The Haval Cool Dog is a Proton X70 rival that reminds us how SUVs are supposed to look

• Gets 2 turbocharged 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol engines
• Front or 4-wheel drive options available
• Even comes with Apple CarPlay

Earlier today, Haval launched the Cool Dog, a brand-new C-segment SUV that is a new addition to their ever-growing line-up of SUVs.

In China, the Haval Cool Dog is priced between CNY 123,800 (~RM 81.6k) to CNY 149,800 (~RM 98.8k), right smack in the Geely Boyue’s (Proton X70 to us) price range (CNY 112,800 / ~RM 74.4k to CNY 142,800 / ~RM 94.1k).

The Haval Cool Dog, thanks to Haval’s experience in SUVs, looks very distinctive. There are hints of the larger Haval Big Dog in the Cool Dog’s design, especially the front fascia.

Also Read: Haval Big Dog is the puppy sent to bark at Jeep

Like the Big Dog, the marginally smaller Cool Dog gets a full-length front grille that wraps around the round headlights. The front grille also incorporates design elements to give it a more macho appeal.

The sides of the Haval Cool Dog are adorned by 18-inch dual-tone alloy wheels, while the rear of the Cool Dog gets a massive hump in the tailgate. One would expect a spare wheel of sorts, mounted on the tailgate, but that’s not the case with the Cool Dog. The hump is just a design element; there's no storage there. 

Stepping inside and the Cool Dog is on par with other modern-day Haval SUVs. There’s a massive 12.3-inch infotainment display that supports Apple CarPlay, piping audio through a 6-speaker sound system.

Power is derived from a turbocharged 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol engine. Two power outputs are available: 150 PS and 218 Nm, as well as 184 PS and 275 Nm. Either way, both engines are hooked up to a 7-speed wet-type dual-clutch automatic transmission that drives the front wheels or all four wheels.

Don’t hold your breath for its arrival here, as Haval has not mentioned whether the Cool Dog or Big Dog will be offered in right-hand drive configuration.

Instead, we can look forward to the Cool Dog's stablemate, the Haval H6. The H6 has been spotted in Malaysia, powered either by a turbocharged engine, or with a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) option.

Also Read: Debuting in Malaysia ahead of China? Closer look at the 2022 Haval H6 PHEV in Malaysia