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GWM Haval Jolion


Peugeot 3008

Summary

GWM Haval Jolion

The new GWM Haval Jolion Lux sits second from the bottom in the Jolion line-up but offers a longer features list than most of its competitors. A boast that stands it in good stead from the outset.

But the question is how do those features perform in the real world? In this review we unpack how the new Jolion handles urban life.

Safety rating
Engine Type1.5L turbo
Fuel Type
Fuel Efficiency8.1L/100km
Seating5 seats

Peugeot 3008

The great downpour of electric vehicles hasn't hit Australia yet, but vehicles such as Peugeot’s 3008 GT Sport Plug-in Hybrid is one of the big drops signalling that storm is about break. But should you wait until the EV ‘rain’ sets in or be an early adopter?

The range-topping 3008 GT Sport Plug-in Hybrid is Peugeot’s first electric SUV to arrive in Australia. Electric in that it has electric motors, but also a petrol engine, making it a hybrid – the type you plug into a charger to fill the battery back up.

Peugeot gave me a 3008 GT Sport Plug-in Hybrid to test over three days and I quickly discovered what this mid-sized SUV was good at, and where it could be better.

Safety rating
Engine Type1.6L turbo
Fuel TypeHybrid with Premium Unleaded
Fuel Efficiency1.6L/100km
Seating5 seats

Verdict

GWM Haval Jolion6.8/10

The GWM Haval Jolion Lux offers affordability in a modern, attractive package. However, the execution of some of its features isn’t always convincing. So yes, it’s sharply priced but it also feels underdone in some respects which doesn’t necessarily equate to value. But if affordability is at the top of your priority list and one or two shortcomings doesn't mean the end of the world, this could be the urban SUV you're looking for.


Peugeot 30087/10

Technology is supposed to make life better and easier, but I’m afraid this hybrid version of the 3008 falls short on that score due to its slow charging and limited range. Nor does this hybrid version make a great driving, practical and good looking SUV much better.

Then there's the price. A list price of $80K is too much, relative to class rivals and the petrol equivalent 3008. 

For this money you could buy a Volvo XC40 Recharge Pure Electric, Hyundai Ioniq 5 or Tesla Model 3. All charge at (relatively) lightening-quick rates and deliver about 400km of range. And none of them require petrol, because they are fully electric.   

The 3008 GT Sport Plug-in Hybrid needs charging pretty much every moment it’s not being driven in order to make sure all of that 60km of range doesn’t run dry.

That’s a lot to ask from people in Australia who don’t blink at driving 500km for a family holiday, in a country which has far fewer charging locations than Europe. 

Design

GWM Haval Jolion

The Jolion is now longer and wider than it's rivals at 4472mm long, and 1874mm wide. The next largest 'small' SUV is the Kia Seltos at 4385mm long and 1800mm wide which does the Jolion a whole lot of favours for internal passenger space and kerb-side appeal.

The Jolion looks substantial and well-shaped, with enough bells and whistles in the design to keep it fresh; like the swoopy LED DRLs at the front and a curvy behind that’s accentuated by a black spoiler.

The interior has interesting features, like the rotary-dial gear selector, push-button starter and minimalist button panel that sits below the large technology screen.

The dashboard juts out into the cabin and the low-key design is too pared back for my taste. But the cabin looks nice and new with lots of tactile accent panels and shiny screens.

There is still too much plasticky-looking styling to elevate it properly, but for its grade level this is almost luxurious.


Peugeot 3008

There’s never been a Peugeot that hasn’t been interesting in its design. That’s a big part of their appeal and the 3008 GT Sport Plug-in Hybrid is intriguingly good looking inside and out.

Look at the grille with its chrome studs filling that monstrous grin like glistening teeth. And see how the headlights blend into the jagged design and notice the eyebrow-like ridges above them which extend into the bonnet towards the windscreen. 

It’s a tough-but-pretty design that’s carried on down the side panels as they curve and crease towards the tailgate with its striking LED tail-lights.

The cabin is stunning with its black leather upholstery, metallic and faux wood trim, and Peugeot oddities such as the small angular steering wheel, the elongated gear shifter and high-placed instrument cluster.  

