Haval Jolion HEV vs. Toyota Corolla Cross HEV – A Really Tough Comparison
All over the world, Toyota is considered the king of hybrid cars due to its hybrid heroes, Prius and Aqua. Their hybrid technology is recognized by the automotive world as the most efficient, reliable, and tech-advanced and sets a benchmark for hybrid standards.
Corolla Cross is Toyota’s latest hybrid add-on in the hybrid crossover segment. This car has risen to be one of the top-selling crossovers in the hybrid category. Of course, being a Toyota hybrid, it’s common for people to trust it and buy it blindly. Recently, many brands have stood up to challenge Toyota in their hybrid technology.
And we all know that Chinese brands always come out on top when it comes to competing with the market leader, and in that case, we got Haval. Jolion HEV is a recent addition to Haval’s series, giving strong head-to-head competition to Toyota’s Corolla Cross. In fact, it outperforms the Corolla Cross in some factors.
So here we are again with an all-new, very tough head-to-head comparison, this time between the Toyota Corolla Cross HEV and Haval Jolion HEV. Also, read our previous comparison, Newly Launched Haval Jolion HEV Vs. Haval H6 HEV | Budget Luxury SUVs By Haval
Overall Comparison
It’s a surprise that Chinese Haval is able to compete against the king of hybrids, Toyota. The Haval is indeed a cool car and could be a great option in the crossover category, specifically under hybrid crossovers.
There could be some setbacks for Jolion including dealers’ networks, mechanics, and parts availably, and the biggest flaw is resale value, especially against the Cross. However, Sazgar Engineering is working rapidly on it and has emerged as fast-paced company to address these issues.
On the Toyota side, we all know how quickly a Toyota car sells; it’s an instant cheque in Pakistan.
The Jolion drives well but can’t compete with Toyota’s Teflon suspension and hybrid technology. But again, in terms of looks, design, interior, and features, Haval is way ahead of Toyota. It gives the feel of a modern German luxury car, while Toyota feels like a solid Toyota only.
Exterior-wise, the Jolion HEV looks like a compact version of a proper SUV, while the Corolla Cross looks like a mixture of RAV4 and Corolla (sedan) combined into a crossover.
Interior
The interior of both crossovers will get you almost identical space, but the interior design language is a different story. GWM took a more surprising approach when designing Jolion, giving it a sheen of different, unique colors and many unconventional designs and shapes that were unique from all the design styles used by other brands. Even the gear knob is an attention to detail, is far above the standards of what you get in other crossovers of the same budget. We can say that it’s best car interior design we’ve seen so far in a CKD car under a 9.3 million PKR budget.
Then you get the Toyota Corolla Cross. You get an All-Terra Rosa-wrapped leather interior with a soft, cushiony dashboard. It’s practically good, and is ergonomically fine but not as flashy as the Jolion HEV.
It follows the same design as the Corolla 12th generation. In fact, if you switch the interior color to white, no average person can tell the difference between the interior of the Cross and the Corolla 12th generation. We think Toyota didn’t want to take any risks in this case, so they used the same inside story of the Corolla in Cross.
Tech of Both Cars
Here’s the tech features of Jolion HEV:
- 12.3-inches infotainment with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
- Fast wireless charging
- Heads-up display
- 7-inches instrumental cluster
- ABS
- 360 view cameras
- Hill assist
- Adaptive cruise control
- L2 Autonomous Driving
- Collision alert
- Six airbags
And here’s for the Corolla Cross HEV:
- Toyota’s latest 4th generation hybrid power system
- Built on Toyota’s all-new TNGA platform
- Seven airbags
- Rear Cross-Traffic Alert (RCTA)
- Auto rain sensor
- Hill assist
- Blind spot monitor
- ABS
- 9-inches infotainment with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay
- Engine immobilizer
Engine and Power
Here’s a 1-1 engine and power comparison of both cars:
| Specs | Corolla Cross HEV | Jolion HEV |
| Engine Type | Hybrid | Hybrid |
| Displacement | 1798 cc | 1497 cc |
| Horse Power | 196 HP @ 5200 RPM | 190 HP @ 6000 RPM |
| Torque | 188 Nm @ 3600 RPM | 375 Nm @ 4400 RPM |
| No. of Cylinders | 4 | 4 |
| Cylinder Configuration | In-Line | In-Line |
| Compression Ratio | 13:1 | 9.3:1 |
| Valves per Cylinder | 4 | 4 |
| Fuel System | Direct Fuel Injection | MPI |
Honestly, we’re surprised that the Jolion HEV, even with a smaller engine, is able to produce more torque, almost double that of the Corolla Cross, which has a bigger engine and Toyota’s most advanced 12th-gen hybrid system. You’ll surely feel a significant difference in pick and acceleration.
