2023 GWM Haval Jolion evaluation

Buying and selling up from a 2005 Lancer? You’ve in all probability thought of a GWM Haval Jolion, proper?

That appears to be the form of story that you just hear about GWM Haval’s mannequin vary – they make a reasonably spectacular impression on the simply impressionable.

For these upgrading from a clunky previous used automobile to one thing that appears this recent and comes with all this tech, it’s completely comprehensible why you could possibly simply be received over by one in all these flashy however finance-friendly SUV fashions.

The 2023 GWM Haval Jolion Extremely is undoubtedly a type of automobiles that may wow you if you’re stepping up from a a lot older automobile.

WATCH: Paul’s video evaluation of the Jolion Extremely

However I urge you to look past the lengthy guarantee, five-star security and low value, as a result of in the event you do, you’ll find a automobile that’s frankly unlikeable to dwell with, and nowhere close to nearly as good to drive as its mainstream rivals.

Table of Contents

How a lot does the GWM Haval Jolion Extremely price?

You’re going to be drawn in by the worth – as a result of it’s very low-cost in comparison with most of its rivals.

Costs are larger lately than they’ve been in years passed by – however the market has moved up for the reason that Jolion launched in July 2021.

The variant examined right here is the Extremely; which, earlier than the costs blew out to their present ranges, was the decide of the vary at $30,990 drive-away. Now it’s $3000 dearer, at $33,990 D/A.

2023 GWM Haval Jolion pricing:

Jolion Premium: $28,490
Jolion Lux: $30,990
Jolion Extremely: $33,990
Jolion S: $36,990
Jolion Extremely Hybrid: $39,990

For those who’re questioning about pricing for rivals, the very best competitor you could possibly think about can be the Kia Seltos ($31,690 to $47,690 D/A), whereas it’s straightforward to see why the MG ZST ($27,990 to $33,990 D/A) additionally scores loads of gross sales.

There aren’t many choices for the Haval – it comes properly specced in every grade (see breakdown additional down), however there’s just one no-cost paint possibility, Hamilton White. The remainder price $495, and they’re: Golden Black, Azure Blue, Mars Crimson, Smoke Gray and Vivid Inexperienced.

What’s the GWM Haval Jolion Extremely like on the within?

It feels fairly flash if you first see the inside, with a contemporary look, large display for the media controls and a digital dashboard, it ticks the bins for lots of shoppers.

Plus in Extremely spec it comes handsomely completed, with faux-leather trim (I’m not the one one who thinks the ‘Haval’ embroidery is naff, proper?), electrical driver’s seat adjustment and heated entrance seats, too.

However a technique during which the motive force could not be capable of get comfortable is by means of the steering adjustment, as a result of it has tilt / rake solely, however no attain adjustment.

That makes it onerous for anybody with lengthy legs to get into an excellent place. I’m 182cm or 6’0” and I discovered it uncomfortable, and a few my taller colleagues have discovered it actually disagreeable.

That 12.3-inch touchscreen is excessive decision and appears terrific if you’ve obtained smartphone mirroring working, however boy is it a tough factor to get your head round relating to controls and menus.

There are many totally different controls – in all probability too many – and you’ll set the display up with totally different appearances, which might make it a bit extra manageable. However you’ll want to get to know the display earlier than you get too far off the lot with the automobile.

There aren’t any bodily buttons, knobs or dials; however there’s a strip of touch-sensitive controls under the display, which is precisely the place you may relaxation your wrist and by chance hit a type of controls, which is able to in flip change the display away from what you wished to be doing. Grr…

And I do know the response to this from Jolion homeowners can be “simply hit the A/C button after which the A/C menu comes up!”, however the reality of the matter is that you just shouldn’t want to show off the air-con to regulate it – that’s simply foolish. However that’s what it’s a must to do although, as a result of there’s no devoted menu.

And talking of controls, the rotary dial gear selector isn’t like some others – it simply spins, and there’s no finish to the spin, no stopper. Plus the blinkers are WAY too loud – if there’s a strategy to repair that by means of the display, I couldn’t discover it.

A whole lot of this will – and hopefully, will – be mounted by GWM with a mid-life replace for the Jolion. And seeing as Australia’s voice is the loudest, because the Chinese language maker’s largest export market, hopefully this reviewer’s voice can be heard, too.

Now, the opposite stuff.

