Review: 2025 GWM Haval Jolion Pro Ultra Hybrid
Earlier on in the year I was invited to Millbrook testing facility down in Bedfordshire for the annual SMMT media driving day, there was one car that really surprised me in the way it handled itself around the tight and twisty Hill Route. And, if you haven’t guessed by now, it was this, the GWM Haval Jolion Pro Ultra Hybrid. Granted, a mouthful of a name that barely fits on the tailgate, let alone rolls off the tongue.
But here's the thing about this latest offering from Great Wall Motor's premium Haval brand, might just surprise you. At £29,995 for the range-topping Ultra trim (or £23,995 for the base Premium Hybrid), it's pitching itself squarely at the likes of the Honda CR-V Hybrid and Toyota RAV4, but with a price tag that's several grand kinder to your wallet. The question is, have the Chinese cracked the code for building a proper family SUV that can handle everything from the school run to a weekend camping trip in the Lakes?
What's Under the Bonnet?
The Jolion Pro's party piece is its hybrid powertrain – a 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine paired with what GWM boldly claims is "the most powerful electric motor in its class." The petrol unit contributes a modest 94ps, while the electric motor adds a hefty 148ps, giving a combined output of 189ps that'll see you from 0-62mph in a perfectly respectable 9 seconds. It's not going to set your world alight, but it's more than adequate for overtaking that tractor on the A6.
Unlike some hybrids that feel like they're constantly switching between power sources like a teenager changing their mind about what to wear, the Jolion Pro's DHT (Dedicated Hybrid Transmission) system manages the transition between electric and petrol power relatively seamlessly. The electric motor does most of the heavy lifting around town, with the petrol engine kicking in primarily to charge the battery or provide extra oomph when you're giving it some welly on a dual carriageway.
On the Road
Fire up the Jolion Pro and you're greeted by... well, mostly silence. Like most hybrids, it defaults to electric mode for the first few miles, which is blissfully quiet for your early morning starts. The ride quality is surprisingly refined for something at this price point, though avoid potholes and speed bumps as you will be greeted with some painful sounding thuds. It's no luxury SUV, mind, but it's more composed than you might expect from a brand that many Brits are still getting to grips with.
The steering feels reassuringly weighted, though it's not going to trouble any hot hatches for feedback or precision. Although this isn't a car that's been designed to carve up B-roads – more about getting your family and their mountains of stuff from A to B in comfort, you can certainly have a bit of fun on the twisty bits. The CVT-style transmission does its best to avoid the droning that plagues some hybrids, though put your foot down and that 1.5-litre engine does start to be quite vocal - and that’s fine.
Road noise is well controlled at motorway speeds, making it a decent long-distance companion. The suspension strikes a reasonable balance between comfort and control, though don't expect Range Rover levels of waftiness. It's more akin to what you'd get in a well-sorted family hatchback that's been given a bit of extra ground clearance and a dose of SUV swagger.
Off the Beaten Track
Now, before you get too excited, this isn't a Subaru. The Jolion Pro Ultra Hybrid is front-wheel drive only – there's no all-wheel drive option, which immediately limits its off-road ambitions, well, that and its very low front spoiler.
Ground clearance sits at a useful 180mm, which should handle most farm tracks and the odd grassy car park without drama, but you'll be relying purely on the front wheels to pull you through any sticky situations.
We tested it on some fairly mild off-road routes – nothing that would challenge a proper 4x4, but typical of what most owners might encounter when heading off to a National Trust car park or tackling a muddy campsite. Without the benefit of power to the rear wheels, the traction control system has to work overtime when things get slippery, and it can be quite aggressive in cutting power when it detects wheelspin. The various drive modes (Eco, Standard, Sport, and Snow) do make a noticeable difference to throttle response, with Snow mode being genuinely useful for those icy mornings, though don't expect miracles without rear-wheel assistance.
Don't expect rock-crawling ability or serious wading depth – this is firmly family SUV territory rather than hardcore off-roader. But for the sort of mild adventures most owners will subject it to, it's more than capable. Just don't expect it to keep up with a Subaru when the going gets properly tough.
Inside Story
Climbing into the Jolion Pro's cabin, you're immediately struck by how much passenger space there is. This is genuinely one of the roomier compact SUVs you can buy, with decent head and legroom for adults in the back.
The interior quality is a mixed bag, but mostly impressive for the money. The dashboard features soft-touch plastics where your hands frequently go, though there are some harder surfaces lower down that remind you this isn't a premium product. The seats are very comfortable and supportive, trimmed in what GWM calls "eco-leather" but feels perfectly pleasant to the touch.
