Latest news with #Jolion
Mail & Guardian
18-05-2025
- Automotive
- Mail & Guardian
Value-for-money Haval H7 is rugged and luxurious but slightly unresponsive
Unorthodox: The Haval H7 resembles its sister brand Tank and does not fit in line with the looks of the H6 and Jolion. At first glance, I found the Haval H7 to be a very odd looking vehicle. Since Haval introduced South Africans to its range in 2021, it has released the Jolion, Jolion Pro, the H6 and H6 GT, all of which were stylish, modern SUVs, with the Pro looking extra sporty and the H6 GT resembling the Lamborghini Urus. GWM also brought in the Tank range, which were meant to be rugged off-roaders. I was therefore slightly confused when the H7 was released and it didn't look like a more premium version of the H6 but rather as if it came from the Tank family. It's big and boxy, with no sharp features that are going to turn heads. It has rounded headlights that are dented deep into the grille on each side and taillights that start off thin, but eventually also get rounded out to bring the ruggedness of the exterior together. The roof rails make sense on this vehicle because of its squared-off shape and deeply sculpted side profile. I was surprised at the look at first, feeling as if it just didn't fit what we were used to seeing from Haval. It wanted to part from the elegant dynamism of the H6 but I couldn't understand why it would make the vehicle look this rugged when GWM already has a brand for that. It almost felt like an overlap between the Tank and Haval brands but this is supposed to be the flagship model from Haval. After two or three days, however, the look begins to grow on you. It also made me realise that the brand has huge confidence. It is not limited to producing vehicles that look a certain way, but can be unorthodox, and still keep the consumer satisfied. I say that because the interior is exactly what I expected. It's what we have come to expect from Haval: plush, posh and perfect. Huge leather seats in the front that are heated, a fully leather steering wheel, a clean and neat dashboard, a fully digital instrument cluster and a floating 14.6 inch infotainment system. What I really loved about the interior is that there are certain elements that keep the rugged, boxy feel of the exterior. The gear shifter is designed like those in a fighter jet and the door handles have big screws popping out of them to add to the vehicle's aesthetic. The space in the back was more than sufficient for three adults and provided enough comfort as well. However, for something this big, the car did fall short in terms of boot space. It offers 483 litres, which is significantly less than the H6, which offers 600 litres. The Haval H7 looks like an off-roader and comes with a variety of modes which will allow the vehicle to do whatever you need when going into the bush. Well, that is if you opt for the all-wheel-drive variant. The modes available are: Grass/Gravel, Convex Roads, Sand, Snow, Mud and for Sporty, Standard or Economical driving. Buyers of the 4×4 model will receive a unique off-road mode on their instrument cluster, which offers a low-speed bird's-eye view of the surroundings, as well as an AI-enhanced image of the surface below the vehicle. This effectively removes the vehicle from the on-screen image and gives the driver the best possible vantage point for technical off-road driving. If you opt for the two-wheel-drive variant, you won't be given those crazy features to go off-roading with, but the car will still handle simple gravel and sand due to its high ground clearance. On the road, the H7 offers a smooth drive and picks up speed very easily when you push your foot down lightly on the accelerator. However, if you need a quick kick to overtake, the 2.0-litre turbocharged engine is slightly unresponsive. There's a split second delay between the time you press and when you actually feel the power. This was kind of annoying because it took away from what was a very comfortable driving experience. For a car of its size, it handles the road very well, but once again, that delay in acceleration handicaps the vehicle on the road. But by no means is it underpowered. The H7 churns out 170kW of power and 380Nm of torque. Once it gets going, it's rapid. One thing nobody can fault Chinese manufacturers on is safety in all their vehicles. GWM have continued this by giving the H7 six airbags and seatbelt safety warnings on both rows of seats. All models feature electronic stability control, traction control, cornering brake control, ABS brakes with emergency brake assist and even tyre pressure monitoring. Every H7 also has hill descent control and hill hold control, a USB port for linking a dashcam, reverse radar and a full 360-degree camera system with an additional 180-degree electronically created view of the road surface beneath the vehicle for a 560-degree view. A full array of advanced driver assistance systems is featured as standard across the Haval H7 range. While it took some time to get used to the shape of the Haval H7, the interior has the luxury feel we have become accustomed to with the brand's vehicles. The exterior gives off love-me-or-hate-me vibes, but there's no doubt Haval have built a sturdy vehicle that comes in at a modest price point once again. Available in a two-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive, the former comes in at R601 950 and the latter is priced at R671 950. There is a hybrid variant that is scheduled to be on sale this quarter at R730 950. I just find it unbelievable how the Chinese manufacturers are managing to give this much in a vehicle at such affordable prices. However, I still find it hard to look past the unresponsive nature in my verdict. Perhaps it is best to wait for the hybrid version but that means adding another R60 000 to the budget.
