There are moments where motoring writers from different publications all think alike. Such as when a Haval test driver floors it up and down a rough off-road track in the Chinese mountains while all three of us in the car with him are thinking that at some point, he really ought to slow down or take it a little easier on car and cargo. But easy wasn’t on the menu that afternoon, which formed the final part of a four-day media trip to China.

Organized by Great Wall Motors, the parent company of Haval, it not only demonstrated the impressive off-road capabilities of this seven-seater SUV with its permanent all-wheel drive, but it was also designed to show off the company behind it. Haval is GWM’s specialist SUV sub-brand and is planning to make a big impact in the Philippines when it officially launches the H9 here on February 4.

It goes without saying that all these media trips are designed to make the writers and the content creators taking part in them think positively about the companies that put them on, and hopefully have them report favorably about their products. But with GWM, it felt more like they let the facts do the talking. No silly gimmicks or colorful distractions. Just an honest look under the hood of this firm, no pun intended.

The trip was a four-day affair to the company’s HQ in Baoding, a city in China’s Hebei province around two hours outside of Beijing. It’s the kind of place where you don’t see many foreign tourists and instead get an honest look at everyday life in the People’s Republic. Part of me expected something a bit fancier from this visit, like a photo shoot in front of the Great Wall of China, seeing as the same passes through the Hebei province and the company being called, well, Great Wall Motors.

Instead, we got to tour the R&D facility, the vast crash test laboratory (the second biggest in Asia), the hydrogen research facility, and the company’s HQ for a presentation by some of the top brass.

The latter may have been less exciting for the more Instagram-focused media attendees, but for me, it was great. It was more than great. It was a sign that this company seems to have its priorities right. It demonstrated to us that GWM and Haval are focusing on what matters.

Quality, safety, and an approach that is seemingly led by engineers rather than by marketing people. As someone who lived through the heyday of German cars in the ’80s and the ’90s when engineers were firmly in charge of proceedings back home and created some legendary cars as a result, this gave me some comfort that buyers of the H9 will get a product that represents decent value for money and is built to last.

Powerpoint slides listing that GWM utilizes 1,682 test rigs and systems, has 100+ real-world test road surfaces, and conducts 1,500 crash tests a year (among a myriad of other things) may not be the sexiest to some eyes, but to me they were attractive. As were the specific tests and calibrations having been carried out on the model that will come to the Philippines, to ensure it is tuned to our road conditions and climate as good as possible.

GWM and Haval have also realized another crucial factor for long-term success in the Philippines: It’s not enough to just sell you what seems to be a decent car. After-sales service is equally important, and the company is promising to have that covered with an extensive service network.

So, what about the car itself? We spent a good amount of time with it on the company’s test track and in the mountains to get a decent first impression. That impression was generally a good one. The interior carries a proper premium feel with plenty of space, and has the potential to set a new standard in its segment.

The exterior design picks up the boxy look that has been en vogue for a while, but it does so without borrowing too much from other manufacturers or outright copying designs. Haval calls it “Hardcore Aesthetics,” with the look being based around the considerable off-road abilities of this machine. Form-follows-function is never a bad approach, which again shows that this is more than a school-run SUV.

Under the hood of the Philippine version sits a 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder diesel that puts out 186hp and 480Nm of torque. A nine-speed automatic with paddle shifters sends that power to the 4WD system with its seven driving modes. Standing 4.95m long, 1.97m tall and 1.93m wide, the H9 rolls along on 18-inch alloy wheels that hide ventilated discs on all four corners. It comes with all the usual creature comforts and safety features you’d expect these days, including a 540° camera.

We’ll have to wait for the in-depth local review to really see what it’s like to live with on the roads of the Philippines, but trying it out in China already gave us the impression that this is a proper contender in its segment. It also comes at a very attractive price point that we have been told will be below the P2-million mark. Haval may be a newbie in our market, but globally the brand has 10 million users already—and GWM has big plans for it on our shores. If those plans all look as good as the H9, then we can’t wait to see more.