Hongqi HS5 AWD for Kazakhstan and Central Asia: Snow, Fuel, and the Audi Q5 Question

We hold unregistered, zero-kilometre 2022 Hongqi HS5 units in 2.0T all-wheel-drive form, including the top trim that listed at RMB 249,800 in China, offered from USD 15,000 FOB China. For Central Asian buyers, the useful facts are these: a 224 Ps / 340 N·m turbocharged engine, on-demand all-wheel drive with a dedicated snow mode, 200 mm of ground clearance, and a 12-speaker BOSE system. One thing it is not: the HS5 is not built on Audi Q5 technology or on the Q5 production line, whatever a seller may tell you. It is Hongqi’s own SUV. That doesn’t make it a worse car, but your customers should hear the truth from you.

👉 Tell us your destination city and quantity. We’ll confirm the current import rules for that market and quote delivery via Khorgos or by sea. Ask us on WhatsApp · Full HS5 stock details →

Is the Hongqi HS5 an Audi Q5? No.

This question comes up in almost every conversation about the HS5, so here is the straight answer.

What is true: Hongqi belongs to FAW Group, one of China’s largest state-owned carmakers. FAW also has a long-running joint venture with Volkswagen Group, and that joint venture builds Audi models in China, including the long-wheelbase Audi Q5L. Both cars therefore sit inside the same corporate group.

What is not true: the HS5 is not an Audi Q5 with a different badge, and it doesn’t come off the Audi production line.

• The HS5 is Hongqi’s own model, styled with design house Italdesign.
• Its engine is FAW’s own 2.0-litre turbo, code CA4GC20TD, not an Audi engine.
• Its gearbox is a 6-speed automatic from Aisin, the Japanese transmission maker.
• It is built by Hongqi in Changchun.
• Chinese car media that have examined the two cars, including teardown comparisons, conclude they don’t share a platform.

Why does this matter commercially? If a dealer sells the HS5 as “an Audi underneath” and the customer later learns otherwise, the dealer loses credibility on everything else they said. Sell the HS5 on what it actually is: a well-equipped premium SUV from China’s state marque, at a price that no comparable car in your market can match. That’s a strong enough story without borrowing Audi’s name.

What the stock is

Figures are from Hongqi’s published 2022 configuration tables. The units are left-hand drive. For a full trim breakdown, pricing explanation and storage checklist, see our main HS5 export page.

How the AWD works in snow

The HS5’s all-wheel drive is an on-demand system. In normal driving, the front wheels do most of the work. When the front wheels start to slip, a multi-plate clutch coupling sends torque to the rear axle. This is the same basic type of system used on most car-based SUVs.

What that means in winter:

• Pulling away on snow and ice is where it helps most. The rear wheels are brought in when the front ones lose grip, so the car doesn’t sit spinning at a junction or on a slope.
• Snow mode is a dedicated terrain setting for slippery surfaces; modes like this typically soften throttle response and adjust traction control. Tell your customers to use it. It makes the car smoother and calmer on packed snow.
• 200 mm of ground clearance clears deeper snow and rutted roads better than a typical road crossover. The 22° approach and 20° departure angles are fine for kerbs, ramps and broken surfaces.

What it isn’t: a body-on-frame off-roader with low-range gearing and locking differentials. It will handle winter roads, unpaved roads and snowy yards well. It shouldn’t be sold for deep off-road work.

Winter checklist for Central Asian buyers

These points come from the car’s specification and from what four years in storage means for any vehicle. Budget for them before delivery.

1. Winter tyres. The top trim runs 255/45 R20, a low-profile size that is not ideal on snow and ice and is expensive to replace. Lower HS5 trims use 235/60 R18 tyres on 18-inch wheels. Many buyers in cold markets fit a winter set on smaller wheels. Ask a local tyre shop to confirm that the 18-inch size clears the brakes on your specific unit before you buy wheels. Whatever size you choose, the original tyres have aged in storage and should be checked by date code anyway.

2. 12-volt battery. A battery that has sat in a stored car for years is the first thing to fail at minus 20°C. Plan to replace it before handover. It’s cheap and avoids a no-start complaint in the first cold week.

3. Coolant and fluids. Check that the coolant’s freeze protection suits your local winter minimums, and change engine oil and brake fluid at pre-delivery service. Time-aged fluids are standard on any new-old-stock vehicle.

4. Engine pre-heating. In the coldest parts of the region, owners often add an engine pre-heater. That’s a local fitting decision, not something the car comes with, but it’s worth mentioning to buyers in northern Kazakhstan or Mongolia.