Daily Mail
05-05-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Mail
Shocking study exposes how some hybrid cars use more fuel than their petrol equivalents
They are sold as vehicles that will cut petrol consumption but tests on Australian roads show some hybrid cars use more fuel than standard models. In one case, a mild hybrid vehicle used 12 per cent more petrol than its internal combustion equivalent on highways and a conventional hybrid used almost three per cent more fuel. The Australian Automobile Association revealed the findings on Monday in an analysis of 16 real-world tests on hybrid and petrol vehicles from five brands. The news follows a spike in the popularity of hybrid cars, with sales of new models rising by more than 34 per cent in Australia over the past year. The real-world tests performed in Victoria showed three out of four Toyota hybrid vehicles cut petrol use by more than 30 per cent on average, while a Honda CR-V hybrid and a mild hybrid Suzuki Swift reduced fuel consumption by 23 and 17 per cent, respectively. But GWM's Jolion hybrid vehicle cut consumption by significantly less than promised, with a 17 per cent fuel saving compared to 38 per cent indicated by laboratory tests. The association tested 16 vehicles including six conventional hybrid cars, two mild hybrid vehicles and their petrol equivalents. Mild hybrid vehicles feature a small battery and electric motor to assist a petrol engine during short bursts and both hybrid styles promise to cut petrol consumption. It also used more petrol than the standard Jolion model when travelling on highways. The Subaru Forester mild hybrid used more petrol than its internal combustion equivalent by 2.8 per cent on average, although the model has been discontinued. The findings were stark given hybrids often commanded a higher price than petrol vehicles, Australian Automobile Association managing director Michael Bradley said. 'Our program continues to show that lab test results on the windscreens of new cars can differ significantly from real-world performance and cost-focused customers should do their research before spending their money,' he said. Tests revealed hybrid vehicles were significantly more fuel-efficient on urban areas than rural roads and were at their least efficient on highways. The Toyota Camry hybrid vehicle cut fuel consumption by 50 per cent on city roads, but only 13 per cent on highways. The discrepancy was common for hybrid vehicles but many consumers were not aware of it, Australian Electric Vehicle Association national president Chris Jones said. 'The conventional hybrid, which is basically a very efficient petrol vehicle, has been optimised for start-stop traffic and that's where most driving in Australia is done,' he said. 'It's that optimisation for the low speeds that has resulted in a decline in the efficiency at high speeds.' As a result, conventional hybrid vehicles may not be as useful for drivers in regional or rural Australia as a plug-in hybrid or an electric vehicle, Dr Jones said. Australian motorists bought more than 47,000 new hybrid cars in the first three months of 2025, according to the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries.
