Hongqi HS5 review: a well-equipped crossover asking Bahrain for patience
3.7/5MotorsSouq Editorial Team
The HS5 is genuinely competitive against mainstream mid-size crossovers on power, equipment and warranty length, and Zayani's dealer network means it is not a leap into the unknown the way a fly-by-night importer's Chinese SUV would be. It is, however, still a leap: no independent history in Gulf heat, no established resale curve, and a front-wheel-drive-only layout that limits its case for anyone who occasionally wants light off-road capability from an SUV shape.
Pros
- 252hp/380Nm turbo four is genuinely ahead of the mainstream crossover class
- Conventional 8-speed automatic is easier to live with than a dual-clutch unit
- Equipment level undercuts comparably priced Korean/Japanese crossovers
- Backed by Zayani Motors' 7-year unlimited-km warranty and a real service network
Cons
- Front-wheel drive only, with no all-wheel-drive option
- No independent Bahraini ownership history in Gulf heat yet
- Resale curve against Tucson/Sportage-class rivals is entirely unproven
- Confirmed cargo capacity and body dimensions for Bahrain-spec cars were not available
The HS5 sits in the segment where Bahrain's family-car decisions actually get made: mid-size crossovers competing against the Tucson, Sportage and CR-V for the same driveway. Hongqi's answer for 2025 is a 2.0-litre turbo four making 252 hp and 380 Nm through an eight-speed automatic, sent exclusively to the front wheels rather than offered with all-wheel drive.
Where it actually competes
On power alone the HS5 is ahead of the class norm — 252 hp comfortably out-guns a base Tucson's naturally aspirated four — and the eight-speed automatic is a more conventional, easier-to-live-with gearbox than the dual-clutch units Hongqi uses elsewhere in its range. Front-wheel-drive-only is the one clear compromise: buyers who want an SUV shape specifically for the light sand or gravel runs common around Bahrain's outer islands and the Saudi causeway approach roads will need to look elsewhere.
Cabin equipment follows the same pattern as the rest of the Hongqi range: more standard kit than a comparably priced Korean or Japanese crossover, aimed squarely at buyers who cross-shop on features per dinar rather than badge.
The waiting game
What nobody can yet say is how the HS5 behaves after three summers of 45°C heat and stop-start Manama traffic, or what a three-year-old example is worth against a three-year-old Tucson at trade-in time. Zayani's service network removes the worst risk — being stranded with a car nobody can fix — but it does not remove the resale uncertainty that follows any new brand in this market.
For a buyer prioritising equipment and warranty length over resale certainty, the HS5 is a reasonable, well-specified choice. For a buyer who needs the crossover to double as an occasional off-tarmac vehicle, the front-wheel-drive layout is a genuine limitation worth weighing against the segment's all-wheel-drive alternatives.