GWM Haval Jolion Hybrid 2024 Review

Hooray! Not only has the 2024 GWM Haval Jolion Ultra Hybrid undergone a refresh, but the price has had a makeover, too, this flagship variant now offered at $38,990 drive-away – a $2000 reduction over its predecessor.

The now three-strong hybrid range starts at $32,990 drive-away for the Premium, with the $35,990 drive-away Lux Hybrid in the middle, while the petrol range has been streamlined to two: the $26,990 drive-away Premium and $29,990 Lux.

There’s a plethora of small SUVs on offer around this price point, but if you’re after one with electrical assistance there’s the Hyundai Kona HEV (from $36,000 plus ORCs), Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid (from $38,590 plus ORCs) and the Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid (from $36,480 plus ORCs), while the MG ZS EV offers pure-electric transport from $39,990 drive-away.

Despite the price cut, the 2024 GWM Haval Jolion Ultra Hybrid comes stacked with standard kit, though let’s deal with what’s new first.

Top of the list is the new exterior design, limited to Jolion Hybrid models, with a more coupe-style silhouette and completely new look front and rear. Make up your own mind on the visuals, but to this reviewer’s eyes the new black cladding spoils what was previously a relatively handsome car.

As the wheel-arches are quite flared it makes the Jolion Hybrid look terribly underwheeled, while the rear spoiler and aero flicks on the lower front bumper are trying a bit too hard. Still, you may love it!

Bigger changes are under the skin, the Jolion Hybrid upgrading from a simple torsion beam to the multi-link rear suspension that was previously limited to the now-defunct Jolion S.

When it comes to convenience, the Haval Jolion Ultra Hybrid ticks every box. Keyless entry/start, heated electric mirrors, dual-zone climate control, a panoramic sunroof, power-adjustable driver’s seat with heating and ventilation, powered and heated front passenger seat, head-up display and LED headlights… all are fitted standard.

GWM offers a seven-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty with eight years of coverage for the battery, five years of roadside assist and capped-price servicing costs of $1550 over the first five visits. These are required every 12 months or 15,000km, bar the first service at 10,000km.

On paper, the 2024 GWM Haval Jolion Ultra Hybrid is as safe as houses with a five-star ANCAP rating from 2022 and generally very impressive scores of 90 per cent for adult occupant protection, 84 per cent for children, 64 per cent for vulnerable road users and 92 per cent for safety assist.

That last score, however, is indicative of the wide – and possibly widening – gulf between the existence of active safety measures and the implementation of them.

The Haval Jolion Ultra Hybrid has every safety feature imaginable, including autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian and cyclist detection, lane keep assist, lane departure warning, blind spot detection and lane change assist, traffic jam assist, adaptive cruise control, intelligent cornering control and much more.

And yet, in its standard guise it is almost undriveable due to the poor calibration of, in particular, the driver monitoring and the emergency lane keep assist. While undoubtedly well-meaning, the calibration is completely at odds with how human beings drive a car and when activated the response is swift and strong.

Glance away from the straight ahead for more than a moment – to adjust the climate control, for instance, more on which in a moment – and the driver monitoring admonishes you with multiple visual warnings and insistent bonging that makes Mitsubishi’s much-maligned similar system seem mild-mannered in comparison.

As a result, this must be deactivated at the start of every drive, but the setting isn’t under safety, instead under the regular vehicle settings requiring yet more screen taps.

The emergency lane keeping assist, which activates should you even stray near a white line, will wrestle the steering at every opportunity if given the chance, though thankfully it doesn’t reactivate automatically at every restart. Oddly, the Jolion’s auto-steer function as part of its cruise control works well.

Parking is well catered for by six sensors at both ends, a 360-degree camera and auto parking assist.

A bigger 12.3-inch infotainment screen sits in the centre of the 2024 GWM Haval Jolion Ultra Hybrid’s dash and features wired smartphone mirroring, AM/FM radio and Bluetooth and plays through a six-speaker stereo.

Wireless charging is also standard as well as a pair of USB-A ports front and rear.

The unit is easy enough to navigate, which is just as well as navigate it you will. GWM’s decision to offer no HVAC (heating, ventilation, air-conditioning) hard keys, not even for temperature control, means you’ll be constantly tapping away at the screen to make adjustments, at which point you’ll be told off by the driver monitoring system.

When there are hard keys for both front AND rear demisting and park assist, are some temperature and fan controls too much to ask for?

