Hyundai EXTER 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
Hyundai EXTER in South Africa

Hyundai EXTER

1.2 Elite AMT Two Tone Petrol Current
ZAR 334,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 5 kW 🔧 114 Nm ⛽ 16.9 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 EXTER
🛡 Safety H2
📦 Practicality H2
🔑 Ownership EXTER
Recorded price context EXTER: current from ZAR 269,900 · H2: last listed from ZAR 299,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec EXTER H2
Maximum Power 5 kW 110 kW @ 5500 rpm
Maximum Torque 114 Nm 210 Nm
Engine Size 1197 cc 1497 cc
Claimed Mileage 16.9 km/l 7.5 km/l
Ground Clearance 185 mm 175 mm
Boot / Load Bay 391 l Not confirmed
Airbags 6 4
Kerb Weight 999 kg Not confirmed
Seating Capacity - Not confirmed
Warranty 5 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 EXTER and H2 are extremely closely matched, making the final choice dependent on buyer preference.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance H2 +26 pts
Efficiency EXTER +31 pts
Safety H2 +5 pts
Practicality H2 +1 pts
Ownership EXTER +21 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

🏆 Overall Winner

EXTER

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Better long-term ownership value
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Less comprehensive safety features
  • Less practical in daily usage
Best suited to: Fuel Efficiency

H2

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

Which One's Right for You?

EXTER

  • Buyers looking for better fuel efficiency
  • Long-term owners valuing warranty and ownership peace of mind

H2

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power
  • 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 EXTER H2
Model Introduced Year Current local generation year not confirmed 2017
Generation Current South African EXTER listing; generation notes should be kept tied to the local model year and confirmed derivative data. 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 Model-year updates can affect trim, wheels, screens, safety equipment and colours. Use the latest South African price list when checking a specific vehicle. 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 Compact SUV Not confirmed
Color Note Colour availability changes by model year, production batch and dealer stock, check the current colour selector before ordering. Not confirmed
Dealer Stock Note Flagship 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 999 kg Not confirmed
Spec EXTER 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 AMT 6-Speed DCT
Final Drive Ratio Not Applicable 4.12:1
Number of Gears 5 6
Transmission Type Automated Manual Automatic DCT
Clutch Type Not Applicable Torque Converter DCT
Gear Shift Indicator Yes Not confirmed
Drivetrain Front-wheel drive 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 AMT Automatic
Low Range Ratio Not Applicable Not confirmed
Low Range Not Applicable Not confirmed
Axle Layout Front-wheel drive Not confirmed
Rear Differential Lock Not Applicable Not confirmed
Transfer Case Guard Not Available Not confirmed
Transmission Speeds 5 6
Gear Shift Type AMT 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

EXTER leads by 1 points

Both EXTER and H2 are extremely closely matched, making the final choice dependent on buyer preference.

Winner 53 /100
Lead 1 points
Data 85% confidence
53
#1 Winner

EXTER

85% data confidence 0 strong categories
Best at Efficiency 66 Check Performance 19
Performance 19
Efficiency 66
Safety 61
Practicality 65
Ownership 65
Leads by 1 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 +26 Efficiency EXTER +31 Safety H2 +5 Practicality H2 +1 Ownership EXTER +21

Very close match. Final decision depends on buyer preference.

Why this score View full breakdown
Overall Winner

EXTER

Performance 19/100
Efficiency 66/100
Safety 61/100
Practicality 65/100
Ownership 65/100

H2

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

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Hyundai EXTER wins with 53 pts vs 52 pts for H2

In structured scoring, EXTER 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 EXTER 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: EXTER 66 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: EXTER 61, 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: EXTER 65, 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: EXTER 65, H2 66. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: EXTER 19, 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 EXTER edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

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

Performance: EXTER scores 19 vs 45.

Efficiency: EXTER scores 66 vs 35.

Safety: EXTER scores 61 vs 66.

Practicality: EXTER scores 65 vs 66.

Ownership: EXTER scores 65 vs 44.

Final structured scoring gives EXTER the advantage in this comparison.