Suzuki Jimny vs Gwm Jolion GT

A proper head-to-head in South Africa — we cover price, performance, petrol economy, safety and what it'll actually cost you to own each one long term.

Suzuki Jimny in South Africa

Suzuki Jimny

1.5 GLX AllGrip AT Petrol Automatic
ZAR 466,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 75 kW 🔧 130 Nm ⛽ 15.9 km/l
VS
Gwm Jolion GT in South Africa

Gwm Jolion GT

2.0T Hybrid LT Hybrid Automatic
ZAR 629,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 150 kW 🔧 380 Nm ⛽ 6.5 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance Jolion GT
Fuel Economy Tie
🛡 Safety Tie
📦 Practicality Jolion GT
🔑 Ownership Tie
Jimny starts ZAR 579900 cheaper Jimny from ZAR 444,900 · Jolion GT from ZAR 579,900

Key Specs Side by Side

The specs that matter most — highlighted where one car leads.

Spec Jimny Jolion GT
Engine Power 75 150
Torque 130 380
Engine Size 1462 1999
Claimed Mileage 15.9 6.5
Ground Clearance 210 185
Boot Space 85 298
Airbags 6 6
Kerb Weight 1115 1600
Seating Capacity Available 5
Warranty 5 5

= leads in this spec

The Overall Score — Here's How They Stack Up

🏆 Winner
#1

Jolion GT

64
/ 100
+11
pts
#2

Jimny

53
/ 100

Moderate difference between the models.

The Bottom Line

Jolion GT has a slight advantage, but Jimny remains highly competitive.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Jolion GT +9 pts
Efficiency Equal
Safety Equal
Practicality Jolion GT +2 pts
Ownership Equal

Score Breakdown by Category

🏆 Overall Winner

Jolion GT

Performance 15/20
Efficiency 0/20
Safety 18/20
Practicality 11/20
Ownership 20/20

Jimny

Performance 6/20
Efficiency 0/20
Safety 18/20
Practicality 9/20
Ownership 20/20

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Jimny

Strengths
  • Nothing stands out clearly here.
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Less practical in daily usage
Best suited to: General Use
🏆 Overall Winner

Jolion GT

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • More practical for daily use
Weak Spots
  • No obvious weak spots to flag.
Best suited to: Highway Driving Family Usage

Which One's Right for You?

Jimny

  • Buyers looking for a balanced all-round vehicle

Jolion GT

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power
  • Large families needing more practicality and usability

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Jimny Jolion GT
Engine 1.5L K15B 4-Cylinder Petrol 2.0L GW4C20B Turbocharged Petrol Hybrid
Engine Type Inline 4 Cylinder Naturally Aspirated Inline 4 Cylinder Turbocharged Petrol
Engine Code K15B GW4C20B
Cylinder Layout Inline 4 (I4) Inline 4 (I4)
Engine Aspiration Naturally Aspirated Turbocharged
Displacement 1462 1999
Cylinders 4 4
Valves per Cylinder 4 16
Cylinder Bore 74.0 -
Piston Stroke 85.1 -
Compression Ratio 10.5:1 10.5:1
Engine Position Longitudinal Front-Mounted Front Transverse
Variable Valve Timing VVT on Intake Camshaft Yes
Fuel System Multi-Point Fuel Injection (MPFI) Direct Injection
Turbocharger Not Applicable Yes
Power 75 150
Power @ RPM 6,000 rpm 5,500 rpm
Power 100 201
Torque 130 380
Torque @ RPM 4,000 rpm 1,500-4,000 rpm
Maximum Engine RPM 6800 6,000
Engine Oil Capacity 3.7 5.5
Fuel Grade Required 93 RON Unleaded Petrol Petrol
Top Speed 145 200
0-100 km/h 14.5 135
Engine Type Config Available Inline 4 Cylinder (I4) DOHC 16-Valve Turbocharged
0–100 km/h Available 7.9
Battery Capacity Available 1.8 kWh
Charging Port Available -
AC Charging Time Available -
Engine Displacement Available 1999
EV Range Available 100
Spec Jimny Jolion GT
Transmission 4-Speed Automatic Torque Converter DHT Hybrid Transmission
Transmission Type 4-Speed Automatic Automatic
Number of Gears 4 2
Drive Type 4WD — AllGrip PRO Part-Time FWD
Drivetrain Layout Rear Wheel Drive (2WD) / 4WD with Low-Range Front Engine Front Wheel Drive
Final Drive Ratio 4.090:1 3.73
Steering Turns Lock to Lock 3.8 14.7:1
Clutch Type Single Dry Plate Diaphragm Wet Multi-Disc
LSD Available Not Available No
Differential Lock Not Available No
Transfer Case Two-Speed Transfer Case (Hi / Lo Range) No
Paddle Shifters Not Available -
Drivetrain Available Front Wheel Drive
Transmission Available Automatic

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Gwm Jolion GT wins with 64 pts vs 53 pts for Jimny

In structured scoring, Jolion GT emerges as the stronger overall package. However, Jimny may appeal to buyers prioritising different factors. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

Buyers Also Looked At These

Other comparisons that people in the same boat tend to check out.

Questions Buyers Usually Ask

On our scoring the Jolion GT edges ahead overall. That said, the right choice depends on what you actually use the car for — the breakdown above shows exactly where each one wins and loses.

Efficiency scores: Jimny 0 vs Jolion GT 0. In the real world, diesel variants of either car will beat the claimed figure on long highways and fall short in Joburg traffic.

Safety scores: Jimny 18, Jolion GT 18. Check each model page for NCAP ratings and which trim levels include AEB and blind-spot monitoring — those features aren't always standard.

Long-term ownership scores: Jimny 20, Jolion GT 20. Service intervals, parts availability in SA, and whether a service plan is bundled all factor in — check the individual variant specs for that detail.

Practicality scores: Jimny 9, Jolion GT 11. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Jimny 6, Jolion GT 15. This looks at real-world pace — 0–100 kph, highway flexibility, and how either car feels when you actually need to overtake on an N-road.

Resale varies with colour, spec, and market timing, but Japanese brands — and Toyota specifically — have a strong track record in SA. Check current used prices for both on AutoTrader to see the real gap right now.

Ground clearance and 4WD availability are what matter most here. Scroll to the spec table above to compare both side by side — if either model offers a 4WD variant, that's the version worth comparing.

Fuel, insurance, and service costs are the big three. Diesel variants of both models typically save R800–R1,500/month in fuel at current SA pump prices. The Jolion GT edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

The Jolion GT scores better overall, but neither car is a bad buy here. It comes down to what features matter to you — check the full spec table above to see exactly what you gain and lose at each price point.

In Depth — Breaking It All Down

The comparison between Jimny and Jolion GT in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: Jimny scores 6 vs 15.

Efficiency: Jimny scores 0 vs 0.

Safety: Jimny scores 18 vs 18.

Practicality: Jimny scores 9 vs 11.

Ownership: Jimny scores 20 vs 20.

Final structured scoring gives Jolion GT the advantage in this comparison.