The recently launched Jolion from Haval is small enough for town driving, but big enough for touring. It is a crossover, which in effect replaced the H2 in our market and covers both the compact and small SUV niches, but does not have any pretensions of being an off-road vehicle. Even so sales have been very good so far, claiming fifth spot recently.
Haval offers the Jolion in five trim levels to cater for most of the market, starting with the manual transmission City trim which has simplified displays, less kit and a much less sophisticated equipment offering. There is a slightly better kitted out manual model as well. The three 7-speed auto versions get two trim levels and the top of the range model, which in addition has advanced driving aids.
The car attracts quite a bit of attention. The general impression seems to be positive – “nice looking car, how does it drive?” is a common reaction.
We undertook two little road trips to get a feel for the Jolion on the open road. The first trip was to the Drakenstein area, which gives one a good variety of roads from Somerset West. Although some may feel the ride is on the firm side, I personally like it. The car feels planted.
Impeccable behaviour
Our first stop was at Dalewood Fromage and was well worth it just for the excellent cheeses on offer and super friendly service. But the ambience of the farm is just as great. Oh, by the way, make sure to take a cooler bag or coolbox to keep your goodies fresh and top class.
Our next place of interest was the world famous Baylonstoren with its magnificent garden. A real feast for the eyes which may smart at the eye-watering prices of some items on offer in the various shops.
We lunched at the Tokara Deli, what a pleasant spot right at the top of the neck on Helshoogte.
The Jolion behaved impeccably all day. Thankfully on a very hot day the air-conditioner is really effective.
I think this Haval has very balanced lines and is a clean design which should age well. The daylight running lights are slightly aggressive but fit well with the overall look. The rear is distinctive enough without being too much of a statement. The silhouette is spot on. All in all a good looking car, but slightly bland like most VWs, which I think is a good thing.
Cabin well thought out
The interior of the Jolion is very up-to-date and ergonomic except for two small quibbles. The control for the drivers display is a little difficult to find and the USB ports are on the left hand side of the centre tunnel. Neither are big issues. Otherwise the cabin is a very pleasant place to spend time in and has been well thought out. The materials used match up well and there are enough soft-touch surfaces and other luxury touches to make one feel mollycoddled. A good job then by the design team. The driving position is very accommodating with a fully electric driver’s seat, adjustable steering wheel and head up (hud) display position. The hud is very clear but not distracting.
In the top model we drove the equipment list is that of a luxury car and includes Apple Car Play, Android Auto, 360° camera view, large infotainment display, big sunroof, cordless charging, intelligent cruise control, auto lights and wipers and so on. A very complete list.
The whole Jolion range is powered by a 1,5 L turbo petrol engine which develops 105 kW and 210 Nm of torque – enough to move you along smartly especially coupled to the 7-speed dual-clutch auto box. Fuel consumption is a little more than the claimed 7,5 L/10 km.
A pleasure in narrow streets
On our second drive we took Baden Powell Drive to Simonstown. Always a pleasant drive, especially next to the sea and always interesting to see the old suburbs and enjoy the historic architecture. As is our wont we popped into Kalidas, the excellent family-owned shoe and surfwear shop, where some retailers can go to learn about service. In Simonstown and along that whole coast are a huge variety of eateries for all tastes and budgets.
The Jolion was a pleasure in the narrow streets of the area. In general the car feels well sorted. For example, the steering is light below 50 km/h and gets progressively heavier as it should as you speed up. The auto gearbox and engine work well together as does the car in general. Fortunately you can switch off all the driver aids (warning noises) when they get too much for you, but they are effective.
A lot of bang for your buck
There are five models in the range, from a basic version at about R300 000 to the top model at R400 000. I think the second from top model at R379 000 hits the sweet spot. The top of the range Super Luxury derivative offers a lot of bang for your buck and gives you entry into the world of autonomous driving, which might be worth the smallish premium. Go to the Haval South Africa website for the detail differences.
The warranty is a confidence boosting five years or 100 000 km, together with a five year or 60 000 km service plan.
The Jolion finds itself in the company of the Kia Sonet, Hyundai Creta, Volkswagen T-Cross, Peugeot 2008, Renault Duster, Ford Ecosport, Suzuki Vitara and Mazda CX-3, to mention a few in this hotly contested segment.
Haval have outdone themselves with the Jolion. They have made a huge jump in their offering and quality with this car. If it is as well put together as it appears to be Haval will be a mainstream brand in South Africa in a few years. It is well worth your while to take a look at one of the eight Haval branches in the Boland and Cape Town.
