The hybrid crossover market in the Philippines is heating up, with more entries coming in, especially with the arrival of the Toyota Yaris Cross. It opens up the segment to more options for buyers, especially those who want a fuel-efficient vehicle.

With that out, we will compare the Great Wall Motors Haval Jolion, a recent addition to the hybrid crossover segment, with the Toyota Yaris Cross to see which car will come out on top.

As a side note, we are basing this comparison on the preliminary specifications of the Yaris Cross available on the Toyota Motor Philippines website before its launch date. The actual specs of the Toyota crossover may change once it officially launches.

Also Read: More hybrids! Toyota Philippines to launch 2024 Toyota Yaris Cross on Aug. 4

Unique Exteriors

The two crossovers come with their unique styling differences. The Toyota Yaris Cross looks much like a shrunken-down version of the Toyota RAV4 with its flat nose, sharp LED headlights, body cladding, and angular yet aggressive front bumper.

The SUV styling continues towards the side of the vehicle with its roof rails and an accent near its rocker panel and 18-inch alloy wheels. 

At the back, the Yaris Cross maintains a strong rear with its broad tailgate, rear bumper with a faux diffuser, and sharp LED taillights.

Meanwhile, the GWM Haval Jolion takes a more subtle approach, styling with softer curves instead of aggressive lines. It maintains a strong front fascia, especially with its massive grille and accents underneath its LED headlights.

On the side, the Jolion does have chrome accents around the windows, along with a chrome accent on the sides of the doors. Like its Toyota rival, it too comes with roof rails. 

At the back, the crossover gets a unique set of inverted L-shaped LED taillights, a broad tailgate, and accents on the bottom of the bumper. It also gets an integrated rear spoiler that houses the third brake light. 

As the exterior specifications are similar, we will look at the measurements of both vehicles to help determine which is bigger.

The measures showcase that the GWM Haval Jolion is the bigger of the two vehicles, indicating that more space will be available for the passengers inside; it also means that the Jolion wins as it is the bigger vehicle.

Winner: GWM Haval Jolion

Contrasting Interiors

The interior of the vehicles takes two different design choices. The Toyota Yaris Cross adopts a familiar dashboard design that resembles what is available in the Toyota Raize and the new Toyota Wigo. It carries a multi-layer design with angular air vents. However, the interior color scheme of the Yaris Cross is still gray and black.

Aside from this, the crossover also has a leather seat available for its top-spec model. It also comes with automatic climate controls. It may come with a wireless charger and mood lighting in four colors, depending on how Toyota Philippines will equip the crossover. 

The GWM Haval Jolion, on the other hand, takes a more minimalist approach with its cabin as a simple dashboard layout. However, GWM has given the crossover a more colorful and premium interior, equipping it with a two-tone interior with an orange accent.

Like its Toyota rival, the GWM has leather seats with power adjustability and a wireless charger. But unlike the Yaris Cross, the Haval Jolion gets dual-zone automatic climate controls with rear air vents. According to the brand's website, it has a maximum luggage space of 1,069 liters.

For this category, the win goes to the GWM Haval Jolion, as it offers you many more interior goodies than its Toyota rival. 

Winner: Haval Jolion

Tech for the Ages

Regarding technology, both vehicles are well-equipped. The GWM Haval Jolion gets a 12.3-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto connectivity, and a 7-inch digital instrument cluster.

Meanwhile, the Toyota Yaris Cross has a 10.1-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It is the same head unit you can find in the Toyota Veloz. Toyota Philippines has yet to release its full specifications, but based on information abroad, Yaris Cross may come with a digital instrument cluster and wireless charging. 

This category ends up in a tie as both vehicles have similar features, with only the difference in screen sizes.

Winner: Tie

Safety

The Toyota Yaris Cross is well-equipped. The V, S, and hybrid models come with Toyota Safety Sense. It grants crossover access to a Pre-Collision System, Automatic High Beam, Lane Tracing Assist, Lane Keeping Assist, and Adaptive Cruise Control. The Yaris Cross also has a panoramic view monitor.  

Something to note is that Toyota Philippines has yet to release the full safety specifications of the Yaris Cross as of press time, but it will likely have other standard features such as dual front airbags and ABS with EBD. We can also assume that the top variant will have six airbags available, similar to its specifications for the Cambodian market.

Meanwhile, the GWM Haval Jolion has the same standard safety features, including six airbags. However, the similarities stop here, as the crossover gets a 360-degree camera and a more extensive set of active and passive safety features. It receives the following:

• Adaptive cruise control
• Automatic emergency braking
• Blind spot detection 
• Cross-traffic alert and braking
• Forward Collision Warning
• Lane Center Keeping Assist
• Lane Departure Warning
• Intelligent Cornering Control
• Auto Crash unlock function

As you can see, the GWM Haval Jolion has a more comprehensive set of features, making it the safer vehicle to get if you are torn between the two. 

Winner: Haval Jolion

Hybrid Power

Under the hood, both crossovers are powered by a 1.5-liter engine mated to a hybrid system. The only difference is that the GWM Haval Jolion has a turbocharger to help increase its overall output. 

The Haval Jolion, with just its gasoline engine, produces 94 PS and 125 Nm of torque. However, if you factor in the hybrid powerplant with the electric motor, its output skyrockets to 186 PS and 375 Nm of torque. It is important to note that the Haval crossover is only available with a Dedicated Hybrid Transmission. 

On the other hand, the Toyota Yaris Cross hybrid has a more conservative output of 91 PS and 121 Nm of torque with just its gasoline engine. However, if you account for its hybrid system, it produces around 111PS and 121 Nm of torque.

Something to note is that the gasoline-only versions of the Yaris Cross are more potent on paper as they produce 106 PS and 138 Nm of torque. 

The winner for this category is the GWM Haval Jolion, as it produces more power from the same displacement 4-cylinder engine with a turbo.

Winner: GWM Haval Jolion Hybrid

Verdict and pricing

Specifications aside, we will now look at both vehicles' pricing to help determine an overall winner. Their prices are as follows:

Haval Jolion HEV - ₱1,588,000
Toyota Yaris Cross HEV - ₱1,598,000

As you can see, the Haval Jolion is ₱10,000 cheaper than its Yaris Cross counterpart, making it the more affordable out of the two crossovers. That ₱10,000 can be a big difference, especially if you are financing the vehicle while on a tight budget. 

Overall, the Haval Jolion is better equipped than the Yaris Cross and is more affordable. However, we can’t deny that Toyota has a more extensive dealership network in the country, potentially making access to parts for its newest crossover easier. 

If the ₱10,000 difference is negligible for you, then the Toyota Yaris Cross is your best bet, especially if you are a brand fan. However, you can’t go wrong with the Haval Jolion if you feel more adventurous and want more power. 

Do you think the Toyota Yaris Cross has what it takes to compete against its Chinese rivals?

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