BAIC B40 Plus vs GWM Jolion

A proper head-to-head in South Africa — compare price, performance, fuel economy or electric range, safety and the details that shape long-term ownership.

BAIC B40 Plus in South Africa

BAIC B40 Plus

Honor Edition Petrol 8-Speed Automatic Current
ZAR 699,500 ex-showroom
⚡ 165 kW 🔧 380 Nm ⛽ 9.0 km/l
VS
GWM Jolion in South Africa

GWM Jolion

1.5T Hybrid LT Hybrid Current
ZAR 519,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 115 kW 🔧 250 Nm ⛽ 17.9 km/l
+ Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

BAIC B40 Plus vs GWM Jolion: the short answer

B40 Plus and Jolion are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Jolion starts ZAR 289,600 cheaper B40 Plus from ZAR 699,500 · Jolion from ZAR 409,900

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification B40 Plus Jolion
Maximum Power B40 Plus165 kW @ 5500 rpm Jolion115 kW @ 5500 rpm
Maximum Torque B40 Plus380 Nm @ 1750-4500 rpm Jolion250 Nm
Engine Size B40 Plus1998 cc Jolion1497 cc
Combined Fuel Economy B40 Plus9.0 km/l Jolion17.9 km/l
Ground Clearance B40 Plus210 mm Jolion190 mm

Strongest published figure in that row; no road-test winner is implied.

Independent editorial assessment

Hagalu editorial ratings

When a variant is selected, its rating out of five applies only to that exact derivative; a model-range review is not inherited. Editorial ratings are separate from the Specification Evidence Index out of 100 and are not customer ratings.

BAIC B40 Plus

Honor Edition

Hagalu editorial rating
4.0/5

Desk research · Exact variant

Editorial assessment, not a customer rating. Not road-tested for this review.

Read the review and score breakdown

GWM Jolion

1.5T Hybrid LT

Hagalu editorial rating Not yet rated

No complete editorial rating is published for this exact variant. This is not a zero score.

How Hagalu rates cars

Not yet rated means a complete review is not published; it does not mean the vehicle scored zero. Read the rating methodology.

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

B40 Plus

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Fewer listed safety features
  • Lower published ownership cover
Best suited to: Published Performance Published Practicality
Specification evidence leader

Jolion

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger listed safety equipment
  • Stronger published ownership cover
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower published practicality figures
Best suited to: Published Efficiency

Which One's Right for You?

B40 Plus

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

Jolion

  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use
  • Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment
  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published warranty or service cover

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec B40 Plus Jolion
Model Introduced Year 2021 2021
Generation Current B40 Plus Honor Edition within the locally served first B40 Plus generation, using body-on-frame construction and an electronic part-time 4WD system. Jolion sold in South Africa is the first generation under the Jolion nameplate, derived from Haval's L.E.M.O.N. modular platform launched in 2020. Local specification differs from the Chinese-domestic version in suspension calibration (slightly softer for SA road conditions), cabin material grades (higher) and infotainment software localisation.
Facelift History The B40 Plus launched in South Africa in October 2021. The current Honor Edition debuted locally in May 2025, adding electric seat adjustment and a sunroof to the City Hunter-based specification; BAIC now presents it as the sole current B40 Plus derivative. Haval Jolion received a mid-cycle update in 2023 that brought the 12.3-inch infotainment screen to LT as standard (replacing the original 10.25-inch unit), added wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto across the range, refined driver-assistance calibration, and updated front-end styling with revised headlamp signatures. The hybrid variants were introduced to the South African market in 2024 as a separate trim ladder rather than a powertrain option on existing trims.
Facelift Launched Since 2025 2024
Facelift Version Ending Current Current
Body Style Five-door body-on-frame off-road SUV SUV
Model Year 2021 2026
Production Status active published
Segment Off-road SUV SUV
Vehicle Type SUV SUV
Color Note - Hamilton White, Crystal White, Pittsburgh Silver, Mars Red, Atlantic Blue and Dignity Black. Some colours are limited to specific trim levels and availability changes annually.
Dealer Stock Note - Top grade in the South Africa lineup
Tare Mass Kg - 1500 kg
Spec B40 Plus Jolion
Length 4630 mm 4472 mm
Width 1925 mm 1841 mm
Height 1871 mm 1628 mm
Wheelbase 2745 mm 2700 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 210 mm 190 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) 190 mm 148 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 75 l 55 l
Boot/Cargo Space 532 l 340 l
Kerb Weight 2110 kg 1500 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 2535 kg 2200 kg
Payload Capacity 425 kg 550 kg
Towing Capacity 1500 kg 1500 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Number of Rows 2 rows 2 rows
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius Not Officially Disclosed 11.4 m
Front Headroom 1010 mm 990 mm
Rear Headroom 1000 mm 960 mm
Front Legroom 1045 mm 1050 mm
Rear Legroom 900 mm 890 mm

