Suzuki Across vs GWM H1

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.

Includes a historical vehicle

Current, upcoming and historical vehicles can be compared side by side. Historical records keep their verified specifications, while price labels show last-listed context rather than current new-car availability.

GWM H1 Discontinued model
Suzuki Across in South Africa

Suzuki Across

1.5 GLX 6AT Petrol Mild Hybrid 6-Speed Automatic Current
ZAR 464,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 76 kW 🔧 137 Nm ⛽ 18.9 km/l
VS
GWM H1 in South Africa

GWM H1

1.5 LS Petrol CVT Discontinued model
ZAR 229,900 last listed
Discontinued model Verified historical specifications remain visible for owner and used-car comparisons.
⚡ 78 kW 🔧 135 Nm ⛽ 7.0 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance Across
Fuel Economy Across
🛡 Safety Across
📦 Practicality H1
🔑 Ownership Across
Recorded price context Across: current from ZAR 349,900 · H1: last listed from ZAR 229,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Across H1
Maximum Power 75.8 kW @ 6000 rpm 78 kW @ 6000 rpm
Maximum Torque 136.8 Nm @ 4400 rpm 135 Nm @ 4000 rpm
Engine Size 1462 cc 1497 cc
Claimed Mileage 18.9 km/l 7.0 km/l
Ground Clearance 210 mm 160 mm
Boot / Load Bay 333 l Not confirmed
Airbags 6 4
Kerb Weight - Not confirmed
Seating Capacity - Not confirmed
Warranty 5 years / 200,000 km promotional warranty 3 Years / 100,000 km

= leads in this spec

Archived models stay fully comparable. Verified specs remain visible; historical fields that were not source-confirmed are marked Not confirmed instead of being guessed.

The Bottom Line

Across holds a noticeable edge over H1, especially in key ownership areas.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Across +4 pts
Efficiency Across +41 pts
Safety Across +36 pts
Practicality H1 +1 pts
Ownership Across +7 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

🏆 Overall Winner

Across

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger safety package
  • Better long-term ownership value
Weak Spots
  • Less practical in daily usage
Best suited to: Highway Driving Fuel Efficiency

H1

Strengths
  • More practical for daily use
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Less comprehensive safety features
  • Shorter warranty coverage
Best suited to: Family Usage

Which One's Right for You?

Across

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power
  • Buyers looking for better fuel efficiency
  • Families prioritising stronger safety equipment
  • Long-term owners valuing warranty and ownership peace of mind

H1

  • Large families needing more practicality and usability

Full Specs, Side by Side

Archived cars use verified historical spec records. Rows remain comparable; unavailable historical values are shown plainly rather than estimated.

Spec Across H1
Model Introduced Year 2026 2015
Generation First South African generation of the current Across Single generation in South Africa from 2015-2019. The H1 was based on an older Great Wall platform and was discontinued without a direct successor.
Facelift History All-new March 2026 South African launch model; no facelift yet H1 received a single mid-cycle update in 2017 that brought minor exterior styling refinements and an updated infotainment system. No significant mechanical changes through the model life.
Facelift Launched Since Original current-generation version 2017
Facelift Version Ending Current Not confirmed
Body Style Five-door compact SUV Not confirmed
Model Year 2026 Not confirmed
Production Status On sale Not confirmed
Segment C-segment family SUV Not confirmed
Vehicle Type Passenger vehicle Not confirmed
Tare Mass Kg 1200-1250 kg Not confirmed
Spec Across H1
Drivetrain Layout Front-engine, front-wheel drive Not confirmed
LSD Available Not Applicable Not Applicable
Transfer Case Not Applicable Not Applicable
Differential Lock Not Applicable Not Applicable
Paddle Shifters Standard Not Applicable
Gearbox 6-speed automatic 6-Speed CVT
Final Drive Ratio 3.683 3.94:1
Number of Gears 6 6
Transmission Type Automatic Automatic CVT
Drivetrain 2WD front-wheel drive Front Wheel Drive
4WD Engagement Not Applicable Not confirmed
4WD Hi Range Not Applicable Not confirmed
4WD Lo Range Not Applicable Not confirmed
4WD Selector Not Applicable Not confirmed
Automatic Shift Paddles Standard Not confirmed
Front Differential Lock Not Applicable Not confirmed
Gearbox Type 6-speed automatic Automatic
Low Range Ratio Not Applicable Not confirmed
Low Range Not Applicable Not confirmed
Axle Layout 4x2 Not confirmed
Rear Differential Lock Not Applicable Not confirmed
Transmission Speeds 6 6
Gear Shift Type Straight-gate automatic selector Not confirmed
Engine Position - Transverse Front-Mounted
Steering Turns Lock to Lock - 3.2
Clutch Type - Torque Converter

Overall Verdict Score

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

Weighted / 100
Verdict readout

Across leads by 17 points

Across holds a noticeable edge over H1, especially in key ownership areas.

Winner 63 /100
Lead 17 points
Data 86% confidence
63
#1 Winner

Across

86% data confidence 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 92 Check Performance 34
Performance 34
Efficiency 76
Safety 92
Practicality 62
Ownership 51
Leads by 17 points
46
#2

H1

87% data confidence 0 strong categories
Best at Practicality 63 Check Performance 30
Performance 30
Efficiency 35
Safety 56
Practicality 63
Ownership 44
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Across +4 Efficiency Across +41 Safety Across +36 Practicality H1 +1 Ownership Across +7

Moderate difference between the models.

Why this score View full breakdown
Overall Winner

Across

Performance 34/100
Efficiency 76/100
Safety 92/100
Practicality 62/100
Ownership 51/100

H1

Performance 30/100
Efficiency 35/100
Safety 56/100
Practicality 63/100
Ownership 44/100

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Suzuki Across wins with 63 pts vs 46 pts for H1

In structured scoring, Across emerges as the stronger overall package. However, H1 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 Across 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: Across 76 vs H1 35. 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: Across 92, H1 56. 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: Across 51, H1 44. 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: Across 62, H1 63. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Across 34, H1 30. 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 Across edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

The Across 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 Across and H1 in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: Across scores 34 vs 30.

Efficiency: Across scores 76 vs 35.

Safety: Across scores 92 vs 56.

Practicality: Across scores 62 vs 63.

Ownership: Across scores 51 vs 44.

Final structured scoring gives Across the advantage in this comparison.