GWM Jolion GT vs Chery Tiggo 8 Pro Max

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.

Includes a historical vehicle

Current, upcoming and historical vehicles can be compared side by side. Historical records keep their verified specifications, while price labels show last-listed context rather than current new-car availability.

GWM Jolion GT Discontinued model
GWM Jolion GT in South Africa

GWM Jolion GT

2.0T Hybrid LT Hybrid Discontinued model
ZAR 629,900 last listed
Discontinued model Verified historical specifications remain visible for owner and used-car comparisons.
⚡ 150 kW 🔧 380 Nm ⛽ 6.5 km/l
VS
Chery Tiggo 8 Pro Max in South Africa

Chery Tiggo 8 Pro Max

Executive 7DCT 2.0TGDI Petrol 7-Speed DCT Current
ZAR 609,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 187 kW 🔧 390 Nm ⛽ 13.2 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance Tiggo 8 Pro Max
Fuel Economy Tiggo 8 Pro Max
🛡 Safety Tie
📦 Practicality Tiggo 8 Pro Max
🔑 Ownership Tiggo 8 Pro Max
Recorded price context Jolion GT: last listed from ZAR 579,900 · Tiggo 8 Pro Max: current from ZAR 609,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Jolion GT Tiggo 8 Pro Max
Maximum Power 150 kW @ 5500 rpm 187 kW @ 5500 rpm
Maximum Torque 380 Nm 390 Nm
Engine Size 1999 cc 2000 cc
Claimed Mileage 6.5 km/l 13.2 km/l
Ground Clearance 185 mm 203 mm
Boot / Load Bay 298 l 117 l
Airbags 6 Multiple airbags
Kerb Weight 1600 kg 1658 kg
Seating Capacity Not confirmed -
Warranty 5 Years / 100,000 km 7 Year / 200 000 km

= leads in this spec

Archived models stay fully comparable. Verified specs remain visible; historical fields that were not source-confirmed are marked Not confirmed instead of being guessed.

The Bottom Line

Both Jolion GT and Tiggo 8 Pro Max are extremely closely matched, making the final choice dependent on buyer preference.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Tiggo 8 Pro Max +7 pts
Efficiency Tiggo 8 Pro Max +13 pts
Safety Equal
Practicality Tiggo 8 Pro Max +4 pts
Ownership Tiggo 8 Pro Max +12 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Jolion GT

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

Tiggo 8 Pro Max

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • More practical for daily use
  • Better long-term ownership value
Weak Spots
  • No obvious weak spots to flag.
Best suited to: Highway Driving Fuel Efficiency Family Usage

Which One's Right for You?

Jolion GT

  • Buyers looking for a balanced all-round vehicle

Tiggo 8 Pro Max

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power
  • Buyers looking for better fuel efficiency
  • Large families needing more practicality and usability
  • Long-term owners valuing warranty and ownership peace of mind

Full Specs, Side by Side

Archived cars use verified historical spec records. Rows remain comparable; unavailable historical values are shown plainly rather than estimated.

Spec Jolion GT Tiggo 8 Pro Max
Model Introduced Year 2024 2023
Generation First generation, sharing platform fundamentals with the regular Jolion but with bodywork, suspension calibration, powertrain and cabin treatment differentiated to position as a halo product within the Haval lineup. Current South Africa Tiggo 8 Pro Max range
Facelift History First-generation Jolion GT launched in South Africa in 2024. No significant facelift to date; software updates have improved driver-assistance calibration and refined hybrid system behaviour during cold starts on the Highveld. Current South Africa version listed by official source
Facelift Launched Since 2024 2023
Tare Mass Kg 1600 kg 1658 kg
Facelift Version Ending Not confirmed Current
Body Style Not confirmed SUV
Model Year Not confirmed 2026
Production Status Not confirmed active
Segment Not confirmed SUV
Vehicle Type Not confirmed SUV
Spec Jolion GT Tiggo 8 Pro Max
Drivetrain Layout Front Engine Front Wheel Drive FWD
LSD Available No Not Applicable
Transfer Case Not Applicable Not Applicable
Differential Lock No Not Applicable
Engine Position Front Transverse -
Gearbox DHT Hybrid Transmission 7 DCT
Final Drive Ratio 3.73 Not Applicable
Steering Turns Lock to Lock 14.7:1 -
Number of Gears 2 7
Transmission Type Automatic Automatic
Clutch Type Wet Multi-Disc Automatic clutch
Gear Shift Indicator Yes Standard
Drivetrain Front Wheel Drive FWD
Drive Mode Selector Yes -
Gearbox Type Automatic 7 DCT
Reverse Gear Warning Yes -
Transmission Speeds 2 7
Gear Shift Type Automatic Electric
Paddle Shifters Not confirmed Standard
4WD Engagement Not confirmed Not Applicable
4WD Hi Range Not confirmed Not Applicable
4WD Lo Range Not confirmed Not Applicable
4WD Selector Not confirmed Not Applicable
Automatic Shift Paddles Not confirmed Standard
Front Differential Lock Not confirmed Not Applicable
Low Range Ratio Not confirmed Not Applicable
Low Range Not confirmed Not Applicable
Axle Layout Not confirmed FWD
Rear Differential Lock Not confirmed Not Applicable

Overall Verdict Score

Decision-grade view of the winner, score gap and category strengths.

Weighted / 100
Verdict readout

Tiggo 8 Pro Max leads by 6 points

Both Jolion GT and Tiggo 8 Pro Max are extremely closely matched, making the final choice dependent on buyer preference.

Winner 72 /100
Lead 6 points
Data 74% confidence
72
#1 Winner

Tiggo 8 Pro Max

74% data confidence 3 strong categories
Best at Safety 94 Check Efficiency 52
Performance 75
Efficiency 52
Safety 94
Practicality 61
Ownership 77
Leads by 6 points
66
#2

Jolion GT

97% data confidence 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 94 Check Efficiency 39
Performance 68
Efficiency 39
Safety 94
Practicality 57
Ownership 65
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Tiggo 8 Pro Max +7 Efficiency Tiggo 8 Pro Max +13 Safety Level Practicality Tiggo 8 Pro Max +4 Ownership Tiggo 8 Pro Max +12

Very close match. Final decision depends on buyer preference.

Why this score View full breakdown
Overall Winner

Tiggo 8 Pro Max

Performance 75/100
Efficiency 52/100
Safety 94/100
Practicality 61/100
Ownership 77/100

Jolion GT

Performance 68/100
Efficiency 39/100
Safety 94/100
Practicality 57/100
Ownership 65/100

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Chery Tiggo 8 Pro Max wins with 72 pts vs 66 pts for Jolion GT

In structured scoring, Tiggo 8 Pro Max emerges as the stronger overall package. However, Jolion GT 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 Tiggo 8 Pro Max 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: Jolion GT 39 vs Tiggo 8 Pro Max 52. 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: Jolion GT 94, Tiggo 8 Pro Max 94. 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: Jolion GT 65, Tiggo 8 Pro Max 77. 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: Jolion GT 57, Tiggo 8 Pro Max 61. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Jolion GT 68, Tiggo 8 Pro Max 75. 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 Tiggo 8 Pro Max edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

The Tiggo 8 Pro Max 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 Jolion GT and Tiggo 8 Pro Max in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: Jolion GT scores 68 vs 75.

Efficiency: Jolion GT scores 39 vs 52.

Safety: Jolion GT scores 94 vs 94.

Practicality: Jolion GT scores 57 vs 61.

Ownership: Jolion GT scores 65 vs 77.

Final structured scoring gives Tiggo 8 Pro Max the advantage in this comparison.