GWM Jolion vs Mahindra KUV100

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 an archived model

Current and archived cars are compared side by side. Archived models keep their verified historical specs, while price labels show last-listed context rather than current new-car availability.

Mahindra KUV100
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
Mahindra KUV100 in South Africa

Mahindra KUV100

Archive reference
No longer sold new historical model
No longer sold new Specs stay visible for owner and used-car comparisons.
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance KUV100
Fuel Economy KUV100
🛡 Safety Jolion
📦 Practicality Jolion
🔑 Ownership Jolion

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Jolion KUV100
Engine Power 115 Not confirmed
Torque 250 Not confirmed
Engine Size 1497 Not confirmed
Claimed Mileage 5.6 Not confirmed
Ground Clearance 190 Not confirmed
Boot Space 340 Not confirmed
Airbags 6 Not confirmed
Kerb Weight 1500 Not confirmed
Seating Capacity 5 Not confirmed
Warranty 5 Not confirmed

= 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

Jolion holds a noticeable edge over KUV100, especially in key ownership areas.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance KUV100 +8 pts
Efficiency KUV100 +13 pts
Safety Jolion +94 pts
Practicality Jolion +10 pts
Ownership Jolion +15 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

🏆 Overall Winner

Jolion

Strengths
  • Stronger safety package
  • More practical for daily use
  • Better long-term ownership value
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower fuel efficiency
Best suited to: Family Usage

KUV100

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Better fuel efficiency
Weak Spots
  • Less comprehensive safety features
  • Less practical in daily usage
  • Shorter warranty coverage
Best suited to: Highway Driving Fuel Efficiency

Which One's Right for You?

Jolion

  • Families prioritising stronger safety equipment
  • Large families needing more practicality and usability
  • Long-term owners valuing warranty and ownership peace of mind

KUV100

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power
  • Buyers looking for better fuel efficiency

