GWM HAVAL JOLION PRO HYBRID HATCHBACK 1.5 eHEV Ultra 5dr DHT

GWM's Haval Jolion Pro Hybrid could just be the best value Qashqai-class SUV you've never heard of. Jonathan Crouch takes a look.

Ten Second Review

Chinese maker GWM expands its reach in the UK market substantially with this lower mid-sized SUV, the Haval Jolion Pro Hybrid. It enters an over-crowded Qashqai class for family crossovers, but costs thousands less than some of its more commonly-chosen segment rivals. Yet includes frugal running costs and decent equipment levels for your money and a long warranty. Could be worth a look.

Background

GWM - Great Wall Motors - was one of the very first Chinese brands to enter our market back in 2022 with a small electric supermini, the ORA Funky Cat. ORA is just one of GWM's various sub-brands, the others being Wey, Tank, Poer and the conglomerate's most successful global nameplate, Haval. And it's Haval who provide the second of GWM's offerings in the UK - the Jolion Pro Hybrid mid-sized SUV. It was a sign of the times that the ORA Funky Cat (more recently re-named the 'ORA 03') was an EV. And it's probably also a sign of the times that this Haval model isn't. Power comes instead from a full-Hybrid petrol engine better suited to those still unconvinced by the EV revolution. This combination has worked well for the Haval brand in other markets - the Jolion Pro is the third best seller in its class in Australia for instance. As for what that class is, for rivals, think frugally-focused lower mid-sized crossovers like the Nissan Qashqai e-POWER or the Citroen C5 Aircross Hybrid 136 and you won't be too far out. Let's take a closer look.

Engines and Tech Spec

One of GWM's most proven engines, a petrol 1.5-litre four cylinder full-Hybrid with 188bhp, sits beneath the bonnet, able to propel this Jolion Pro to 62mph in a reasonable 8.5s. It's been coupled with a smooth 7-speed dual clutch auto transmission and with 210Nm of torque, there should be enough mid-range pulling power to keep you up with the flow of traffic without having to strain the little turbo petrol unit unduly. Don't expect engaging handling, but few lower mid-sized Hybrid crossovers of this kind provide that. What you might hope for given this Haval model's suburban journeying remit is a supple quality of ride - and you shouldn't be disappointed. The relatively lightweight (but unfortunately named) L.E.M.O.N. platform provides a strong anchor point for the MacPherson strut front and torsion beam rear suspension designed to soak up bumps. Expect light steering - great for town use but not so good for twisting secondaries.

Design and Build

This Haval Jolion Pro Hybrid has been available in some other global markets since 2021. Which you might just guess from a glance at a shape which though smart, does bear all the hallmarks of something styled in the last decade. Still, elements like the faux front air dams, the prominent roof spoiler, the chrome grille and the rear 'single eyebrow' LED tail lights separated bv a full-width strip all look nice. And black plastic-clad wheel arches housing 17 or 18-inch alloy rims supply the required SUV vibe. Length is 4,470mm; to give you some segment perspective, a Nissan Qashqai is 4,425mm long. Inside, the dashboard is topped by a 12.3-inch central screen, complete with 'Apple CarPlay' and 'Android Auto'. Through the wheel, you view a 7-inch digital gauge cluster. Switches haven't been completely banished though. There's a panel of physical buttons beneath the centre screen, with several more on the steering wheel and centre console. We prefer to have seen more because the centre screen has small icons that are fiddly to use while you're driving. And you'll find that some of the functions you want regularly are buried in sub-menus. It's easy to find a comfortable driving position thanks to the reach and rake adjustable steering wheel that wasn't fitted to earlier versions of this car. What might sell this model to you is its relative spaciousness at the back - there 615mm of rear seat legroom. The boot capacity isn't anything to write home about though, 255-litres available - extendable to 916-litres with the 60:40-split backrest flattened.

