The new Hongqi H5 has been unveiled on the Shanghai Auto Show in China, sporting the red flag ornament on the bonnet, an enormous shiny grille in typical Hongqi style, and even more shine in the bumper. The Hongqi H5 is the production version of the 2016 Hongqi B Concept.

A very sporty shape for a Hongqi, taking the brand into a new design direction.

The H5 based on the Mazda 6 Atenza that is made in China by FAW-Mazda. FAW, or First Auto Works, is also the owner of the Hongqi brand. Hongqi added a new front, a new rear, a slightly different interior, and new badges; and a new car was born.

Hongqi is still silent about the engines, but we can guesstimate. The 6 is available with a 158hp 2.0 and a 192hp 2.5. We bet that Hongqi will use the 2.0, and add their own 188hp 1.8 turbo and 204hp 2.0 turbo to the engine lineup. More on this as we get it.

The Hongqi H5 will be positioned below the Hongqi L7. Price will range roughly between 180.000 and 240.000 yuan. There will be some overlap with the Besturn B90, which is based on the previous generation Mazda 6. Besturn is another brand owned by FAW. The Besturn B90 is priced from 145.800 to 201.800 yuan. Engines: the v188hp 1.8 turbo and the 204hp 2.0 turbo.

The interior is largely Hongqi’s own design, and a little bit disappointing, not as luxurious as a Hongqi should be. The dash looks almost too simple and materials are okay. There are old fashioned analogue dials and a mid-sized touch screen standing on top of the center stack, seems about 10 inch in diameter.

The traditional Golden Sunflower logo in the middle of the whee;. Hongqi has been using this logo on its steering wheels and wheels since the late 1950’s.

There are simple interiors that one could call minimalistic, and that would be a good thing in general. There are other simple interiors that one should call just simple. Sadly, the interior of the H5 seems to of the latter sort.

Wheels are classy with the sunflower in the middle again.

Hongqi hasn’t released the size either, but the 6 Atenza measures 4870/1840/1450, with a wheelbase of 2830.

The FAW-Mazda 6 Atenza for reference.

The lights almost reach to the middle of the fender; they are enormous.

Big Hongqi badge on the back between the lights. Rear end otherwise rather bland.

That is a wild ass grille on that Mazda!

The H5 will hit the Chinese car market later this year, but when exactly is yet unknown. FAW apparently still got some work to do, like figuring out which engines they are going to use.

It is always nice to see a new Hongqi. I love the brand. But it would be so nice if they would once, only once, totally develop a car they could call their own. This re-badging re-grilling simply doesn’t work. Chinese car buyers are very critical these days and the H5 is already been ridiculed by the media. It is strange that FAW doesn’t do anything better with their famous brand, they are swimming in money from their ventures with Audi, Volkswagen, Toyota and Mazda.