GWM reaches out

On September 20 a convoy of two Haval H9s, two Haval H6Cs, a Haval H2 and the GWM Steed 5E bakkie set off on the 2018 Haval Outreach Expedition that culminated in Cape Town on October 3.

“South Africa is a SUV and bakkie-oriented market, so we set off to prove that the GWM Steed can handle even the toughest local roads. As much as this expedition was about reaching out to local communities, it was also an opportunity for us to test the Steed’s capability across the country,” comments Charles Zhao, MD of Haval Motors South Africa.

Starting in Johannesburg, the expedition made a quick detour in the Kruger National Park, where a donation of R10 000 was made to the Kruger National Park K9 unit.

From the Kruger, the expedition convoy headed toward the coast before turning south towards Sodwana. Purposefully not sticking only to highways, the Steed 5E had to deal with some challenging roads, potholes, sand and gravel along the way.

From Sodwana the convoy made its way to Durban, where Haval donated much-needed equipment and supplies to Wylie House Child and Youth Care Centre, as well as to the Marine Surf Lifesaving Club.

By this time, all members on the expedition team agreed that the Steed 5E was every bit as comfortable and easy to drive as an SUV.

From East London came Port Elizabeth where the entire expedition was welcomed by over 40 Haval owners and staff. The occasion marked the handover of a brand-new Haval H9 to Tom Swartz, the winner of Survivor South Africa 2018.

By this point the Steed 5E had consistently delivered excellent fuel consumption figures. With a payload of 675 kg, the bakkie often took on extra load from other vehicles to free up space for passengers and camera gear.

After a brief stop in Knysna, the convoy set out on the final stretch of the journey toward Cape Town, with the obligatory stop in Cape Agulhas. After 4 500 km of rough terrain, erratic weather, heavy lifting and many detours, the GWM Steed 5E proudly led the expedition to its final stop at the Purple Rayn hotel in Constantia.