Practicality

GWM Haval Jolion

It's a running theme but the practicality of the Jolion doesn't always land. However, what it does well, it does very well.

Take the access and space for passengers. Both rows offer class-leading head- and legroom for its occupants, even middle seaters should be happy considering the transmission tunnel isn't tall.

Despite the manual passenger seat being set too high and both seats lacking lumbar support, front seaters still enjoy the most comfort. The heated front seats are also a pleasant surprise for the grade level, although their function is buried deep within the multimedia system and I mostly forgot about them.

The rear seat is fairly hard and doesn't offer much side bolstering, although the middle armrest helps to secure outer passengers in corners.

Storage is solid throughout the cabin with a reasonably sized glove box that can hold a thick manual, middle console and dedicated phone shelf, as well as a second phone 'slot'.

There is a sunglasses holder (sunnies rattle when stored, though) and a cubby underneath the centre console that can hold a small handbag but anything stored might interfere with the USB ports housed there.

There are two cupholders up front but you can't fit two cups side by side. Two cupholders, a couple of map pockets and storage bins finish up the storage in the back seat.

The boot capacity sits at 337 litres and while large enough for a good grocery haul it falls on the lower end for the class. By comparison, the Kia Seltos offers 433L.

Now, on to what the Jolion doesn't do all that well. It's new 10.25-inch multimedia screen and 7.0-inch digital instrument cluster look the part - all shiny and new-looking - but their usability falls somewhat short.

The media touchscreen is responsive but a punish to use on the go as most functions, including climate control, are accessed via the screen. A few dedicated buttons would be welcome, so changing bits on the road doesn't leave you flustered.

The digital instrument cluster isn't customisable and is set to a dark display screen with a typeface that looks blurry on some key displays, especially the speedometer.

There is a rather large and in-your-face driver monitoring camera installed on the A-pillar which feels too much like you're under surveillance while driving (not a fan, clearly).

Charging options include four USB-A ports and a 12-volt socket but that's it and it would be good to see a newer, faster USB-C port somewhere in the car.

A feature the Jolion does get right is the wired Apple CarPlay as it maintains a steady connection and is very quick to set up. The Lux also has wired Android Auto.

You don't get a powered tailgate and you might miss it as the boot lid is fairly heavy.


Peugeot 3008

I think we can all agree leather trousers look tremendous, but aren’t very practical. And there are some SUVs where form is favoured over function, too. But not this one... in most cases.

The 3008 GT Sport Plug-in Hybrid is spacious for a mid-sized SUV with great cabin storage and a big boot.

Up front there are huge door pockets that are more like buckets, a large split opening centre console storage box and two cupholders.

The second row has smaller door pockets and two cupholders in the fold-down armrest.

The 3008 GT Sport Plug-in Hybrid’s boot is big compared to its rivals at 591 litres with the second row up, and 1670 litres with the rear seat folded.

For people space, there’s more than enough room for me at 191cm to sit behind my driving position. 

For charging there are USB ports and a 12V power outlet. 

Price and features

GWM Haval Jolion

The Jolion line-up consists of six variants and the model on test here is the Lux, which sits second-from-the-bottom.

Its $29,990, drive-away, price tag positions it as one of the more expensive options compared to its nearest rivals with the MG ZS Excite the most affordable at $25,083, drive-away and the Mitsubishi ASX ES next at $27,990, drive-away.

Despite a similar specification, the Kia Seltos Sport+ FWD is hamstrung on price as it sits a way up the price ladder at $38,890, drive-away, but comes with the longest servicing schedule.

Premium equipment for the Lux includes synthetic leather upholstery, an electric driver's seat, heated front seats, dual-zone climate control, keyless entry and start, a 360-degree view camera system and rear parking sensors.

Other standard features include a 7.0-inch digital instrument cluster, four USB-A ports, a 12-volt socket, a 10.25-inch touchscreen multimedia system and (wired) Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

A fixed cargo cover and temporary spare tyre round out its features list. Not bad at all considering it's almost a base model but the usability of those features can be hit or miss.


