CHINESE automotive brands will occasionally have a stab at the Australian market with more affordable versions of what seems to be selling well, but as local buyers frequently prove, cheap does not necessarily mean cheerful Down Under.

Nevertheless, Chinese giant Great Wall’s offshoot Haval is mounting an assault on the local SUV market with a range of three high-riders that it says are an alternative to the luxury options currently on offer.

Everyone loves a bargain, but Aussie customers also have relatively high standards when it comes to kit and quality so any newcomer had better know their audience.

While the H2 takes care of the compact end of the market and the H8 covers the middle ground, we jumped into the H9 to see of Haval's largest contender can make a dent on the burgeoning large-SUV segment.

Click here for the full review...