The Chinese are fighting rust: how the flagship Haval SUV is protected from corrosion in Europe.

The Chinese are fighting rust: how the flagship Haval SUV is protected from corrosion in Europe.

The Chinese are against rust: it turned out how protected from corrosion the flagship SUV Haval is in Russia

The updated SUV Haval H9 for the Russian Federation received enhanced protection from corrosion

The flagship frame SUV Haval H9, which in February began to be sold in Russia in an updated version of the 2026 model year, has a fully galvanized body and enhanced protection from corrosion. Ilya Fedotov, manager of the strategy, planning and product management department at Great Wall Motor Rus, told Avtonovosti Dnya about this.

Китайцы против ржавчины: выяснилось, как защищен от коррозии флагманский внедорожник Haval в России Photo by Ivan Bakharev / Avtonovosti Dnya

“We have galvanized steel, the body is fully galvanized, the roof is galvanized. … We checked it with a galvanizer, and it really is fully galvanized, including the sills. We’re confident it’s durable and offer a six-year warranty against rust penetration. And the frame itself is also primed with a special compound,” said Ilya Fedotov.

Photo by Ivan Bakharev / “Auto news of the day”
In addition, a representative of the Russian office of Great Wall Motor noted the special mastic with which the bottom of the car is generously covered. According to him, it not only saves the metal from corrosion, but also protects it from sandblasting, and also has a positive effect on sound insulation, reducing the noise from small stones flying from under the wheels while driving.

“There really is a lot of it in the lower part of the car,” Ilya Fedotov emphasized.

As a reminder, all Haval H9s sold in Russia are assembled in China. The 2026 model year cars are available in two trim levels: Premium and Techno+. In the 2025 versions, they cost 4,699,000 and 5,199,000 rubles, respectively, and in the 2026 versions, they are 100 thousand rubles more expensive.

Интерьер Haval H9

The power unit became the only one with the transition to the 2026 model year. The diesel engine has been removed from the lineup; both trim levels of the SUV are now equipped with a 2.0-liter turbocharged gasoline engine producing 218 hp and 380 Nm of torque. It is paired with a classic eight-speed automatic transmission and a Torque-on-Demand all-wheel drive system, complemented by a transfer case with a multi-plate fluid coupling and a positive locking rear differential.

    • Photo by Ivan Bakharev / “Auto News of the Day”

      Externally, the updated Haval H9 can be recognized by the gray radiator grille instead of silver and wheel arch extensions made of black unpainted plastic. In addition, the 2026 model year SUV received ergonomic improvements and new digital capabilities: an additional third key for the rear luggage box, an integrated Yandex Auto multimedia platform, the VK Video application, a remote software update function “over the air” and a voice assistant that allows you to control many of the car’s functions by voice.

      It was previously reported that the iCAUR V27 hybrid SUV, which will enter the Russian market in 2026, will also boast enhanced anti-corrosion body protection. Rust protection is implemented as a comprehensive system, where each unit is processed according to a separate scenario, says the manufacturer.

      Author: Dmitry Brusochkin