Anyone looking for a cheap and spacious SUV has, until now, quickly ended up at Dacia. But now the Renault offshoot is facing stiff headwinds from the Far East. Great Wall Motors is sending the Haval Jolion Pro into the ring. We’ve tested the compact price-breaker with 177 HP.
Pin the throttle, and the 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine takes a deep breath – before sending 270 Newton-metres to the front wheels. The tyres chirp briefly before the seven-speed dual-clutch transmission whips the 4.47-metre behemoth forwards. In a brisk 7.9 seconds, the digital display flashes up country-road speeds. It doesn’t run out of puff until 190 kph. So much for a lethargic penny-pincher – the Haval Jolion Pro swims against the tide of electrification and delivers the goods with a traditional combustion engine under its bonnet.
Haval Jolion Pro: Pleasing design
Visually, the Chinese newcomer foregoes any futuristic design experiments. Instead, a traditional grille, friendly LED headlights and rugged plastic cladding provide a down-to-earth SUV look. Inside, however, a genuine surprise awaits: soft-touch surfaces and smart trim elements right in your line of sight. The absolute highlight in this day and age? The developers have installed actual buttons! Air conditioning, wing mirrors and steering wheel functions can all be operated via physical switches – a real ergonomic plus. Infotainment is handled by a 10.25-inch central screen, while the driver looks at a seven-inch digital instrument cluster.
Fully loaded even in base trim
Where other manufacturers charge hefty premiums, the five-seater comes fully loaded straight from the factory: wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support, heated seats, automatic climate control, an electrically adjustable driver’s seat and even an electric glass sunroof are all standard equipment on the base model. The boot easily swallows the family luggage with a capacity of 381 to 952 litres. Opt for the top-spec version, and you get luxury features like a ventilated driver’s seat, wireless smartphone charging and a lane change assistant thrown in for good measure.
A serious challenge to the competition
True, the numb steering communicates little about the road surface, and the rather firm suspension feels like it’s missing a bit of European fine-tuning – but that’s not really what the Haval is aiming for. It ruthlessly targets price-sensitive buyers. With a base price of €24,990, the Jolion Pro lays down a serious challenge in the C-segment. For early birds, there’s even a €2,200 bonus at launch, bringing the entry price down to under €23,000. It’s only when it comes to paint choices that the German importer is a little unnecessarily stingy: white is free, but black, silver-grey or light blue will set you back an extra €750 each.
Verdict
Anyone looking for a lot of car for very little money should at least take the Haval Jolion Pro from Great Wall Motors for a test drive as a highly intriguing alternative. For a modest premium over its Dacia rivals, it offers not just a larger car and a more powerful engine, but also vastly more generous equipment levels. The fact that the renowned importer Emil Frey is behind the brand and offers a generous five-year warranty with no mileage limit mitigates any follow-up risks for this Far Eastern bargain.
Please note: Cars Insider tested a vehicle specified for the German market. Prices and equipment levels may vary in other countries.
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