GWM H2 vs Hyundai i20

A proper head-to-head in South Africa — compare price, performance, fuel economy or electric range, safety and the details that shape long-term ownership.

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
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
Hyundai i20 in South Africa

Hyundai i20

1.0T Fluid Petrol 6-Speed Manual Current
ZAR 328,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 74 kW 🔧 172 Nm ⛽ 14.5 km/l
＋ Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

GWM H2 vs Hyundai i20: the short answer

H2 and i20 are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Recorded price context H2: last listed from ZAR 299,900 · i20: current from ZAR 296,900

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification H2 i20
Maximum Power H2110 kW @ 5500 rpm i2074 kW @ 5500 rpm
Maximum Torque H2210 Nm i20172 Nm @ 1500 rpm
Engine Size H21497 cc i20998 cc
Combined Fuel Economy H27.5 km/l i2014.5 km/l
Ground Clearance H2175 mm i20195 mm

Strongest published figure in that row; no road-test winner is implied.

Independent editorial assessment

Hagalu editorial ratings

When a variant is selected, its rating out of five applies only to that exact derivative; a model-range review is not inherited. Editorial ratings are separate from the Specification Evidence Index out of 100 and are not customer ratings.

GWM H2

1.5T LT

Hagalu editorial rating Not yet rated

No complete editorial rating is published for this exact variant. This is not a zero score.

How Hagalu rates cars

Hyundai i20

1.0T Fluid

Hagalu editorial rating Not yet rated

No complete editorial rating is published for this exact variant. This is not a zero score.

How Hagalu rates cars

Not yet rated means a complete review is not published; it does not mean the vehicle scored zero. Read the rating methodology.

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

H2

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Fewer listed safety features
  • Lower published ownership cover
Best suited to: Published Performance Published Practicality
Specification evidence leader

i20

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger listed safety equipment
  • Stronger published ownership cover
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower published practicality figures
Best suited to: Published Efficiency

Which One's Right for You?

H2

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

i20

  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use
  • Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment
  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published warranty or service cover

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 i20
Model Introduced Year 2017 2008
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. Third generation i20 on the K2 platform; sold in SA with 1.0T three-cylinder turbo across all variants
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. Third generation launched globally in 2020 and arrived in SA shortly after; significant improvement over the second gen in styling, tech, and driving dynamics
Facelift Launched Since 2022 2020
Facelift Version Ending Current Current
Body Style SUV Hatchback
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status Active active
Segment SUV Hatchback
Vehicle Type SUV Hatchback
Color Note Not confirmed White, Black, Silver, Blue, Red, Yellow
Dealer Stock Note Not confirmed Fluid grade in the South Africa lineup
Tare Mass Kg Not confirmed 1135 kg
Spec H2 i20
Length 4290 mm 4040 mm
Width 1800 mm 1775 mm
Height 1645 mm 1505 mm
Wheelbase 2560 mm 2580 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 175 mm 195 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) 150 mm Not Officially Disclosed
Fuel Tank Capacity 52 l 40 l
Boot/Cargo Space 450 l 352 l
Kerb Weight 1650 kg 1135 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 1800 kg 1610 kg
Payload Capacity 550 kg 475 kg
Towing Capacity 2000 kg Not Officially Disclosed
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Number of Rows 2 rows 2 rows
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 5.4 m 5.2 m
Front Headroom 990 mm Not Officially Disclosed
Rear Headroom 960 mm Not Officially Disclosed
Front Legroom 1040 mm Not Officially Disclosed
Rear Legroom 870 mm Not Officially Disclosed

In depth: how these cars differ

This H2 and i20 comparison uses the exact derivatives selected above for South Africa. The catalogue index covers performance, efficiency, safety equipment, practicality and ownership cover only where comparable source-backed fields are present.

Performance index: H2 45 vs i20 37.

Efficiency index: H2 35 vs i20 59.

Safety-equipment index: H2 73 vs i20 84.

Practicality index: H2 65 vs i20 61.

Ownership-cover index: H2 44 vs i20 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.

Specification Evidence Index

A transparent comparison of published catalogue fields. This is not a road-test score, owner rating or editorial review rating, and it appears only when every vehicle clears the same comparable-data threshold.

Evidence / 100
Evidence-index readout

i20 leads by 7 points

H2 and i20 are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Evidence leader 61 /100
Lead 7 points
Data 93% source coverage
61
#1 Evidence leader

i20

93% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 84 Check Performance 37
Performance 37
Efficiency 59
Safety 84
Practicality 61
Ownership 65
Leads by 7 points
54
#2

H2

95% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 73 Check Efficiency 35
Performance 45
Efficiency 35
Safety 73
Practicality 65
Ownership 44
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance H2 +8 Efficiency i20 +24 Safety i20 +11 Practicality H2 +4 Ownership i20 +21

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

i20

Performance 37/100
Efficiency 59/100
Safety 84/100
Practicality 61/100
Ownership 65/100

H2

Performance 45/100
Efficiency 35/100
Safety 73/100
Practicality 65/100
Ownership 44/100

What the evidence means

Evidence index Hyundai i20 leads the specification evidence index with 61 pts vs 54 pts for H2

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, i20 leads. However, H2 may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

Related comparisons

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H2 vs i20 questions

There is no universal winner. Use the comparison table to match the models and available derivatives in South Africa 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.