There are mixed-size cup holders between the entrance seats, and a few slots for unfastened objects – telephone, pockets, keys – and there’s a wi-fi charging pad in entrance of the shifter too. Under that space there’s a large open storage caddy, which can also be the place you’ll find the USB ports and a 12-volt outlet.

There are giant door pockets with bottle holders, an affordable centre console bin. The again doorways additionally rating bottle within the doorways and a pair of Napoli pockets on the seat backs. The flip-down centre armrest additionally has cupholders.

There are directional air vents and two USB ports, and a pleasant flat flooring to permit for higher side-to-side lodging.

Certainly, the backseat is among the highlights of the automobile, with arguably large-SUV-like ranges of rear seat house.

Seated behind my very own driving place, I had inches in entrance of my knees, heaps of toe room and wonderful head room as properly. The again seat can also be fairly flat and large, so three throughout is a risk.

In case you have youngsters, there are twin ISOFIX factors and three top-tether mounts as properly. My daughter preferred the massive panoramic sunroof, too.

The boot is first rate however not class-leading. There’s 430 litres of cargo capability, which is sufficient for a pram and a few purchasing baggage, or simply sufficient for a weekend’s value of bags in the event you don’t have a pram.

There’s an area saver spare wheel below the boot flooring, and a few storage spots alongside the false flooring, too.

What’s below the bonnet?

The core Jolion vary is powered by a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine, producing 110kW (5600-6000rpm) and 220Nm (2000-4400rpm).

It comes as commonplace with a seven-speed dual-clutch computerized transmission, and front-wheel drive. Go for the S model of the Jolion and also you rating an additional 20kW of energy and 50Nm of torque (130kW/270Nm), plus a multi-link rear suspension setup.

There’s additionally a costlier hybrid mannequin, which makes use of a non-turbo 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine, a giant electrical motor and battery pack that permits it a mixed output of 139kW/375Nm. It’s front-wheel drive too, however makes use of a tough two-speed hybrid-specific transmission.

Have to tow? The vary is able to a most braked towing capability of 1500kg. Unbraked trailers high out at 710kg for non-hybrid and 750kg for hybrid.

How does the GWM Haval Jolion Extremely drive?

“Haval Jolion – rediscover the enjoyment of driving” – that’s the tagline on the GWM Haval Jolion webpage.

However this factor left me actually chilly. Technically it’s enough at some issues, however it’s additionally not nice at others.

The suspension doesn’t get too flummoxed by large or small bumps, and whereas there’s a little bit of physique roll to take care of, it’s cosy and comfortable sufficient for a compact household SUV.

The steering wasn’t too horrible both, not less than if you’re going above 20km/h or so – the rack is sluggish, so you possibly can simply understeer by means of roundabouts since you truly wanted to wind on extra lock.

However whereas most automobiles I drive I discover to be okay to park, the steering on this automobile – together with its dismal dual-clutch auto and laggy turbo engine – made me really feel like a rank novice.

I pulled up alongside a parked automobile, able to reverse right into a spot. The nostril of the automobile was dealing with downhill on a comparatively steep gradient. Once I shifted to reverse, the engine and transmission lagged, then surged to life on the identical time the steering loaded up as I turned the wheel to pivot into the spot.

Thank goodness for the (truly fairly wonderful) encompass view digicam system and all-around parking sensors. It was a sport of millimetres, and somewhat than a “one and achieved”, I took three makes an attempt to get it proper, whereas annoying passing visitors on the identical time.

What I’m saying isn’t that I would like extra parking apply – it’s that this automobile proved some of the troublesome autos I’ve parked in a decade in that form of state of affairs. It wasn’t almost as dangerous on flatter surfaces, however it wasn’t nice, both.

A lot of it’s to do with the lagging and lurching of the transmission. My associate drove the automobile too, and whereas she’s not a automobile reviewer, she stated to me that the Jolion was “actually onerous to determine when it’s going to speed up or not”.

As with most dual-clutch transmissions, it’s higher at larger speeds. However it could possibly nonetheless be overactive, swapping cogs as a substitute of counting on the torque of the engine. There’s a little bit of zest to the engine, which has a punchy nature in the suitable moments – it’s simply that it doesn’t have that many good moments.