Dimensions
Here’s the on-paper 1-1 dimensions difference:
| Dimensions | Corolla Cross HEV | Jolion HEV |
| Overall Length | 4460 mm | 4475 mm |
| Overall Width | 1825 mm | 1841 mm |
| Overall Height | 1620 mm | 1619 mm |
| Wheel Base | 2640 mm | 2700 mm |
| Ground Clearance | 161 mm | 168 mm |
| Kerb Weight | 1325 KG | 1500 KG |
| Boot Space | 487 L | 337 L |
Pricing
Here’s the pricing:
The term “value for money” depends on person to person. For some, Toyota’s excellent resale might be a good VFM. For some, Jolion’s good aesthetics, modern features, and lower price might be the good VFM factor. Honestly, you get a great deal with Jolion HEV, i.e., a full parallel hybrid system compared to Corolla Cross with regards to what you’re paying, but resale is an exception here.
If resale is your only buying factor, nothing could be better than a Toyota in that case, but for features and looks, Chinese Haval is currently the best option.
What is your take on this comparison between Haval Jolion HEV and Corolla Cross HEV? Please share your thoughts in the comments section.
Can you please give your source on the HP of the Corolla cross 1.8l HYBRID? How can you prove that this is 196 HP as you claim?
In reality:
*https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_Corolla_Cross#Powertrain
“Hybrid variants uses either a 1.8-litre 2ZR-FXE or a 2.0-litre M20A-FXS four-cylinder petrol engines. The 1.8-litre unit produces 72 kW (97 hp; 98 PS) at 5,200 rpm and 142 N⋅m (105 lb⋅ft) of torque at 3,600 rpm paired with an eCVT and works together with a 6.5-Ah nickel-metal hydride battery as well as an 1NM AC synchronous electric motor rated at 53 kW (71 hp; 72 PS) and 163 N⋅m (120 lb⋅ft) to provide a total system output of 90 kW (121 hp; 122 PS). The 2.0-litre unit has a total system output of 146 kW (196 hp; 199 PS).”
PW has been continually quoting the power output of the 2.0L Hybrid NOT the 1.8L hybrid in its articles. Please correct this clear misinformation.
Consider this: According to Toyota’s own spec sheet, the output of the 1.8L engine is 97HP. The output of the Electric motor is 71HP. IF you simply combine them, that comes to (97+ 71 =) 168HP. So the 196HP figure continually quoted by PW is higher than the simple (but completely wrong) added power of both the ICE engine and the electric motor. How is that physically possible that a system produces more power than it is rated for?!
*https://www.saharamotorsuae.com/vehicle/Toyota-Corolla-Cross#:~:text=Under%20the%20hood%2C%20the%20Corolla,both%20efficiency%20and%20responsive%20performance.
*https://www.caranddriver.com/toyota/corolla-cross-hybrid#:~:text=the%20Corolla%20Cross%20hybrid%20also%20uses%20a%202.0%2Dliter%20four%2Dcylinder%2C%20but%20combines%20it%20with%20three%20electric%20motors%20for%20a%20combined%20output%20of%20196%20horsepower.
The above link clearly mentions that the Corolla Cross Hybrid 2.0L has the 196HP combined figure.
Now, we if come back down to reality, in the instances where BOTH the ICE engine and the Electric motor are powering the vehicle, there are real world losses to consider. Where is the power coming from for the Electric motor? it is coming from the combustion engine; using part of its power output to power the electric motor. Not only that, as the battery is also very small and drains quickly, the combustion engine also has to use its power to charge that as well. So that clearly means that the total output of the system will be much lower. That means when all the losses are factored in, the combined output of this 1.8L hybrid is around 120HP. Toyota glosses over this simple fact in its marketing blurb. Because this just expose how under powered this vehicle truly is.
And the options sheet for the Toyota makes mention of filler features like “made using TNGA”. That is just a fancy name for Toyota assembly line. And things like ABS, and Rear Cross-Traffic Alert (RCTA) etc. and only ONE driver side electronically adjustable seat: that is just sad!
The Jolion has both driver and passenger front electronically adjustable seats and (from what I gather) Panoramic Roof AND real ADAS features AND provides much more!