Haima 2: Know its alternatives

How many of you have heard about Haima? Not many, we guess. Well, if you haven’t until now, then you are going to, and you should because this Chinse brand has got a number of value for money products available in the Philippines.

Yes, you read it right, Haima is a Chinese firm. Its principal activity is the production of passenger cars for other companies. It even has a history with Mazda.

Anyway, we are talking about Haima because one of its products called Haima 2 is a 5-seater hatchback that might look interesting to many. It is available in 3 variants, 2 engine options, and starts at a price of Php 699,000.

And we thought as you would be busy checking that out, why not we put up a list of suitable alternatives that you might like. So, here are the best alternatives to Haima 2. You can thank us later.

Chevrolet Spark

The latest model of the Chevrolet Spark would give you ‘spark’ with its looks. Chevrolet has done an excellent job in making this 5-seater hatchback as good looking as possible. We like the way its front fascia has been done,

especially the headlamps and the LED daytime running lights. The side view has been kept busy by some lines on the doors, and the rear is pretty decent. We do like the design of the rear bumper.

When compared to the Haima 2 specs, the Spark is available in only a single engine option which is a 1.4-litre unit that produces 98 hp and is mated to a CVT unit. It also has the new Chevrolet MyLink Infotainment System which allows you to access your smartphone’s functions easily and seamlessly via the 7-inch touchscreen which supports Apple CarPlay.

Under the safety category in the Chevrolet Spark specs sheet, we have driver and passenger airbags, traction control, etc. The Chevrolet Spark price starts at Php 694,888, and it is available in 7 different colors - Switchblade Silver, Caribbean Blue, Black Meet Kettle, Pull Me Over Red, Son Of A Gun Gray Metallic, Burning Hot Metallic, and Merry Berry Me Metallic.

Honda Brio

You must be familiar with this one because Honda Brio has been around for many years now. It looks a bit outdated and childish (cute) compared to today’s dynamic design trend but is still a good hatchback.

The Brio design language became so popular that Honda went ahead and used it to build the Brio Amaze. To spot the difference between the two, you could simply look at the rear where the Brio has clear tail lights.

Honda Brio specs are quite similar to that of the other cars in this article. It has a 1.3-litre engine which produces 99 horses and comes with both manual and automatic transmission options. The interior is done in black and looks good. It has large windows all around which gives a good view of the outside, and you would definitely not feel claustrophobic. Other interesting features of the Brio include a stylish instrument cluster, a 2-DIN navigation system,

steering mounted controls, folding rear seats, etc. Honda Brio price starts at Php 642,000 for the base model. There are three variants in total - 1.3 S MT, 1.3 S AT, and 1.3 V NAVI AT - with a color palette of 4 - Crystal Black Pearl, Taffeta White, Lunar Silver Metallic, and Brilliant Sporty Blue Metallic.

Suzuki Swift

Looks are subjective, but the Suzuki Swift is more good looking than the others in today’s case. Its modern European design and style can easily attract buyers. It has features like LED projector headlamps, LED daytime running lights, LED signature tail lights, gorgeous alloy wheel, etc.

All these features make it look much premium than its price tag, maybe. Talking about price, the Suzuki Swift price starts at Php 755,000 for the base model. The top-end variant is a bit on the expensive side, at Php 899,000, when compared to the prices of the aforementioned cars.

Under the hood of the Swift is a 1.2-litre engine which produces 82 hp at 6000 revs and 113 Nm at 4200 revs. This configuration remains the same across all the variants. However, you do get an option of having either a 5-speed manual or a CVT. Other Suzuki Swift specs that would justify its price tag are a sporty steering wheel, modern meter cluster, automatic AC, 8-inch infotainment system, etc.

Haima 2 is a good car. It offers features like a funky interior and color palette, decent cabin space, a Euro-4 compliant 1.3-litre engine, dual airbags, etc. Most of the features are quite basic and questionable when it comes to the Haima 2 price which starts at Php 699,000 for the base model.

Anyways, we told you about some of the best alternatives to Haima 2 that you should consider. The final decision is still and always be yours. Do let us know if you have got any other name in mind that would serve as a better alternative to the Haima 2.

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