Mail & Guardian
05-05-2025
- Automotive
- Mail & Guardian
Ticking all the boxes: The GWM Haval Jolion Pro
Stylish: The GWM Haval Jolion Pro has a more aggressive look compared to the classic Jolion. Since GWM introduced it in 2021, the Haval Jolion has become the brand's best-selling passenger vehicle in South Africa. The Jolion became a talking point in the country as it offered consumers a great deal at an affordable price. South Africans love that and gobbled it up. Haval then introduced the Jolion Pro in the last quarter of 2024. This one came with a much more sporty look. From an aggressive grille to a coupe-like silhouette, a rear spoiler, black door handles and a lightbar at the back, Haval took an already well-liked exterior and styled it to the maximum. It really took the fight to the exterior of the Jetour Dashing and Baic Beijing X55, while maintaining its uniqueness. You will also notice this is the first Haval vehicle that has GWM branding across the back as the Chinese manufacturer has opted to keep all its brands under the GWM umbrella, instead of its own brand. The interior The interior is very pleasing as well. When you get in, you are greeted by comfortable leather seats both in the front and back; a stylish leather dashboard with carbon-fibre print; a fully digital instrument cluster and a 12.3-inch infotainment screen that comes equipped with both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Jolion Pro also has a few buttons below the infotainment screen for aircon controls, park assist and the demister, which is extremely convenient. Overall, the interior is lovely to look at and provides sufficient comfort for the driver and passengers. Only the boot gave me issues with this car. First, the 291 litres of bootspace felt very cramped. Second, there was no electric tailgate which I thought was odd, especially in a car packed with so much technology. The drive The Jolion Pro, much like the classic Jolion, has a seven-speed, dual clutch transmission gearbox paired to a 1.5-litre turbocharged engine that delivers 105kW of power and 230Nm of torque. I've never had a problem with the engines the majority of Chinese manufacturers put in compact SUVs. They provide sufficient power and a joyful and comfortable drive — albeit not the most seamless. The other issue we've been finding with the 1.5 turbocharged vehicles which are paired to a DCT or CVT gearbox is that the fuel consumption is often far higher than the figure claimed by the manufacturer. Luckily, this time, we were in the hybrid version of the Jolion Pro. It still has that 1.5-litre turbocharged engine but has an electric motor as well. The combined power of the two means increased performance and better fuel consumption. The hybrid version is lightning quick and extremely silent. It is perfect for the urban areas or traffic where your battery kicks in to help save fuel. Haval claims 5.1 litres/100km on the hybrid but a more realistic figure is 6 litres/100km. Safety The Haval Jolion Pro prioritises safety with features like adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring and a 360-degree camera system. The vehicle also benefits from a robust chassis, multiple airbags, ABS with EBD, electronic stability control and tyre-pressure monitoring. Depending on which variant you jump into, you might be without features such as adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist and a 360-degree camera. But, no matter which variant it is, the vehicle will be packed with technology and safety features to put you at ease. The outer body of the vehicle feels solid and heavy. The robust frame and high-strength steel provide a strong foundation for safety. Verdict For all the technology packed into the Jolion, there was one thing that was slightly annoying. My late grandfather owned one of the first GWM bakkie models brought to South Africa and that bakkie and this Jolion Pro had the same hooter sound. I might be being picky here but the hooter does sound like it's coming from an old vehicle. With that said, aesthetically, the Jolion Pro is definitely an upgrade from the classic version. But, if we are talking about the drive quality, there is not much of a difference. However, it must be noted that the classic Jolion did so well because of the amount of safety and technology that it gave consumers at an affordable price. The Pro does the same but looks cleaner. It ticks all the boxes and is still well worth it for South Africans on a budget who want a beautiful car that has everything. The Jolion Pro comes in four variants: a premium (R391 150), super luxury (R425 950), ultra luxury (R462 950) and a HEV ultra luxury (R516 950). From my experience, it is well worth going for the hybrid version if you can afford it. It provides a better drive and will save you money on running costs in the long run.
