Hongqi H5

For this second-generation model of the H5 sedan, Hongqi significantly changed the layout of the dashboard, which now looks more up-to-date, individualistic and premium than before. The sedan is offered with a dual-tone black and beige leather upholstery option as standard, making the cabin look even richer in feel.

The driver’s cockpit of the Hongqi has a nice-looking Y-themed multi-functional steering wheel with silver accents and a rectangular full-TFT instrument console behind it, which has a conventional curved housing above it. The centre console of the dashboard here is dominated by a large portrait-style touchscreen infotainment system, which is placed here in an inclined manner and also houses controls for the dual-zone automatic climate control on offer. Above this infotainment system, there are slim rectangular AC vents.

For its price, the Hongqi H5 has an impressive set of comfort and convenience features, which includes a head-up display, wireless charger, powered seats with memory and massage functions for the driver, heated and ventilated front seats, 12-speaker audio system, air purifier, powered and heated rearview mirrors, panoramic sunroof and more.

The Hongqi H5 belongs to a segment where road presence and elegance matter a lot in the exterior design of a car. With that respect, the Hongqi H5 has a distinctive road presence and several design highlights, which make it look very unique and have its own identity.

The front profile of the Hongqi H5 has a large trapezoidal grille with vertical chrome slats. A red slat flowing from the middle of the grille towards the bonnet adds a unique touch of exclusivity. The eyebrow-shaped daytime running LEDs and trapezoidal headlamps with dual LED projectors and T-shaped chrome garnish on the bumper corners add more bling and premium appeal to the front profile. The lower part of the front bumper also has a wide chrome garnish strip flowing across the width of the bumper.

Moving towards the side, the Hongqi H5 showcases its poised presence with a long wheelbase and large 18-inch multi-spoke machined alloy wheels. To add more visual drama, Hongqi has given this sedan a couple of characteristic curves flowing over the door panels. Like the bonnet, the front fenders also have contrast red highlights, which are arranged vertically on the rear part of the front fenders. The side profile of the Hongqi H5 also has door-mounted rearview mirrors and chrome garnish around the window panels.

The rear profile of the Hongqi H5 looks purposeful and attention-grabbing with boomerang-shaped vertically aligned LED tail lamps that are connected by an LED light bar across the width of the boot. Here, the H5 also gets a shark fin antenna and chrome garnish over the lower part of the rear bumper that also surrounds the exhaust ports.

The Hongqi H5 has a soft-tuned setup for the Macpherson independent suspension at the front and multi-link independent suspension at the rear, which shows up in the suppleness of the ride quality on offer. The sedan also comes with four drive modes – eco, comfort, sport and custom, for specific ride responses while driving. However, the steering feedback could have been better, for it feels too light even at higher speeds.

There are two powertrains offered in the range of Hongqi H5. The base-spec 1.5T Basic is powered by a 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine, which produces 156 PS of power and 255 Nm of torque. The other variants are powered by a larger 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine, which claims 224 PS of power and 340 Nm of torque. An 8-speed automatic transmission is standard across the range.

The comprehensive safety net available in the Hongqi H5 includes features like seven airbags, ABS with EBD and brake assist, traction control, electronic stability program, electronic parking brake, hill start assist, front and rear parking sensors, 360-degree parking camera, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, blind spot detection, autonomous emergency braking, forward collision warning, rear collision warning, lateral warning for reversing, lane change assist, fatigue monitoring system, E-Call and head-up display.

While the Hongqi H5 lacks the desirability of its German rivals, it tries to match its shoulders with its distinctive styling and luxurious and feature-rich cabin.