Mentioning the name Haval seven years ago would have elicited a blank expression from virtually anyone in the UAE, but that’s not the case any longer. The Chinese SUV specialist has carved a niche for itself since its 2016 entry into our market – its rapid rise founded on a combination of competent products and keen pricing. The H6 is particularly noteworthy.
The latest addition to the range is the Dargo, pitched as a bona-fide all-terrain vehicle that – at least on paper – offers the go-anywhere capability of a Jeep Wrangler. Only one spec level is available for the time being, the generously appointed High Deluxe 4WD, priced from Dh119,900. Included at no extra cost is a six-year/150,000km warranty and three-year roadside assist.
The boxy shape has elements of Land Rover Defender, Kia Telluride and Ford Bronco, so it’s more imitator than innovator in the design department. The Dargo is dimensionally similar to the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited, measuring 4,620mm long, 1,890mm wide and 1,780mm tall. The wheelbase is a lengthy 2,738mm, which makes for generous space inside the cabin.
The%20specs
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The Dargo drives OK, but disappoints in a few key areas. For starters, its 190hp 2.0-litre turbo motor has a flat spot down low, so it feels sluggish off the mark and doesn’t really get going until you have a few revs on board. There’s also noticeable wind noise from around the A-pillars, which compromises refinement levels when cruising at the highway speed limit.
It rides and handles acceptably up to a point, but it pitches and rolls if you try and hustle it, so a far better approach is to cruise at a moderate pace and make the most of its supple ride.
The Dargo’s all-terrain credentials appear legitimate on paper due to its various off-road drive modes and locking differentials. Ground clearance is also reasonable at 200mm, but the approach and departure angles (24 degrees and 30 degrees respectively) are nothing special.
It’s clear Haval didn’t conceive this vehicle to genuinely go off-road as the road-biased 235/60R19 standard-issue tyres are an immediate giveaway to the vehicle’s true intended application. The Dargo is conceived more for inner-city schlepping and the daily commute than conquering towering dunes.
The cabin is fairly spacious and it’s clear that some thought has gone into its layout, which is neat and attractive at first glance.
If you poke around a bit, though, you’ll discover most surfaces are made of hard plastic. Haval has clearly borrowed from the Land Rover styling manual in the design of the steering wheel and rotary transmission knob. The same goes for many of the exterior design cues, including the lettering on the bonnet and the badge on the tailgate.
On the plus side, the leather seats look and feel nice, and they do a good job of cossetting the torso. There’s ample knee and head room in the rear, so the Dargo can transport four adults and one child in comfort. Luggage capacity isn’t quoted in the spec sheet, but the Dargo’s main storage is quite spacious and has a flat floor. Naturally, there’s the option of folding down the rear seats to increase load space to what we imagine is about 1,500 litres.
The Dargo High Deluxe 4WD comes generously equipped as standard features include Nappa leather seats, 19-inch alloys, a panoramic sunroof, roof luggage carrier, front and rear fog lamps, 10.25-inch virtual instrument cluster, 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen, Head-up Display, Apple CarPlay, eight-way adjustable driver’s seat, four-way adjustable passenger seat, massage seats with heating and ventilation (front only) and dual-zone air-conditioning.
The question you have to ask yourself is: why are you interested in buying the Dargo? If the answer is to cruise around in a vehicle that looks like a budget Land Rover Defender with off-roading pretensions, then it’s worth considering.
However, if your priorities are focused on more tangible aspects such as driving dynamics and refinement, then we’d encourage you to look elsewhere – perhaps even at Haval’s own H6, a decent mid-size crossover.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The five pillars of Islam
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FINAL RECKONING
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Starring: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg
Rating: 4/5
More on Quran memorisation:
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
About Karol Nawrocki
• Supports military aid for Ukraine, unlike other eurosceptic leaders, but he will oppose its membership in western alliances.
• A nationalist, his campaign slogan was Poland First. "Let's help others, but let's take care of our own citizens first," he said on social media in April.
• Cultivates tough-guy image, posting videos of himself at shooting ranges and in boxing rings.
• Met Donald Trump at the White House and received his backing.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
More on animal trafficking
The years Ramadan fell in May
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Boston%20Strangler
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UAE v Ireland
1st ODI, UAE win by 6 wickets
2nd ODI, January 12
3rd ODI, January 14
4th ODI, January 16
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Abu Dhabi GP Saturday schedule
12.30pm GP3 race (18 laps)
2pm Formula One final practice
5pm Formula One qualifying
6.40pm Formula 2 race (31 laps)
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
RESULT
Manchester City 1 Sheffield United 0
Man City: Jesus (9')
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
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More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Biography
Favourite drink: Must have karak chai and Chinese tea every day
Favourite non-Chinese food: Arabic sweets and Indian puri, small round bread of wheat flour
Favourite Chinese dish: Spicy boiled fish or anything cooked by her mother because of its flavour
Best vacation: Returning home to China
Music interests: Enjoys playing the zheng, a string musical instrument
Enjoys reading: Chinese novels, romantic comedies, reading up on business trends, government policy changes
Favourite book: Chairman Mao Zedong’s poems
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl, 48V hybrid
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 325bhp
Torque: 450Nm
Price: Dh289,000
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