2023 Haval Jolion

Haval Jolion

Haval’s Jolion goes straight for South Africans who want SUV space but refuse to cough up VW T-Roc or Mazda CX-30 money. You get the feeling Haval’s read the room: families trading up from their first hatchback, or Uber drivers aiming for something flashier, but not so flash they need a second bond. On paper at least, it ticks the right boxes—1.5-litre turbo petrol, manual or seven-speed DCT, and even a hybrid if you’re feeling green. With 202 Jolions live on the classifieds, priced from R239,900 to R519,950 (median R374k), it’s not just sitting around gathering dust. People are actually buying these, probably because the spec-for-rand ratio embarrasses a few old-guard brands. Most buyers are snapping up the 1.5T City Plus 7DCT. There are 46 of these, priced from R299,900 to R373,950, and with average mileage under 12,000 km, they’re practically showroom-fresh. New stock dominates, with 111 out of 202 listings unsullied by previous owners. If you want more toys, the Super Luxury 7DCT climbs up to R449,900, and the S Ultra Luxury will part you from R500,450. What sets Jolion apart here is the cabin tech for your spend—big screens, upmarket feel, and actual buttons where you want them. The Kia Stonic looks stripped by comparison, and the Jolion’s DCT delivers a far slicker drive in tight Joburg traffic than the Brezza’s old-school auto. That’s the point: it’s what the Jolion should have been from the start, and buyers are responding.