Suzuki Ertiga vs Hyundai 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.

Suzuki Ertiga in South Africa

Suzuki Ertiga

1.5 GL AT Petrol Automatic
ZAR 363,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 77 kW 🔧 138 Nm ⛽ 15.4 km/l
VS
Hyundai H1 in South Africa

Hyundai H1

2.5 CRDi Executive Diesel Automatic
ZAR 899,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 125 kW 🔧 441 Nm ⛽ 11.8 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance H1
Fuel Economy Tie
🛡 Safety Tie
📦 Practicality H1
🔑 Ownership Tie
Ertiga starts ZAR 899900 cheaper Ertiga from ZAR 304,900 · H1 from ZAR 899,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Ertiga H1
Engine Power 77 125
Torque 138 441
Engine Size 1462 2497
Claimed Mileage 15.4 11.8
Ground Clearance 180 185
Boot Space 153 820
Airbags 6 6
Kerb Weight 1165 2220
Seating Capacity Available 9
Warranty 5 5

= leads in this spec

The Overall Score — Here's How They Stack Up

🏆 Winner
#1

H1

70
/ 100
+17
pts
#2

Ertiga

53
/ 100

Moderate difference between the models.

The Bottom Line

H1 holds a noticeable edge over Ertiga, especially in key ownership areas.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance H1 +8 pts
Efficiency Equal
Safety Equal
Practicality H1 +9 pts
Ownership Equal

Score Breakdown by Category

🏆 Overall Winner

H1

Performance 14/20
Efficiency 0/20
Safety 18/20
Practicality 18/20
Ownership 20/20

Ertiga

Performance 6/20
Efficiency 0/20
Safety 18/20
Practicality 9/20
Ownership 20/20

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Ertiga

Strengths
  • Nothing stands out clearly here.
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Less practical in daily usage
Best suited to: General Use
🏆 Overall Winner

H1

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • More practical for daily use
Weak Spots
  • No obvious weak spots to flag.
Best suited to: Highway Driving Family Usage

Which One's Right for You?

Ertiga

  • Buyers looking for a balanced all-round vehicle

H1

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power
  • Large families needing more practicality and usability

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Ertiga H1
Engine 1.5L K15B 4-Cylinder Petrol 2.5 CRDi VGT Diesel
Engine Type Inline 4 Cylinder Naturally Aspirated Diesel
Engine Code K15B D4CB
Cylinder Layout Inline 4 (I4) Available
Engine Aspiration Naturally Aspirated Turbocharged
Displacement 1462 2497
Cylinders 4 4
Valves per Cylinder 4 16
Cylinder Bore 74.0 Available
Piston Stroke 85.1 Available
Compression Ratio 10.5:1 17.5
Engine Position Transverse Front-Mounted Front
Variable Valve Timing VVT on Intake Camshaft Yes
Fuel System Multi-Point Fuel Injection (MPFI) Common Rail Direct Injection
Turbocharger Not Applicable Yes (VGT)
Power 77 125
Power @ RPM 6,000 rpm 3600
Power 103 150
Torque 138 441
Torque @ RPM 4,400 rpm 2000
Maximum Engine RPM 6800 4000
Engine Oil Capacity 3.7 6.5
Fuel Grade Required 93 RON Unleaded Petrol Diesel
Top Speed 175 180
0-100 km/h 14.5 12.5
Engine Type Config Available Inline
0–100 km/h Available Available
Battery Capacity Available Available
Charging Port Available Available
AC Charging Time Available Available
Engine Displacement Available Available
EV Range Available Available
Spec Ertiga H1
Transmission 4-Speed Automatic 5-speed Automatic
Transmission Type 4-Speed Automatic Automatic
Number of Gears 4 5
Drive Type FWD Rear-Wheel Drive
Drivetrain Layout Front Wheel Drive RWD
Final Drive Ratio 4.388:1 Available
Steering Turns Lock to Lock 2.8 Available
Clutch Type Single Dry Plate Diaphragm Available
LSD Available Not Available No
Differential Lock Not Available No
Transfer Case Not Applicable None (RWD)
Paddle Shifters Not Available No
Drivetrain Available Available
Transmission Available Available

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Hyundai H1 wins with 70 pts vs 53 pts for Ertiga

In structured scoring, H1 emerges as the stronger overall package. However, Ertiga 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: Ertiga 0 vs H1 0. 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: Ertiga 18, H1 18. 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: Ertiga 20, H1 20. 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: Ertiga 9, H1 18. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Ertiga 6, H1 14. 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 Ertiga and H1 in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: Ertiga scores 6 vs 14.

Efficiency: Ertiga scores 0 vs 0.

Safety: Ertiga scores 18 vs 18.

Practicality: Ertiga scores 9 vs 18.

Ownership: Ertiga scores 20 vs 20.

Final structured scoring gives H1 the advantage in this comparison.