Selling cars and SUVs under the Hawtai brand, from 2002 to 2010 the company had a joint venture or other form of legal cooperation with Hyundai Motors that manufactured Hyundai-brand passenger cars for the mainland China market; Hawtai continues to use some Hyundai technology today.

What distinguishes Hawtai from rival private Chinese automakers is its diesel engine production ability. Billing itself as a clean vehicle brand.