We compare two city SUVs tempting buyers who want a small car that’s big on space, equipment, safety and value.
Overview
Since arriving in 2020, the Mazda CX-30 has established itself as one of the top-selling urban SUVs, trailing only the MG ZS and Hyundai Kona for popularity. Australian buyers are drawn to its svelte lines, slick interior, strong value and agile dynamics.
The Haval Jolion, meanwhile, is even newer and packs a razor-sharp value proposition. It’s also half a size bigger than most of its rivals, and has more modern looks outside and in to attract buyers. But is the Jolion a complete package capable of taking on the big end of town?
We put it up against the popular Mazda CX-30 to find out.
Introduction
Haval Jolion
The Haval Jolion is a good car that mounts a compelling value argument in the hotly contested small SUV segment. But it’s also a car with one of the most unfortunate acronyms in the automotive world.
Somebody in Haval’s Baoding headquarters in China thought it would be a good idea to name their new state-of-the-art vehicle platform L.E.M.O.N. Lemon, says GWM, is a global high-intelligence modular technology platform that boasts high performance, high safety, and lightweight technology.
Now, this could be an unfortunate Chinese-to-English translation or maybe it’s a cunning PR plan to garner tongue-in-cheek publicity.
The Haval Jolion is the third vehicle built on GWM’s Lemon platform after the larger Haval H6 and the Haval Big Dog, which is currently China market only (now that’s a cool name, as is GWM’s other four-wheel-drive brand, Tank, but I digress).
The Jolion range in Australia has three tiers kicking off at $26,490 drive-away for the Jolion Premium. The variant we’re testing today is the top-spec 2021 Haval Jolion Ultra priced at $31,990 drive-away.
Powering all models locally is a 110kW and 210Nm 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine driving the front wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. Identical power and +10Nm compared to the outgoing Haval H2 from a re-engineered engine paired to a new gearbox.
Six colours are available: Hamilton White, Mars Red, Energy Green, Ayers Grey, Blue Sapphire and Golden Black. All colours bar the Hamilton White of our test car command a $450 premium.
Externally, the Jolion Ultra makes a good first impression. The design is modern, classy and compact, although the front grille does look a touch cheese-grater.
In size terms, the Jolion five-door may share the same 2700mm wheelbase as a Mazda CX-5, but its true Mazda rival is the smaller CX-30, against which it is 77mm longer, 46mm wider and 34mm taller. This all translates into more interior space.
The Jolion Ultra comes with 18-inch alloy wheels and tyres, a panoramic sunroof with soft cover, sharp-looking LED headlights, fog lights and DRLs, and a 360-degree camera to aid manoeuvrability.
Mazda CX-30
The 2021 Mazda CX-30 G20 Pure is the entry point to the Mazda CX-30 range, with pricing from $30,190 before on-road costs in as-tested automatic guise. The available but less popular manual is $1000 cheaper, also before on-road costs, and available only in the G20 Pure grade.
Above Pure, there’s Evolve, G20 Touring, G25 Touring, G20 Astina, G25 Astina and X20 Astina, available with all-wheel drive on G25 models, and standard on X20, with the range topping out at $46,690 before on-road costs. Needless to say, there’s a lot on offer and almost one model for every type of potential buyer. If you judge a range on being spoilt for choice, the CX-30 rivals the best of them, with new variants due in 2022 as well.
Sitting in the ‘Small SUV’ segment, competition is rampant and capable. Think Hyundai Kona, Kia Seltos, MG ZST, Mitsubishi ASX and Eclipse Cross, Nissan Qashqai and Skoda Kamiq, just to name a few. The buyer profile might be different, but the Volkswagen T-Roc, Subaru XV, Honda HR-V and newcomer GWM Haval Jolion also have the CX-30 firmly in their sights.
There’s little argument that the CX-30 is sharply styled and attractive. The Deep Crystal Blue of our test car is a no-cost option, which does a lot to accentuate the style lines and exterior shape of the little Mazda. If you want to walk away from your parked car feeling satisfied about your purchase, the CX-30 is a good place to start.
