GWM Jolion vs Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid

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 Santa Fe Hybrid in South Africa

Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid

1.6T Hybrid Elite AWD 6AT Hybrid Automatic
ZAR 1,249,900 ex-showroom
🔧 367 Nm ⛽ 7.5 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance Santa Fe Hybrid
Fuel Economy Santa Fe Hybrid
🛡 Safety Jolion
📦 Practicality Santa Fe Hybrid
🔑 Ownership Tie
Jolion starts ZAR 1249900 cheaper Jolion from ZAR 409,900 · Santa Fe Hybrid from ZAR 1,249,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Jolion Santa Fe Hybrid
Engine Power 115 Not Applicable
Torque 250 367
Engine Size 1497 1598
Claimed Mileage 5.6 7.5
Ground Clearance 190 177 mm
Boot Space 340 Not Applicable
Airbags 6 Not Available
Kerb Weight 1500 Not Applicable
Seating Capacity 5 7
Warranty 5 5

= leads in this spec

The Bottom Line

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

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Santa Fe Hybrid +23 pts
Efficiency Santa Fe Hybrid +4 pts
Safety Jolion +66 pts
Practicality Santa Fe Hybrid +20 pts
Ownership Equal

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

🏆 Overall Winner

Jolion

Strengths
  • Stronger safety package
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Less practical in daily usage
Best suited to: General Use

Santa Fe Hybrid

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • More practical for daily use
Weak Spots
  • Less comprehensive safety features
Best suited to: Highway Driving Fuel Efficiency Family Usage

Which One's Right for You?

Jolion

  • Families prioritising stronger safety equipment

Santa Fe Hybrid

  • 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 Santa Fe Hybrid
0–100 km/h 115 sec 9.5 sec
0-100 km/h 115 sec 9.5 sec
Acceleration 0 100 115 sec 9.5 sec
Active Engine Braking No -
Active Exhaust Not Available Not Available
Engine Aspiration Turbocharged Not Applicable
Battery Capacity 1.8 kWh -
Cylinder Bore 72.5 mm Not Applicable
Compression Ratio 10.5:1 Not Applicable
Cylinder Layout Inline 4 (I4) Not Applicable
Cylinders 4 Not Applicable
Displacement 1497 cc 1598 cc
Engine 1.5L GW4B15A + Electric Motor Hybrid 1.6-litre turbo petrol hybrid
Engine Code GW4B15A Not Applicable
Engine Config 1.5L GW4B15A + Electric Motor Hybrid 1.6-litre turbo petrol hybrid
Engine Cylinders 4 Not Applicable
Engine Displacement 1497 cc 1598 cc
Engine Displacement Cc 1497 cc 1598 cc
Engine Displacement Litres 1.5 l 1.6 l
Engine Position Front Transverse -
Engine Power kW 115 kW Not Applicable
Engine Torque Nm 250 Nm 367 Nm
Engine Type Inline 4 Cylinder Turbocharged Petrol 1.6-litre turbo petrol hybrid
Engine Type Config Inline 4 Cylinder (I4) DOHC 16-Valve Turbocharged 1.6-litre turbo petrol hybrid
Engine Valves 16 Not Applicable
EV Range 120 km -
Fuel Grade Required Petrol Hybrid
Fuel System Direct Injection Not Applicable
Induction Turbocharged Not Applicable
Max Power kW 115 kW Not Applicable
Maximum Engine RPM 6,000 rpm -
Max Torque Nm 250 Nm 367 Nm
Maximum Power 115 kW Not Applicable
Maximum Torque 250 Nm 367 Nm
Motor Power 75 -
Motor Torque 250 -
Engine Oil Capacity 5.5 l -
Power 115 kW Not Applicable
Power Assisted Steering Electric Power Assisted -
Power 154 bhp Not Applicable
Power kW Rpm 5,500 rpm Not Applicable
Power @ RPM 5,500 rpm Not Applicable
Piston Stroke 90.8 mm Not Applicable
Top Speed 188 km/h 190 km/h
Torque 250 Nm 367 Nm
Torque Nm Rpm 1,500-4,000 rpm Not Applicable
Torque @ RPM 1,500-4,000 rpm Not Applicable
Turbo Type Turbocharged Not Applicable
Turbocharger Yes Not Applicable
Valves per Cylinder 16 Not Applicable
Variable Valve Timing Yes -
System Output - 175.2
Spec Jolion Santa Fe Hybrid
360 Degree Camera Yes Not Available
Adaptive Cruise Control Yes Not Available
Adaptive Cruise Control Yes Not Available
Around View Monitor Yes Not Available
Attention Assist Yes -
Autonomous Emergency Braking Yes Not Available
Automatic High Beam Yes -
Auto Highbeam Yes Not Available
Auto Lights Yes -
Auto Park Assist No -
Auto Wipers Yes Not Available
Blind Spot Monitoring Yes Not Available
Blind Spot Warning Yes Not Available
Cruise Control Yes Standard
Drive Modes Yes Not Available
Driver Fatigue Alert Yes Not Available
Eco Mode Yes -
Emergency Braking Yes -
EV Mode Yes -
Forward Collision Warning Yes Not Available
Front Camera Yes -
Lane Departure Warning Yes Not Available
Lane Keep Assist Yes Not Available
Park Assist Yes Not Available
Parking Distance Sensors Front and Rear -
Parking Sensor Front and Rear -
Parking Sensors Front and Rear Front and rear
Pre-Collision System Yes -
Rain Sensor Wipers Yes -
Rear View Camera Yes Not Available
Rear Cross Traffic Alert Yes Not Available
Rear Parking Sensors Yes Standard
Rear View Camera Yes -
Reverse Camera Yes Not Available
Reverse Camera Type Yes -
Reversing Camera Yes -
Sport Mode Yes -
Surround View Camera Yes Not Available
Traffic Sign Recognition Yes Not Available

Overall Verdict Score

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

Weighted / 100
Verdict readout

Jolion leads by 4 points

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

Winner 60 /100
Lead 4 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 4 points
56
#2

Santa Fe Hybrid

65% data confidence 1 strong categories
Best at Practicality 80 Check Safety 28
Performance 65
Efficiency 41
Safety 28
Practicality 80
Ownership 65
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Santa Fe Hybrid +23 Efficiency Santa Fe Hybrid +4 Safety Jolion +66 Practicality Santa Fe Hybrid +20 Ownership Level

Very close match. Final decision depends on buyer preference.

Why this score View full breakdown
Overall Winner

Jolion

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

Santa Fe Hybrid

Performance 65/100
Efficiency 41/100
Safety 28/100
Practicality 80/100
Ownership 65/100

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 GWM Jolion wins with 60 pts vs 56 pts for Santa Fe Hybrid

In structured scoring, Jolion emerges as the stronger overall package. However, Santa Fe Hybrid 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 Santa Fe Hybrid 41. 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, Santa Fe Hybrid 28. 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, Santa Fe Hybrid 65. 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, Santa Fe Hybrid 80. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Jolion 42, Santa Fe Hybrid 65. 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 Santa Fe Hybrid in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: Jolion scores 42 vs 65.

Efficiency: Jolion scores 37 vs 41.

Safety: Jolion scores 94 vs 28.

Practicality: Jolion scores 60 vs 80.

Ownership: Jolion scores 65 vs 65.

Final structured scoring gives Jolion the advantage in this comparison.