Peugeot 3008

Peugeot offers the plug-in hybrid version of its 3008 exclusively in the top-of-the-range GT Sport grade for a list price of $79,990. That makes it the most expensive Peugeot offered in Australia.

This hybrid is $20,000 more than the petrol version, in the same GT Sport grade, with identical standard features.

Electric cars are currently more costly to produce than their petrol counterparts, but expecting consumers to fork out $20K is hard to justify. Particularly when prestige rivals to the 3008 Plug-in Hybrid cost less. The Volvo XC40 Recharge Plug-in lists for $66,990.

But if you're determined to own the GT Sport Plug-in Hybrid you’ll be treated to the full banquet of 3008 features.

Coming standard is a 10.0-inch media display, a 12.4-inch digital instrument cluster, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, digital radio, sat nav, a 10-speaker Focal stereo*, dual-zone climate control, power adjustable and heated front seats, and Nappa leather upholstery. 

*UPDATE: Peugeot advised on 5 May 2022 that Australian-spec MY22 models will temporarily omit the Focal premium audio system due to a manufacturing irregularity. See your Peugeot dealer to confirm when this feature will return.

There’s also a panoramic sunroof, 19-inch alloy wheels, aluminium roof rails, LED headlights and running lights, adaptive cruise control, front and rear parking sensors, auto parking, proximity key, and tinted rear windows. 

Under the bonnet

GWM Haval Jolion

The Jolion Lux has a 1.5-litre, four-cylinder, turbo-petrol engine that produces 105kW of power and 210Nm of torque.

The Lux is a 2WD and has a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission which isn’t always smooth with its gear changing but power is sufficient if you don't expect it to be zippy.


Peugeot 3008

The all-wheel drive (AWD) 3008 GT Sport Plug-in Hybrid is powered by a 81kW/320Nm electric motor on the front axle, an 83kW/166Nm motor on the rear axle, and a 147kW/300Nm 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine driving the front wheels.

The total combined output is 222kW/520Nm, which makes it one of the most powerful mid-sized SUVs for the price. Acceleration is impressively quick with 0-100km/h coming in just 5.9 seconds.

Efficiency

GWM Haval Jolion

The Haval Jolion Lux has an official combined (urban/extra-urban) fuel cycle figure of 8.1L/100km and based on its 55L fuel tank, theoretical driving range is around 680km, which is respectable for a little SUV.

My real-world usage came in at 7.8L/100km after mostly open-road driving, with a smattering of urban stuff. Overall, it's a solid result.


Peugeot 3008

This sounds obvious but plug-in hybrids need to be plugged into a charger. And I mean they need to be charged every time you’ve finished driving for the day. 

Otherwise, you’ll run out of charge and your fuel use will rocket past that of a petrol-powered 3008 due to the extra weight in batteries and motors you’re lugging around.

The 3008 GT Sport Plug-in Hybrid has an electric range of 60km, although I went through the entire charge in less than 50km. Then I had to hunt down a fast charger and discovered it would take about four hours to stuff the batteries full of power again.

The 3008 GT Sport Plug-in Hybrid is extremely slow to fill up due to a small 3.7kW onboard charger. If the inverter unit was larger (as in BEVs like the Tesla Model X or Hyundai Ioniq 5) charging time would be much faster.

Charging overnight each day you use the 3008 GT Sport Plug-in Hybrid is the scenario you’ll have to adopt if you want to get the most out of this SUV. 

I found that after starting with a full charge and driving it for a day of mainly urban usage the trip computer was reporting an average consumption of 1.4L/100km. 

If you plan on adding motorways and open roads into the mix Peugeot says you can expect to use 1.6L/100km.

That’s outstanding fuel economy, but let the charge run out and you’ll start seeing 9.5L/100km, and higher, as I did. 

In that scenario the petrol engine needs to lug 1.8 tonnes around, a decent chunk of which is heavy batteries and motors, which aren’t doing anything.

If you don’t have access to power at home to charge a car, then you’d be better off with the type of hybrid which charges through the engine and regenerative braking, such as a Toyota RAV4 Hybrid. 

The 3008 GT Sport Plug-in Hybrid has received such a low score here because of its extremely slow charging time and limited range. 

