GWM Jolion vs Chery Tiggo 7 PHEV

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 ⛽ 17.9 km/l
VS
Chery Tiggo 7 PHEV in South Africa

Chery Tiggo 7 PHEV

PHEV Ultra Plug-In Hybrid Automatic
ZAR 679,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 265 kW 🔧 530 Nm ⛽ 20.4 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance Tiggo 7 PHEV
Fuel Economy Tiggo 7 PHEV
🛡 Safety Tie
📦 Practicality Tiggo 7 PHEV
🔑 Ownership Tiggo 7 PHEV
Jolion starts ZAR 599900 cheaper Jolion from ZAR 409,900 · Tiggo 7 PHEV from ZAR 599,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Jolion Tiggo 7 PHEV
Engine Power 115 kW 265 kW
Torque 250 Nm 530 Nm
Engine Size 1497 cc 1.5 cc
Claimed Mileage 17.9 km/l 20.4 km/l
Ground Clearance 190 mm 162 mm
Boot / Load Bay 340 l 626 l
Airbags 6 Multiple airbags
Kerb Weight 1500 kg 1870 kg
Seating Capacity 5 5
Warranty 5 Years / 100,000 km 7 Year / 200 000 km

= leads in this spec

The Bottom Line

Tiggo 7 PHEV holds a noticeable edge over Jolion, especially in key ownership areas.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Tiggo 7 PHEV +49 pts
Efficiency Tiggo 7 PHEV +12 pts
Safety Equal
Practicality Tiggo 7 PHEV +16 pts
Ownership Tiggo 7 PHEV +4 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Jolion

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 7 PHEV

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

  • Buyers looking for a balanced all-round vehicle

Tiggo 7 PHEV

  • 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

Spec Jolion Tiggo 7 PHEV
360 Degree Camera Yes Standard
Adaptive Cruise Control Yes Standard
Adaptive Cruise Control Yes Standard
Around View Monitor Yes Standard
Attention Assist Yes -
Autonomous Emergency Braking Yes Standard
Automatic High Beam Yes -
Auto Highbeam Yes Standard
Auto Lights Yes -
Auto Park Assist No -
Auto Wipers Yes Standard
Blind Spot Monitoring Yes Standard
Blind Spot Warning Yes Standard
Cruise Control Yes Standard
Drive Modes Yes Eco / Normal / Sport
Driver Fatigue Alert Yes Standard
Eco Mode Yes -
Emergency Braking Yes -
Forward Collision Warning Yes Standard
Front Camera Yes -
Lane Departure Warning Yes Standard
Lane Keep Assist Yes Standard
Park Assist Yes -
Parking Distance Sensors Front and Rear -
Parking Sensor Front and Rear -
Parking Sensors Front and Rear Standard
Pre-Collision System Yes -
Rain Sensor Wipers Yes -
Rear View Camera Yes Standard
Rear Cross Traffic Alert Yes Standard
Rear Parking Sensors Yes Standard
Rear View Camera Yes -
Reverse Camera Yes Standard
Reverse Camera Type Yes -
Reversing Camera Yes -
Sport Mode Yes -
Surround View Camera Yes Standard
Traffic Sign Recognition Yes -
EV Mode Yes -
Spec Jolion Tiggo 7 PHEV
4WD Engagement - -
4WD Hi Range - -
4WD Lo Range - -
4WD Selector - -
Automatic Shift Paddles No Standard
Clutch Type Wet Multi-Disc Automatic clutch
Differential Lock No -
Differential Type Front - -
Differential Type Rear - -
Drive Mode Selector Yes -
Drive Type Front Wheel Drive FWD
Drivetrain Front Wheel Drive FWD
Drivetrain Layout Front Engine Front Wheel Drive FWD
Final Drive Ratio 3.73 -
Front Differential Lock - -
Number of Gears 2 km/h Hybrid DHT
Transmission Automatic Automatic
Gearbox Type Automatic Automatic
LSD Available No -
Low Range - -
Paddle Shifters No Standard
Rear Differential Lock - -
Reverse Gear Warning Yes -
Steering Turns Lock to Lock 14.7:1 -
Transfer Case - -
Transfer Case Guard - -
Transmission Automatic Automatic
Transmission Speeds 2 km/h Hybrid DHT
Transmission Type Automatic Automatic
Axle Layout Front Wheel Drive FWD

Overall Verdict Score

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

Weighted / 100
Verdict readout

Tiggo 7 PHEV leads by 18 points

Tiggo 7 PHEV holds a noticeable edge over Jolion, especially in key ownership areas.

Winner 84 /100
Lead 18 points
Data 74% confidence
84
#1 Winner

Tiggo 7 PHEV

74% data confidence 4 strong categories
Best at Safety 94 Check Ownership 69
Performance 91
Efficiency 85
Safety 94
Practicality 76
Ownership 69
Leads by 18 points
66
#2

Jolion

97% data confidence 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 94 Check Performance 42
Performance 42
Efficiency 73
Safety 94
Practicality 60
Ownership 65
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Tiggo 7 PHEV +49 Efficiency Tiggo 7 PHEV +12 Safety Level Practicality Tiggo 7 PHEV +16 Ownership Tiggo 7 PHEV +4

Moderate difference between the models.

Why this score View full breakdown
Overall Winner

Tiggo 7 PHEV

Performance 91/100
Efficiency 85/100
Safety 94/100
Practicality 76/100
Ownership 69/100

Jolion

Performance 42/100
Efficiency 73/100
Safety 94/100
Practicality 60/100
Ownership 65/100

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Chery Tiggo 7 PHEV wins with 84 pts vs 66 pts for Jolion

In structured scoring, Tiggo 7 PHEV 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 Tiggo 7 PHEV 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 73 vs Tiggo 7 PHEV 85. 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, Tiggo 7 PHEV 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, Tiggo 7 PHEV 69. 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, Tiggo 7 PHEV 76. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Jolion 42, Tiggo 7 PHEV 91. 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 7 PHEV edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

The Tiggo 7 PHEV 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 Tiggo 7 PHEV in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: Jolion scores 42 vs 91.

Efficiency: Jolion scores 73 vs 85.

Safety: Jolion scores 94 vs 94.

Practicality: Jolion scores 60 vs 76.

Ownership: Jolion scores 65 vs 69.

Final structured scoring gives Tiggo 7 PHEV the advantage in this comparison.