Honda Elevate vs GWM H2

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 H2 Discontinued model
Honda Elevate in South Africa

Honda Elevate

1.5 Elegance CVT Petrol CVT Current
ZAR 399,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 119 kW 🔧 145 Nm ⛽ 16.1 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

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance H2
Fuel Economy Elevate
🛡 Safety Elevate
📦 Practicality Tie
🔑 Ownership Elevate
Recorded price context Elevate: current from ZAR 369,900 · H2: last listed from ZAR 299,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Elevate H2
Maximum Power 119 kW 110 kW @ 5500 rpm
Maximum Torque 145 Nm 210 Nm
Engine Size 1498 cc 1497 cc
Claimed Mileage 16.1 km/l 7.5 km/l
Ground Clearance 220 mm 175 mm
Boot / Load Bay 458 l Not confirmed
Airbags 6 4
Kerb Weight 1240 kg Not confirmed
Seating Capacity - Not confirmed
Warranty 3 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

Elevate has a slight advantage, but H2 remains highly competitive.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance H2 +6 pts
Efficiency Elevate +27 pts
Safety Elevate +16 pts
Practicality Equal
Ownership Elevate +7 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

🏆 Overall Winner

Elevate

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger safety package
  • Better long-term ownership value
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
Best suited to: Fuel Efficiency

H2

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Less comprehensive safety features
  • Shorter warranty coverage
Best suited to: Highway Driving

Which One's Right for You?

Elevate

  • Buyers looking for better fuel efficiency
  • Families prioritising stronger safety equipment
  • Long-term owners valuing warranty and ownership peace of mind

H2

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power

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 Elevate H2
Model Introduced Year 2023 2017
Generation Built on Honda’s latest compact SUV platform with improved safety and structural strength 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 Recently introduced model with latest design language and modern features 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 Original current-generation version 2022
Facelift Version Ending Current Not confirmed
Body Style SUV Not confirmed
Color Note White, Silver, Grey, Blue, Red, Black Not confirmed
Dealer Stock Note Top grade in the South Africa lineup Not confirmed
Model Year 2026 Not confirmed
Production Status published Not confirmed
Segment SUV Not confirmed
Vehicle Type SUV Not confirmed
Tare Mass Kg 1240 kg Not confirmed
Spec Elevate H2
Drivetrain Layout 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 Not Applicable Yes
Gearbox CVT Automatic 6-Speed DCT
Final Drive Ratio Not Applicable 4.12:1
Number of Gears 6 6
Transmission Type Continuously Variable Transmission Automatic DCT
Clutch Type Not Applicable Torque Converter DCT
Gear Shift Indicator Not Applicable Not confirmed
Drivetrain 4x2 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 Not Applicable Not confirmed
Differential Type Front Not Available Not confirmed
Differential Type Rear Not Available Not confirmed
Front Differential Lock Not Applicable Not confirmed
Gearbox Type CVT 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
Transfer Case Guard Not Available Not confirmed
Transmission Speeds 6 6
Gear Shift Type CVT Automatic Not confirmed
Engine Position - Transverse Front-Mounted
Steering Turns Lock to Lock - 3.4

Overall Verdict Score

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

Weighted / 100
Verdict readout

Elevate leads by 8 points

Elevate has a slight advantage, but H2 remains highly competitive.

Winner 60 /100
Lead 8 points
Data 95% confidence
60
#1 Winner

Elevate

95% data confidence 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 82 Check Performance 39
Performance 39
Efficiency 62
Safety 82
Practicality 66
Ownership 51
Leads by 8 points
52
#2

H2

87% data confidence 0 strong categories
Best at Safety 66 Check Efficiency 35
Performance 45
Efficiency 35
Safety 66
Practicality 66
Ownership 44
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance H2 +6 Efficiency Elevate +27 Safety Elevate +16 Practicality Level Ownership Elevate +7

Very close match. Final decision depends on buyer preference.

Why this score View full breakdown
Overall Winner

Elevate

Performance 39/100
Efficiency 62/100
Safety 82/100
Practicality 66/100
Ownership 51/100

H2

Performance 45/100
Efficiency 35/100
Safety 66/100
Practicality 66/100
Ownership 44/100

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Honda Elevate wins with 60 pts vs 52 pts for H2

In structured scoring, Elevate emerges as the stronger overall package. However, H2 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 Elevate 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: Elevate 62 vs H2 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: Elevate 82, H2 66. 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: Elevate 51, H2 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: Elevate 66, H2 66. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Elevate 39, H2 45. 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 Elevate edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

The Elevate 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 Elevate and H2 in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: Elevate scores 39 vs 45.

Efficiency: Elevate scores 62 vs 35.

Safety: Elevate scores 82 vs 66.

Practicality: Elevate scores 66 vs 66.

Ownership: Elevate scores 51 vs 44.

Final structured scoring gives Elevate the advantage in this comparison.