But here's where things get a bit contentious, particularly if you're of the old-school mindset that believes cars should have proper knobs and switches for essential functions. The 12.3” infotainment screen dominates the dashboard and, predictably, controls far too many basic functions. Want to adjust the heating? That'll be a dive into the touchscreen menus, thank you very much. Oh, and the ventilation icon is on the far side of the infotainment screen, so quite a stretch. That said, just say “Hey GWM, turn on the cooling seats.” And it does just that.
Practicality and the Great British Muddle
This is where the Jolion Pro's biggest weakness becomes apparent and where the hybrid system extracts its pound of flesh: boot space is limited to 255 litres with the rear seats up, and 916 litres with them folded down. That's smaller than many hatchbacks and a serious black mark against what's supposed to be a practical family SUV. The hybrid battery and rear suspension setup have clearly eaten into what should be usable cargo space.
That said, the boot opening is reasonably wide and the loading lip relatively low, and the 60:40 split-folding rear seats do lie reasonably flat when dropped, creating a more usable loading bay for longer items, but you're essentially trading passenger space for cargo capacity. It's fine for the weekly shop or a few overnight bags, but anything more ambitious will have you playing three-dimensional Tetris with your luggage.
On a more positive note, storage throughout the cabin is thoughtful, with an array of cubbyholes, bottle holders, and spaces for the modern family's endless collection of devices, cables, and random bits and bobs. The door bins are properly sized for real-world items rather than the tiny water bottles that some designers seem to assume everyone carries.
Fuel Economy: Claims vs Reality
GWM claims the Jolion Pro Ultra Hybrid will return 47mpg on the combined cycle, which honestly feels a bit optimistic in real-world driving. Throughout the week of very mixed driving I saw something closer to 42-45mpg, which is still respectable for an SUV of this size and capability.
What About Those Pesky Driver Aids?
Modern cars come with more safety systems than you can shake a stick at, and the Jolion Pro is no exception. The good news is that most of them work reasonably well and aren't overly intrusive. The bad news is that turning some of them off requires diving into sub-menus that would challenge a NASA engineer.
Lane departure warning, for instance, defaults to 'on' every time you start the car and although you reduce its nannying I wasn’t able to disable it. It's not overly aggressive when it's active, but if you're the sort who prefers to position your car exactly where you want it (particularly on narrow country lanes), you'll quickly tire of the constant mithering.
Adaptive cruise control works well on motorways and dual carriageways, maintaining a sensible distance from traffic ahead and responding smoothly to speed changes. The automatic emergency braking system is thankfully unobtrusive in normal driving but provides reassuring backup if your attention wanders.
The 360-degree camera system is genuinely useful for tight parking manoeuvres, with clear image quality and intuitive on-screen guidelines. It's the sort of feature that you don't think you need until you have it, then wonder how you ever managed without it.
Living With It
After a week with the Jolion Pro, it settled into a comfortable rhythm as a family SUV. It's not exciting, but it's competent in most situations and offers genuinely impressive space and equipment for the money. The hybrid system works well in stop-start traffic, the ride is comfortable enough for longer journeys, and there's enough ground clearance to handle most of the mild off-road situations that normal families encounter - just be watchful of that low spoiler.
The infotainment system remains a minor irritation – not because it's bad, but because it controls too many basic functions. This seems to be an industry-wide trend, but it's particularly frustrating when you're trying to quickly adjust something simple like cabin temperature while navigating a busy roundabout.
Build quality feels solid for the most part, though only time will tell how well the various electronic systems and touch surfaces hold up to family life. GWM offers a seven-year warranty, which suggests confidence in their product's longevity.
The Verdict
The 2025 GWM Haval Jolion Pro Ultra Hybrid is one of those cars that makes perfect sense on paper and largely delivers in practice, even if it doesn't set your pulse racing. At £30,590 (as tested), it offers a lot of SUV for your money – decent equipment levels, and running costs that won't bankrupt you at the pumps.
It's not the most fuel-efficient hybrid SUV you can buy, nor the most engaging to drive, but it strikes a reasonable balance between practicality, comfort, and value.
Main reservations could be centre around the touchscreen-heavy control layout (a pet peeve that seems to affect every modern car), and the fact that it's from a brand that many British buyers are still unfamiliar with. But if you can live with those compromises, the Jolion Pro offers a compelling package that's hard to ignore.
It's the automotive equivalent of that surprisingly good restaurant you discover in an unfamiliar town – not flashy enough to win awards, but solid, dependable, and offering much better value than the more famous names down the road. Sometimes, that's exactly what you need.
Find out more at - https://gwmcars.co.uk/