Market and Model

There are three versions of the Haval Jolion Pro Hybrid SUV available and all are very affordably priced. Things kick off with the base 'Premium' version which costs around £24,000. Next up is the 'Lux' version costing around £28,000, with the top 'Ultra' version costing around £30,000. You get the same Hybrid engine with all three variants. And across the range, you get diamond-cut alloy wheels of either 17 or 18-inches in size. There are four exterior colour options. The entry-level 'Premium' trim features dynamic front LED headlights, a high-definition touchscreen, advanced driver assistance systems, keyless entry, 'a digital instrument display and a 12.3-inch central screen with 'Apple CarPlay' and 'Android Auto'. The mid-level 'Lux' trim builds on the 'Premium' spec, adding upgraded materials, enhanced comfort-focused technology like heated front seats and conveniences like powered seating. At the top of the range, the 'Ultra' trim includes an electric panoramic glass roof, premium upholstery, a head-up display, a wireless 'phone charger, ventilated front seating, a 360-degree camera, auto parking assist and exclusive design elements.  As for safety, well GWM says that over 100 active and passive cutting-edge safety features have been built into this car, include Driver Drowsiness Protection, a Brake Override System, Secondary Collision Mitigation and Automatic Rear Cross Traffic Braking. The vehicle's safety systems also include Auto Emergency Braking, Lane Departure Warning and Blind Spot Detection. All ADAS functions are fitted as standard, even on the entry-level 'Premium' specification. 

Cost of Ownership

Let's get to the efficiency stats. GWM Haval quotes around 55mpg on the combined cycle; and 118g/km of CO2. The brand reckons a full tank would give you a driving range of around 620 miles. All Haval models come with GWM's 5-year unlimited mileage warranty. To give you some segment perspective, a rival Nissan Qashqai e-POWER manages up to 55.4mpg and up to 116g/km. What else? Well you might worry about residual values from an unknown brand, but they should be OK. With GWM's other product, the Ora 03, industry experts predict a residual of 44% of its original value after 3 years and 60,000 miles. There's also a five year / 60,000 mile paint warranty and 12 years of anti-corrosion warranty. Service intervals are in-line with best-in-class competitors.

Summary

The market doesn't need another mid-sized SUV but for the UK market, GWM does and the Jolion Pro provides that in an efficient, value-priced package. No, it's not a particularly exciting segment choice, but you get plenty of practicality, lots of kit and a pretty low running costs. The problem for the brand is that quite a few other segment contenders provide that same kind of combination too - though admittedly, not at such an affordable price. In other markets, the Jolion Pro has overcome class opposition to become one of its segment's strongest sellers. That's unlikely to happen here, but this car should carve out a useful niche for itself amongst those who've taken the trouble to find out it exists. Which only leaves that strange name. Perhaps it provides what this car really needs. A real talking point.

Body Glass

Automatic windscreen wipers

Four windows with auto up and down + anti pinch

Key fob window close function

Rear Demister

Rear privacy glass

Rear wiper

Brakes

Anti-lock brake system

Automatic emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist recognition

Brake assist

Brake override system (BOS)

Electronic parking brake with brake hold

Electronic Stability Control (ESC)

Hill descent control

Intelligent cornering control

Intelligent dodge

Rear cross traffic braking

Traction control

Communication

Apple car play/Android Auto

Bluetooth connection

Voice recognition

Driver Aids

Push button start

Wireless charger

Driver Convenience

360 surround camera

6 Front parking sensors

6 rear parking sensors

Adaptive cruise control (ACC)

Adjustable steering modes (sports/comfort/light)

Auto parking assist

Blind Spot Detection (BAS)

Drive mode select (Eco, normal, sport, snow)

Drowsy Driving Monitoring (DDM)

Emergency lane keep assist

Forward collision warning

Front dash cam USB port

Lane center keeping (LCK)

Lane change assistant

Lane departure warning (LDW)

Lane keep assist (LKA)

Power assisted steering

Quick start/Launch control

Rear collision warning

Rear cross traffic alert

Roll movement intervention (RMI)

SCM (second collision mechanism)

Traffic jam assist (TJA)

Traffic sign recognition (TSR)

Driver Information

7" Full colour instrument cluster

Door ajar warning

e-Call (emergency call)

Head up Display

Driving Mirrors

Automatic dimming rear view mirror

Door mirror integrated indicators

Electric adjustable/heated/folding door mirrors

Entertainment

12.3" Full colour touch screen infotainment system

2 USB sockets in rear

2x USB Front socket (1 data & 1 charge)

