China takes Toyota Land Cruiser! Will Geely Haoyue 2020 make this Prado rethink?

Chinese automaker Geely has set its sights on the Toyota LandCruiser with the introduction of the striking new Haoyue SUV for the domestic market.

Geely, the Chinese auto giant that also owns Volvo, Lotus and Proton, clearly has high hopes for the Haoyue SUV, which will also compete with the Toyota Highlander (in China), Mazda CX-9 and Haval H9. 

But before you get too excited, Geely currently has no plans to launch in Australia in the near future. 

Measuring 4835mm long, 1900mm wide and 1780mm high, the Haoyue is slightly shorter and wider than the LandCruiser Prado, while the Chinese SUV has a wheelbase of 2185mm. It also provides around 190mm of ground clearance.

Under the hood, you'll find a 1.8-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with around 135kW and around 300Nm of torque, mated to a seven-speed DCT automatic transmission and all-wheel drive.

Haoyue's appearance is complemented by the brand's "space" grille, rectangular matrix LED headlights that respond to steering wheel turns and raising and lowering the hood, framed by LED DRLs. Inside, you'll find a sleek premium cabin with a large floating screen above the leather-lined dashboard.

Many practical advantages are also offered: both the third and second row of seats can be fully folded down, and the Chinese brand promises that a queen-size mattress can be placed in the back with a total storage capacity of 2050 liters. offered in seven-seater models.