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90 Posts
I like diesel, but in China, the car buyers are afraid of them because of the country's reputation for poor diesel quality (high sulfur content, 500 to 2000ppm). Also, like other countries, they don't like the loud sound and smell (of course the newer diesels have largely solved those problems).
Of course the commercial trucks in China are diesel. Fortunately, the diesel quality situation is changing now. Because China's commercial trucks are switching to Euro-4, the country is being forced to finally improve the fuel quality, which will benefit the diesel cars and SUVs. Volkswagen has sold 1.9L Jetta diesel taxis here for years. The drivers learned, if they add a bottle of Volkswagen brand diesel additive every 2500km, their engines are okay. I plan to do the same (even with the improving fuel quality).
At the dealer, I was looking at a new H3 2.5TCi parked next to an H5 2.0VGT. I reluctantly must admit, the H3's frontal styling was fresh in 2005, but is becoming tired looking 8 years later as we approach 2012. But I'm not saying the H5's frontal appearance is great. It's just okay.
The real question is, when will GW design a replacement for the H3/H5 range? Who will they oursource the design work to? Hopefully a reputable global design team (GW doesn't have the ability to design an "all-new" SUV by themselves).
The H3/H5 chassis is an old obsolete copy of the second generation Toyota 4-Runner's chassis (1989-1995). The body is a copy of the Isuzu Axiom (only produced from 2002 thru 2004 due to terrible sales, it was based on the Isuzu ZXS concept from the 1999 Tokyo Int'l Motor Show). The H3/H5's outdated body and chassis are proving to not be adaptable to the powertrains and customer demands of today. When you consider the high-spec 2012 H5 has a USD $27,000 price tag, these are real issues.
Of course the commercial trucks in China are diesel. Fortunately, the diesel quality situation is changing now. Because China's commercial trucks are switching to Euro-4, the country is being forced to finally improve the fuel quality, which will benefit the diesel cars and SUVs. Volkswagen has sold 1.9L Jetta diesel taxis here for years. The drivers learned, if they add a bottle of Volkswagen brand diesel additive every 2500km, their engines are okay. I plan to do the same (even with the improving fuel quality).
At the dealer, I was looking at a new H3 2.5TCi parked next to an H5 2.0VGT. I reluctantly must admit, the H3's frontal styling was fresh in 2005, but is becoming tired looking 8 years later as we approach 2012. But I'm not saying the H5's frontal appearance is great. It's just okay.
The real question is, when will GW design a replacement for the H3/H5 range? Who will they oursource the design work to? Hopefully a reputable global design team (GW doesn't have the ability to design an "all-new" SUV by themselves).
The H3/H5 chassis is an old obsolete copy of the second generation Toyota 4-Runner's chassis (1989-1995). The body is a copy of the Isuzu Axiom (only produced from 2002 thru 2004 due to terrible sales, it was based on the Isuzu ZXS concept from the 1999 Tokyo Int'l Motor Show). The H3/H5's outdated body and chassis are proving to not be adaptable to the powertrains and customer demands of today. When you consider the high-spec 2012 H5 has a USD $27,000 price tag, these are real issues.