Renault Duster vs GWM H2

A proper head-to-head in South Africa — compare price, performance, fuel economy or electric range, safety and the details that shape long-term ownership.

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 H2 Discontinued model
Renault Duster in South Africa

Renault Duster

1.2 Turbo Zen 4WD Mild Hybrid Petrol Mild Hybrid 6-Speed Manual Current
ZAR 549,999 ex-showroom
⚡ 96 kW 🔧 230 Nm ⛽ 17.5 km/l
VS
GWM H2 in South Africa

GWM H2

1.5T LT Petrol 6-Speed DCT Discontinued model
ZAR 339,900 last listed
Discontinued model Verified historical specifications remain visible for owner and used-car comparisons.
⚡ 110 kW 🔧 210 Nm ⛽ 7.5 km/l
＋ Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

Renault Duster vs GWM H2: the short answer

Duster holds a noticeable catalogue-index lead over H2.

Recorded price context Duster: current from ZAR 489,999 · H2: last listed from ZAR 299,900

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification Duster H2
Maximum Power Duster96 kW H2110 kW @ 5500 rpm
Maximum Torque Duster230 Nm @ 2000 rpm H2210 Nm
Engine Size Duster1200 cc H21497 cc
Combined Fuel Economy Duster17.5 km/l H27.5 km/l
Ground Clearance Duster217 mm H2175 mm

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

Independent editorial assessment

Hagalu editorial ratings

When a variant is selected, its rating out of five applies only to that exact derivative; a model-range review is not inherited. Editorial ratings are separate from the Specification Evidence Index out of 100 and are not customer ratings.

Renault Duster

1.2 Turbo Zen 4WD Mild Hybrid

Hagalu editorial rating Not yet rated

No complete editorial rating is published for this exact variant. This is not a zero score.

How Hagalu rates cars

GWM H2

1.5T LT

Hagalu editorial rating Not yet rated

No complete editorial rating is published for this exact variant. This is not a zero score.

How Hagalu rates cars

Not yet rated means a complete review is not published; it does not mean the vehicle scored zero. Read the rating methodology.

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Specification evidence leader

Duster

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger listed safety equipment
  • Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
  • No obvious weak spots to flag.
Best suited to: Published Performance Published Efficiency Published Practicality

H2

Strengths
  • Nothing stands out clearly here.
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Fewer listed safety features
  • Lower published practicality figures
Best suited to: General Use

Which One's Right for You?

Duster

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

H2

  • Buyers who prefer this derivative's confirmed specification mix

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 Duster H2
Model Introduced Year 2026 2017
Generation Current South Africa Duster range First generation Haval H2 in SA, on sale 2017-2022. Discontinued in favour of the Jolion, which used a more modern platform and powertrain.
Facelift History Current South Africa version listed by official source H2 received a mid-cycle update in 2019 that brought minor exterior styling changes, improved infotainment software and refinements to the DCT calibration. Updates continued through the model life to address recurring DCT issues, with the final 2022 specification being notably improved over the original 2017 launch model.
Facelift Launched Since 2026 2022
Facelift Version Ending Current Current
Body Style SUV SUV
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status active Active
Segment SUV SUV
Tare Mass Kg 1451 kg Not confirmed
Vehicle Type SUV SUV
Spec Duster H2
Length 4343 mm 4290 mm
Width 2095 mm 1800 mm
Height 1661 mm 1645 mm
Wheelbase 2658 mm 2560 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 217 mm 175 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) 217 mm 150 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 50 l 52 l
Boot/Cargo Space 594 l 450 l
Kerb Weight 1451 kg 1650 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 1950 kg 1800 kg
Payload Capacity 499 kg 550 kg
Towing Capacity 1500 kg 2000 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Number of Rows 2 rows 2 rows
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 5.35 m 5.4 m
Front Headroom 1007 mm 990 mm
Rear Headroom 974 mm 960 mm
Front Legroom 1050 mm 1040 mm
Rear Legroom 892 mm 870 mm

In depth: how these cars differ

This Duster and H2 comparison uses the exact derivatives selected above for South Africa. The catalogue index covers performance, efficiency, safety equipment, practicality and ownership cover only where comparable source-backed fields are present.

Performance index: Duster 50 vs H2 45.

Efficiency index: Duster 72 vs H2 35.

Safety-equipment index: Duster 91 vs H2 73.

Practicality index: Duster 71 vs H2 65.

Ownership-cover index: Duster not separately scored vs H2 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

Duster leads by 16 points

Duster holds a noticeable catalogue-index lead over H2.

Evidence leader 70 /100
Lead 16 points
Data 65% source coverage
70
#1 Evidence leader

Duster

65% source coverage 3 strong categories
Best at Safety 91 Check Performance 50
Performance 50
Efficiency 72
Safety 91
Practicality 71
Leads by 16 points
54
#2

H2

95% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 73 Check Efficiency 35
Performance 45
Efficiency 35
Safety 73
Practicality 65
Ownership 44
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Duster +5 Efficiency Duster +37 Safety Duster +18 Practicality Duster +6

Moderate difference in the source-backed catalogue index.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

Duster

Performance 50/100
Efficiency 72/100
Safety 91/100
Practicality 71/100

H2

Performance 45/100
Efficiency 35/100
Safety 73/100
Practicality 65/100
Ownership 44/100

What the evidence means

Evidence index Renault Duster leads the specification evidence index with 70 pts vs 54 pts for H2

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, Duster leads. However, H2 may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

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Duster vs H2 questions

There is no universal winner. Use the comparison table to match the models and available derivatives in South Africa 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.