Automatic LED headlights are standard, and Mazda’s signature frontal styling leaves no doubt as to the family lineage. Anecdotally, we know that not everyone loves the longish nose that current Mazdas have, but plenty do, and in this execution on this platform, it’s a good-looking small SUV. Some in this segment have gone decidedly edgy, but the CX-30 retains a classy design. Let us know what you think about the styling in the comments section below.
| Key details | 2021 Haval Jolion Ultra | 2021 Mazda CX-30 G20 Pure |
| Price (MSRP) | $31,990 drive-away | $30,390 plus on-road costs |
| Colour of test car | Hamilton White | Deep Crystal Blue |
| Options | None | None |
| Price as tested | $31,990 drive-away | $30,390 plus on-road costs |
| Drive-away price | $31,990 (national) | $33,994 (Sydney) |
Inside
Haval Jolion First impressions of the interior are overwhelmingly positive. This is a very classy cabin that would not look out of place on a car charging twice the Jolion Ultra’s $32K ask.The materials all exude high quality, from the soft etched leatherette covering the lower dashboard, to the knurled chrome transmission dial clearly inspired by Jaguar and Land Rover’s rotary transmission selector. A big 12.5-inch touchscreen dominates an otherwise minimalist cabin, and at first glance, the lack of switchgear is confronting – especially if the driver before you left the radio blaring.
The main bank of audio controls is embedded in one of the steering wheel’s three spokes, which for a guy used to having two or three ways to do things does require a bit of mental rewiring. Once you get used to it, though, the lack of clutter gives the cabin a serene ambience.
That said, easy access to air-conditioning temperature controls would be nice to have. Instead, these require a swipe down on the screen before you can access them.
The seats in the Jolion Ultra are all faux-leather, and the driver’s seat is electrically adjustable. Both front seats also have heating, but you’ll have to go hunting for it in the infotainment screen – hint: ignore the climate-control menu and look under car settings instead.
The driver’s seatbase is flat, there’s no tilt adjust to correct its pitch, and the electric motor whines noisily as you lower the seat. The seatback has good bolstering but needs more support in the middle.
The steering wheel is leather-trimmed and has chrome accents that make it look classy, but it feels a bit thin and flimsy in hand. It also doesn’t adjust for reach. The indicators’ loud clacking noise when operating is jarring in a cabin that presents with such a refined air.
In terms of storage up front, there are bottle holders in the door and cupholders in the centre console. There’s also a secret cubbyhole under the centre console, big enough for a handbag, where a pair of USB-A ports and a 12V charging port also reside.
The back seats have loads of leg room thanks to the Jolion’s long wheelbase and head room is good too. The seat base is at a good angle, if a tad short, which might become uncomfortable on longer journeys.
There are map pockets in both back seats, bottle holders in the doors and cupholders in the fold-down centre armrest. There are also two USB-A ports back here, air vents to aid airflow, grab-handles and lights.
There are two ISOFIX points in the outer back seats and three top-tether points.
The boot is a decent 430L with the back seats in place, expanding to 1133L with the 60/40 split fully folded – although they don’t fold down far enough to present a flat loadspace. The boot has a hard cargo blind that doubles as a parcel shelf, and there’s a space-saver spare tyre under the floor.
Interestingly, the car’s key has a boot button… That does nothing. If this weren’t the top-spec Jolion, the button would make us think there was a higher-spec variant with an electric-opening boot. Maybe there is overseas, but not here.
Mazda CX-30 Even though it’s effectively the base-level car, the CX-30 Pure genuinely doesn’t feel underdone inside the cabin. You get push-button start, well-placed manual air-conditioning controls, cloth trim, a urethane steering wheel, and a neat layout of controls and switchgear. Mazda’s infotainment rotary dial in the centre console cleans up the cabin layout, and while there is enough storage on offer, second-row occupants don’t get any vents or controls.The front seats deserve mention given they are nicely sculpted and comfortable. Initially, I didn’t like the idea of the lack of a leather-trimmed steering wheel, thinking that it would jar against the otherwise premium execution of the cabin, but in reality it’s nowhere near as jarring as I thought.
Sure, a leather-trimmed wheel steps cabin amenity up a notch, but direct competition like the Kia Seltos S also has a urethane wheel. Mazda has seen the light here anyway, it seems, with a leather wheel and gear selector included on 2022 models.
In the second row, seating is tight for taller adults, and the CX-30 does have a reasonably high hip point, which means you feel like you’re sitting low into the car (front or rear) if you’re not tall.
