The 2018 Haval H7, previously scheduled to debut here in the second half of this year, has been pushed back to "early 2018", with initial details for the Chinese brand's Sorento fighter also released this week.
Despite the fact it will likely be priced against medium SUVs, the H7 measures 4900mm in long-wheelbase 'L' guise - putting it in closer contention with large crossovers like the Kia Sorento, Mazda CX-9 and the Toyota Kluger.
Like the Mazda, the H7 will be motivated by four-cylinder turbo petrol power only. The 2.0-litre unit develops 170kW of power and 350Nm of torque. Drive will be sent to the front wheels via a six-speed dual-clutch transmission.
The H7 will be packed with technology when it arrives in local showrooms, with the high-spec Lux variant scoring a 12.3-inch virtual driver's instrument panel, electric tailgate, semi-automatic parking, blind spot monitoring, lane change assist, rear cross traffic alert and a 360-degree camera system.
While autonomous emergency braking (AEB) and forward collision warning remain glaring omissions from the spec sheet, Haval has confirmed it is working on adding the potentially life-saving technologies in the first quarter of 2018.
It's unclear where this leaves the current H8 "large SUV" - which measures 4806mm long - though it's possible a replacement for the company's current large family hauler is in the works and will grow in size.
