New Haval Jolion Pro vs Toyota Corolla Cross GR-Sport – Stylish crossover battle
The new Haval Jolion Pro has officially gone on sale in South Africa, adding another entry to the small but growing segment of flashy family crossovers.
In recent years, a few carmakers have started to wheel out sporty-themed versions of their most popular products, and one of these happens to be the Toyota Corolla Cross.
The Corolla Cross is one of the cars to have received the GR-Sport treatment from Toyota’s racing division, and currently has two units with the credentials, including a hybrid.
The new Jolion Pro is much the same in that it is a more athletic version of Haval’s well-received SUV, and its top two entries happen to be very similarly priced to the Toyota.
What’s more, the Jolion also has a hybrid model, making for a natural comparison to see whether China or Japan is selling the more competitive offering.
Engines
Starting with the non-hybrid units, the two we’re looking at are are the Jolion Pro S, and the base GR-Sport.
You can see how their drivetrains fare in the table below:
| Model | Haval Jolion Pro S | Toyota Corolla Cross GR-Sport |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol | 1.8-litre petrol |
| Power | 130kW | 103kW |
| Torque | 270Nm | 172Nm |
| Fuel consumption | 7.5l/100km | 6.8l/100km |
The Haval has a smaller displacement but is turbocharged, which ends up giving it a much greater power ceiling than the naturally-aspirated Toyota.
Both vehicles are front-wheel drive, but the Jolion uses a seven-speed, dual-clutch (DCT) automatic gearbox while the Corolla features a CVT, with the trade-off being that the latter is more fuel-efficient.
Shifting focus to the hybrids, they both use the same engines as their stablemates but receive assistance from a small electric motor that raises the total output of the powertrain while increasing efficiency.
You can see how it affects each model in the table below:
| Model | Haval Jolion Pro HEV | Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid GR-Sport |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol | 1.8-litre petrol |
| Power | 140kW | 90kW |
| Torque | 375Nm | n/a |
| Fuel consumption | 5.1l/100km | 4.3l/100km |
Unfortunately, Toyota does not disclose the official torque values of its hybrids, citing “drivetrain complexities” for not doing so.
In the case of the Pro, the semi-electric option boasts even more power over the already punchy S, while the Toyota actually has a bit less power than the standard models.
The Japanese car does have the better consumption, though both are considered incredibly frugal by today’s standards.
It’s important to note that the Corolla still uses a CVT while the Jolion HEV swaps the DCT for a dedicated hybrid transmission.
Features
Both crossovers benefit from a cosmetic overhaul intended to give them a more athletic design.
On the Haval, this entails a new vertical grille with chrome highlights, a front and rear splitter, extended wheel arches, gloss black roof rails and mirrors, a singular rear lightbar, and a spoiler.
It’s a similar story for the Cross, as it features unique front and rear bumpers, an altered grille, a black contrast roof, gloss black mirrors, flared wheel arches, and Gazoo Racing badges.
Both vehicles have 18-inch alloy rims with a bespoke design, too.
The inside of the Jolion is unchanged from the standard models save for paddle shifters on the steering wheel and a larger screen, while the GR treatment is extended inside the Toyota with a branded push-start button and floor mats, and black/red styling details on the seats, gearstick, and dashboard.
As for their spec sheet, both vehicles come with automatic LED headlights and daytime running lights, rain-sensing wipers, automatic dual-zone air conditioning, an infotainment display with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 7.0-inch digital driver display, a reverse camera, keyless entry and start, a multifunction steering wheel, leather upholstery, six speakers, hill assist, front and rear parking sensors, lane-keep assist, rear cross-traffic alert, blind-spot monitoring, and adaptive cruise control.
The Corolla has an 8.0-inch media screen, while the Jolion’s is larger at 12.3 inches.
The newer Haval also has extra equipment in the form of heated and ventilated seats, a heads-up display, a 360-degree camera, and a panoramic sunroof.
Pricing
The South African pricing for the new Haval Jolion Pro is as follows:
Each purchase comes with a 7-year/200,000km warranty, a 5-year/75,000km service plan, a 7-year/unlimited-kilometre roadside assistance, with an additional 8-year/150,000km battery warranty on the hybrid.
The local pricing for the Toyota Corolla Cross GR-Sport is as follows:
This includes a 3-year/100,000km warranty, a 6-service/90,000km service plan, and an 8-year/195,000km battery warranty on the hybrid.
Haval Jolion Pro
Toyota Corolla Cross GR-Sport
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