Haval’s a Jolion good sport

Haval is continuing its local expansion with a couple of electrified SUVs. The first we’re driving is the Jolion, now available as a hybrid, writes Nile Bijoux.

The Great Wall Motor company is bringing in more electrified options to reduce its carbon footprint as the Clean Car Standard nears. One of those is a hybrid version of the Jolion, a small SUV I liked before, although not one without flaws.

Outside

The differences between the HEV and the combustion-only Ultra are minimal. There are slimmer headlights, different wheels, a different ‘‘star matrix’’ grille, yet more chrome, and HEV badging. It also heralds a new pastel blue colour, seen here.

Beyond that, you get the same LED lights front and back, an interesting roof spoiler, a diffuser mounted near the rear bumper, and sequential daytime running lights.

Inside

Again, very similar to the petrol Ultra. Both models get a 12.3-inch infotainment screen, head-up display, fake leather which feels close to the real thing, dualzone air-con and heated and powered front seats. There’s also wireless charging, a 7.0-inch digital driver’s display and a six-speaker audio system.

The infotainment system has been updated and is more responsive than the last time I drove the Jolion.

It’s still full of menus which are a pain to navigate, especially as some common functions like turning on the seat heaters, changing the drive mode or fiddling with the active safety stuff are buried quite deep.

Plus the home button is on the far left, as are the multimedia hotkeys and climate control. That’s possibly a remnant from left-hand-drive markets.

You can swipe down from the top to bring up a customisable shortcut window to help cut down on the number of swipes and stabs. The panel of physical buttons remains, which is nice, but personally, I’d

change a few of the functions.

I don’t really want climate on/off and the AC toggle to take up two separate buttons – give me one shortcut to climate controls instead and use the other slot for a shortcut to driver aids. And there is unused button space next to the infotainment power button.

Under the bonnet

Haval has electrified its 1.5-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder with two electric motors, increasing output to a respectable 139kW/375Nm. That’s good because it improves the driveability of the Jolion, particularly at low speeds, and the battery

is large enough, and the motors grunty enough, to support emissions-free driving at most speeds.

The transmission is a two-speed unit, with the shorter gear working between zero and 65kph before switching up, along with electrical assistance. Front-wheeldrive is the only option here.

On the road

At city speeds, the HEV is pretty damn nice. The ride is probably a bit firm but nothing too bouncy, and keeping the powertrain running on volts means little cabin noise and smooth driving, plus nonexistent fuel use.

However, when the petrol engine kicks in, the two-speed transmission feels a lot like a CVT, which is not a good thing.

Out on the open road the engine can feel and sound quite coarse, but the combined effort of it and the electric motors means this can be a surprisingly swift SUV, particularly when you delve through the menus to put it into Sport mode.

The driving position is good, but frustratingly, the steering column only offers tilt adjustment.

It felt like the driver assistance systems have improved since the last time I drove a Jolion, but they can still be chimey and annoying.

The lane-keep is too eager to adjust the trajectory of the car, the frontal collision sensor is very vocal when it thinks you’re too close to the person in front, and the adaptive cruise can be a bit sharp on the brakes.

But, as we know with Chinese manufacturers, updates and improvements come thick and fast, so things could well be better in the near future.

Verdict

The real question is around money. The Ultra HEV asks $43,390 and the standard Ultra is $35,990. But take into account the $2026 rebate and the difference is only about $5500. You don’t really get much more kit in the HEV, and the engine loses its turbocharger.

But it gains that electrical system, and it’s definitely easier on the fuel tank than the combustion-only Jolion. Although $5500 is a fair bit of fuel...

So it really depends on your personal priorities. If you can swing the premium and want that hybrid goodness, the Jolion is worth a look.

Otherwise, the standard Ultra (especially if it gets the updated infotainment system) will also do.

NILE BIJOUX/STUFF This is the Jolion Ultra HEV, and aside from the different grille and badging, it’s hard to pick it from the combustion version.

There’s an updated infotainment system, which is smooth to use and attractive to look at.

Haval’s 1.5-litre atmospheric engine is here, but benefiting from added electric power.

The seats are fake leather, and they’re plenty comfy.