GWM H2 vs Lexus NX

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
Lexus NX in South Africa

Lexus NX

NX 350 F SPORT Petrol 8-Speed Automatic Current
ZAR 1,276,500 ex-showroom
⚡ 205 kW 🔧 430 Nm ⛽ 12.3 km/l
＋ Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

GWM H2 vs Lexus NX: the short answer

NX holds a noticeable catalogue-index lead over H2.

Recorded price context H2: last listed from ZAR 299,900 · NX: current from ZAR 1,074,200

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification H2 NX
Maximum Power H2110 kW @ 5500 rpm NX205 kW @ 6000 rpm
Maximum Torque H2210 Nm NX430 Nm
Engine Size H21497 cc NX2400 cc
Combined Fuel Economy H27.5 km/l NX12.3 km/l
Ground Clearance H2175 mm NX195 mm

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

Evidence for GWM H2 1.5T LT

Source type: Hagalu catalogue record

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

H2

Strengths
  • Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Fewer listed safety features
Best suited to: Published Practicality
Specification evidence leader

NX

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger listed safety equipment
Weak Spots
  • Lower published practicality figures
Best suited to: Published Performance Published Efficiency

Which One's Right for You?

H2

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

NX

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use
  • Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment

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 NX
Model Introduced Year 2017 2023
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. Second-generation Lexus NX mid-size luxury SUV
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. Current South African range includes petrol, self-charging hybrid and plug-in-hybrid derivatives
Facelift Launched Since 2022 Current South African range includes petrol, self-charging hybrid and plug-in-hybrid derivatives
Facelift Version Ending Not confirmed Current South African specification checked 2026-07-17
Body Style Not confirmed SUV
Model Year Not confirmed 2026
Production Status Not confirmed published
Segment Not confirmed Luxury SUV
Tare Mass Kg Not confirmed 1760-1860 kg
Vehicle Type Not confirmed SUV
Spec H2 NX
Length 4290 mm 4660 mm
Width 1800 mm 1865 mm
Height 1645 mm 1670 mm
Wheelbase 2560 mm 2690 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 175 mm 195 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 52 l 55 l
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 1800 kg 2370 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 5.4 m 5.8 m
Front Headroom 990 mm -
Rear Headroom 960 mm -
Front Legroom 1040 mm -
Rear Legroom 870 mm -
Boot/Cargo Space Not confirmed 520 l
Towing Capacity Not confirmed 1000 kg

In depth: how these cars differ

This H2 and NX 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 NX 86.

Efficiency index: H2 35 vs NX 49.

Safety-equipment index: H2 72 vs NX 93.

Practicality index: H2 66 vs NX 65.

Ownership-cover index: H2 44 vs NX not separately scored.

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

NX leads by 21 points

NX holds a noticeable catalogue-index lead over H2.

Evidence leader 75 /100
Lead 21 points
Data 70% source coverage
75
#1 Evidence leader

NX

70% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 93 Check Efficiency 49
Performance 86
Efficiency 49
Safety 93
Practicality 65
Leads by 21 points
54
#2

H2

82% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 72 Check Efficiency 35
Performance 45
Efficiency 35
Safety 72
Practicality 66
Ownership 44
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance NX +41 Efficiency NX +14 Safety NX +21 Practicality H2 +1

Moderate difference in the source-backed catalogue index.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

NX

Performance 86/100
Efficiency 49/100
Safety 93/100
Practicality 65/100

H2

Performance 45/100
Efficiency 35/100
Safety 72/100
Practicality 66/100
Ownership 44/100

What the evidence means

Evidence index Lexus NX leads the specification evidence index with 75 pts vs 54 pts for H2

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

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H2 vs NX 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.