Gwm Jolion vs Hyundai Kona

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.

Gwm Jolion in South Africa

Gwm Jolion

1.5T Hybrid LT Hybrid Automatic
ZAR 519,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 115 kW 🔧 250 Nm ⛽ 5.6 km/l
VS
Hyundai Kona in South Africa

Hyundai Kona

1.0T DCT Executive Petrol Automatic
ZAR 565,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 88 kW 🔧 172 Nm ⛽ 15.5 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance Jolion
Fuel Economy Tie
🛡 Safety Tie
📦 Practicality Tie
🔑 Ownership Tie
Jolion starts ZAR 459900 cheaper Jolion from ZAR 409,900 · Kona from ZAR 459,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Jolion Kona
Engine Power 115 88
Torque 250 172
Engine Size 1497 998
Claimed Mileage 5.6 15.5
Ground Clearance 190 165
Boot Space 340 466
Airbags 6 6
Kerb Weight 1500 1460
Seating Capacity 5 5
Warranty 5 5

= leads in this spec

The Overall Score — Here's How They Stack Up

🏆 Winner
#1

Jolion

60
/ 100
+2
pts
#2

Kona

58
/ 100

Very close match. Final decision depends on buyer preference.

The Bottom Line

Both Jolion and Kona are extremely closely matched, making the final choice dependent on buyer preference.

Where They Actually Differ

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

Score Breakdown by Category

🏆 Overall Winner

Jolion

Performance 10/20
Efficiency 0/20
Safety 18/20
Practicality 12/20
Ownership 20/20

Kona

Performance 8/20
Efficiency 0/20
Safety 18/20
Practicality 12/20
Ownership 20/20

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

🏆 Overall Winner

Jolion

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
Weak Spots
  • No obvious weak spots to flag.
Best suited to: Highway Driving

Kona

Strengths
  • Nothing stands out clearly here.
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
Best suited to: General Use

Which One's Right for You?

Jolion

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power

Kona

  • Buyers looking for a balanced all-round vehicle

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Jolion Kona
Body Type SUV SUV
Daytime Running Lamps Yes LED
DRL Yes Yes
LED Headlamps Yes Full LED
Led Taillights Yes Available
Fog Lights Yes Yes
Fog Lamps Yes LED
Led Headlights Yes Available
Front Fog Lights Yes Yes
Alloy Wheel Design Multi-Spoke Alloy 18-inch Alloy
Rear Wiper Yes Yes
Chrome Exterior Finish Yes Chrome Exterior Accents
Door Handle Finish Body Coloured Body Coloured
Roof Type Metal Roof Available
Rear Spoiler Yes Yes
Wing Mirror Type Electric Adjustable Power Adjustable
Body Cladding Yes Wheel Arch & Skid Plate Cladding
Exterior Colour Options 6 Available
Rear Fog Lights Yes Available
Roof Rails Yes Yes
Spec Jolion Kona
Number of Doors 5 Available
Seats 5 5
Seating Capacity 5 5
Length 4472 4355
Width 1841 1825
Height 1628 1570
Wheelbase 2700 2660
Ground Clearance 190 165
Kerb Weight 1500 1460
Fuel Tank Capacity 55 Available
Boot Space 340 466
Doors 5 5
Front Overhang 880 Available
Rear Overhang 890 Available
Front Track Width 1560 1561 mm
Rear Track Width 1570 1556 mm
Front Headroom 990 Available
Rear Headroom 960 Available
Front Legroom 1050 Available
Rear Legroom 890 Available
Front Shoulder Room 1430 Available
Rear Shoulder Room 1390 Available
Gross Vehicle Weight 2200 1850 kg
Boot Volume 340 Available
Boot Space Seats Folded 540 Available
Turning Radius 11.4 5.5 m
Towing Capacity 1500 1000 kg (Unbraked)
Load Bed Length - Not Applicable
Load Bed Width - Not Applicable
Max Payload - Available

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Gwm Jolion wins with 60 pts vs 58 pts for Kona

In structured scoring, Jolion emerges as the stronger overall package. However, Kona 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 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 0 vs Kona 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: Jolion 18, Kona 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: Jolion 20, Kona 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: Jolion 12, Kona 12. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Jolion 10, Kona 8. 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 edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

The Jolion 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 and Kona in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: Jolion scores 10 vs 8.

Efficiency: Jolion scores 0 vs 0.

Safety: Jolion scores 18 vs 18.

Practicality: Jolion scores 12 vs 12.

Ownership: Jolion scores 20 vs 20.

Final structured scoring gives Jolion the advantage in this comparison.