In depth: how these cars differ

This B40 Plus and Jolion comparison uses the exact derivatives selected above for South Africa. The catalogue index covers performance, efficiency, safety equipment, practicality and ownership cover only where comparable source-backed fields are present.

Performance index: B40 Plus 71 vs Jolion 51.

Efficiency index: B40 Plus 41 vs Jolion 73.

Safety-equipment index: B40 Plus 57 vs Jolion 93.

Practicality index: B40 Plus 67 vs Jolion 59.

Ownership-cover index: B40 Plus 62 vs Jolion 65.

These figures are Hagalu catalogue-comparison indicators, not customer ratings, crash-test scores, resale guarantees or a substitute for a road test. Each page shows its weighted source coverage beside the result.

Specification Evidence Index

A transparent comparison of published catalogue fields. This is not a road-test score, owner rating or editorial review rating, and it appears only when every vehicle clears the same comparable-data threshold.

Evidence / 100
Evidence-index readout

Jolion leads by 7 points

B40 Plus and Jolion are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Evidence leader 68 /100
Lead 7 points
Data 99% source coverage
68
#1 Evidence leader

Jolion

99% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 93 Check Performance 51
Performance 51
Efficiency 73
Safety 93
Practicality 59
Ownership 65
Leads by 7 points
61
#2

B40 Plus

92% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Performance 71 Check Efficiency 41
Performance 71
Efficiency 41
Safety 57
Practicality 67
Ownership 62
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance B40 Plus +20 Efficiency Jolion +32 Safety Jolion +36 Practicality B40 Plus +8 Ownership Jolion +3

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

Jolion

Performance 51/100
Efficiency 73/100
Safety 93/100
Practicality 59/100
Ownership 65/100

B40 Plus

Performance 71/100
Efficiency 41/100
Safety 57/100
Practicality 67/100
Ownership 62/100

What the evidence means

Evidence index GWM Jolion leads the specification evidence index with 68 pts vs 61 pts for B40 Plus

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, Jolion leads. However, B40 Plus may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

B40 Plus vs Jolion questions

There is no universal winner. Use the comparison table to match the models and available derivatives in South Africa on price, safety equipment, space, powertrain and ownership cover. The category indicators summarise published catalogue data; they are not a road test or customer rating.

Compare the published consumption or mileage rows for the exact derivatives using the same unit and test basis. A catalogue figure is useful for like-for-like comparison, but traffic, speed, load, weather and driving style can change actual fuel use.

Compare only equipment explicitly listed for each derivative, including airbags, stability control and driver-assistance systems. Confirm the exact trim with the manufacturer, and treat any independent crash-test result separately because equipment and ratings can differ by market.

A reliable five-year total cannot be calculated from catalogue data alone. Add the exact purchase and finance cost, fuel or electricity, insurance quotes, scheduled servicing, tyres and expected resale value. Check whether the selected derivative includes a service or maintenance plan.

Use the seating, boot or load-space, ISOFIX and safety rows as a first check. Then test the exact cars with your child seats, passengers and typical luggage, because published dimensions do not show every access or comfort difference.

Compare the published power, torque and 0–100 km/h rows when they are available for both exact derivatives. Vehicle weight, gearing and power delivery also matter, so catalogue outputs alone do not establish real-world overtaking or response.