2027 GWM Haval Jolion Max: New details emerge for budget-friendly EV, PHEV SUV

GWM Australia will continue to broaden its reach in the mid-size SUV segment in 2027, with the new Haval Jolion Max SUV to offer both plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and electric (EV) options when it arrives in the first quarter (January to March) of the new year.

Product planning manager for GWM Australia, Timothy Leong, confirmed the Haval Jolion Max will be strictly front-wheel drive-only when it arrives in Australia in the early stages of 2027, likely in Lux and Ultra trim levels.

The Jolion Max EV will be powered by a 58kWh battery – presumably with lithium iron phosphate (LFP) chemistry – with claimed driving range of "approximately 400 kilometres". Meanwhile, the Jolion Max PHEV will feature a 19kWh battery pack, with "approximately 100 kilometres of EV driving".

Mr Leong didn't give any explicit indication on expected price tag for either version of the Jolion Max, though did say it will target an audience "that is slightly below the H6" – pointing to a base price likely starting with a '3'.

Further to the information shared by GWM's product planning manager, new details of the Jolion Max have appeared in a filing on the Federal Government's Australian Design Rule (ADR) certification database.

The Jolion Max PHEV will offer "net engine power" of 240kW, while the EV version will output 150kW. PHEV models are rated to tow up to 1500kg, while the EV can only manage one tonne.

According to the documents, the Jolion Max measures 4590mm long, 1877mm wide and 1675mm tall, with a 2710mm wheelbase. For reference, that's 120mm longer, 3mm wider and 94mm taller than the existing Jolion HEV, with an extra 10mm in the wheelbase.

Compared to the current Haval H6 PHEV, the Jolion Max is 113mm shorter in length, 9mm narrower in width and 55mm shorter in height. The H6 has a 28mm wheelbase advantage, too.

Based on GWM Australia's clues, the Jolion Max PHEV should slot in between the Jolion HEV (from $32,990 D/A) and H6 PHEV (from $44,990 D/A).

Similarly, the Jolion Max EV's technical similarities to the recently launched Ora 5 SUV (150kW, 58.33kWh LFP) could mean the first Haval-badged EV in Australia could come very close to the Ora 5's $33,990-$36,990 D/A price point.

The addition of the Jolion Max and a new 'Ora 5 Plus' will give GWM no less than four distinct mid-size SUV model lines in Australia, joining the H6 and recently launched H7 SUVs.

Chief operating officer for GWM Australia and New Zealand, John Kett, says the Chinese brand hopes to total 2500 monthly sales from its medium SUVs once they're all on sale, as GWM targets a top five spot on the Australian VFACTS new vehicle sales charts in the coming year.

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