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 KUV100
0–100 km/h 115 sec Not confirmed
0-100 km/h 115 sec Not confirmed
Acceleration 0 100 115 sec Not confirmed
Active Engine Braking No Not confirmed
Active Exhaust Not Available Not confirmed
Engine Aspiration Turbocharged Not confirmed
Battery Capacity 1.8 kWh Not confirmed
Cylinder Bore 72.5 mm Not confirmed
Compression Ratio 10.5:1 Not confirmed
Cylinder Layout Inline 4 (I4) Not confirmed
Cylinders 4 Not confirmed
Displacement 1497 cc Not confirmed
Engine 1.5L GW4B15A + Electric Motor Hybrid Not confirmed
Engine Code GW4B15A Not confirmed
Engine Config 1.5L GW4B15A + Electric Motor Hybrid Not confirmed
Engine Cylinders 4 Not confirmed
Engine Displacement 1497 cc Not confirmed
Engine Displacement Cc 1497 cc Not confirmed
Engine Displacement Litres 1.5 l Not confirmed
Engine Position Front Transverse Not confirmed
Engine Power kW 115 kW Not confirmed
Engine Torque Nm 250 Nm Not confirmed
Engine Type Inline 4 Cylinder Turbocharged Petrol Not confirmed
Engine Type Config Inline 4 Cylinder (I4) DOHC 16-Valve Turbocharged Not confirmed
Engine Valves 16 Not confirmed
EV Range 120 km Not confirmed
Fuel Grade Required Petrol Not confirmed
Fuel System Direct Injection Not confirmed
Induction Turbocharged Not confirmed
Max Power kW 115 kW Not confirmed
Maximum Engine RPM 6,000 rpm Not confirmed
Max Torque Nm 250 Nm Not confirmed
Maximum Power 115 kW Not confirmed
Maximum Torque 250 Nm Not confirmed
Motor Power 75 Not confirmed
Motor Torque 250 Not confirmed
Engine Oil Capacity 5.5 l Not confirmed
Power 115 kW Not confirmed
Power Assisted Steering Electric Power Assisted Not confirmed
Power 154 bhp Not confirmed
Power kW Rpm 5,500 rpm Not confirmed
Power @ RPM 5,500 rpm Not confirmed
Piston Stroke 90.8 mm Not confirmed
Top Speed 188 km/h Not confirmed
Torque 250 Nm Not confirmed
Torque Nm Rpm 1,500-4,000 rpm Not confirmed
Torque @ RPM 1,500-4,000 rpm Not confirmed
Turbo Type Turbocharged Not confirmed
Turbocharger Yes Not confirmed
Valves per Cylinder 16 Not confirmed
Variable Valve Timing Yes Not confirmed
Spec Jolion KUV100
360 Degree Camera Yes Not confirmed
Adaptive Cruise Control Yes Not confirmed
Adaptive Cruise Control Yes Not confirmed
Around View Monitor Yes Not confirmed
Attention Assist Yes Not confirmed
Autonomous Emergency Braking Yes Not confirmed
Automatic High Beam Yes Not confirmed
Auto Highbeam Yes Not confirmed
Auto Lights Yes Not confirmed
Auto Park Assist No Not confirmed
Auto Wipers Yes Not confirmed
Blind Spot Monitoring Yes Not confirmed
Blind Spot Warning Yes Not confirmed
Cruise Control Yes Not confirmed
Drive Modes Yes Not confirmed
Driver Fatigue Alert Yes Not confirmed
Eco Mode Yes Not confirmed
Emergency Braking Yes Not confirmed
EV Mode Yes Not confirmed
Forward Collision Warning Yes Not confirmed
Front Camera Yes Not confirmed
Lane Departure Warning Yes Not confirmed
Lane Keep Assist Yes Not confirmed
Park Assist Yes Not confirmed
Parking Distance Sensors Front and Rear Not confirmed
Parking Sensor Front and Rear Not confirmed
Parking Sensors Front and Rear Not confirmed
Pre-Collision System Yes Not confirmed
Rain Sensor Wipers Yes Not confirmed
Rear View Camera Yes Not confirmed
Rear Cross Traffic Alert Yes Not confirmed
Rear Parking Sensors Yes Not confirmed
Rear View Camera Yes Not confirmed
Reverse Camera Yes Not confirmed
Reverse Camera Type Yes Not confirmed
Reversing Camera Yes Not confirmed
Sport Mode Yes Not confirmed
Surround View Camera Yes Not confirmed
Traffic Sign Recognition Yes Not confirmed

Overall Verdict Score

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

Weighted / 100
Verdict readout

Jolion leads by 21 points

Jolion holds a noticeable edge over KUV100, especially in key ownership areas.

Winner 60 /100
Lead 21 points
Data 97% confidence
60
#1 Winner

Jolion

97% data confidence 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 94 Check Efficiency 37
Performance 42
Efficiency 37
Safety 94
Practicality 60
Ownership 65
Leads by 21 points
39
#2

KUV100

11% data confidence 0 strong categories
Best at Performance 50 Check Safety 0
Performance 50
Efficiency 50
Safety 0
Practicality 50
Ownership 50
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance KUV100 +8 Efficiency KUV100 +13 Safety Jolion +94 Practicality Jolion +10 Ownership Jolion +15

Moderate difference between the models.

Why this score View full breakdown
Overall Winner

Jolion

Performance 42/100
Efficiency 37/100
Safety 94/100
Practicality 60/100
Ownership 65/100

KUV100

Performance 50/100
Efficiency 50/100
Safety 0/100
Practicality 50/100
Ownership 50/100

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 GWM Jolion wins with 60 pts vs 39 pts for KUV100

In structured scoring, Jolion emerges as the stronger overall package. However, KUV100 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 37 vs KUV100 50. 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 94, KUV100 0. 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 65, KUV100 50. 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 60, KUV100 50. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Jolion 42, KUV100 50. 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 KUV100 in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: Jolion scores 42 vs 50.

Efficiency: Jolion scores 37 vs 50.

Safety: Jolion scores 94 vs 0.

Practicality: Jolion scores 60 vs 50.

Ownership: Jolion scores 65 vs 50.

Final structured scoring gives Jolion the advantage in this comparison.