Haval Jolion 2022 review: Ultra

If you prioritise low pricing, showy styling, glossy interiors, lofty equipment levels, high safety specification and a long warranty way above all else, then the Jolion’s value argument seems utterly watertight.

Even the base Premium from $26,490 driveaway includes turbo performance, keyless entry, push-button start, alarm, paddle shifts, a 10.25-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity, Bluetooth telephony, a USB port near the windscreen mirror (to plug in a traffic camera), rain-sensing wipers, auto-on/off headlights, 17-inch alloy wheels, space-saver spare, roof rails and a seven-year warranty.

But you’ll need to pay extra for a luggage cover, weirdly.

Every Jolion features a driver monitoring system, located at the base of the windscreen pillar. (Image: Byron Mathioudakis)

Advanced driver-assist systems include autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian and cyclist detection, rear AEB, lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control, road sign recognition, driver attention alert, blind-spot monitoring, cross-traffic alert and traffic jam assist, while a reverse camera, rear parking sensors, tyre pressure warnings, hill descent control, hill-start assist and seven airbags (dual front, side, curtain and front-centre SRS items) are also standard in the base model. Good one, Haval.

Stepping up to the Lux from $28,990 driveaway adds LED front lighting, electronic instrumentation, leather-wrapped steering wheel, synthetic (vinyl) seats (heated up front and electric adjustment for the driver’s side), dual zone climate control, 360-degree surround-view cameras, heated and auto folding exterior mirrors, auto-dimming rear-view mirror, rear privacy glass, automatic windscreen defogger and that AWOL luggage cover.

Finally, the Ultra (as tested) ushers in a panoramic sunroof, 12.3-inch centre touchscreen, wireless charging, a head-up display, 4x (instead of driver’s side only) one-touch electric window switches, key-fob window close, and 18-inch alloy wheels.

Metallic paint adds $495.

The Ultra has 18-inch alloy wheels. (Image: Byron Mathioudakis)

Now, the Ultra’s rollcall of standard equipment for $32K driveaway is astonishing against most equivalent Japanese (Mazda CX-30, Toyota C-HR, Subaru XV, Honda HR-V, Nissan Qashqai, Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross), Korean (Kia Seltos, Hyundai Kona) and European (Peugeot 2008, Volkswagen T-Roc, Skoda Kamiq) flagship-grade rivals, all of which have prices either approaching or more likely streaking beyond $40K to match this level of content, driveaway.

What a knockout blow to the competition on the pricing front. Only the MG ZST and Mitsubishi ASX come close, although both are ageing warhorses, and also keep in mind that most rivals also offer all-wheel drive instead of just front-wheel drive at their lofty price points. The Jolion does not.

Also, neither (first) love nor money will buy you reach adjustability for the steering wheel, keyless entry that works on the front passenger side door, satellite navigation, auto high beams, factory-fitted front parking sensors, digital radio or voice control functionality. These are conspicuously strange omissions in such a fresh new model.

With its wagon-like profile and raised ride height, the Jolion epitomises the modern crossover SUV. Think Kia Seltos or Mazda CX-30, but at much lower starting prices. And higher levels of cabin space.

The news continues to impress once sat opposite one of the most modern and up-to-date dashboards available in this class. Touches of Tesla and Mercedes-Benz abound. Not bad brands to draw inspiration from.

The layered look is appealing, as is the soft vinyl covering, stitched material, textured finishes and upmarket ambience in this Ultra version. The three-spoke steering wheel also looks the part, as do the artificial-leather seat coverings. The entire presentation and fit and finish are right up there. Even the hidden plastics don’t feel too cheap.

The three-spoke steering wheel looks the part. (Image: Byron Mathioudakis)

There’s more. The Ultra’s digital instrumentation is mercifully free of clutter and overload, with a big central digital speedo and circular tachometer flanked by clear temperature and fuel readouts. A prolonged press of a steering-wheel button scrolls through more available layout options too. And unlike the MG ZST we recently tested, there isn’t much off-gas plastic odour to assault your senses. Mercy.

Storage areas include a large glovebox, deep centre armrest (as part of a wide console that also adds a touch of class), big door pockets that can hold smaller bottles and a sizeable cubby under the console where two USB-A ports and a 12V outlet are hidden. There are also a couple of cupholders and a smartphone charger directly underneath the low directional air vents.

Speaking of features, standard kit in the Ultra includes a head-up display, heated front seats and wireless charging, as well as that huge panoramic sunroof. However, as mentioned earlier, the lack of satellite navigation is annoying, as is the missing steering wheel reach adjustment; it only tilts up and down, which means some drivers may never quite achieve the perfect position. 

And there are more comfort-related issues besides, starting with the flat and shapeless driver’ seat. OK for short journeys, they just don’t support you in the right places during longer trips. Plus, our Ultra model also has clammy plastic seat coverings, which in the old days was known as vinyl and was relegated to base-model status. How about some lovely cloth, velour or corduroy, if we’re going down the retro upholstery route, GWM?

Plus, there are some odd technological fails, beginning with that lack of passenger side keyless entry; only the driver’s door recognises a hidden key, which isn’t that helpful if you need to load up a car first on the kerb side – as a parent or guardian might when putting children inside. Or, if you're on a date and want to impress with good old-fashioned chivalry. And even then, the entry system’s hit rate isn’t always reliable. We found ourselves pressing the key fob most times, defeating the purpose of having keyless entry.