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Some hybrid cars thirstier than their petrol peers
They are sold as vehicles that will cut petrol consumption but tests on Australian roads show some hybrid cars use more fuel than standard models. In one case, a mild hybrid vehicle used 12 per cent more petrol than its internal combustion equivalent on highways and a conventional hybrid used almost three per cent more fuel. The Australian Automobile Association revealed the findings on Monday in an analysis of 16 real-world tests on hybrid and petrol vehicles from five brands. The news follows a spike in the popularity of hybrid cars, with sales of new models rising by more than 34 per cent in Australia over the past year. The association tested 16 vehicles including six conventional hybrid cars, two mild hybrid vehicles and their petrol equivalents. Mild hybrid vehicles feature a small battery and electric motor to assist a petrol engine during short bursts and both hybrid styles promise to cut petrol consumption. The real-world tests performed in Victoria showed three out of four Toyota hybrid vehicles cut petrol use by more than 30 per cent on average, while a Honda CR-V hybrid and a mild hybrid Suzuki Swift reduced fuel consumption by 23 and 17 per cent, respectively. But GWM's Jolion hybrid vehicle cut consumption by significantly less than promised, with a 17 per cent fuel saving compared to 38 per cent indicated by laboratory tests. It also used more petrol than the standard Jolion model when travelling on highways. The Subaru Forester mild hybrid used more petrol than its internal combustion equivalent by 2.8 per cent on average, although the model has been discontinued. The findings were stark given hybrids often commanded a higher price than petrol vehicles, Australian Automobile Association managing director Michael Bradley said. "Our program continues to show that lab test results on the windscreens of new cars can differ significantly from real-world performance and cost-focused customers should do their research before spending their money," he said. Tests revealed hybrid vehicles were significantly more fuel-efficient on urban areas than rural roads and were at their least efficient on highways. The Toyota Camry hybrid vehicle cut fuel consumption by 50 per cent on city roads, but only 13 per cent on highways. The discrepancy was common for hybrid vehicles but many consumers were not aware of it, Australian Electric Vehicle Association national president Chris Jones said. "The conventional hybrid, which is basically a very efficient petrol vehicle, has been optimised for start-stop traffic and that's where most driving in Australia is done," he said. "It's that optimisation for the low speeds that has resulted in a decline in the efficiency at high speeds." As a result, conventional hybrid vehicles may not be as useful for drivers in regional or rural Australia as a plug-in hybrid or an electric vehicle, Dr Jones said. Australian motorists bought more than 47,000 new hybrid cars in the first three months of 2025, according to the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries.
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
GWM Haval Jolion Pro review: a Chinese hybrid that's lost in translation
This car is named Jolion. No, not Jolyon; Jolion is supposedly an anglicised form of 'chu lian', which in Mandarin means 'first love'. Its full name is the GWM Haval Jolion Pro. The first three letters stand for Great Wall Motor, the manufacturer; the rest is the model name. So Haval refers to the sub-brand; one of four of GWM's families of vehicles designed for mainstream family motoring. Jolion is Haval's range of mid-size SUVs, while Pro refers to the fact that this is the hybrid model. In short, this is a new SUV from GWM, the company that hitherto brought us the Great Wall Steed pick-up truck and the Ora Funky Cat – latterly Ora 03 – electric hatchback. It's about the size of a top-selling Nissan Qashqai and packs a hybrid powertrain, putting it in the direct line of fire of cheap hybrid SUVs like the MG ZS and Suzuki S-Cross – though the Jolion Pro is larger than either. It's already on sale in Australia, where GWM proudly boasts that it's the third best-selling car in the class in which it competes. With UK hybrid sales on the rise, the company has decided to import it here, too. This decision seems to have been taken rather suddenly. So suddenly, in fact, that GWM's dealers, which had set themselves up with signage bearing the logo of the Ora sub-brand, are now having to hurriedly swap those signs for GWM ones, thus enabling them to sell this car, which doesn't fall within the Ora range. So is this quick and opportunistic