GWM H2 vs GWM 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.

Historical comparison

Every selected record is historical. Verified South African specifications and last-listed prices remain available for owners and used-car shoppers.

GWM H2 Discontinued model GWM H1 Discontinued model
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
VS
GWM H1 in South Africa

GWM H1

1.5 LS Petrol CVT Discontinued model
ZAR 229,900 last listed
Discontinued model Verified historical specifications remain visible for owner and used-car comparisons.
⚡ 78 kW 🔧 135 Nm ⛽ 7.0 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance H2
Fuel Economy Tie
🛡 Safety H2
📦 Practicality H2
🔑 Ownership Tie
Recorded price context H2: last listed from ZAR 299,900 · H1: last listed from ZAR 229,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec H2 H1
Maximum Power 110 kW @ 5500 rpm 78 kW @ 6000 rpm
Maximum Torque 210 Nm 135 Nm @ 4000 rpm
Engine Size 1497 cc 1497 cc
Claimed Mileage 7.5 km/l 7.0 km/l
Ground Clearance 175 mm 160 mm
Boot / Load Bay Not confirmed Not confirmed
Airbags 4 4
Kerb Weight Not confirmed Not confirmed
Seating Capacity Not confirmed Not confirmed
Warranty 3 Years / 100,000 km 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 H2 and H1 are extremely closely matched, making the final choice dependent on buyer preference.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance H2 +15 pts
Efficiency Equal
Safety H2 +10 pts
Practicality H2 +3 pts
Ownership Equal

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

🏆 Overall Winner

H2

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

H1

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

Which One's Right for You?

H2

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power
  • Families prioritising stronger safety equipment
  • Large families needing more practicality and usability

H1

  • Buyers looking for a balanced all-round vehicle

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 H2 H1
Model Introduced Year 2017 2015
Generation First generation Haval H2 in SA, on sale 2017-2022. Discontinued in favour of the Jolion, which used a more modern platform and powertrain. Single generation in South Africa from 2015-2019. The H1 was based on an older Great Wall platform and was discontinued without a direct successor.
Facelift History 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. H1 received a single mid-cycle update in 2017 that brought minor exterior styling refinements and an updated infotainment system. No significant mechanical changes through the model life.
Facelift Launched Since 2022 2017
Spec H2 H1
LSD Available Not Applicable Not Applicable
Transfer Case Not Applicable Not Applicable
Differential Lock Not Applicable Not Applicable
Paddle Shifters Yes Not Applicable
Engine Position Transverse Front-Mounted Transverse Front-Mounted
Gearbox 6-Speed DCT 6-Speed CVT
Final Drive Ratio 4.12:1 3.94:1
Steering Turns Lock to Lock 3.4 3.2
Number of Gears 6 6
Transmission Type Automatic DCT Automatic CVT
Clutch Type Torque Converter DCT Torque Converter
Drivetrain Front Wheel Drive Front Wheel Drive
Gearbox Type Automatic Automatic
Transmission Speeds 6 6

Overall Verdict Score

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

Weighted / 100
Verdict readout

H2 leads by 6 points

Both H2 and H1 are extremely closely matched, making the final choice dependent on buyer preference.

Winner 52 /100
Lead 6 points
Data 87% confidence
52
#1 Winner

H2

87% data confidence 0 strong categories
Best at Safety 66 Check Efficiency 35
Performance 45
Efficiency 35
Safety 66
Practicality 66
Ownership 44
Leads by 6 points
46
#2

H1

87% data confidence 0 strong categories
Best at Practicality 63 Check Performance 30
Performance 30
Efficiency 35
Safety 56
Practicality 63
Ownership 44
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance H2 +15 Efficiency Level Safety H2 +10 Practicality H2 +3 Ownership Level

Very close match. Final decision depends on buyer preference.

Why this score View full breakdown
Overall Winner

H2

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

H1

Performance 30/100
Efficiency 35/100
Safety 56/100
Practicality 63/100
Ownership 44/100

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 GWM H2 wins with 52 pts vs 46 pts for H1

In structured scoring, H2 emerges as the stronger overall package. However, H1 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 H2 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: H2 35 vs H1 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: H2 66, H1 56. 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: H2 44, H1 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: H2 66, H1 63. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: H2 45, H1 30. 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 H2 edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

The H2 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 H2 and H1 in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: H2 scores 45 vs 30.

Efficiency: H2 scores 35 vs 35.

Safety: H2 scores 66 vs 56.

Practicality: H2 scores 66 vs 63.

Ownership: H2 scores 44 vs 44.

Final structured scoring gives H2 the advantage in this comparison.