GWM Jolion vs Isuzu MU-X

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
Isuzu MU-X in South Africa

Isuzu MU-X

3.0 DDi LSE 4x4 AT Diesel Automatic
ZAR 973,800 ex-showroom
⚡ 110 kW 🔧 350 @ 1800-2600 Nm ⛽ 13.2 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance MU-X
Fuel Economy MU-X
🛡 Safety Tie
📦 Practicality MU-X
🔑 Ownership Jolion
Jolion starts ZAR 752400 cheaper Jolion from ZAR 409,900 · MU-X from ZAR 752,400

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Jolion MU-X
Engine Power 115 110 @ 3600
Torque 250 350 @ 1800-2600
Engine Size 1497 3000
Claimed Mileage 5.6 13.2
Ground Clearance 190 235
Boot Space 340 Not Applicable
Airbags 6 Standard
Kerb Weight 1500 2080
Seating Capacity 5 7
Warranty 5 5 years / 120 000 km

= leads in this spec

The Bottom Line

MU-X has a slight advantage, but Jolion remains highly competitive.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance MU-X +20 pts
Efficiency MU-X +15 pts
Safety Equal
Practicality MU-X +28 pts
Ownership Jolion +21 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Jolion

Strengths
  • Better long-term ownership value
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Less practical in daily usage
Best suited to: General Use
🏆 Overall Winner

MU-X

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • More practical for daily use
Weak Spots
  • Shorter warranty coverage
Best suited to: Highway Driving Fuel Efficiency Family Usage

Which One's Right for You?

Jolion

  • Long-term owners valuing warranty and ownership peace of mind

MU-X

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power
  • Buyers looking for better fuel efficiency
  • Large families needing more practicality and usability

