Honda Elevate vs GWM H6

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.

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 H6 in South Africa

GWM H6

1.5T Hybrid LX Hybrid Current
ZAR 729,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 115 kW 🔧 260 Nm ⛽ 17.2 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance H6
Fuel Economy H6
🛡 Safety H6
📦 Practicality H6
🔑 Ownership H6
Elevate starts ZAR 220,000 cheaper Elevate from ZAR 369,900 · H6 from ZAR 589,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Elevate H6
Maximum Power 119 kW 115 kW @ 5500 rpm
Maximum Torque 145 Nm 260 Nm
Engine Size 1498 cc 1497 cc
Combined Fuel Economy 16.1 km/l 17.2 km/l
Ground Clearance 220 mm 198 mm
Boot / Load Bay 458 l 530 l
Airbags 6 6
Kerb Weight 1240 kg 1680 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Warranty 3 5 Years / 100,000 km

= leads in this spec

The Bottom Line

H6 has a modest catalogue-index lead, while Elevate remains close.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance H6 +12 pts
Efficiency H6 +8 pts
Safety H6 +5 pts
Practicality H6 +3 pts
Ownership H6 +22 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Elevate

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

H6

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

Which One's Right for You?

Elevate

  • Buyers who prefer this derivative's confirmed specification mix

H6

  • 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
  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published warranty or service cover

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Elevate H6
Model Introduced Year 2023 2022
Generation Built on Honda’s latest compact SUV platform with improved safety and structural strength H6 sold in South Africa is the third generation H6 under the Haval brand, launched globally in 2021 and adapted for SA in 2022. Suspension and powertrain calibration is tuned for South African road conditions and fuel quality.
Facelift History Recently introduced model with latest design language and modern features H6 received a mid-cycle update in late 2024 that brought refined hybrid system calibration for South African altitude and fuel quality, an upgraded driver-assistance package across all variants, the 14.6-inch infotainment screen as standard on LT and LX (replacing the original 12.3-inch unit), and revised exterior detailing including new alloy wheel designs.
Facelift Launched Since Original current-generation version 2024
Facelift Version Ending Current Current
Body Style SUV SUV
Color Note White, Silver, Grey, Blue, Red, Black Crystal White, Hamilton Black, Pittsburgh Silver, Mars Red, Atlantic Blue and Cosmos Grey. Two-tone roof options on LT and LX with selected base colours.
Dealer Stock Note Top grade in the South Africa lineup Flagship grade in the South Africa lineup
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status published published
Segment SUV SUV
Tare Mass Kg 1240 kg 1680 kg
Vehicle Type SUV SUV
Spec Elevate H6
Length 4312 mm 4653 mm
Width 1790 mm 1886 mm
Height 1650 mm 1730 mm
Wheelbase 2650 mm 2738 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 220 mm 198 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 40 l 58 l
Boot/Cargo Space 458 l 530 l
Kerb Weight 1240 kg 1680 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 1680 kg 2200 kg
Towing Capacity 1200 kg 1500 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius - 11.8 m
Front Headroom - 990 mm
Rear Headroom - 960 mm
Front Legroom - 1050 mm
Rear Legroom - 890 mm

Source-backed Catalogue Index

A transparent specification index shown only when every vehicle clears the minimum comparable-data threshold.

Weighted / 100
Catalogue-index readout

H6 leads by 10 points

H6 has a modest catalogue-index lead, while Elevate remains close.

Index leader 70 /100
Lead 10 points
Data 96% source coverage
70
#1 Index leader

H6

96% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 93 Check Performance 51
Performance 51
Efficiency 70
Safety 93
Practicality 69
Ownership 65
Leads by 10 points
60
#2

Elevate

84% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 88 Check Performance 39
Performance 39
Efficiency 62
Safety 88
Practicality 66
Ownership 43
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance H6 +12 Efficiency H6 +8 Safety H6 +5 Practicality H6 +3 Ownership H6 +22

Moderate difference in the source-backed catalogue index.

Why this score View full breakdown
Catalogue-index leader

H6

Performance 51/100
Efficiency 70/100
Safety 93/100
Practicality 69/100
Ownership 65/100

Elevate

Performance 39/100
Efficiency 62/100
Safety 88/100
Practicality 66/100
Ownership 43/100

How to Read This Comparison

🏆 GWM H6 leads the catalogue index with 70 pts vs 60 pts for Elevate

In Hagalu's source-backed catalogue index, H6 leads. However, Elevate may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. 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

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.

Hagalu does not publish a guaranteed resale winner. Depreciation depends on age, mileage, condition, derivative, colour, supply and demand. Compare several current used-market listings and obtain trade-in valuations for equivalent examples before relying on a resale estimate.

Check the exact derivatives for drive type, ground clearance, tyres, approach and departure angles, wading depth and low-range gearing where officially disclosed. SUV styling or all-wheel drive alone does not prove that a vehicle is suitable for demanding off-road use.

Calculate each exact derivative using your monthly distance and a current fuel or electricity price, then add finance, insurance, scheduled service, tyres and licence costs. Hagalu does not claim a fixed monthly saving without those buyer-specific inputs.

It is worth more only when the exact price difference buys equipment, space, performance or ownership cover that matters to you. Compare like-for-like lifecycle states and derivatives; a current offer and a historical last-listed price are not directly equivalent.

In Depth — Breaking It All Down

This Elevate and H6 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: Elevate 39 vs H6 51.

Efficiency index: Elevate 62 vs H6 70.

Safety-equipment index: Elevate 88 vs H6 93.

Practicality index: Elevate 66 vs H6 69.

Ownership-cover index: Elevate 43 vs H6 65.

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.