It’s not uncomfortable in the second row, but with tall occupants up front, you wouldn’t want tall occupants also in the second row for long road trips. That’s true of most vehicles in this segment, though. Outer seats get ISOFIX mounts and top-tethers feature across all three seats in the back row.
The rear doors do get decent bottle holders too. Some of the touch surfaces in both the front and rear seats are hard, but again that’s standard for this price point in this segment, so it’s definitely not a deal-breaker. What we do like about the cabin is the way in which Mazda has once again executed a premium finish on a sharper budget than the finished product would indicate.
Boot space is useable but tight, and can’t match the segment leaders. There’s 317L on offer with the second row in use, or 422L including under-floor storage and 1280L when the second-row seats are folded. A Kia Seltos offers up 430L in its luggage area, so the Mazda is only a touch behind the best in this instance. Still, for the city buyer, or those of you who don’t need the second row all the time, the CX-30’s compact size will work well.
| 2021 Haval Jolion Ultra | 2021 Mazda CX-30 G20 Pure | |
| Seats | Five | Five |
| Boot volume | 430L seats up, 1133L seats folded | 422L seats up, 1280L seats folded |
| Length | 4472mm | 4395mm |
| Width | 1841mm | 1795mm |
| Height | 1574mm | 1540mm |
| Wheelbase | 2700mm | 2655mm |
Infotainment and Connectivity
Haval Jolion The Jolion Ultra comes with a 12.3-inch multimedia touchscreen (compared to a 10.25-inch display on lesser models) that, just like the cabin, presents beautifully. The graphics are very classy and intricate – with a choice of two visual themes – but that can make them hard to use, especially in a moving car with the Jolion’s firm and sometimes jiggly ride.The controls also aren’t as intuitive as they could be. For example, the home screen offers controls for radio, phone, audio, picture gallery and video gallery. Does any car really need those last two?
The eight-speaker sound system puts out a decent sound, but AM radio reception is sub-par, and it is hard to figure out how to tune manually when the auto-tune misses your desired station. After two minutes of searching I gave up, but I admit, I didn’t check the climate-control menu.
The Jolion Ultra has wireless phone charging and wired smartphone mirroring for Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. It does not have digital radio or satellite navigation.
Mazda CX-30 Drivers get a 7.0-inch information display, and there’s also an excellent 8.8-inch Mazda Connect infotainment screen, with proprietary satellite navigation, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, DAB+ digital radio, Bluetooth, an eight-speaker audio system, and perhaps most crucially, all of it works really well.Some of you don’t like the rotary dial controller, and while a touchscreen is difficult to argue with in terms of functionality, Mazda’s system works well without one, once you get familiar with the controller. It’s quite intuitive after that.
It is fair to say a touchscreen that works exactly like your smartphone is even more intuitive, but Mazda’s interface is sharp, responsive and reliable. Targeting a young, tech-savvy demographic, in other words buyers who want tech that works, I reckon Mazda has hit the nail on the head.
On test, Bluetooth worked faultlessly, as did direct smartphone connectivity, and we didn’t have any drop-outs. While most of you will use your phone’s navigation system, the proprietary system also worked neatly on test. The audio system won’t blow the windows out, but it’s solid.
Safety and Technology
Haval Jolion ANCAP has not crash-tested the Jolion at the time of writing. The only two Havals tested so far are the H2, which earned five stars in 2017, and the H9 large SUV that was rated four stars back in 2015.A good level of safety features is standard across the Jolion’s three-tiered range. This includes seven airbags, electronic stability control, emergency brake assist with cyclist awareness, secondary collision mitigation and tyre pressure monitors.
The Jolion also has active cruise control, forward and rear collision warning, lane-keep assist (which is a touch crude), intelligent speed assist and a drowsy-driver monitor.
The Jolion’s rear-view mirror hub has a USB port, presumably for powering your dash-cam, should you install one.
To aid low-speed manoeuvring, the Jolion has reverse parking sensors and cameras all around.
Mazda CX-30 Mazda has hung its collective hat on safety for some time now, and the CX-30, even in entry-grade guise, is well-equipped on that front too. Dual front, side chest, side curtain and driver knee airbags are standard across the range, and there’s a full five-star ANCAP safety rating from February 2020.Autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection is standard, along with lane-keep assist, lane-departure warning, and a clever advanced speed-limit assistance system. Blind-spot warning and rear cross-traffic alert are also standard, and that also brings AEB in reverse, too, plus there’s a rear-view camera, blind-spot monitoring, front and rear parking sensors, and adaptive cruise control.
