Haima 7

The Haima 7 at a glance: a Chinese SUV with Mazda roots

Haima began in 1992 as a joint venture that built Mazda-based cars, and much of its early range drew on Mazda engineering. The Haima 7 continued that line: the old 1cars text notes how closely it resembles the Mazda Tribute, which served as the starting point of the concept under an official cooperation agreement. The car sat above the later, smaller Haima S5. Haima's story is told in the history of Haima, and all its models are in the Haima catalogue.

One generation, three facelifts

The model had one generation with three facelifts. The first, shown at the Shanghai motor show in April 2013, updated the styling and cabin; a second followed in 2015 and a third reached the Chinese market in October 2016. The car stayed in production until 2020.

The 2.0 HM484Q and the 1.8 turbo

The 2.0-litre HM484Q four-cylinder petrol engine produces 110 kW (150 PS) and 180 Nm. In early 2010 it came only with a five-speed manual gearbox, which a Chinese motoring site called a serious weakness for its market; automatic versions followed. Over its life the car was offered with five- and six-speed manual and five- and six-speed automatic gearboxes, and a turbocharged 1.8-litre HM484Q-T joined the range.

The two-litre car is not quick: a 14.9-second sprint is slow for a 1.4-tonne SUV. Drivers quoted in the old 1cars text found the engine short of pull and the manual clutch long and vague. By our calculation, the 2.0 carries about 13 kg per kW at its lightest kerb weight.

Five seats, a modest boot and high clearance

The cabin has room for five, and the rear bench offers good space and a folding centre armrest, with a reclining backrest. The old 1cars text lists the weak points. The driver's seat adjusts only manually, even on top versions, and its height adjuster tilts only the cushion; the rear seats do not fold into a flat floor. The boot is modest for the class and its opening is short, so heavy items must be lifted high. On the plus side, the heated front seats have five heat settings, all seat belts have pretensioners, and the high ground clearance helps on poor roads. Suspension uses MacPherson struts at the front and a multi-link axle at the rear, with disc brakes on all wheels.

Around 8–9 litres per 100 km

The old 1cars text gives combined figures of about 8.1 l/100 km for the manual 2.0 and 8.8 l/100 km for the automatic. Those are high for a car of this size and power, largely because the engine has to work hard. The fuel cost calculator shows what that means over a year of driving.

Base, Deluxe and Navigation versions

In its export version, the old 1cars text describes three trims. The base 2.0 MT has a four-speaker audio system, cloth seats, rear parking sensors, heated electric mirrors, ABS, an alarm and central locking. The Deluxe MT adds air conditioning, a CD/MP3 system, heated front seats, full electric windows and brake assist. The top Navigation AT with an automatic gearbox adds climate control, leather trim, tyre-pressure monitoring, electronic brake-force distribution, fog lamps and two front airbags. None of the versions had keyless entry, a reversing camera or electronic stability control.

Two airbags and no stability control

The car was never crash-tested by Euro NCAP or the IIHS. Its equipment shows its age: two airbags and ABS, but no electronic stability control on the versions described above. Buyers who want modern safety should look at newer SUVs.

Known weak points on used cars

The 2.0 engine and the manual gearbox are simple, but owners mention cheap interior materials, uneven assembly, a slow-reacting climate control fan and a hard-to-read climate display. Check the clutch, the automatic gearbox, the suspension bushes and the electrical equipment on a used example, and confirm that parts are available locally.

Rivals: how the Haima 7 compares

Compared with the later Haima S5, the 7 is the larger car, but older in design and less efficient, with its two-litre engine using around 8 to 9 l/100 km. Against Japanese and Korean compact SUVs of its time, it offered a lower price but less power, weaker safety equipment and poorer finish. Within the brand, the Haima M3 saloon shows the same budget approach in a smaller car.