Great Wall · 2005–2012
Great Wall Haval H3
The Great Wall Haval H3 (Chinese: 长城哈弗; pinyin: Chángchéng Hāfú), also known as the Great Wall Hover, is a compact sport utility vehicle (SUV) produced by the Chinese manufacturer Great Wall Motors from April 2005 to 2012. It was the first Chinese car to be exported in large quantities to Western Europe in 2006, with 30,000 units shipped to Italy. Its main advantage over established European, North American and Asian rivals is its low comparative cost. A six-speed automatic concept version called the Great Wall Hover H7 was made and can reach speeds of up to 225 km/h or 140 mph. In Australia, it was badged as the Great Wall X240 until 2011, when the X240 nameplate was used on the Haval H5.
Text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
All Great Wall Haval H3 data: UK builds, safety, recalls, model years →
Design and engineering
One of the reasons for the comparatively low retail price of the Great Wall Haval H3 is that it is based heavily on older models by other manufacturers. The entry-level engine is the 4G64 2.4 litre gasoline inline-four supplied by Mitsubishi, the exterior resembles the Isuzu Axiom and the chassis is also Isuzu similar if not the same as the Isuzu MU, contrary to media reports that it was a Toyota 4Runner Chassis. The Haval H3 has a wheelbase of 2,700 mm (106.3 in) and a wheel track of 1,520 mm (59.8 in). The Haval H3 is a sport utility vehicle, with selectable rear-wheel-drive or four-wheel drive.
Environmental and safety test
One of the main problems facing exported Chinese cars was European safety and environmental regulations. The Great Wall Haval H3 complies with the Euro-III emissions standard. It was awarded three stars from C-NCAP crash testing. In the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) crash testing undertaken on 24 March 2010, the post-2009 model Haval 3 received a Four Star rating. The Great Wall Haval H3 has not yet been tested by Euro NCAP. With new engines which Great Wall Motor installed in the Haval H3, all models now comply with Euro 4 regulations. In Italy, a version of the Hover called the EcoDual is sold equipped to run on alternatives fuels, being equipped with LPG or CNG capabilities. From the 2009 market year, the vehicle has a Euro 4 compliant engine which was also installed in Hover 5.
Limousine version
Great Wall also produced a more luxurious, limousine version of the Hover, called the Great Wall Hover Pi (Chinese: 长城哈弗派). Its name is also sometimes spelt Hover π. The first Hover Pi was given as a gift to Fidel Castro in 2006. The vehicle has so far been the best selling vehicle of its kind[a] [b] (most others originating outside China being stretched by third-party conversion outfits), being exported to Japan, South Korea, France, Italy, Malaysia, Russia, South Africa, and other overseas markets. In 2008, the Hover Pi's length was extended from 6.7 meters to 6.9 meters.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0); text is shortened. Read the full article for the complete history and citations.
Specifications
- name
- Haval H3
- Manufacturer
- Great Wall Motors
- aka
- Great Wall Hover, Great Wall Hover CUV, Great Wall Hover H3, Great Wall Hafu, Great Wall X240 (Australia), Pyeonghwa Ppeokkuggi 2406 (North Korea)
- Production
- 2005–2012
- Model years
- 2006–2012
- Class
- Compact SUV
- Layout
- Front-engine, rear-wheel drive, Front-engine, four-wheel drive
- Body style
- 5-door wagon
- Engine
- 2.0 L 4G63 I4 (petrol), (2009–2012), 2.4 L 4G64 I4 (petrol), (2005–2009), 2.4 L 4G69 I4 (petrol), (2007–2010), 2.5 L GW2.5TCI I4 (diesel), (2009–2012), 2.8 L GW2.8TC I4 (diesel), (2006–2009)
- Transmission
- 5-speed manual, 4-speed M88 automatic
- Wheelbase
- 2700 mm
- Length
- 4620 mm/4650 mm
- Width
- 1800 mm
- Height
- 1810 mm
- Kerb weight
- 1720 kg
- Predecessor
- Great Wall Safe
- Successor
- Haval H5 (SUV), Haval H6 Coupe (Crossover SUV)
Specification summary from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Measured facts from Wikidata (CC0). Check the linked sources for citations.
More photos
Sources
- Wikidata — https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1544394CC0 1.0 · retrieved 2026-10-01
- Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Wall_Haval_H3CC BY-SA 4.0 · Text © Wikipedia contributors; revision 1372066155 · retrieved 2026-10-01
- Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Great_wall_hover.jpgPublic domain · Photo: Владимир Симпсон · retrieved 2026-10-01
- Manufacturer website (link only) — http://www.gwm.com.cn/en/haval3.aspLink only; no content copied · retrieved 2026-10-01
- Car Model Index — https://models.autoculturesociety.com/Compiled record. Sources that do not permit reuse are not copied; this index is credited instead.