China’s Haval Big Dog Gains Rugged-Looking Hunting Edition

Two years after the debut of the Big Dog, Haval revisits its SUV with a new version called “Hunting Edition”. The new trim is distinguished by an off-road-focused look, complementing the boxy shape of the Big Dog and showcasing its adventurous potential.

Starting with the visual tweaks, the Hunting Edition gets a redesigned face with more plastic cladding than before. The grille has grown larger and is now connected with the headlight housings and the new front bumper. The latter retains the unpainted plastic flavor but gains silver bolt-like accents. Similarly, the profile has bolt-on fender add-ons, running boards, and new 19-inch wheels. Finally, the rear end is updated with a slightly tweaked rear bumper that loses the chrome-infused skidplate of the regular version.

The Haval Big Dog Hunting Edition (above) is visually distinguished from the rest of the Big Dog range (below).

As noted by Car News China, the computer-generated press photos depict the Haval Big Dog Hunting Edition driving in the mountains without a driver. We guess that Haval’s photoshop specialist forgot to add someone behind the wheel after putting the spinning effect on the wheels. Unfortunately, the ADAS features of the SUV such as the adaptive cruise control, the cross-traffic alert, and the auto park assist, are not sophisticated enough to justify autonomous off-roading.

Inside, the Big Dog comes with a 12.3-inch touchscreen for the infotainment, a digital instrument cluster, a head-up display, Nappa leather upholstery for the seats, and a 10-speaker Infinity audio system. Haval’s designers took some inspiration from popular off-roaders, as showcased in the Land Rover-style steering wheel and the G-Class-style dashboard-mounted handle on the passenger’s side.

Despite the adventurous looks, there are no mechanical changes over the regular Big Dog. The SUV is available with a turbocharged 1.5-liter engine producing 168 hp (125 kW / 170 PS), or a turbocharged 2.0-liter producing 208 hp (155 kW / 211 PS) mated to a seven-speed automatic gearbox. It comes in both front-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive flavors, with the latter being better suited to the exterior design.

Pricing for the Hunting Edition is expected to be slightly higher than the current Big Dog range which is currently priced between ¥119,900 ($17,847) and ¥161,900 ($24,099) in China.

The Big Dog is also available in select export markets including South Africa and Russia, where it is sold under the Dargo nameplate. Notably, the Haval Dargo only comes with the adventurous body kit of the Hunting Edition, exclusively combined with the 2.0-liter engine.