The infotainment has some unusual features like an image viewer but presumably assumes most will operate it via smartphone mirroring – hence the lack of native sat-nav – and the high-resolution screen works well in this environment.

Under the bonnet of the 2024 GWM Haval Jolion Ultra Hybrid is the same heavily electrified 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine as its predecessor, driving the front wheels.

Producing just 70kW/125Nm on its own, the combustion engine is supported by a 115kW/250Nm electric motor that brings combined outputs up to a respectable 140kW/375Nm.

No 0-100km/h time is quoted, but there is a launch control function if you’re really keen.

The combined fuel consumption claim for the 2024 GWM Haval Jolion Ultra Hybrid is 5.1L/100km, a 0.1L/100km increase over its predecessor.

But it’s a figure that’s pretty close to the mark, with our testing hovering between 5.5-5.6L/100km in typical urban/suburban use.

This fuel use combined with a 55-litre fuel tank gives credence to GWM’s claim of more than 1000km of range and 91RON regular unleaded is suitable, helping running costs.

It’s painting with a broad brush and the situation is certainly improving, but offerings from Chinese manufacturers tend not to be the greatest cars to drive. The 2024 GWM Haval Jolion Ultra Hybrid is an exception to that rule.

While not engaging and athletic like an MG4, for a small-mid SUV that will spend its time primarily trundling through the daily grind it’s very well fit for purpose.

The hybrid drivetrain is smooth and adequately powerful, dropping on to EV power at low speeds before unobtrusively reactivating the petrol engine as required.

It’s also comfortable, the ride being very well judged, compliant but with fine control, the steering is well weighted and accurate, and there are no dynamic vices – at least at any speed the car will realistically be driven at.

The one caveat is it’s very easy to lose traction at low speeds. Try and duck ahead of traffic leaving a junction on a wet road and the inside tyre will instantly erupt into wheelspin.

That aside, it’s fundamentally a very pleasant car to drive.

One of the subtle yet important upgrades to the 2024 GWM Haval Jolion Ultra Hybrid is a steering wheel that is now adjustable for height and reach rather than just the former, making finding a comfortable driving position much easier.

It’s an excellent cabin. At this price point there’s plenty of soft-touch materials, contrasting white stitching, the fake leather doesn’t feel too fake, storage is plentiful thanks to the large area under the gear selector and the full-length glass roof lets in plenty of light.

Rear seat space is also remarkable for this segment of car, with acres of legroom, enough width for three across if your passengers aren’t too broad, and there’s rear air vents, too.

Vision is generally good, though the large D-pillars create some sizeable rear three-quarter blind spots.

Unfortunately, what isn’t large is the boot, which has shrunk dramatically from 390 litres to just 255L with this latest upgrade.

The boot floor is very high and the culprit isn’t clear, as both the battery-equipped previous hybrid and the multi-link-equipped Haval Jolion S both had much bigger boots. Perhaps the combination of the two has led to such a radical reduction in luggage accommodation.

It’s a shame as it tarnishes what is otherwise a very useful passenger-carrying vehicle.

The 2024 GWM Haval Jolion Ultra Hybrid is a very tasty cake. A fairly plain vanilla one, admittedly, but tasty all the same: excellent passenger space, frugal hybrid powertrain, stacked equipment list and impressive driving behaviour, all at a very tempting price.

Light, fluffy, sweet – delicious.

Unfortunately, GWM has then completely ruined it by using dirt for the icing. The smaller boot is a shame, having to navigate the infotainment screen for every function is a slight annoyance, but the driver assist systems will send you mad every time you drive the car.

Sure, they can be turned off, but every journey then must be preceded by a multi-stage process like you’re readying a Saturn rocket for take-off.

GWM isn’t alone in this boat – though the Haval Jolion is at the extreme end of the spectrum – but at least in other offenders, like the rival Hyundai Kona, the required screen can be accessed with one button press.

The good news is that if this situation can be resolved the new GWM Haval Jolion Ultra Hybrid is a very accomplished and wallet-friendly small SUV.

2024 GWM Haval Jolion Ultra Hybrid at a glance:
Price: $38,990 (drive-away)
Available: Now
Powertrain: 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol-electric
Output: 70kW/125Nm (electric motor: 115kW/250Nm)
Combined output: 140kW/375Nm
Transmission: Two-speed hybrid transmission
Fuel: 5.1L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 118g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2022)