When you consider that many young, and first-time, buyers are getting in at the CX-30 level, the list of standard safety equipment needs to be long and the CX-30 covers that nicely. As with any other Mazda product, to be fair, if you’re thinking of putting a young family member into a CX-30, it’s a good and safe choice.
Those wanting more can add an optional Vision Technology Package, adding 360-degree cameras, driver-attention monitoring, front park sensors, front cross-traffic alert, and more advanced adaptive cruise control.
| At a glance | 2021 Haval Jolion Ultra | 2021 Mazda CX-30 G20 Pure |
| ANCAP rating & year tested | Unrated (as of Dec 2021) | Five stars (tested 2020) |
| Safety report | N/A | ANCAP report |
Value for Money
Haval Jolion The Jolion Ultra is very well specified in terms of equipment and safety for $31,990 drive-away, which makes it fantastic value.As per all GWM Haval vehicles, buyers get a seven-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, five years of roadside assist, and five years of capped-price servicing, the latter requiring services every 12 months/15,000km (or 10,000km to the first service only), and equating to a total spend of $1550.
All models claim to consume 8.1L/100km on the combined cycle, with support for 91RON regular unleaded offered across the range. During our test we hovered in the 10s (10.2L/100km), which is not great for a small SUV.
Mazda CX-30 The CX-30 gets Mazda’s standard five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, with the same coverage for roadside assistance. Services are required every 12 months or 10,000km. Most competitors push their service intervals out to 15,000km, which is handy in terms of time off the road. Personally, however, I like knowing that my oil and filter are freshened every 10,000km rather than every 15,000km, so no issues there from me.Basic services cost either $316 or $361 across that first five years, plus extra costs for add-ons along the way like brake fluid, air filter and cabin filter, meaning you’re up for $779 across three years or $2002 over five years.
The 2.0-litre engine is interesting in that it only has to work hard if you really push it, so around town it’s efficient. Against an ADR claim of 6.5L/100km on the combined cycle, we used 7.7L/100km almost entirely around town. Running on 91RON, it’s an efficient and affordable way to get around, but as we always write, avoid E10.
| At a glance | 2021 Haval Jolion Ultra | 2021 Mazda CX-30 G20 Pure |
| Warranty | Seven years, unlimited km | Five years, unlimited km |
| Service intervals | 12 months or 15,000km | 12 months or 10,000km |
| Servicing costs | $810 (3 years), $1550 (5 years) | $779 (3 years), $2002 (5 years) |
| Fuel cons. (claimed) | 8.1L/100km | 6.5L/100km |
| Fuel cons. (on test) | 10.2L/100km | 7.7L/100km |
| Fuel type | 91-octane Regular Unleaded | 91-octane Regular Unleaded |
| Fuel tank size | 55L | 51L |
Driving
Haval Jolion If value is the Jolion’s strength, driving is its weakness.Let’s start with the positives. The Jolion’s steering is light, and the drivetrain accelerates with moderate enthusiasm when pushed. Apart from that, well, the Jolion will get you where you want to go, it just won’t do it with the refinement, comfort, composure or competence of other cars in the heavily populated small SUV marketplace.
The Jolion’s 110kW and 220Nm turbocharged petrol engine is loud, suffers from turbo lag and has poor throttle response. Every increase in accelerator pressure comes with a marked delay before the engine and transmission respond.
When it does respond, it often drops gears instead of relying on what is a decent whack of torque for a car weighing just 1400kg. And those gear changes are not as smooth as we’ve come to expect from dual-clutch transmissions, either.
Engine noise is not the only refinement factor; the Kumho Solus tyres kick up a fair bit of noise as well. Wind noise is also noticeable off the A-pillar each side of the windscreen and the wing mirrors.
The Jolion’s suspension is okay on smooth roads, but that’s faint praise. When the road surface deteriorates, the Jolion does not have the smarts to isolate occupants while maintaining its dynamic poise. Instead, the ride gets choppy and brittle, and takes longer to settle after a hit than popular rivals.
