By Otsile Kadiege

One of Haval South Africa’s popular models in SA is the Jolion. The automaker’s local arm will soon launch a sportier version of the compact SUV dubbed the Jolion S. The ‘S’ variant will not only  be a cosmetic upgrade, it will also gain a more powerful turbocharged petrol engine and a revised rear suspension.

Jolion S styling

The Jolion S’s sporty exterior styling is accentuated by black treatment throughout its exterior. It gets black 18-inch alloy wheels, black door mirror caps, black roof rails and black side garnishes. Trimmings on the grille surrounds and its lower rear bumper are also finished in gloss black. The Jolion badging on the tailgate is joined by a red S badge.

Jolion S interior

Inside, the Jolion S maintains its premium and high-tech and airy cabin. Highlights include upgraded driver and front passenger seat heating, a 12.3-inch infotainment touch screen, a wireless charging pad, rotary shift dial, seven-inch virtual instrument cluster, rear seats with access to two USB charging ports and a panoramic sunroof.

Jolion S performance

Powering the Jolion S is an uprated version of the 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine which now develops 130 kW and 270 Nm – an increase of 25 kW and 60 Nm. The powerplant is still paired to a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. Despite the increase in power and torque, Haval claims the Jolion S will still average 7.5l/100 km.

Haval also fitted the Jolion S with a multi-link independent rear suspension which replaces the standard torsion beam setup.

Pricing and warranty

The Haval Jolion S sits above the previously range-topping Super Luxury variant and is priced from R479,950. It comes with a comprehensive 5 year/60 000km service plan, 5 year/100 000km warranty,
and is available in showrooms from 16 January 2023.