You may struggle with the name, but the GWM Haval Jolion needs remembering and digesting.
Although relatively new to the UK, the Chinese GWM brand, (Great Wall Motors), is distributed by International Motors with its vast experience of Subaru and Isuzu models and it has just announced the return of the Mitsubishi Motors brand in 2026.
After launching in Great Britain with the compact hatchback pure electric GWM Ora 03 – then called the Funky Cat First Edition – in November 2022, it has this year added the Haval Jolion SUV and this autumn the Poer300 pick up.
The Haval Jolion was introduced to Australia in 2021 so it has some history and has been carefully priced for UK buyers from under £23,000 to about £30,000 before taking off the brand’s EV grant of £2,000. There are three models, Premium, Lux and Ultra which use an identical powertrain and only vary by trim and equipment.
Standard specification on the Ultra Hybrid we tested were roof rails, big sunroof, wireless charging, heated and ventilated front seats, head-up display, auto and parking sensors, with selectable ambient interior lighting. That’s an impressive package for under 30K before taking off the current EV-grant.
Now you must be thinking there are downsides to this newcomer and there are, but they are modest when put against the upside to ownership, with a good warranty and service plan.
The hybrid powertrain gave good getaway from rest and a useful boost when accelerating to overtake on main roads while its overall fuel consumption was sometimes approaching 50mpg on a modest throttle and a longer journey.
Automatic changes were seamless and quick whether accelerating or slowing down and the engine had plenty of flexibility although it could be noisy under harsh use.
We found the steering was easy and turning circle quite good in town when parking without being too light or vague on main roads.
Brakes were strong and with modest pressure effected a quick stop and a lot of feedback all the way. The parking brake securely held the near 1.6 tonnes car on our usual test slope. This model had a good head-up display as well.
Secondary controls on the column and wheelspokes worked well but some buttons were not as clear as they could have been.
Turning to the infotainment display for driver settings, music, radio, mapping, etc., was a distinctly step back experience for design, operation and clarity with odd English words used. A bigger display and better laid out menu would help.
Our top model had heated and cooled seats which worked well and the car’s interior ventilation was good with strong output, directional control and temperature settings.
Oddments space was reasonably good infront and slightly less so in the back but the boot area was easy to load and empty and soon more than tripled when the backseats were folded down.
Access to the cabin was effortless with wide opening doors and good-sized apertures, fair legroom throughout as well as clear headspace beneath the big sunroof. The seats were simple yet comfortable but taller users might find under-thigh support was lacking.
Visibility was generally good with the slightest blindspots evident, good cameras and sensors, and very bright long range headlights, but which lacked a wide spread down country lanes.
Noise levels were mostly confined to the tyres and suspension and were ever present but not unduly loud.
The Haval Jolion’s ride was slightly firm but not particularly uncomfortable and the seats took up most of the shocks from potholes and bumps.
It is not a sports suv but a family friendly five-seater and the ride was
generally good with a safe and surefooted feel to the handling and roadholding.
We tested the car over a variety of roads and liked the 45mpg overall achieved using the driving modes as best we could with standard, eco and sports, but there was no need to select the snow setting.
If there is a takeaway from this test, it’s that established “legend” car makers need to look very hard at their offerings and pricing when GWM is rolling out some highly competitive and keenly priced food for thought.
FAST FACTS
Model: Haval Jolion Pro Ultra petrol-electric hybrid mid-sized SUV
Price: £30,590
Mechanical: 1.5 litre 189ps combined 4cyl petrol hybrid, automatic, front wheel drive
Max Speed: 115mph
0-62mph: 9 secs
Combined MPG: 45
Insurance Group: 28
CO2 emissions: 133gkm
Bik rating: Band H, VED £540FY, £195SR
Warranty: 5yrs unlimited miles/ battery 8yrs 100,000 miles
Size: L4.47m, W1.90, H 1.63m
Bootspace: 255 to 916 litres
Kerbweight: 1595kg
For: Reasonable performance, smooth powertrain, good steering and brakes, fair ride quality, above average equipment, good oddments and boot space
Against: Very fiddly poor quality infortainment system, baffling driver’s display, lack of thigh support to seats, ever present road noise. By Robin Roberts Miles Better News Agency