thinking from GWM – or a case of 'act with haste, repent at leisure'? And is the Jolion Pro really what the UK market needs? Cheap Should prove to be safe Roomy rear seats Tiny boot Barely average to drive Cheap interior with poor touchscreen There are only three versions; all share the same 1.5-litre hybrid powertrain, with a healthy peak power of 186bhp. Interestingly (and in contrast with most hybrid set-ups) the petrol motor is the lesser partner here; it develops only 94bhp, with a chunky electric motor serving up a peak of 147bhp. The idea is that the Jolion Pro drives more like an electric car. The electric motor does the majority of the work, with the petrol engine acting mainly as a generator unless its extra shove is required to achieve maximum acceleration, at which point it can also drive the wheels in parallel. Consequently, due to the torque of the electric motor, only a two-speed gearbox is required. But what will grab you the most is the price. The entry-level Premium mode is only £23,995; that's despite it having a glut of equipment, including adaptive cruise control, a rear-view camera and keyless entry. The top-of-the-range Ultra version tested here isn't quite such a bargain, but it's still less than £30,000. By comparison, even an entry-level Qashqai costs more than that, let alone if you want to opt for the hybrid model, while even a comparable S-Cross will cost a couple of grand more. The Jolion Pro, then, has the potential to be seriously good value. Especially since it looks to be pretty safe in a crash. Euro NCAP (New Car Assessment Program) hasn't got its hands on it yet, but in the Australian equivalent's crash tests this GWM scored an impressive 90 per cent for adult occupant protection and 84 per cent for child protection. It looks a bit unusual, with big spoilers and aggressive skirts that make it look like an old Subaru – ironic, really, as Subarus are imported alongside GWMs by IM Group. But the wheels sit well inboard of the arches, making the Jolion Pro look oddly top-heavy, as though it's rolling on castors. Inside there's plenty of space for children and child seats in the back, where there's leg room aplenty, and wide-opening doors to make it easy to buckle them in. But that's about where the good news ends. The first problem comes when you open the boot, to discover that the floor (and, consequently, the loading lip) is surprisingly high. That's because the battery is underneath, resulting in a ludicrously miniscule luggage space of 255 litres; about as much as in a tiny Hyundai i10 city car. A week's worth of shopping for a family of four only just fits in beneath the luggage cover; a week's family holiday would probably require a roof box. In the front seats, the story is no less disappointing. On first inspection the dashboard is attractively styled, but it's built from tinny plastics and there are some horribly tacky touches, such as the knurled finisher on the cupholder cover and the cheap-looking light-up decals on the door panels. Storage for odds and ends is minimal; even the cupholders are an odd shape, with only one of the pair large enough for a normal-sized coffee cup. The touchscreen is decidedly second-rate, with slow responses and cheap-looking graphics. In one sub-menu, I noticed a reference to 'windscreen scrapers' (wipers), while warning messages often pop up in garbled English with nonsensical response buttons (more of which anon). You have to use the touchscreen to adjust the climate control, too, but the only way to access the menu is to jab at the tiny readout of temperatures at the top left-hand side of the screen. In here you'll also find controls for the heated seats, but you'll have to look hard – they're hidden several layers deep within a sub-menu. Search for the navigation and you'll be disappointed; for all the Jolion Pro's impressive specification, navigation isn't even an option on any model. Nor is there digital radio – basically, if you don't have a phone with a healthy data plan and the technical know-how to connect it, all you have is an AM/FM radio. The digital instrument binnacle is better, but still flawed; the power readout is the same size as the speedometer, for example. Since both show very similar numbers at 30mph or so, it's easy to mistake one for the other at a glance. If you're hoping things will improve on the road, you're in for more disappointment. The first thing you'll notice is the way the Jolion Pro rides bumps; it manages to crash into most of them rather than smothering them, jittering and bucking over even smaller imperfections You hope things will improve at higher speeds, but they don't; even on a motorway, the Jolion Pro jiggles you around far more