If you’re looking for a car that will get you from A to B, won’t cost a fortune and is compact enough to manage the city streets and its associated traffic and narrow roads, then it’s hard to go past the 2022 Haval Jolion Ultra.
This model showcases the brand’s best technologies and trimmings, with plenty of chrome on offer, both inside and out. On the outside, you’ll find LED headlights, a large and shiny grille, and the Haval name stamped on the boot, with big chrome lettering.
The Ultra also features 18-inch alloy wheels, with some gloss black highlights, and is available in six exterior colour choices, including Hamilton White, Azure Blue, Mars Red, Golden Black, Vivid Green and Smoke Grey.
Offered here in front-wheel drive, the compact SUV is powered by a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine that puts out 110kW of power and 220Nm of torque. The powerplant is paired to a 7-speed dual clutch automatic gearbox.
The Jolion has four drive modes, including Normal, Eco, Sport and Snow, with each influencing engine power and fuel consumption. Very zippy on the road, even in the most petrol saving of modes, it delivers economy figures of around 8.1-litres/100km.
The handling is reasonable for the price, but there’s a little bit of road noise. That aside, there’s a literal tonne of driving aids to keep you safe, most of which can be accessed through the infotainment system (more on that in a moment).
Inside, you’ll find leather accented seats with the brand name stitched into the seats in white, while a similarly attired steering wheel features more buttons than you can poke a stick at. Gear changes are delivered through a dial, rather than a stick shifter.
The dash and centre console have a stylish, almost wood-like feel to them, with gloss black and chrome accents, while the main dash panels are textured plastic. A large 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system features Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Most of the controls usually featured on a dash, for things like air conditioning, have been deleted and whacked into the settings on the screen, along with safety tech controls and performance settings.
The air conditioning is easily accessed via a menu option in the top left of the infotainment screen or via the on/off button on the dash. From here, you can also operate the heated seats included at this specification level.
There is a wireless charging bay located under the infotainment screen, as well as two USB connections, which are stashed in a somewhat hidden space saving area. The panoramic sunroof is super nice, and comes with a nice cloth shade for when it’s closed.
The Haval Jolion Ultra also comes equipped with a driver management system designed to monitor concentration and fatigue. It’s hard to miss in the dash but works well, easily spotting when we were not facing forward with our hands on the wheel.
The coolest and probably most impressive thing in the Chinese-built Haval though is the parking camera’s quality. It has 3D sensors and a surround view offering some 13 different angles, to ensure you avoid obstacles.
What makes it impressive is just how well the image is stitched, as it literally looks like someone is filming the car from the outside. Similarly good is the head-up display, showing revs and speed, as well as adaptive cruise control details, when the latter is engaged.
Overall, the 2022 Haval Jolion Ultra is a great car for the money. A punchy little engine connected to a light chassis, combines with a huge amount of technology. It’s definitely worth a look for your next compact SUV purchase, at the very least.
The 2022 Haval Jolion Ultra is available from $33,990 drive away. It can also be had as a Hybrid, with that variant due in showrooms in the coming weeks. The latter is priced at $40,990 drive away.
You can find out more on the GWM Haval Australia website. If you’re keen on one, and need finance, visit CreditOne.
Our test vehicle was provided by GWM Haval Australia. To find out more about the 2022 Haval Jolion Ultra, contact your local GWM Haval dealer.
