Haval Jolion S joins the local SUV fray with sportier etiquette

Haval Jolion S joins the local SUV fray with sportier etiquette 

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Chinese marque Haval has been dominating the local sales charts recently, and it does so pretty well as it aims to become one of the biggest challengers with its newly-launched Jolion S. 

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While the differences between the Jolion S and the standard variants are subtle, the S variant gets a unique front grille with a chrome honeycomb pattern. It also adds blacked-out styling elements such as front and rear bumper garnish, side mirror caps, door beadings and roof rails. 

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It sits on a set of 18” alloy wheels finished in gloss black and wrapped in 225/55 R18 rubbers. 

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Nothing much has changed inside; it gets paddle shifters for a more engaging drive, a 7” colour instrument cluster, a wireless charging pad, a front 12-volt power outlet, a 12.3” infotainment system plus the addition of a front seat-heating functionality. 

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Getting to the big news, the Jolion S comes fitted with a 1.5-litre engine with 130 kW and 270 Nm - 25 kW and 60 Nm more than the standard, thanks to the upgraded turbocharger. It shifts through a 7-speed DCT transmission specifically programmed for this application. 

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Haval also added launch control for a more spirited driving exercise when the situation permits. It’s worth mentioning, though, that the Jolion S comes with four driving modes and three dynamic adjustable steering modes; Standard, Eco, Sports and Snow and Sport, Comfort and Light. 

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Regarding safety, the Jolion S comes fitted with airbags, ABS with EBD and Brake Assist, ESC, Traction Control, Anti-Roll System, Secondary Collision Mitigation and Hill Assist. 

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As for driver assistance systems, it features Lane Departure Alert, Lane-Keeping Assist, blind spot detection, Lane Change Assist and Driving Fatigue Detection. A pre-collision warning and an automatic emergency braking feature are also unique to this specific model. 

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The Jolion S will set you back R479,950 with a host of features you’d typically pay a premium for in other rivals such as the VW T-Cross, Hyundai Venue and Kia Seltos. Speaking of value, though, the Jolion S will surely look to take signatures away from SA’s new darling crossover, the Toyota Corolla Cross. It represents a respectable leap in terms of styling, tech and safety in its respective fold, and it’ll be interesting to see how it fares in the monthly sales charts.