GWM H2 vs Toyota Urban Cruiser

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
Toyota Urban Cruiser in South Africa

Toyota Urban Cruiser

1.5 XR CVT Petrol CVT Current
ZAR 399,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 77 kW 🔧 140 Nm ⛽ 14.9 km/l
＋ Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

⚡ Performance H2
⛽ Fuel Economy Urban Cruiser
🛡 Safety Urban Cruiser
📦 Practicality H2
🔑 Ownership H2
Recorded price context H2: last listed from ZAR 299,900 · Urban Cruiser: current from ZAR 319,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec H2 Urban Cruiser
Maximum Power 110 kW @ 5500 rpm 77 kW @ 6000 rpm
Maximum Torque 210 Nm 140 Nm @ 4200 rpm
Engine Size 1497 cc 1496 cc
Claimed Mileage 7.5 km/l 14.9 km/l
Ground Clearance 175 mm 175 mm
Boot / Load Bay Not confirmed 290 l
Airbags 4 6
Kerb Weight Not confirmed 1085 kg
Seating Capacity 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 Urban Cruiser are extremely closely matched, making the final choice dependent on buyer preference.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance H2 +13 pts
Efficiency Urban Cruiser +25 pts
Safety Urban Cruiser +26 pts
Practicality H2 +8 pts
Ownership H2 +1 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

H2

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • More practical for daily use
  • Better long-term ownership value
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Less comprehensive safety features
Best suited to: Highway Driving Family Usage
🏆 Overall Winner

Urban Cruiser

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger safety package
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Less practical in daily usage
  • Shorter warranty coverage
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
  • Long-term owners valuing warranty and ownership peace of mind

Urban Cruiser

  • Buyers looking for better fuel efficiency
  • Families prioritising stronger 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 Urban Cruiser
Model Introduced Year 2017 2022
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. First generation Urban Cruiser for South Africa
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. New model in South Africa
Facelift Launched Since 2022 Original current-generation version
Facelift Version Ending Not confirmed Current
Body Style Not confirmed SUV
Color Note Not confirmed White, Black, Silver, Grey, Blue, Red
Dealer Stock Note Not confirmed Top grade in the South Africa lineup
Model Year Not confirmed 2026
Production Status Not confirmed published
Segment Not confirmed SUV
Vehicle Type Not confirmed SUV
Tare Mass Kg Not confirmed 1085 kg
Spec H2 Urban Cruiser
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 Front Transverse
Gearbox 6-Speed DCT CVT Automatic
Final Drive Ratio 4.12:1 Not Applicable
Steering Turns Lock to Lock 3.4 -
Number of Gears 6 4
Transmission Type Automatic DCT Continuously Variable Transmission
Clutch Type Torque Converter DCT Not Applicable
Drivetrain Front Wheel Drive FWD/
Gearbox Type Automatic CVT Automatic
Transmission Speeds 6 4
Drivetrain Layout Not confirmed Front Wheel Drive
Gear Shift Indicator Not confirmed Not Applicable
4WD Engagement Not confirmed Not Applicable
4WD Hi Range Not confirmed Not Applicable
4WD Lo Range Not confirmed Not Applicable
4WD Selector Not confirmed Not Applicable
Automatic Shift Paddles Not confirmed Not Applicable
Differential Type Front Not confirmed Not Available
Differential Type Rear Not confirmed Not Available
Front Differential Lock Not confirmed Not Applicable
Low Range Ratio Not confirmed Not Applicable
Low Range Not confirmed Not Applicable
Axle Layout Not confirmed FWD
Rear Differential Lock Not confirmed Not Applicable
Transfer Case Guard Not confirmed Not Available
Gear Shift Type Not confirmed CVT Automatic

Overall Verdict Score

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

Weighted / 100
Verdict readout

Urban Cruiser leads by 5 points

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

Winner 57 /100
Lead 5 points
Data 85% confidence
57
#1 Winner

Urban Cruiser

85% data confidence 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 92 Check Performance 32
Performance 32
Efficiency 60
Safety 92
Practicality 58
Ownership 43
Leads by 5 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 +13 Efficiency Urban Cruiser +25 Safety Urban Cruiser +26 Practicality H2 +8 Ownership H2 +1

Very close match. Final decision depends on buyer preference.

Why this score View full breakdown
Overall Winner

Urban Cruiser

Performance 32/100
Efficiency 60/100
Safety 92/100
Practicality 58/100
Ownership 43/100

H2

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

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Toyota Urban Cruiser wins with 57 pts vs 52 pts for H2

In structured scoring, Urban Cruiser 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.

Other Comparisons Worth Checking

See how similar cars go head-to-head — you might find a better fit than you expected.

H2
H2Discontinued
VS
Starlet Cross
Starlet Cross
H2 vs Starlet Cross →
H2
H2Discontinued
VS
Fronx
Fronx
H2 vs Fronx →
H2
H2Discontinued
VS
L4
L4
H2 vs L4 →
H2
H2Discontinued
VS
Sonet
Sonet
H2 vs Sonet →
H2
H2Discontinued
VS
Tiggo 4 Cross
Tiggo 4 Cross
H2 vs Tiggo 4 Cross →
H2
H2Discontinued
VS
C5
C5
H2 vs C5 →
Urban Cruiser
Urban Cruiser
VS
Starlet Cross
Starlet Cross
Urban Cruiser vs Starlet Cross →
Urban Cruiser
Urban Cruiser
VS
Fronx
Fronx
Urban Cruiser vs Fronx →

Buyers Also Looked At These

Other comparisons that people in the same boat tend to check out.

H2
H2Discontinued
VS
Chery Q
Chery QUpcoming
H2 vs Chery Q →
H2
H2Discontinued
VS
Tiggo 4 Cross
Tiggo 4 Cross
H2 vs Tiggo 4 Cross →
H2
H2Discontinued
VS
Tiggo 4 Cross HEV
Tiggo 4 Cross HEV
H2 vs Tiggo 4 Cross HEV →
H2
H2Discontinued
VS
Tiggo 4 Pro
Tiggo 4 Pro
H2 vs Tiggo 4 Pro →
H2
H2Discontinued
VS
Tiggo 7
Tiggo 7
H2 vs Tiggo 7 →
H2
H2Discontinued
VS
Tiggo 7 PHEV
Tiggo 7 PHEV
H2 vs Tiggo 7 PHEV →

Questions Buyers Usually Ask

On our scoring the Urban Cruiser 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 Urban Cruiser 60. 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, Urban Cruiser 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, Urban Cruiser 43. 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, Urban Cruiser 58. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: H2 45, Urban Cruiser 32. 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 Urban Cruiser edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

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

Performance: H2 scores 45 vs 32.

Efficiency: H2 scores 35 vs 60.

Safety: H2 scores 66 vs 92.

Practicality: H2 scores 66 vs 58.

Ownership: H2 scores 44 vs 43.

Final structured scoring gives Urban Cruiser the advantage in this comparison.