“Behind the wheel” criticized the quality of the Hongqi HQ9 minivan for 8.5 million rubles

The new car is a representative of the popular class of business vans in China, designed for VIP transfers and acting as analogues of executive class sedans, reports Za Rulem. However, there are a number of serious shortcomings that call its price into question.

Thus, through the microscopic opening of the Hongqi HQ9 hood it is extremely difficult to control and add oil, noted Za Rulem expert Kirill Mileshkin. After starting the engine, the slow loading of the central display begins to irritate – you have to wait for the image from the all-round cameras. At the same time, there were no synchronization protocols with a smartphone in the media system, which is rare today.

The style of the Hongqi HQ9 instrument cluster does not change, and the speedometer itself is pushed into the corner, while the entire center is given over to less useful data. The touch panels on the steering wheel are inconvenient, and the media system is designed primitively, is empty and slows down – it does not qualify as premium.

The quality of materials of the Hongqi HQ9 also raises questions. The one-year-old test car already shows wrinkles and cracks on the leather left bolster of the driver’s seat.

The seats of the second row of the Hongqi HQ9 as standard do not have massagers and have only manual longitudinal adjustment. It’s better for two people to sit on the third row (gallery) – the third one is superfluous here, although formally the sofa is a three-seater. There is no heating in the back row, the expert said.

The main problem with the Hongqi HQ9 is the trunk. If you configure the interior for maximum passenger comfort, the trunk practically disappears. The seat backs do not fold horizontally. You can increase the space for things only by moving the seats of the second and third rows forward. No spare wheel provided.

And finally, the price. HQ9 in the poorest configuration (which, by the way, will not be sold in Russia) costs from 8.5 to 9 million rubles. This is very expensive, especially compared to its competitors: the GAC M8 is offered for 5.5-6.5 million rubles and is no worse in terms of driving performance and equipment, and the hybrid Voyah Dream with all-wheel drive and power up to 435 horsepower costs 7.55-8 million rubles. It turns out that the Hongqi HQ9 is more expensive than its more technologically advanced competitors, but at the same time loses to them in detail and practicality, Mileshkin said.

Previously, cars that will appear on the market before 2029 were named.