6 speakers + DTS

AM/FM radio

Exterior Body Features

Panoramic opening sunroof

Panoramic sunroof

Rear side wing doors

Roof rails

Shark fin antenna

Exterior Lights

Automatic headlights

Daytime running lights

Follow me home lighting

High level third brake light

LED Headlights

Rear foglight

Heating/Cooling/Ventilation

Dual zone climate control

Rear air vents

Interior Features

12v power outlet - front

4 way manual adjustable steering column

Leatherette upholstery

Luggage cover

Microfiber leatherette steering wheel

Multifunction steering wheel

Interior Lights

Luggage compartment light

Multi colour ambient lighting

Side ceiling lights

Safety

3x3 point rear seatbelts

Centre airbag

Curtain airbags

Door open warning

Dual SRS airbags

Front and rear seatbelt reminder

Front seat belts - Pretensioners+Force limiters+pretensioner end pieces+CLT (crash locking tongue)

Front side airbags

Manual child lock in rear doors

Rear seat belts - Pretensioner 3P x 3 pretensioners + dual side force limiters seat belts

Tyre pressure monitor

Seats

3 seat bench in 2nd row

4 way electrically adjustable passenger seat

6 way electric adjustable driver seat

60/40 split folding rear seat

Front and rear head restraints

Heated front seats

Isofix points

Single front passenger seat

Ventilated driver's seat

Security

Alarm

Anti-theft immobiliser

Driver side keyless entry

Dual smart keys

Speed sensing centre locking

Vanity Mirrors

Sunvisors with mirror and light

Wheels - Alloy

18" Chrome alloy wheels

Wheels - Spare

Tyre repair kit

Electric Vehicle Data

Battery Capacity in kWh: 1.69

Battery Type: Lithium-ion

Emissions - ICE

Particles: N

Standard Emissions: EURO 6

WLTP - CO2 (g/km) - Comb: 133

Engine and Drive Train

Camshaft: DOHC

Catalytic Convertor: No

CC: 1497

Compression Ratio: 13.0:1

Cylinder Layout: IN-LINE

Cylinders: 4

Cylinders - Bore (mm): 75

Cylinders - Stroke (mm): 84.7

Engine Code: GW4G15H

Engine Layout: FRONT TRANSVERSE

Fuel Delivery: INJECTION

Gears: 1 SPEED

Number of Valves: 16

Transmission: AUTO

Fuel Consumption - ICE

EC Directive 1999/100/EC Applies: 0

WLTP - FC (l/100km) - Comb: 6

WLTP - MPG - Comb: 47

General

Alternative Fuel Qualifying: No

Badge Engine CC: 1.5

Badge Power: 189

Based On ID: N

Coin Description: eHEV

Coin Series: Ultra

Did at least one aspect of this vehicle's safety give cause for concern?: 0

Generation Mark: 1

Insurance Group 1 - 50 Effective January 07: 28D

Service Interval Frequency - Months: 12

Service Interval Mileage: 18000

Special Edition: 0

Special Order: 0

Standard manufacturers warranty - Mileage: 999999

Standard manufacturers warranty - Years: 5

Vehicle Homologation Class: M1

Performance

0 to 60 mph (secs): 0

0 to 62 mph (secs): 9

Engine Power - BHP: 189

Engine Power - KW: 139

Engine Power - PS: No

Engine Power - RPM: 6000

Engine Torque - LBS.FT: 277

Engine Torque - MKG: 38.2

Engine Torque - NM: 375

Engine Torque - RPM: 4400

Top Speed: 102

Test Cycles

Emissions Test Cycle: WLTP

RDE Certification Level: RDE 2

Tyres

Alloys?: No

Space Saver?: 0

Tyre Size Front: 225/55 R18

Tyre Size Rear: 225/55 R18

Tyre Size Spare: TYRE REPAIR KIT

Wheel Style: N

Wheel Type: 18" ALLOY

Vehicle Dimensions

Height: 1625

Length: 4470

Wheelbase: 2700

Width: 1898

Weight and Capacities

Fuel Tank Capacity (Litres): 55

Gross Vehicle Weight: 2025

Luggage Capacity (Seats Down): 916

Luggage Capacity (Seats Up): 255

Max. Loading Weight: 430

Max. Roof Load: N

Max. Towing Weight - Braked: 750

Minimum Kerbweight: 1595

No. of Seats: 5

Turning Circle - Kerb to Kerb: 11.5

Exterior Body Features

Additional Metallic paint

Paint - Metallic

Metallic - Arctic blue

Metallic - Ayres grey

Metallic - Golden black

Metallic - Hamilton white

Trim - Leather

Leatherette - black