The Chinese infiltration of the South African vehicle market will surely go down as one of the industry’s biggest disrupting forces in decades.
If you think about it, the Haval Jolion played an instrumental role in making history, as it was the first Chinese product to sell in really significant volumes on the local market, after being introduced in 2021.
Since then the GWM product has faced some stiff competition, particularly from Chery, who's slightly cheaper Tiggo 4 Pro has overtaken it on the local sales charts.
With no intention of letting the grass grow beneath its tyres, Haval released a reworked version of its compact SUV earlier this year, changing its name to Jolion Pro and pitching it at the R400,000 plus market, while the previous version carried over with minor updates and a more budget friendly price tag of R345,950.
But things now get very interesting on the hybrid (HEV) front.
When the original Jolion HEV was introduced in 2023, it kicked off at R549,950, making it over R100,000 more expensive than the cheapest Toyota Corolla Cross hybrid.
However, the new Jolion Pro HEV has been introduced with a more palatable price tag of R516,950 and in that time the Corolla Cross has become more expensive, now sandwiching the Chinese entrant at R486,100 for the XS and R527,200 for the XR.
It’s now truly game, set, match in the hybrid SUV segment!
But what makes the Jolion Pro different to its predecessor?
While the underpinnings and interior remain similar to the original Jolion, the Pro receives fresh sheet metal and a slightly wider track. It looks notably sharper at the front, with the trapezoidal grille now boasting sharper edges and vertical fins. At the back we see a more contemporary tail light treatment, with the lightbar connecting across the tailgate.
It’s a really good-looking vehicle in our book, although perhaps even bordering on kitsch in places, with those large lower spoilers and equally bold roof spoiler.
The hybrid drivetrain carries over, and when it comes to outright oomph, the Haval has a significant advantage over its 90kW Corolla Cross rival, with outputs of 140kW and 375Nm from its 1.5-litre turbopetrol engine and electric motor combo, which pairs with a specially adapted CVT transmission.
The partially-electric drivetrain practically eliminates that laggy sensation that the other regular Jolion models have been criticised for, and all round it offers a satisfying driving experience that’s comparatively brisk.
It does appear to lose a small bit of that competitive edge when it comes to economy however. In a mixture of driving conditions over a week with the car, where I drove at a modest but normal pace without trying too hard to pretend I was on an ‘economy run’, I averaged 6.3 litres per 100km. That’s still really impressive, and a great deal more frugal than the regular Jolion, but it still doesn’t beat the 5.9 l/100km average that I recorded in the Corolla Cross.
A better balance of ride and handling has also been achieved by the fitment of a multi-link rear axle arrangement, which was previously only fitted to the Jolion S model (the regular Jolion Pros still have a torsion beam).
That’s all good and well, but between that and the 1.6kWh battery, boot space has become somewhat restricted in the Jolion Pro HEV. While the surface area is relatively vast, the luggage area is frustratingly shallow in the new model and the official volume of 255 litres is more akin to a compact hatchback. It also lacks a spare wheel, which will be a problem for many South Africans who like to hit the open road.
While the boot is on the small side, the cabin is really spacious by compact SUV standards, and after jumping in the back I was able to fit my average-sized frame behind my driving position comfortably, with legroom to spare.
In fact, the relative width of the cabin and the lack of a central tunnel means that three adults could probably fit quite comfortably in the back. You might need a trailer for their luggage though.
The cockpit area is largely as per the previous Jolion, with a digital instrument cluster and a 12.3-inch free-floating infotainment screen jutting out from the dashboard.
Haval has done a good job of making it appear classy and upscale inside, with stitching on the soft-touch dashboard and body-hugging synthetic leather seats.
The infotainment graphics are relatively modern, but it’s not the most user friendly system we’ve ever encountered. Accessing the climate control system, for instance, requires pushing a small ‘fan’ button on the screen, although GWM has at least retained a few small physical buttons on the dashboard for things like turning the aircon on and off.
Another downside is that the Android Auto and Apple CarPlay remain wireless.
Other than that the cockpit area is quite user-friendly, with innovative slots for two phones to be stored vertically on the centre console and a large central storage bin below the armrest, and the steering is now reach adjustable, curing an annoying omission from the previous model.
What’s more, Jolion Ultra Luxury models now come with a wireless phone charger.
Specification on this range-topping trim, which is available with the regular 1.5T and HEV hybrid powertrains, is lavish to say the least.
Standard features include a panoramic sunroof, 360-degree around view monitor, head-up display, electrically adjustable synthetic leather seats and a whole entourage of driver assist gadgets such as adaptive cruise control with traffic jam assistance, forward collision warning, auto emergency braking and much more.
VERDICT
While the long-term longevity of Haval’s modern products will still need to be proven over time, and there are social media groups where some customers feel otherwise, the Jolion Pro does make an extremely strong case for itself when it comes to value for money.
The Jolion Pro HEV’s combination of performance, economy and lavish specification is hard to beat at the price, although there are certainly niggles like the small boot and absence of a spare wheel.
IOL