2021 Haval Jolion review: Poor drive lets down cheap SUV

Chinese brands are stepping up their offensive on the Aussie new car market, but some vehicles still have a long way to go to match established players.

2021 Haval Jolion Lux.

China’s largest SUV producer says its philosophy is to improve “little by little, every day”. That’s just as well, as Haval’s early efforts disappointed. The brand’s first Australian compact SUV, the Haval H2, arrived in late 2015 and was well off the pace.

A media test vehicle disappointed with loose trim, a hole in the dashboard where a button should have been and wayward handling.

Haval has made a big jump in quality in the past few years.

It also had the power of a Corolla, the thirst of a Commodore and an asking price within a few hundred dollars of Mazda’s outstanding CX-5.

That model has been replaced by the Haval Jolion, a compact crossover similar in size to Nissan’s Qashqai, making it larger than the likes of Toyota’s C-HR, but smaller than the RAV4.

The Jolion presents well, with sophisticated styling reminiscent of luxury Audi SUVs.

The cabin looks sharp, with a digital instrument display, large touchscreen and rotary gear shifter integrated within a floating centre console.

The interior fit and finish is excellent.

There is generous room in the front and rear and every occupant has access to air vents and USB power outlets. The build quality is leagues better than previous efforts, with a squeak-free interior and impressively-finished paint.

Priced from $25,490 drive-away as the entry-level Jolion Premium, the Haval is about $5000 cheaper than the equivalent Qashqai, or $7500 less than Mazda’s CX-30. That alone will be enough to win over budget buyers.

Standard equipment includes 17-inch alloys, cloth seats, a wide-screen display with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, plus handy features such as an electric parking brake.

The mid-grade Jolion Lux adds LED headlamps, heated vinyl seats, dual-zone climate control, a 360-degree camera and more for $27,990 drive-away.

Over enthusiastic driver aids are an annoyance.

Range-topping Ultra versions have 18-inch alloys, a sunroof, 12.3-inch touchscreen, wireless charging and a head-up display for $30,990 drive-away.

Great Wall Motors backs the Haval range with a seven-year, unlimited kilometre warranty with five years of roadside assistance and capped price servicing averaging $310 per year.

While there is no ANCAP safety rating, the Jolion comes with seven airbags and a comprehensive safety suite as standard, offering front and rear auto braking, active cruise control, lane-keeping and blind-spot assistance, rear cross-traffic alert and much more. Possibly too much more.

On the road the Haval loses its sparkle, with a thirsty engine and poor driving dynamics.

The Jolion’s heavy-handed driver monitoring and alerts system sounds like a kindergarten class let loose with a box of xylophones. Ill-timed pings, bongs and beeps accompany myriad written warnings such as “please watch out your surrounding”, “pls drive with attention” and “hey, don’t stray”. The visual warnings sometimes ask you to choose “yes” or “no” on the touchscreen.

The Jolion scolds you for following the car in front too closely, even if you’ve delegated that task to the car’s radar cruise control.

A 1.5-litre turbo four-cylinder engine in every model uses 8.1L/100km to make 110kW and 220Nm.

Those aren’t particularly impressive figures. Bigger rivals use less petrol to deliver more power.

The engine delivers laboured performance in town and on the open road. It’s not helped by a dual-clutch auto that feels off the pace.

At low speeds it can hesitate before selecting a gear, while on the highway it sometimes baulks at downshifting when asked.

Snatchy brakes, a less than responsive throttle and numb steering will frustrate keen drivers.

Impressive in the showroom, the Haval falls behind the pack on the road.

Positive elements include a reasonably comfortable ride and excellent visibility from a high seating position, although there is no reach adjustment for the steering wheel.

The Jolion is much better than the old Haval H2 but that’s not enough to recommend it over more polished rivals.

VERDICT 2.5/5

The Jolion is roomy, keenly priced and packed with the latest technology but disappoints with below-par road manners

HAVAL JOLION LUX VITALS

Price: $27,990 drive-away

Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cyl turbo petrol, 110kW/220Nm

Warranty/servicing: 7-year/unlimited km, $1550 for 5 years

Safety: 7 airbags, auto emergency braking, active cruise control, lane-keep and blind-spot assist, rear cross-traffic alert.

Thirst: 8.1L/100km

Cargo: 433 litres

Spare: Space saver

Originally published as 2021 Haval Jolion review: Poor drive lets down cheap SUV