The new Hongqi HS5 looks amazing, but will Malaysians like its look?
The all-new Hongqi HS5 was just launched in China and it looks breathtaking, then again, I am quite biased here because from certain angles, this car looks extremely similar to a certain car which just so happens to be one of my top 5 favourite cars.
With that being said, the main question for me is if the Hongqi HS5 were launched in Malaysia, would the general public fawn over its design like me or will they be less welcoming of its design?
Before we get into that, let’s take a look at some of the facts and figures about the car first.
The first iteration of this car, the Hongqi H5, was first launched in 2017 and is based on the same platform as the third generation Mazda 6. This is because the Mazda 6 is also made in China by the FAW-Mazda joint venture with FAW being First Auto Works, the owner of the Hongqi brand.
The Hongqi H5 comes in tow engine options, a 1.5l turbo and a 1.8l turbo while the new Hongqi HS5 comes in either a 1.5l turbo, a 1.5l turbo hybrid or a 2.0l turbo with the car shown in black being the 2.0l turbo variant. All variants are front wheel drive only.
The Hongqi HS5 starts from 159,800 yuan or USD23,628 and goes up to 179,800 yuan, which translates to about USD29,542. It has a wheelbase of 2920mm and dimensions of 4988/1875/1470mm and the Hongqi H5 will be renamed to the Hongqi H5 Classic Edition to differentiate between the two models.
The exterior is stunning with a huge front grille that is not as gaudy as some cars with big grilles and slim headlights with a sleek body and connected taillights and nicely hidden exhaust pipes with a distinctive hood ornament that spans down the middle of the hood.
The interior is where I worry it may get controversial, with a simple and spacious-looking cabin complete with a 12.3 inch infotainment system and 12.6 inch driver display with the hood ornament “continuing” down the middle of the centre armrest.
So far so good, but my eyes are immediately assaulted by the crimson sea that is the red seats and inlays which cover a decent chunk of the interior. For a car that looks so mature and sensible on the outside, I was expecting a more mature colour, but aside from that, there really is not anything to fault this car with, it’s practical and quirky.
So now, I want to hear from you guys, do you think it looks good? Would you like to be seen driving one of these around or do you think it doesn’t look as good as some other brands do?
