GWM Haval Jolion VS Volkswagen T-Cross
GWM Haval Jolion
Likes
- Passenger space feels class-leading
- Pretty on-road looks
- Solid ongoing costs are impressive
Dislikes
- On-road performance is underwhelming
- Annoyingly intrusive safety tech
- Technology usability is hit or miss
Volkswagen T-Cross
Likes
- Lots of features for not much money
- Easy and fun to drive
- Spacious and practical for the class
Dislikes
- A hybrid version is needed
- Some rivals start at a lower price
- Some turbo lag in stop-start traffic
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.
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| Safety rating | |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | 1.5L turbo |
| Fuel Type | — |
| Fuel Efficiency | 8.1L/100km |
| Seating | 5 seats |
Volkswagen T-Cross
The Volkswagen T-Cross is the smallest SUV in the brand’s entire range, but it’s incredibly practical, great to drive and has an excellent level of safety.
It’s just been updated with some new features and it’s probably more affordable than you think.Â
So if you are thinking of a Mazda CX-3 or a Toyota Yaris Cross, then put the T-Cross on your list to check out, too.Â
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- More family-friendly hybrids coming: Volkswagen Tiguan and Golf Mark 8.5 plug-in hybrids firming with third mystery model in the wings to target Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV and Toyota RAV4
- Volkswagen to renew focus on hybrids: Global boss said waning sales of electric cars in Europe opens the door to more opportunities for plug-in hybrid Volkswagen Golf and Tiguan
| Safety rating | |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | 1.0L turbo |
| Fuel Type | — |
| Fuel Efficiency | 5.6L/100km |
| Seating | 5 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.
Volkswagen T-Cross8/10
There are so many new little SUVs out there and it might be easy to think they’re all the same - a tiny cheap SUV is just a tiny cheap SUV. But I’m convinced the Volkswagen T-Cross isn’t like the others.
Yes, it’s tiny and relatively cheap, but it can do more than most of the others from the storage and space it offers to the value-for-money and its level of refinement. Then there’s the way it drives - which can’t in my books be matched by any of its rivals. Â
The sweet spot in the range is the entry grade Life. At $35K drive-away the value is best and with no difference in engines between the grades there are no huge reasons to step up higher in the range unless you have the money.
Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.
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.
Volkswagen T-Cross
The T-Cross is Volkswagen’s smallest SUV at 4.1m long and even though it’s closely related to the little Polo hatchback it looks more like a mini version of the Tiguan. Â
It might be tiny and relatively affordable but it has Volkswagen’s premium looks and sharp styling, with creases in the panels so crisp it looks like somebody just ironed it.
This update has brought new front and rear bumper designs, and new styling to the LED running lights and tail-lights. That’s typically how car companies do exterior design updates, inside the styling changes are pretty minimal, too.
There’s new dashboard design and new media screen, but again the design and quality feels refined and high quality, which I can't say goes for a lot of this car's rivals.
The entry-grade Life misses out on the cross design tail-lights of the Style and R-Line, and gets hubcaps rather than alloy wheels like the other two grades.
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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.
Volkswagen T-Cross
You really should take a look at my video to get an idea of how good space and storage is in the T-Cross. I’m tall at 189cm but I can drive with plenty of elbow room and legroom. The front seats also have really long bases which offer great under-thigh support, too.
Legroom in the back is great for the class and I can sit behind my driving position without my knees touching the seatback, while headroom is excellent, too. The second row also slides on rails to increase the boot side which is enormous for the class at 455L.
The second row doors also have large apertures making entry and exit easier.
Cabin storage is great with giant door pockets in the front and back, a wireless phone charger with four USB-C ports (two in the front and two in the second row).
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.
Volkswagen T-Cross
There are three grades in the T-Cross line up, the entry level Life which lists for $33,990, the Style for $37,490 and at the top of the range is the R-Line for $40,990.
At the time of the launch of this updated T-Cross, Volkswagen was doing drive-away pricing of $34,990 for the Life, $39,990 for the Style and $43,990 for the R-Line.
