chief designer at  Jaguar, Rolls Royce, and Citroen.

The exterior comes in four rich-looking colors Violet, Black, Champagne, and a duotone and regardless of the trims chosen all Hongqi H9 come with Matrix LED lights and a Panoramic roof.

There are 5 trims and a couple of engine options you can choose from.

What Powers The Hongqi H9?

The H9 has 81 inches of wheelbase and has a prominent hood long enough to accommodate a rather economical but potent 2.0 L four-cylinder or a supercharged V6. The former makes 241 hp/380nm and the latter has about 270hp/400nm both are paired to a 48V mild hybrid.

Weirdly so the power difference isn’t that staggering but I bet the bigger bore and Supercharger in the V6 make low-speed cruising a breeze. For those wondering why no V8 or V12, well in China there is a massive displacement-based tax system that can add a lot to MSRP.

The tranny duties are handled by a 7-speed DCT. I can't tell you how Hongqi H9 drives as I still haven't seen one in California up for sale yet but this fella has got some interesting things to say about it.

Gorgeous, simply stunning, and from what I have heard in reviews it is quite well made too. There are a lot of textures and visually pleasing details spread throughout the cabin. There are a couple of infotainment displays which btw are neatly done and are not as “IN YOUR FACE” as in Tesla and newer-gen Mercs.

There are plenty of leather colors you can get like violet, cognac, white, or black. There is a 4-seater option available for rear passengers with a full-length console, massaging seats, air purifier, and whatnot.

Based on the trim chosen you also get acoustic glass, “wings of Beidou” welcome lights, 10 or 14-way adjustable seats, Nappa leather upholstery, Bose audio, 250-color ambient light, autonomous driving features, and air suspension.

In China, the trims for Hongqi H9 are 2.0 Standard, 2.0 Comfortable, 2.0 Deluxe, 3.0 Deluxe, and 3.0 Flagship. In Dubai, the trims are Luxury, Comfort and Executive

How Can I Get A Hongqi H9?

Currently and sadly it's only available in Dubai and China. But you could import it if you're hell-bent on proving to your friends that their S-Class isn’t the only game in town. In China, you can get it in 5 trims starting from US$ 45,500 to $80,000.

Yep, it's that affordable. In Dubai,  the Hongqi H9 starts from $70,000 and goes up to $90,000. There is also an extended wheelbase version on sale in China known as H9 + which adds 7.8 inches to an already apt wheelbase.

Image Source- FAW Group