Skip advert
Advertisement

What is GWM Haval? Complete brand, model and tech guide for UK car buyers

Havals are budget SUVs from Great Wall. Tomorrow looks tastier than today

Step into the Haval Jolion Pro and step back in time to when Dacias felt like an impoverished collection of old Renault parts, or when noisy Toyota hybrids drowned you in flailing revs.

That’s not to dismiss the Jolion Pro out of hand: its £23,995 price tag makes it one of the cheapest hybrid SUVs on the UK market. And that’s Haval’s positioning in a nutshell – it’s Great Wall Motors’ budget SUV brand.

Advertisement - Article continues below

Importer International Motors launched Haval in early 2025, needing to extend its offer beyond the Ora EV brand and buoyed by the Jolion Pro reaching the giddy heights of Australia’s third best-selling sub-compact SUV. The model is 4,470mm-long, which makes for decent cabin space, although the boot is tiny. The JP may pull away in electric mode, but that’s not enough to unlock more than 47mpg.

More interesting is what comes next. GWM is assessing the H9, a BMW X5-sized boxy SUV that, like many SUVs, looks like it owes the Land Rover Defender royalties. Available in China with four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines (the one in the Poer300), expect the Australian market to unlock right-hand drive to enable UK sales in 2026. The H6 – a crossover SUV sitting between the two in size and running petrol and hybrid engines – is also waiting in the wings. 

UK models:Jolion Pro
Our pick:Wait for the H9 SUV
How big in China?Part of Great Wall Motors, which has made 1.23 million vehicles
2024 global exports:453,141 (37 per cent of total sales)
2025 UK registrations:126
Retailer network and warranty:47 GWM dealers/service centres; seven-year/unlimited-mileage warranty
We say:The H9 will make or break Haval; the Jolion Pro wasn’t the finest start point, and could put plenty of people off in the short term

Chinese car brands ranked by UK impact

Below is our Chinese power list, with all 17 brands ranked on current and potential UK market impact. Click the links to explore each manufacturer in detail...

 

Did you know you can sell your car through Auto Express? We’ll help you get a great price and find a great deal on a new car, too.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Continue Reading

Phil is Auto Express’ editor-at-large: he keeps close to car companies, finding out about new cars and researching the stories that matter to readers. He’s reported on cars for more than 25 years as editor of Car, Autocar’s news editor and he’s written for Car Design News and T3. 

Find a car with the experts

Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

EU petrol car sales ban to be delayed until 2040: What will it mean for the UK?
Electric car charging mega test - charging overhead

EU petrol car sales ban to be delayed until 2040: What will it mean for the UK?

With the EU delaying its ICE ban, the UK Government may come under more pressure to follow suit. 
News
8 Dec 2025
New Dacia C-Neo estate could be the ultimate family car
Dacia C-Neo - exclusive image front

New Dacia C-Neo estate could be the ultimate family car

The Dacia C-Neo estate is set to undercut rivals with a £20k asking price, and our exclusive images preview how it could look
News
8 Dec 2025
Apple CarPlay quietly gets a major upgrade: here’s what’s new
Apple CarPlay Ultra - vehicle

Apple CarPlay quietly gets a major upgrade: here’s what’s new

More widgets and the ability to switch off annoying pinned messages feature are all a part of iOS 26.2
News
8 Dec 2025