Omoda C5 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
Omoda C5 in South Africa

Omoda C5

Street Plus Petrol 6-Speed DCT Current
ZAR 339,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 115 kW 🔧 230 Nm ⛽ 14.5 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

Decision summary

Omoda C5 vs GWM H1: the short answer

C5 holds a noticeable catalogue-index lead over H1.

Recorded price context C5: current from ZAR 339,900 · H1: last listed from ZAR 229,900

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification C5 H1
Maximum Power C5115 kW @ 5500 rpm H178 kW @ 6000 rpm
Maximum Torque C5230 Nm H1135 Nm @ 4000 rpm
Engine Size C51500 cc H11497 cc
Combined Fuel Economy C514.5 km/l H17.0 km/l
Ground Clearance C5169 mm H1160 mm

Strongest published figure in that row; no road-test winner is implied.

Evidence for GWM H1 1.5 LS

Source type: Hagalu catalogue record

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Specification evidence leader

C5

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger listed safety equipment
Weak Spots
  • Lower published practicality figures
Best suited to: Published Performance Published Efficiency

H1

Strengths
  • Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Fewer listed safety features
Best suited to: Published Practicality

Which One's Right for You?

C5

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use
  • Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment

H1

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

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 C5 H1
Model Introduced Year 2023 2015
Generation Current South Africa C5 range 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 Current South Africa version listed by official source 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 2023 2017
Facelift Version Ending Current Not confirmed
Body Style SUV Not confirmed
Model Year 2026 Not confirmed
Production Status active Not confirmed
Segment SUV Not confirmed
Tare Mass Kg 1381 kg Not confirmed
Vehicle Type SUV Not confirmed
Spec C5 H1
Length 4400 mm 4002 mm
Width 1830 mm 1740 mm
Height 1590 mm 1567 mm
Wheelbase 2630 mm 2450 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 169 mm 160 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) 145 mm Not confirmed
Fuel Tank Capacity 51 l 42 l
Boot/Cargo Space 442 l Not confirmed
Kerb Weight 1381 kg Not confirmed
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 1856 kg 1770 kg
Payload Capacity 475 kg Not confirmed
Towing Capacity 1200 kg Not confirmed
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Number of Rows 2 rows Not confirmed
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 5.1 m 5.2 m
Front Headroom 1000 mm 975 mm
Rear Headroom 970 mm 950 mm
Front Legroom 1050 mm 1020 mm
Rear Legroom 900 mm 840 mm

In depth: how these cars differ

This C5 and H1 comparison uses the exact South African derivatives selected above. The catalogue index covers performance, efficiency, safety equipment, practicality and ownership cover only where comparable source-backed fields are present.

Performance index: C5 51 vs H1 30.

Efficiency index: C5 56 vs H1 35.

Safety-equipment index: C5 91 vs H1 68.

Practicality index: C5 59 vs H1 63.

Ownership-cover index: C5 not separately scored vs H1 44.

These figures are Hagalu catalogue-comparison indicators, not customer ratings, crash-test scores, resale guarantees or a substitute for a road test. Each page shows its weighted source coverage beside the result.

Specification Evidence Index

A transparent comparison of published catalogue fields. This is not a road-test score, owner rating or editorial review rating, and it appears only when every vehicle clears the same comparable-data threshold.

Evidence / 100
Evidence-index readout

C5 leads by 15 points

C5 holds a noticeable catalogue-index lead over H1.

Evidence leader 64 /100
Lead 15 points
Data 69% source coverage
64
#1 Evidence leader

C5

69% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 91 Check Performance 51
Performance 51
Efficiency 56
Safety 91
Practicality 59
Leads by 15 points
49
#2

H1

80% source coverage 0 strong categories
Best at Safety 68 Check Performance 30
Performance 30
Efficiency 35
Safety 68
Practicality 63
Ownership 44
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance C5 +21 Efficiency C5 +21 Safety C5 +23 Practicality H1 +4

Moderate difference in the source-backed catalogue index.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

C5

Performance 51/100
Efficiency 56/100
Safety 91/100
Practicality 59/100

H1

Performance 30/100
Efficiency 35/100
Safety 68/100
Practicality 63/100
Ownership 44/100

What the evidence means

Evidence index Omoda C5 leads the specification evidence index with 64 pts vs 49 pts for H1

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, C5 leads. However, H1 may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

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C5 vs H1 questions

There is no universal winner. Use the comparison table to match the exact South African derivatives on price, safety equipment, space, powertrain and ownership cover. The category indicators summarise published catalogue data; they are not a road test or customer rating.

Compare the published consumption or mileage rows for the exact derivatives using the same unit and test basis. A catalogue figure is useful for like-for-like comparison, but traffic, speed, load, weather and driving style can change actual fuel use.

Compare only equipment explicitly listed for each derivative, including airbags, stability control and driver-assistance systems. Confirm the exact trim with the manufacturer, and treat any independent crash-test result separately because equipment and ratings can differ by market.

A reliable five-year total cannot be calculated from catalogue data alone. Add the exact purchase and finance cost, fuel or electricity, insurance quotes, scheduled servicing, tyres and expected resale value. Check whether the selected derivative includes a service or maintenance plan.

Use the seating, boot or load-space, ISOFIX and safety rows as a first check. Then test the exact cars with your child seats, passengers and typical luggage, because published dimensions do not show every access or comfort difference.

Compare the published power, torque and 0–100 km/h rows when they are available for both exact derivatives. Vehicle weight, gearing and power delivery also matter, so catalogue outputs alone do not establish real-world overtaking or response.