The braking response additionally caught me off-guard a few times. The pedal had a spongy really feel and shudder to it too, significantly at larger speeds and extra usually when descending hills. I let GWM’s fleet group know, as a result of that shudder isn’t one thing I’ve seen in different examples of the Jolion.

And whereas I’ll inform you the main points of the protection tech within the part under, I’ve to say simply how irritating the techniques are on this automobile.

At instances they’re overbearingly aggressive to cease you driving in a pure means. There’s an intervention system that cuts in when you’ve the adaptive cruise management on, and it’ll sluggish the automobile down in the event you flip the wheel to take a sweeping bend.

Additional, in the event you depart the steering help on – I didn’t, until I forgot to disable it, which it’s worthwhile to do each time you drive the automobile… and it’s not only a press and maintain button, it’s an annoying sequence of two or three display presses – it is going to actively alter the road of the automobile, at instances with out motive.

After which there’s the facial recognition system, which is able to give you a message “Hey, don’t stray!” in the event you look away from the street for a time period. You already know what? Having a display flashing up a message and the stereo beeping an alarm at you is arguably extra distracting than no matter is occurring exterior the automobile.

Security tech is necessary. However getting it proper and making it habitable for the consumer is extra necessary.

What do you get?

The GWM Haval Jolion is a really properly geared up automobile, which is undoubtedly a part of the rationale there are such a lot of round.

And, like I stated, in the event you’re upgrading from one thing older, it’s going to really feel such as you’ve been given a brand new boarding move that sees you getting out of financial system and into firstclass.

Jolion Extremely highlights:

18-inch alloy wheels
Panoramic sunroof
LED headlights, daytime working lights and fog lights
12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system
Apple CarPlay, Android Auto (wired)
Head-up show
ComfortTek pretend leather-based upholstery
Heated entrance seats
6-way energy driver’s seat
Leather-based-wrapped steering wheel
Paddle shifters
Digital instrument cluster
6-speaker sound system
Twin-zone local weather management
Rear privateness glass
Wi-fi smartphone charging
Keyless entry and begin
Automated headlights
Energy-folding facet mirrors
Rain-sensing wipers
Roof rails
USB ports (x4)

After which there’s a raft of ordinary security tech, too.

Is the GWM Haval Jolion Extremely protected?

The Jolion scored a five-star ANCAP security ranking in 2022, and it comes very properly geared up relating to commonplace security tech throughout the vary.

Towards the present standards, the Jolion scored 90 per cent for grownup occupant safety, 84 per cent for youngster occupant safety, 64 per cent for weak street customers, and a powerful 92 per cent for security help.

Commonplace security options embody:

7 airbags incl. front-centre airbags
AEB with Pedestrian, Bicycle owner detection
Lane departure warning
Lane hold help
Blind-spot monitoring
Rear cross-traffic alert
Site visitors signal recognition
Driver consideration monitoring
Adaptive cruise management
Reversing digicam (Premium)
Encompass-view cameras (Lux, Extremely)

As talked about, a few of that stuff is superb, however different bits really feel like they may do with some fine-tuning.

How a lot does the GWM Haval Jolion Extremely price to run?

The Jolion has a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre guarantee, which is among the many greatest obtainable. Plus you get 5 years of roadside help included as properly.

The official mixed cycle gas consumption determine for the Haval Jolion (non-hybrid) fashions is 8.1 litres per 100 kilometres, which is frankly excessive for a small SUV, but additionally comparatively trustworthy.

Throughout a mixture of driving over my week of testing, I noticed a real-world return of 9.1L/100km – which I believed can be higher as a result of fairly a little bit of my driving was freeway commuting.

As for longer-term price concerns, there’s a capped-price servicing plan for the Jolion that isn’t too badly priced. The model asks homeowners to usher in their automobile each 12 months, however weirdly, the primary service interval is definitely set at 10,000km, whereas the remaining 4 on the capped-price plan are at 15,000km.

Anyway, the common service price over 5 years or 70,000km is $310, which is fairly good worth.

CarExpert’s Tackle the GWM Haval Jolion Extremely

I’m the form of one that loves going for a drive, even when I don’t must.

This automobile didn’t elicit that need in me.

For those who simply desire a well-priced, long-warrantied and excessive tech compact SUV, it is best to in all probability go to a take a look at the Jolion.

Simply remember that in the event you do care in regards to the drive expertise, you could possibly do higher.