Mazda CX-30
The 2.0-litre four-cylinder is a versatile engine, and it’s one that displays many of the traits we’ve come to love about a Mazda regardless of the body style. Mated to a smooth six-speed automatic transmission, the engine is willing to rev, delivers its power effortlessly, and makes for an engaging city go-kart or highway cruiser.Ultimately, if you nail the throttle to roll on from, say, 80km/h, it isn’t as punchy as bigger engines in the segment, but it’s not lacking too much in that regard, either.
With peak torque on offer right in the middle of the rev range, you don’t have to strain the engine around town, and if you need to go for a gap, or get away from the lights in a hurry, there’s enough grunt in reserve to get that done easily. If you do work the engine hard, it’s got a gruff, almost edgy note, which might not seem endearing for the segment, but it does share characteristics with what we’d expect from a sporty Mazda offering. Some might prefer more insulation, but I quite like the sporty undertone.
A turbocharger would obviously add more punch, especially in the mid-range, but the 2.0-litre is perfectly fine for just about everyone. There’s one caveat, though. If you’ve got friends or family in far-flung rural areas and you spend a large amount of time on the freeway to get there, I’d recommend the G25 to open up an easier performance envelope at the outer limits.
Around the Drive office, we all appreciated the way in which the CX-30 soaks up poor surfaces, even if it does edge more toward the firm side of suspension tune. It’s a quality chassis, in that it does feel firm and almost sporty, but then it can also absorb nasty bumps and ruts comfortably. Usually, we’d expect a firm suspension tune to be less capable of dealing with bigger hits, but the CX-30 does it easily.
Mazda has put time and effort more recently into isolating the cabin from what is going on outside, and the CX-30 benefits from that. There’s little in the way of tyre or wind noise that interrupts your drive, even on harsher B-road surfaces. Plenty in this class can’t match the Mazda’s cabin insulation.
If you do head to your favourite twisty road, there’s a surprising reward on offer in the way that the supposedly base-level CX-30 can hook into a corner and fire out the other side. We probably shouldn’t be surprised, but Mazda has engineered some of its sporting DNA into the way the steering, brakes and handling perform, despite the segment not necessarily needing it. In short, it’s fun. Your passengers might not like it, but a solo drive can put an unexpected smile on your face.
| Key details | 2021 Haval Jolion Ultra | 2021 Mazda CX-30 G20 Pure |
| Engine | 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol | 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol |
| Power | 110kW @ 5600-6000rpm | 114kW @ 6000rpm |
| Torque | 220Nm @ 2000-4400rpm | 200Nm @ 4000rpm |
| Drive type | Front-wheel drive | Front-wheel drive |
| Transmission | Seven-speed dual-clutch automatic | Six-speed torque convertor automatic |
| Power to weight ratio | 78.6kW/t | 83.8kW/t |
| Weight (tare) | 1400kg | 1360kg |
| Tow rating | 1500kg braked, 710kg unbraked | 1200kg braked, 600kg unbraked |
Conclusion
Okay, let’s find out which of these two impressive small SUVs stacks up better.
On the surface, the Haval’s drive-away price advantage is hard to ignore. It’s a considerable $2000 cheaper than the Mazda, and yet it looks more premium inside, has more equipment and packs a much bigger infotainment touchscreen – although that equipment is often not as intuitive to use or as refined as the Mazda’s.
Interior space is a resounding win to the Haval, which makes sure that its bigger overall footprint translates to more room inside and in the boot.
Safety is a win to the Mazda because, while both have admirably long active safety features, only the Mazda carries a five-star ANCAP rating – the Haval has not been tested, and the company does not have a flawless five-star recent history like Mazda.
On the ownership costs front, the Mazda wins even though it has a five-year warranty compared to the Haval’s seven and its servicing costs are more expensive (10,000km compared to the Haval’s 15,000km). That extra money you spend on servicing the Mazda more often will easily be made back in fuel savings – a 2.5L/100km fuel saving equates to more than $650 per year.
On-road, the Mazda’s unquestionable skills comfortably leave the Haval in its wake. It has a better drivetrain, a more compliant and refined ride, and is also more enjoyable to pilot if that’s important to you.
In conclusion, the only area the Haval beats the Mazda is on price and value, and if that’s your number-one priority, then the Haval is a solid proposition. But if you’re looking for the better all-round option, and don’t mind paying a bit more initially (but you’ll save more in the long run), then the Mazda CX-30 is the one.
The post 2021 Haval Jolion Ultra v Mazda CX-30 G20 Pure comparison appeared first on Drive.
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