The climate control interface can be bewildering: endlessly fiddly, badly located and so prone to being inadvertently activated by a resting palm while changing radio stations, for example. It’s worth noting that once or twice we couldn’t get the climate control to work at all – though once we learned the interface, much of the confusion dissipated.  

While the touchscreen is a pleasure to look at and operate superficially, there are complaints here too. The interface is backwards; swipe left to go right, left-hand-drive market placement of the driver’s seat heater controls and wording that makes no sense at all, like ‘Turn Multimode Setting’ for the steering mode. Once you’ve learned these it should be OK, but you’ll need a lesson in Haval-glish to master it.

There are three-plus sub menus to filter through to get to the drive settings that control transmission/throttle response. The nighttime illumination is too strong for sensitive eyes and cannot be dimmed sufficiently. The wheel-sited voice control button did not work in our example. The ‘Hey, Don’t Stray’ alert frequency drove us to distraction, as did the trigger-happy distraction alert (ironically enough). And for a new model, the Bluetooth system in our Ultra was not good enough, sounding tinny to those at the other end of the call.

Plus, the indicator is unnecessarily loud. The front USB ports are hidden behind the front console and a fair reach away. And the wipers shudder.

But let's throw the Jolion a bone. A Haval spokesman said that head office in China is listening to feedback specifically from the Australian market, and is acting on them quickly. Plenty of fixes for the facelift, them, GWM. Or, better still, well before then.

Things look up again for the Jolion passenger once they move to the rear seat.

Wide doors make for easy entry/egress. (Image: Byron Mathioudakis)

Interior space is good up front, but a bonanza out back, with wide doors making for easy entry/egress. The outboard cushions are quite comfortable, aided by a nicely angled backrest (non-reclining) and actually useful headrests. A trio of adults could fit across the rear, with greater-than-expected legroom, shoulder space and kneeroom, while even headroom doesn’t suffer despite the inclusion of a panoramic roof in Ultra.

Two more USB ports, directional air vents, reading lights above each outboard occupant, overhead grab handles and coat hooks, two map pockets and a folding centre armrest with two cupholders prove that Haval has done its homework as far as pleasing back-seat riders is concerned. Plus, the windows go nearly all the way down, the door pockets can also hold small bottles and there’s a light and airy feel, thanks to plenty of glass area and the lofty rear cushion.

This is one of the best static back seat evaluations we’ve ever conducted in a small crossover. Good work.

Watch your head though: the tailgate doesn’t open very high. The aperture is large, and the floor is high, with a level load area when meeting the folded rear backrests right up to the rear of the front seats.

The Jolion’s minimum cargo capacity is 430 litres, while its maximum is 1133L. (Image: Byron Mathioudakis)

The Jolion’s minimum cargo capacity is 430 litres, while its maximum is 1133L. Roomy for a compact SUV, the cargo space is large enough to serve as a small family carryall. Below the floor is a temporary spare wheel.

On the other hand, there isn’t much in the way of amenities, save for a light and two small areas to store small things on the side; and removing and refitting the parcel shelf is a tedious job without resorting to lowering the rear backrests first.

Below the floor is a temporary spare wheel. (Image: Byron Mathioudakis)

To sum up, the Jolion’s interior is stunning on the showroom floor but far from perfect if you have to live with it. Basics like space, vision, features and aesthetics are fine, and the rear-seat area is surprisingly thoughtfully executed, but many annoying details let the side down overall.

Does the same apply to the way the Jolion drives? Let’s see.

The Jolion is powered by a variation of the 4G15K 1497cc 1.5-litre turbo-charged direct-injection twin-cam 16-valve four-cylinder petrol engine found in the preceding H2. According to some sources, it is very distantly related to Mitsubishi Motor Corporation’s long-lived 4G1 ‘Orion’ engine family that dates all the way back to 1977.

Peak power is 110kW at 5600-6000rpm. (Image: Byron Mathioudakis)

Peak power is 110kW at 5600-6000rpm and the torque top is rated at 220Nm between 2000-4400rpm.

Drive is sent to the front wheels only, via a new seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. No manual option is available. Four driving modes are offered: Normal, Eco, Sport and Snow.

With a kerb weight of 1434kg, the Jolion is not as light as some rivals such as the CX-30, but it offers a respectable power-to-weight ratio of a 76.7kW/per tonne.

We expected more from a lightweight all-new architecture.

Tuned to run on 91 RON standard unleaded petrol, our Euro-5 emissions-standard Jolion Ultra returned 9.6 litres per 100km at the pump, against an indicated average of 6.9L/100km. That’s a big discrepancy for a trip computer nowadays.

The official combined average of the Jolion is 8.1L/100km. (Image: Byron Mathioudakis)

The official combined average is 8.1L/100km (or 10.4L/100km Urban and 6.7L/100km Extra Urban), a figure that translates to a carbon-dioxide emissions rating of 186 grams per kilometre.

Armed with a 55-litre tank, over 675km between refills is possible. But in reality, the Jolion's fuel consumption is too high.

Like all Haval Australia models, the Jolion comes with a seven-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty and five years/100,000km of roadside assistance. Matching Kia, MG and others, only Mitsubishi’s conditional 10-year warranty is better, while big names like Toyota, Mazda, Ford, Nissan and Hyundai still stick with just five years.

The first service interval is at 12 months or 10,000km, then rises to 12 months/15,000km from there, while published basic capped-price servicing is available. The current prices are $210, $250, $350, $450 and $290 from years one through to five. Total cost is a very competitive $1550, averaging out to $310 annually over five years at the time of publishing.