Our condition report for each unit records tyre date codes and visible condition, so you can price these items before you commit.

Fuel: the HS5 needs 95 octane

Hongqi specifies 95-octane petrol for the HS5’s turbocharged engine. Before you sell into a city or region, check that AI-95 is reliably available where the car will actually be driven, not just in the capital. Running a turbocharged engine on lower-octane fuel than specified can cause knocking and reduced performance, and it’s the kind of problem that turns into a warranty argument with your customer.

NEDC consumption is 8.2 L/100 km for the AWD version. Real-world consumption in winter traffic will be higher, and cold starts and short trips add more. With a 64 L tank, highway range is still long enough for the distances between Central Asian cities. Be honest with buyers that this is a 1.8-tonne turbocharged AWD SUV, not an economy car.

Why it suits Central Asian markets

• Left-hand drive, matching Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.
• Petrol, not electric. Cold weather cuts battery range substantially and charging networks thin out quickly outside major cities. A petrol AWD SUV avoids both problems.
• Premium equipment at a mid-market price. BOSE audio, panoramic roof and leather/suede seats in a mid-size SUV, priced against what buyers would otherwise pay for a used mid-size SUV with real mileage.
• A recognisable brand story. Hongqi is China’s state-ceremonial marque. That’s a better selling point than a borrowed connection to Audi.

Price: what you’re buying

These are unregistered 2022 units with zero kilometres. The top trim carried a Chinese list price of RMB 249,800. We offer the HS5 AWD from USD 15,000 FOB China, which is well under half that original list price.

Two cautions:

• Don’t sell it to your customer as “60% off”. A Chinese list price from 2021 means little to a buyer in Almaty or Tashkent, and quoting it invites an argument about a number they never saw. Compare it with what the same money buys locally, usually an older used SUV with mileage.
• Model-year rules come first. A 2022 car imported in 2026 may face age-based duties, recycling or utilisation fees, or registration rules that treat it differently from a current-year car, even with zero kilometres. These rules differ by country and change. Tell us your destination and we’ll confirm the current position with a licensed clearing agent before you pay anything.

Getting it to Central Asia

We run export operations at Khorgos, the land port on the China–Kazakhstan border, and have been exporting Chinese vehicles to Central Asia for more than three years (more about our team). For Kazakhstan and onward Central Asian destinations, an overland route through Khorgos avoids the long sea-and-rail routing that landlocked markets otherwise face.

The overland leg, destination clearance and duties depend on your final city. Ask for a delivered quote against your actual destination rather than working from the FOB figure, because for inland markets the transport after China can be a large part of the total.

Before you wire any deposit, check who you’re dealing with. Our guides to choosing a Chinese car exporter and how the supply chain works cover the checks, and our checklist of import traps lists the mistakes that cost buyers money. New to importing from China? Start with the dealer’s import guide.

Other SUVs for cold markets

If the HS5 doesn’t fit your market, compare it with Jetour T2 1.5T vs 2.0T, Zeekr 8X vs 9X or Zeekr 9X vs Lynk & Co 900, or see the 2026 export shortlist. You can also compare specifications side by side, browse current stock or send us an enquiry list with your target segment and budget.

FAQ

Is the Hongqi HS5 based on the Audi Q5?

No. Hongqi and Audi’s Chinese joint venture both belong to FAW Group, but the HS5 is Hongqi’s own model with FAW’s own 2.0T engine and an Aisin 6-speed automatic, built by Hongqi in Changchun. It doesn’t share the Audi Q5’s platform or production line.

Is the Hongqi HS5 good in snow?

The AWD version is well suited to winter roads. It has on-demand all-wheel drive, a snow mode and 200 mm of ground clearance. Fit winter tyres for snow and ice. The standard 255/45 R20 tyres are not winter tyres.

What fuel does the Hongqi HS5 use?

95-octane petrol. Check that AI-95 is reliably available where the car will be used.

What engine does the Hongqi HS5 have?

A 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder, code CA4GC20TD, producing 224 Ps (165 kW) and 340 N·m, with a 6-speed automatic gearbox.

Can a 2022 Hongqi HS5 be imported into Kazakhstan in 2026?

It depends on current rules for vehicle age, fees and registration, which change. Tell us your destination and we’ll confirm with a licensed clearing agent before you commit.

How much is the Hongqi HS5 for export?

Our zero-kilometre 2022 HS5 AWD units are offered from USD 15,000 FOB China. Ask us on WhatsApp for a delivered quote to your city.