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Jolion MU-X
0–100 km/h 115 sec Not Applicable
0-100 km/h 115 sec Not Applicable
Acceleration 0 100 115 sec Not Applicable
Active Engine Braking No -
Active Exhaust Not Available Not Available
Engine Aspiration Turbocharged Standard
Battery Capacity 1.8 kWh Not Available
Cylinder Bore 72.5 mm Not Applicable
Compression Ratio 10.5:1 16.3:1
Cylinder Layout Inline 4 (I4) Not Applicable
Cylinders 4 4
Displacement 1497 cc 3000 cc
Engine 1.5L GW4B15A + Electric Motor Hybrid Not Applicable
Engine Code GW4B15A 4JJ3
Engine Config 1.5L GW4B15A + Electric Motor Hybrid Not Applicable
Engine Cylinders 4 4
Engine Displacement 1497 cc 3000 cc
Engine Displacement Cc 1497 cc 3000 cc
Engine Displacement Litres 1.5 l 3 l
Engine Position Front Transverse -
Engine Power kW 115 kW 110 @ 3600 kW
Engine Torque Nm 250 Nm 350 @ 1800-2600 Nm
Engine Type Inline 4 Cylinder Turbocharged Petrol Not Applicable
Engine Type Config Inline 4 Cylinder (I4) DOHC 16-Valve Turbocharged Not Applicable
Engine Valves 16 16
EV Range 120 km Not Available
Fuel Grade Required Petrol Diesel
Fuel System Direct Injection Not Applicable
Induction Turbocharged Standard
Max Power kW 115 kW 110 @ 3600 kW
Maximum Engine RPM 6,000 rpm -
Max Torque Nm 250 Nm 350 @ 1800-2600 Nm
Maximum Power 115 kW 110 @ 3600 kW
Maximum Torque 250 Nm 350 @ 1800-2600 Nm
Motor Power 75 Not Available
Motor Torque 250 Not Available
Engine Oil Capacity 5.5 l -
Power 115 kW 110 @ 3600 kW
Power Assisted Steering Electric Power Assisted Hydraulic
Power 154 bhp 110 @ 3600 bhp
Power kW Rpm 5,500 rpm 140 @ 3600
Power @ RPM 5,500 rpm 140 @ 3600
Piston Stroke 90.8 mm Not Applicable
Top Speed 188 km/h Not Applicable
Torque 250 Nm 350 @ 1800-2600 Nm
Torque Nm Rpm 1,500-4,000 rpm 450 @ 1600-2600
Torque @ RPM 1,500-4,000 rpm 450 @ 1600-2600
Turbo Type Turbocharged Standard
Turbocharger Yes Standard
Valves per Cylinder 16 16
Variable Valve Timing Yes -
Charging Port - Not Available
AC Charging Time - Not Available
Bore X Stroke Mm - 95.4 x 104.9
Combined System Power - Not Available
Combined System Torque - Not Available
Engine Sump Guard - Standard
Motor Position - Not Available
Motor Type - Not Available
System Output - Not Available
Spec Jolion MU-X
360 Degree Camera Yes Standard
Adaptive Cruise Control Yes Not Available
Adaptive Cruise Control Yes Not Available
Around View Monitor Yes Standard
Attention Assist Yes -
Autonomous Emergency Braking Yes Standard
Automatic High Beam Yes Standard
Auto Highbeam Yes Standard
Auto Lights Yes Standard
Auto Park Assist No -
Auto Wipers Yes Not Available
Blind Spot Monitoring Yes Standard
Blind Spot Warning Yes Standard
Cruise Control Yes Standard
Drive Modes Yes Not Available
Driver Fatigue Alert Yes Not Available
Eco Mode Yes -
Emergency Braking Yes Standard
EV Mode Yes Not Available
Forward Collision Warning Yes Standard
Front Camera Yes Standard
Lane Departure Warning Yes Standard
Lane Keep Assist Yes Standard
Park Assist Yes Not Available
Parking Distance Sensors Front and Rear Front & Rear
Parking Sensor Front and Rear Front & Rear
Parking Sensors Front and Rear Front & Rear
Pre-Collision System Yes Standard
Rain Sensor Wipers Yes -
Rear View Camera Yes Standard
Rear Cross Traffic Alert Yes Standard
Rear Parking Sensors Yes Front & Rear
Rear View Camera Yes Standard
Reverse Camera Yes Standard
Reverse Camera Type Yes Standard
Reversing Camera Yes Standard
Sport Mode Yes -
Surround View Camera Yes Standard
Traffic Sign Recognition Yes Not Available
Driver Monitoring - Standard
Multi Collision Braking - Standard
Occupant Detection Sensor - Passengers

Overall Verdict Score

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

Weighted / 100
Verdict readout

MU-X leads by 10 points

MU-X has a slight advantage, but Jolion remains highly competitive.

Winner 70 /100
Lead 10 points
Data 79% confidence
70
#1 Winner

MU-X

79% data confidence 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 94 Check Ownership 44
Performance 62
Efficiency 52
Safety 94
Practicality 88
Ownership 44
Leads by 10 points
60
#2

Jolion

97% data confidence 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 94 Check Efficiency 37
Performance 42
Efficiency 37
Safety 94
Practicality 60
Ownership 65
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance MU-X +20 Efficiency MU-X +15 Safety Level Practicality MU-X +28 Ownership Jolion +21

Moderate difference between the models.

Why this score View full breakdown
Overall Winner

MU-X

Performance 62/100
Efficiency 52/100
Safety 94/100
Practicality 88/100
Ownership 44/100

Jolion

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

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Isuzu MU-X wins with 70 pts vs 60 pts for Jolion

In structured scoring, MU-X emerges as the stronger overall package. However, Jolion 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 MU-X 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 MU-X 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 94, MU-X 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 65, MU-X 44. 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, MU-X 88. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Jolion 42, MU-X 62. 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 MU-X edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

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

Performance: Jolion scores 42 vs 62.

Efficiency: Jolion scores 37 vs 52.

Safety: Jolion scores 94 vs 94.

Practicality: Jolion scores 60 vs 88.

Ownership: Jolion scores 65 vs 44.

Final structured scoring gives MU-X the advantage in this comparison.