GWM Haval Jolion AV's Driving Experience: Classy Hybrid SUV

JAKARTA - Indonesia's Great Wall Motor (GWM) has officially introduced Haval Jolion HEV to the 2024 Gaikindo Indonesia International Auto Show (GIIAS) while strengthening the manufacturer's commitment from China in the electrification segment in the country.

Not only equipped with an environmentally friendly driving system, but Haval Jolion HEV is the first model of GWM which is produced locally on Inchscope's assembly line in Wanaherang, West Java.

Previously, the VOI team had experienced the impression of driving briefly from this SUV in the middle of GIIAS 2024 which took place at ICE BSD, Tangerang.

So recently, we again got the opportunity from GWM Indonesia to test this car for several days round the streets around Jakarta, Depok, to Tangerang.

What does the driving experience of this model look like? Here's the full review.

Modern And Stylish Design

This car has a similar design to H6 HEV. The difference is that the SUV dimension is more compact but still spacious with a length of 4,472 mm, a width of 1,841 mm, and a height of 1,626 mm.

Its sporty and futuristic exterior with a T-Shaped DaggerACK LED headlamp that resembles wing-pattering, Boomerang LED tail light, and Star Matrix grille, reflects a modern lifestyle.

One of the interesting things is the presence of an 18-inch rim with a luxurious multi-palang pattern wrapped in 225/55 R18 tires with large enough dimensions.

Semi Premium Interior

The cabin has a semi-premium impression but remains comfortable to occupy. This car is equipped with some fine and comfortable materials even though some parts are equipped with hard plastic.

The driving position is also quite ergonomic for drivers under 170 cm in size. What's more, the manufacturer designed its interior with a lower head-up display so that the driver's view was not blocked in front.

The steering wheel is comfortable enough to hold and the dashboard is equipped with 10.25 inches of touchscreen which is intuitive in presenting various information regarding personalization arrangements in the interior. To make it easier for the driver, Haval Jolion does not use a conventional transmission lever but rather a more modern and practical dial-shift.

Sophisticated Features

With an intuitive 10.25-inch touchscreen screen, it provides a variety of information and tuning both in the cabin and various other options such as driving mode, single pedal settings, and much more.

In addition, the screen can be connected to the Android Auto system but must use a type-C cable.

Unfortunately, this car still doesn't have a complete Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) device and provides Reverse Parking Camera which displays the rear view of the car to make it easier for drivers to push their vehicles back.

Driving Comfort

During the test, the VOI team took this car through various street conditions, ranging from congestion to congestion, mound areas, sandy roads, wet roads, to inclines. The suspension system managed to carry out its duties well by passing through these obstacles.

Because it has a fairly compact dimension, GWM Haval Jolion HEV can walk on narrow roads smoothly without a hitch.

Meanwhile, the steering wheel is also quite comfortable and not too light so that the driver can easily feel the feeling of driving very well when turning or maneuvering.

Hybrid Machine Performance

GWM Haval Jolion HEV is equipped with an L.E.M.O.N DHT 1.5L engine that synergizes with a dual electric motor serving as a pure EV driver.

This car has a fairly responsive performance and can run in EV mode at low speeds in the range of 20-40 km/hour. But when it touched above 40 km/hour, the SUV returned to ICE mode.

But in certain moments at low speed, the EV system in this car switches to a pure gasoline engine. This is evidenced as the car runs and automatically the SUV's gasoline engine turns on suddenly which hints at its hybrid system being deactivated independently.

Fuel Consumption Is Quite Efficient

During its testing, GWM Haval Jolion HEV has fuel consumption of around 14.6 km/l after traveling in various areas. This also proves that hybrid cars have impressive fuelity compared to pure gasoline.

Prices and Rivals

GWM Haval Jolion HEV for the Indonesian market is priced at IDR 405 million on The Road DKI Jakarta or down from the previous price announced at GIIAS 2024, which was IDR 448.8 million.

Locally assembled by Inchcape, the car competes with several similar-grade SUVs such as Toyota Yaris Cross HEV and MG VS HEV.

Conclusion

Unlike other Chinese brands that directly offer EVs, GWM chooses to take a different approach by offering hybrid models in Indonesia ranging from Tank 500, Tank 300, Haval H6, and Haval Jolion AV.

Although the features presented are not as complete as its competitors, the SUV can be taken into consideration for buyers who want to own a hybrid car at a price of Rp. 400 million.