than it should. The only difference here is that it also wafts queasily over longer-wavelength undulations. Getting up to speed, meanwhile, means your ears are assaulted by the coarse petrol engine, which spins up to high revs and stays there for the duration of the acceleration. On the plus side, the clever powertrain set-up makes that acceleration seamless and the Jolion Pro feels more than gutsy enough to keep up with traffic. But the delayed response to the accelerator pedal can be frustrating, particularly when trying to pull out onto a busy road. You can forget about having fun on a back road, too; that mushy throttle response combines with utterly remote and overly light steering to make you feel as though your inputs are being sent to the front of the car by telegram. And while the Jolion Pro manages to hold up its body reasonably well during fast cornering – a corollary of the stiff suspension – you won't really enjoy it because there's so little front-end grip. Even modest throttle inputs in a sharp corner can set the front wheels scrabbling; on a greasy road, this loss of composure can be alarming, as it can lead to the nose pushing on toward oncoming traffic. I haven't even covered the 'driver aids', which are so intrusive as to be deeply distracting. The lane departure system activates far more frequently than it needs to, indicating you're crossing the white lines even when you've just drifted close – something you often need to do on crowded urban thoroughfares. Worse, though, is the driver distraction monitor, which chides you for looking away from the road even for a moment – which you have to do, a lot, given how unintuitive the touchscreen system can be. And when it does so, up pops one of those nonsensical messages on the central display, accompanied by a round of bleeps. 'Hey! Don't stray!' it exhorts, along with options to click Yes or No. I've no idea what either option meant, but both seemed to get rid of the message. The overriding feeling here is of a car that isn't ready for British buyers – of one that has been imported hastily, without too much quality control along the way. In some places, the Haval Jolion Pro is rough and ready. In others it's simply shoddy. That won't matter to some buyers. The fact that it costs so little, has plenty of room for the kids and probably won't collapse in a crash will be enough to convince them. But often in life you get what you pay for and that was never truer than here. You, the discerning Telegraph reader, should resolve to pay a little more and get yourself into a better car. One which will dispense warning messages in actual, proper English. And one, perhaps, whose name you won't have trouble remembering. On test: GWM Haval Jolion Pro 1.5 Hybrid Ultra Body style: five-door SUV On sale: now How much? £29,995 on the road (range from £23,995) How fast? 115mph, 0-62mph in 9.0sec How economical? 47mpg (WLTP Combined) Engine & gearbox: 1,497cc four-cylinder petrol engine, two-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox, front-wheel drive Electric powertrain: AC permanent magnet synchronous motor with 1.69kWh battery, no external charging facility Electric range: TBC Maximum power/torque: 186bhp/277lb ft CO2 emissions: 118g/km (WLTP Combined) VED: £210 first year, then £180 Warranty: 5 years / unlimited miles Spare wheel as standard: no (not available) 101bhp, 55.4mpg, £24,495 on the road Superficially, at least, the most obvious rival to the Haval Jolion Pro is its compatriot. But keep in mind that the ZS is slightly smaller and has considerably less power. That, and the fact it isn't as well equipped, goes some way toward explaining how much cheaper it is; for all that, though, there's almost as much room in the back, more in the boot and a longer warranty. 134bhp, 53.3mpg, £25,740 on the road Don't be fooled by the name; the C3 Aircross is a mild hybrid, rather than a full one, although perhaps that doesn't matter when it can compete with full hybrids in fuel economy terms. This roomy little car offers almost double the boot space of the Jolion Pro and while you don't get all the fancy toys the trade-off is that it's much more pleasant to drive, with a deliciously comfortable ride and crisp handling. It's much nicer to sit in, too. 113bhp, 54.3mpg, £31,949 on the road In hybrid form, the S-Cross isn't much cop, but it's a heap better than the Haval Jolion Pro. And while it might cost more, it's also more fuel efficient; that, and the fact you get a longer warranty, will help mitigate against the extra cost. If you really must have a cheap, fully-loaded hybrid, this is a better bet – even though it's not really very good. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
