GWM H2 vs Suzuki Jimny 5-Door

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
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
Suzuki Jimny 5-Door in South Africa

Suzuki Jimny 5-Door

1.5 GLX AllGrip AT Petrol 4-Speed Automatic Current
ZAR 489,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 75 kW 🔧 130 Nm ⛽ 14.9 km/l
＋ Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

⚡ Performance H2
⛽ Fuel Economy Jimny 5-Door
🛡 Safety Jimny 5-Door
📦 Practicality H2
🔑 Ownership Jimny 5-Door
Recorded price context H2: last listed from ZAR 299,900 · Jimny 5-Door: current from ZAR 439,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec H2 Jimny 5-Door
Maximum Power 110 kW @ 5500 rpm 75 kW @ 6000 rpm
Maximum Torque 210 Nm 130 Nm @ 4000 rpm
Engine Size 1497 cc 1462 cc
Claimed Mileage 7.5 km/l 14.9 km/l
Ground Clearance 175 mm 210 mm
Boot / Load Bay Not confirmed 211 l
Airbags 4 6
Kerb Weight Not confirmed 1215 kg
Seating Capacity Not confirmed -
Warranty 3 Years / 100,000 km 5

= 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 Jimny 5-Door are extremely closely matched, making the final choice dependent on buyer preference.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance H2 +16 pts
Efficiency Jimny 5-Door +22 pts
Safety Jimny 5-Door +26 pts
Practicality H2 +17 pts
Ownership Jimny 5-Door +27 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

H2

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • More practical for daily use
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Less comprehensive safety features
  • Shorter warranty coverage
Best suited to: Highway Driving Family Usage
🏆 Overall Winner

Jimny 5-Door

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

Which One's Right for You?

H2

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

Jimny 5-Door

  • Buyers looking for better fuel efficiency
  • Families prioritising stronger safety equipment
  • Long-term owners valuing warranty and ownership peace of mind

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 Jimny 5-Door
Model Introduced Year 2017 2025
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. Fourth-generation Jimny five-door — JB74W. Uses identical powertrain, ladder-frame chassis, AllGrip Pro 4x4 system, and suspension geometry as the JB74 two-door. Body extended 360mm longer with full rear doors and a longer wheelbase
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. Two-door Jimny (JB74) returned to SA market in 2021 after a nine-year absence. Five-door variant (JB74W) launched globally in 2023 and introduced in South Africa in 2025 as a distinct model — not a trim level of the two-door.
Facelift Launched Since 2022 2025
Body Style Not confirmed SUV
Model Year Not confirmed 2026
Production Status Not confirmed published
Segment Not confirmed SUV
Vehicle Type Not confirmed SUV
Drivetrain Note Not confirmed Drive layout derived from the official derivative naming: 1.5 GLX AllGrip AT
Dealer Stock Note Not confirmed Flagship grade in the South Africa lineup
Color Note Not confirmed Kinetic Yellow, Bluish Black Pearl, Solid White, Granite Grey Metallic, Chili Red, Brisk Blue Metallic
Tare Mass Kg Not confirmed 1170 kg
Facelift Version Ending Not confirmed Current
Spec H2 Jimny 5-Door
LSD Available Not Applicable Not Applicable
Transfer Case Not Applicable Two-Speed Transfer Case (Hi / Lo Range)
Differential Lock Not Applicable Not Applicable
Paddle Shifters Yes Not Applicable
Engine Position Transverse Front-Mounted Longitudinal Front-Mounted
Gearbox 6-Speed DCT 4-Speed Torque Converter Automatic
Final Drive Ratio 4.12:1 4.090:1
Steering Turns Lock to Lock 3.4 3.8
Number of Gears 6 4
Transmission Type Automatic DCT Automatic
Clutch Type Torque Converter DCT Torque Converter
Drivetrain Front Wheel Drive 4WD / AWD
Gearbox Type Automatic 4-Speed Torque Converter Automatic
Transmission Speeds 6 4
Drivetrain Layout Not confirmed Rear Wheel Drive (2WD) / 4WD with Low-Range
Gear Shift Type Not confirmed 4-Speed Torque Converter Automatic
Axle Layout Not confirmed 4WD — AllGrip PRO Part-Time
Automatic Shift Paddles Not confirmed Not Applicable
4WD Engagement Not confirmed Not Applicable
4WD Hi Range Not confirmed Not Applicable
4WD Lo Range Not confirmed Not Applicable
Transfer Case Guard Not confirmed Not Available
Low Range Not confirmed Not Applicable
Low Range Ratio Not confirmed Not Applicable
Front Differential Lock Not confirmed Not Applicable
Rear Differential Lock Not confirmed Not Applicable
4WD Selector Not confirmed Not Applicable
Gear Shift Indicator Not confirmed Not Applicable

Overall Verdict Score

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

Weighted / 100
Verdict readout

Jimny 5-Door leads by 6 points

Both H2 and Jimny 5-Door are extremely closely matched, making the final choice dependent on buyer preference.

Winner 58 /100
Lead 6 points
Data 98% confidence
58
#1 Winner

Jimny 5-Door

98% data confidence 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 92 Check Performance 29
Performance 29
Efficiency 57
Safety 92
Practicality 49
Ownership 71
Leads by 6 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 +16 Efficiency Jimny 5-Door +22 Safety Jimny 5-Door +26 Practicality H2 +17 Ownership Jimny 5-Door +27

Very close match. Final decision depends on buyer preference.

Why this score View full breakdown
Overall Winner

Jimny 5-Door

Performance 29/100
Efficiency 57/100
Safety 92/100
Practicality 49/100
Ownership 71/100

H2

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

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Suzuki Jimny 5-Door wins with 58 pts vs 52 pts for H2

In structured scoring, Jimny 5-Door 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.

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Questions Buyers Usually Ask

On our scoring the Jimny 5-Door 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 Jimny 5-Door 57. 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, Jimny 5-Door 92. 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, Jimny 5-Door 71. 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, Jimny 5-Door 49. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: H2 45, Jimny 5-Door 29. 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 Jimny 5-Door edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

The Jimny 5-Door 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 Jimny 5-Door in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: H2 scores 45 vs 29.

Efficiency: H2 scores 35 vs 57.

Safety: H2 scores 66 vs 92.

Practicality: H2 scores 66 vs 49.

Ownership: H2 scores 44 vs 71.

Final structured scoring gives Jimny 5-Door the advantage in this comparison.