Compared to rivals like the Mazda CX-3 and Toyota Yaris Cross, a drive-away price of $35K for the Life is excellent and $40K for the Style is also a good deal, especially when you look at the healthy standard features list. Â
Coming standard on the Life are LED headlights, black roof rails and power folding mirrors, there’s a leather steering wheel, a digital driver display (which is new, too), there’s an 8.0-inch media screen, wireless phone charging, air con, digital radio, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Stepping up into the Style grade adds 17-inch alloys wheels, matrix LED headlights - those are new - chrome-look roof rails, an LED grille strip, proximity unlocking, dual-zone climate control, sat nav, and a new, larger digital driver display. The Style also gets the fancy 'cross' LED tail-lights like the R-Line grade above it.
The R-line is a new model sitting at the top of the line-up and it comes with sporty R-Line exterior styling plus 18-inch alloy wheels and dark tinted rear windows. Inside there’s R-line interior styling, 'Drive Modes' and a Beats sound system.
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.
Volkswagen T-Cross
The T-Cross has a 1.0-litre three-cylinder engine which sounds tiny and it is, but it's turbo-charged and the 85kW/200Nm it produces is plenty of grunt to move this little SUV which at just under 1.3 tonnes is relatively light.Â
All grades in the T-Cross line-up have this same engine and there’s no high-performance variant, although the R-Line has selectable drive modes. Every T-Cross is front-wheel drive with a seven-speed dual-clutch auto transmission.Â
This three-cylinder is a mighty little beastie with a growly tone to it. There is some turbo lag during stop-start city driving, but it’s so eager to play that if it was a dog it’d be a Jack Russell with every intention to chase anything it sees but no idea how small it is.
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.
Volkswagen T-Cross
Smaller engines use less fuel than larger ones and the 1.0-litre three-cylinder in the T-Cross is little and Volkswagen says over a combination of open and urban roads it uses 5.6L/100km.
That’s fuel efficient but these days larger SUVs with hybrid systems are achieving the same low consumption. Toyota’s Yaris Cross is available with a hybrid system and will use about 3.8L/100km.
Volkswagen doesn’t have a hybrid version of the T-Cross, but it should, especially given these little cars will spend more time in urban environments where fuel consumption will generally be higher.
That said, most tiny SUVs don’t have hybrid systems so that makes the Yaris Cross exceptional while the T-Cross is about average.
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.Â
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.Â
Volkswagen T-Cross
Quite possibly the best little SUV to drive for this price and size, the only drawback is that there’s a touch of lag in the time it takes the power to arrive at low speeds in stop-start traffic, but that can be remedied by putting the transmission in 'Sport' mode.
The steering is light and accurate, the visibility is excellent thanks to the big windows and raised ride height, the pedal feel under your feet is great and the brakes are responsive.
The car feels stable, planted and secure whether it's on a motorway, or a winding country road, while the little 1.0-litre engine is a champion that keeps punching with a throaty growl that matches its enthusiasm.
The seven-speed transmission is superb and changes gears fast, while the paddle shifter lets you take control to keep the revs high.
These little SUVs aren't sports cars but some are so underwhelming to drive it feels like performance was never thought about while developing the vehicle.
But the T-Cross made me grin until my face hurt on the steep winding hairpin filled roads we tested it on at its launch.Â
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.Â
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.
Volkswagen T-Cross
The T-Cross was given the maximum five-star ANCAP rating in 2019. What is truly great is that on every grade you’ve got AEB, adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assistance, rear cross-traffic alert, manoeuvre braking, plus front and rear and parking sensors.Â
For child seats there are three top tether anchor points and two ISOFIX points in the second row.
A space saver spare wheel can be found under the boot floor.
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.
Volkswagen T-Cross
The T-Cross is covered by Volkswagen’s five-year unlimited kilometre warranty.
Servicing is recommended every 15,000km or yearly and while there’s no capped price servicing you can buy a five-year plan for $2800, which equates to $560 per workshop visit.