The Haval Jolion range offers fantastic value as the brand throws spec, tech, and features at all their products to ensure that sensible buyers will bite. Let's examine the more practical features of the Jolion to find out if it will rock as your daily family vehicle.
South African buyers are a somewhat entitled bunch. In terms of spec and features, we want everything that opens and shuts from our SUVs. We want plenty of space, a five-star safety rating, and we don’t want to pay too much for all this either.
Haval Jolion review (2021): Value-filled crossover hits all the right notes
Chinese manufacturers like Haval have these buyers in their sight and products like the Haval Jolion seem to fit the bill in every respect. The (almost) 1000 Haval Jolion models for sale on AutoTrader are testament to this. The Jolion is a commonly-seen car on South African roads, but how suitable is it for families, exactly?
How spacious is the Haval Jolion?
All three variants in the lineup, namely the 1.5T, 1.5 HEV and Jolion S are built and specified with families in mind. (Read our Haval Jolion HEV (2023) Review.)
Most five-seater SUVs in this segment usually seat five passengers, but the fifth one on the middle rear seat would have to be ultra-skinny and be vertically challenged to fit. Usually only a child would manage to squeeze in-between the outer rear seats on row two.
This is not the case in the Jolion – three adult passengers can actually fit in side-by-side with legroom to spare. And, according to parents who tested the Jolion, even three car seats can fit on row two, but only the outer rear seats have ISOfix. The central person also has their own three-point seatbelt which is much safer than a lap belt. (If you want to know if three car seats will fit, take them with to the Haval dealership and try installing them in the Jolion, as some car seats are way more voluminous than others.)
Even with rear-facing car seats installed, the passenger and driver in front have sufficient space for their legs.
The boot is large enough too for your baby buggies/strollers and weekly shopping, or holiday luggage for five.
Is it safe?
It gets a 5-star safety rating and four to six airbags are standard. ABS, brake assist, an electric parking brake, hill-start assist, park-distance control, traction and stability control, hill-descent control, tyre pressure sensor, cruise control, child locks, LED daytime running lamps and LED headlights are part of the deal on all models.
The models higher up in the pecking order have features like lane-keep assistance and adaptive cruise control, and a luxurious sunroof, to name but a few features.
Is it properly specified?
Yes. We love the 12-3 inch floating touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and wireless charging is a standard feature. USB ports in the front and rear ensure everyone can plug in their phones when it’s time to charge. Check out these other cool features in the Jolion when you take it for a test drive.
Verdict
If space and comfort is what your family needs, you’ll have it in droves. The Jolion makes an excellent family car, in our opinion.
Keyword: Is the Haval Jolion good for families?