6 months ago
41
Back in 2017 Great Wall Motors elevated its Haval brand with an SUV called the H2. Looking back on my original review of that product, there were some less-than-favourable quips about the car looking like an Audi Q5 knock-off.
The affordable H2 turned out to be a popular steed and a facelift in 2020 helped it refine its identity. But the big game-changer came in 2021, when the model's successor, the Jolion, was launched. It was a notable leap not just for the brand, but for the breed of Chinese cars in SA as a whole.
Its modern styling proved to be universally attractive, the cabin felt plush and the powertrain was fair, including the offering of a dual-clutch automatic. As expected, specification and pricing were hugely competitive. Yes, it had certain quirks, with a finicky infotainment system, turbo-lag and sensitive driver assistance features but local consumers seemed to overlook that as a considerable number of units have been sold.
It has not even been a full five years since the original Jolion came to town, yet GWM has already introduced a fresh permutation in the form of the Jolion Pro. The Pro might seem like a significant enhancement, but it is essentially the Jolion you know and like, just with a more striking exterior dressing.
You can tell that it is a new model - with some rather obvious embellishments - including fresh alloy wheel designs. From my perspective, the body-kit gives a strong aftermarket vibe: a mishmash of stuck-on aerodynamic bits, comprising front and side splitters, plus a front grille that looks like the Panamericana job found on Mercedes-AMG models.
Squinting at the rear ¾ section, it almost appears like a Lexus NX. Haval says the Pro is superior in certain dimensions – height and width – but the wheelbase is unaltered. The cabin has the same architecture as before, with a pleasant blend of soft-touch materials and a straightforward layout. That infotainment still proved a source of frustration for its niggly operation, but screen clarity and display are of a good standard.
