Dieselhover, I stopped by the GW dealer this weekend. They still don’t know when the 2012 models will be available for order. GW has improved the plastic color of the H5 automatic’s shift knob, from a cheap looking silver to a nicer looking gray.
I also noticed that while the H3 and H5 “Extreme” have a full size rear spoiler over the rear window, the H5 “Euro” has a smaller (shorter) spoiler. I prefer the normal (full) size spoiler.
I saw the VERY rare 2.5TCi-equipped H5 "Euro". I’ve never seen one before. Most 2.5TCi’s go into H3s, and a few into the ugly H5 “Extreme”. The 2.5TCi H5 “Extreme” has an intercooler hood scoop (the intercooler is mounted on top of the engine like the H3). But the 2.5TCi-equipped H5 Euro is different, using the same intercooler behind the bumper as the 2.0VGT version (which is okay, but the engine compartment is more crowded than the H3, because of the intercooler piping going to and from the lower bumper area mounted intercooler).
Here’s the fuel economy listings, based on the trucks they had in stock.
H5 2.0VGT (100kW) 6MT 2wd 7.4L/100km
H5 2.0VGT (110kW) Auto 2wd 8.8L/100km
H5 2.5TCi 5MT 2wd 7.5L/100km
H3 2.5TCi 5MT 4wd 7.7L/100km
H5 2.0 (gas) 5MT 2wd 9.6L/100km
H5 2.4 (gas) 5MT 4wd 10.3L/100km
(They didn’t have a single 4wd H5 diesel in stock – very strange)
For comparison:
Kia Sportage 4wd 2.0CRDi 6-speed auto - 7.5L/100km
Kia Sorento 4wd 2.2CRDi 6-speed auto - 8.1L/100km
I can tolerate the 2.0VGT’s crooked oil fill tube on the valve cover. It’s because when Kia produced this engine, it was mounted transversely rather than in-line, slightly tilted back. So in the Kia, the oil fill tube would be straight, rather than crooked. However, GW’s inability to make even a small adaptation, such as this oil fill tube, when putting the Kia engine into the H5 proves how weak GW’s R&D capabilities are.
But I can’t accept GW’s inability to relocate the 2.0VGT’s oil filter. In the Kia, because the engine was transversely mounted, the oil filter was conveniently located in the front of the engine compartment. But in the H5, located on the right side of the truck due to the engine’s inline mounting, it is barely visible and nearly impossible to reach. It’s a mechanic’s worst nightmare. It is squeezed between the power steering pump and intercooler piping. You would have to remove the all the air cleaner piping, skin the knuckles on your hand, and spill oil all over the right side of the engine because there’s no space to flip over the filter. Any intelligent engineer would have chosen a remotely-mounted oil filter design.
An oil filter is the most commonly replaced item in a vehicle’s service history. For this obvious reason, global automakers make the oil filter easily accessible. BUT NOT GW. I prefer an in-line engine configuration. But when you take a transverse design engine and mount it in-line, many items need to be changed!
In contrast, the 2.5TCi’s oil filter located at the lower right side of the engine is VERY easy to reach. You can change it in 2 minutes.