Haval Jolion Hybrid small SUV revealed, expected to launch in Australia in 2022

As more Australian buyers turn to hybrid powertrains to slash their fuel bill the cut-priced Haval Jolion appears ready to join the shortlist

Haval has unveiled a hybrid version of its Jolion small SUV that could soon make its way to Australia.

The Jolion hybrid – referred to as the Jolion HEV – was unveiled in Thailand earlier this month where it will go on sale later in November.

Chasing Cars understands that the Jolion HEV is likely to come to Australia, where it will compete with rivals such as the Toyota C-HR Hybrid and Subaru XV Hybrid.

Haval Jolion Hybrid 2022 rear — Haval has unveiled a hybrid version of the Jolion in Thailand

While the Jolion is classified as a small SUV it sits on the larger end of that scale, meaning it could potentially lure some buyers away from the more expensive and harder to find Toyota RAV4 midsize SUV.

Parent company GWM has already announced plans to bring the larger H6 midsize SUV to Australia in hybrid guise after a period of consideration, so the chances of a Jolion HEV making it to our shores are high.

Pricing remains unclear, but with the current petrol-only Jolion priced keenly from $25,490 to $30,990 (before on-road costs) in Australia, a hybrid option would likely be available for under $40,000.

Haval Jolion Hybrid 2022 engine — Fuel consumption is said to be very low at 4.2L/100km. Image credit: Headlight Magazine

What’s under the Jolion HEV’s bonnet?

Unlike the H6 Hybrid however, the Jolion HEV does not have all-wheel drive and sends its power exclusively to the front wheels.

Haval uses a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine under the bonnet paired with electric motors that both link up with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic.

The combined system outputs are 142kW of power and 375Nm of torque, a significant increase over the Jolion current sold in Australia (110kW/210Nm) with the same engine and transmission.

Most importantly, Haval claims the Jolion HEV uses just 4.2L/100km of fuel in the combined cycle, a significant improvement over the 8.1L/100km ADR figure for the petrol Jolion.

Haval Jolion Hybrid 2022 dash — Leather seats and a 12.3-inch touchscreen are among the list of available features. Image credit: Headlight Magazine

How well specified will the Jolion HEV be?

The Jolion HEV was unveiled in Thailand with a choice of three grades, similar to the line-up in Australia and each equipped with similar highlight features to those sold in Australia.

Some features include a 12.3-inch touchscreen with satellite navigation, a 7.0-inch display in the instrument cluster, wireless phone charging and a six-speaker audio system.

Haval Jolion Hybrid 2022 front 3/4 — A new headlight and grille design tell the Jolion HEV apart from its petrol-only counterparts. Image credit: Headlight Magazine

High-spec Jolion HEVs score a leather-appointed steering wheel and seats with six-way power adjustment for the driver, manual adjustment for the passenger and fan-cooling for both.

The exterior appearance is very similar to the petrol-only Jolion, with the only difference being the longer headlight design and unique grille design.

It remains to be seen if the Jolion HEV will make it to Australia, but with the popularity of hybrid SUVs in Australia showing no signs of stagnating and Haval looking to maintain its local sales momentum the decision is seemingly a simple one.