A larger inverter would solve this issue. It's possible consumers will end up using a lot more fuel than the pure petrol variant unless they are vigilant in always charging this car (nearly) every time it is not being driven.

Driving

GWM Haval Jolion

The Jolion's on-road experience is underwhelming and unsophisticated most of the time. It's strictly an A to B style car, which will work well for some people.

The power and its delivery are okay but this car doesn't get close to zippy and its well of performance feels decidedly shallow on the open road.

The engine whines loudly when trying to get up to speed and its gear changes can come a tad too swiftly, especially between first and third.

The accelerator and brakes are touchy, and until you get used to them the Jolion can feel a little jerky in the city. But the steering is on the right side of firm and that at least feels direct and responsive. 

Suspension is hard and you get all the bumps which also translates into a loud cabin. Your senses take a battering on a longer trip and kids in the back will ask you to repeat yourself.

The Jolion is redeemed somewhat by an excellent 360-degree view camera system but you miss out on front-parking sensors.

It’s small enough that it’s not hard to park and for an urban dweller that is a big plus as it's quite suitable for a dash to a busy shopping centre car park. 


Peugeot 3008

The 3008 GT Sport Plug-in Hybrid is an excellent SUV to drive. The ride is composed, the body feels nicely controlled and the handling is good. 

Add great acceleration, thanks to the torquey motors, and this SUV is well above average when it comes to the driving experience.

Any downsides? There always are. Visibility is compromised by thick, long A-pillars and the steering wheel’s odd shape and tiny size are a letdown. So too is not charging regularly, causing this SUV to suddenly have to lug its 1.8-tonne weight around under petrol power alone.

Safety

GWM Haval Jolion

The Jolion has a maximum five-star ANCAP rating from testing done in 2022 and has seven-airbags, including a front-centre bag. 

Standard safety equipment is good for the grade level and includes blind-spot monitoring, driver attention alert, tyre-pressure monitoring, forward collision warning, LED DRLs, rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure alert, lane keeping aid, traffic sign recognition, an intelligent seatbelt warning, adaptive cruise control, a USB outlet near the interior mirror for a dashcam, a 360-degree camera view system and rear-parking sensors.

Despite featuring a robust safety list a running theme has emerged this week. Everything sounds good on paper but the execution is another matter.

Its not enough to just have all of these safety systems in place, they also have to work well for everyday driving. And some of the systems are annoying and intrusive.

There are lots of bings, bongs and chime alerts from the driver monitoring system, traffic sign recognition tech and lane keeping aids.

You also get nonsensical text boxes displayed on the multimedia screen asking non-binary (open) questions requiring a yes or no response.

For families, you get two ISOFIX child seat mounts and three top tethers across the back seat but two seats will fit best.

The Jolion has AEB (operational from 1.0 to 85km/h) including pedestrian, cyclist and back-over detection. It's usual to see this type of system operating from 4.0km/h, so that's excellent.


Peugeot 3008

The 3008 GT Sport Plug-in Hybrid comes with all the safety tech in the 3008's arsenal. 

There’s auto emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, lane keeping technology, blind-spot monitoring, a camera system, and front and rear parking sensors.

There are some gaps though. No rear cross-traffic alert or reverse AEB. These things are now common on new cars.

For child seats there are three top tether anchor points across the second row along with two ISOFIX mounts.

The Peugeot 3008 was given the maximum five-star ANCAP rating in 2017, but in the past five years safety tech has come a long way and this SUV has fallen behind.

Please be aware, too, that the plug-in hybrid version has yet to be given a ANCAP score. 

Ownership

GWM Haval Jolion

The Jolion is offered with an excellent seven-year/unlimited km warranty.

There is a five-year capped priced servicing program and services average $310 which is mid-range for the class.

The first service is before 10,000km but thereafter, servicing intervals are at every 12-months or 15,000km, whichever occurs first.


Peugeot 3008

The 3008 GT Sport Plug-in Hybrid is covered by Peugeot’s five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty. The battery is also covered by an eight year warranty.

Servicing is recommended annually or every 20,000km. Service prices are capped, and you can expect to pay $3108 over the course of five years, for an annual average of $622.