Chery Chery Q 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
Chery Chery Q in South Africa

Chery Chery Q

Upcoming
Launch price pending
Upcoming in South Africa Confirmed launch information and specifications remain visible while final availability is pending.
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 Chery Q
Fuel Economy Chery Q
🛡 Safety H1
📦 Practicality H1
🔑 Ownership Chery Q

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Chery Q H1
Maximum Power - 78 kW @ 6000 rpm
Maximum Torque - 135 Nm @ 4000 rpm
Engine Size - 1497 cc
Claimed Mileage - 7.0 km/l
Ground Clearance - 160 mm
Boot / Load Bay - Not confirmed
Airbags - 4
Kerb Weight - Not confirmed
Seating Capacity - Not confirmed
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

Both Chery Q and H1 are extremely closely matched, making the final choice dependent on buyer preference.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Chery Q +20 pts
Efficiency Chery Q +15 pts
Safety H1 +56 pts
Practicality H1 +13 pts
Ownership Chery Q +6 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Chery Q

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

H1

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

Which One's Right for You?

Chery Q

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

H1

  • Families prioritising stronger safety equipment
  • 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 Chery Q H1
Model Introduced Year - 2015
Generation - 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 - 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 - 2017
Spec Chery Q H1
LSD Available - Not Applicable
Transfer Case - Not Applicable
Differential Lock - Not Applicable
Paddle Shifters - Not Applicable
Engine Position - Transverse Front-Mounted
Gearbox - 6-Speed CVT
Final Drive Ratio - 3.94:1
Steering Turns Lock to Lock - 3.2
Number of Gears - 6
Transmission Type - Automatic CVT
Clutch Type - Torque Converter
Drivetrain - Front Wheel Drive
Gearbox Type - Automatic
Transmission Speeds - 6

Overall Verdict Score

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

Weighted / 100
Verdict readout

H1 leads by 7 points

Both Chery Q and H1 are extremely closely matched, making the final choice dependent on buyer preference.

Winner 46 /100
Lead 7 points
Data 87% confidence
46
#1 Winner

H1

87% data confidence 0 strong categories
Best at Practicality 63 Check Performance 30
Performance 30
Efficiency 35
Safety 56
Practicality 63
Ownership 44
Leads by 7 points
39
#2

Chery Q

11% data confidence 0 strong categories
Best at Performance 50 Check Safety 0
Performance 50
Efficiency 50
Safety 0
Practicality 50
Ownership 50
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Chery Q +20 Efficiency Chery Q +15 Safety H1 +56 Practicality H1 +13 Ownership Chery Q +6

Very close match. Final decision depends on buyer preference.

Why this score View full breakdown
Overall Winner

H1

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

Chery Q

Performance 50/100
Efficiency 50/100
Safety 0/100
Practicality 50/100
Ownership 50/100

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 GWM H1 wins with 46 pts vs 39 pts for Chery Q

In structured scoring, H1 emerges as the stronger overall package. However, Chery Q 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 H1 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: Chery Q 50 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: Chery Q 0, 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: Chery Q 50, 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: Chery Q 50, H1 63. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Chery Q 50, 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 H1 edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

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

Performance: Chery Q scores 50 vs 30.

Efficiency: Chery Q scores 50 vs 35.

Safety: Chery Q scores 0 vs 56.

Practicality: Chery Q scores 50 vs 63.

Ownership: Chery Q scores 50 vs 44.

Final structured scoring gives H1 the advantage in this comparison.