GWM H2 vs Mahindra XUV3XO

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
Mahindra XUV3XO in South Africa

Mahindra XUV3XO

1.2 AX5L AT Petrol 6-Speed Automatic Current
ZAR 374,999 ex-showroom
⚡ 82 kW 🔧 200 Nm ⛽ 18 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance H2
Fuel Economy XUV3XO
🛡 Safety H2
📦 Practicality Tie
🔑 Ownership Tie
Recorded price context H2: last listed from ZAR 299,900 · XUV3XO: current from ZAR 259,999

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec H2 XUV3XO
Maximum Power 110 kW @ 5500 rpm 82 kW @ 5000 rpm
Maximum Torque 210 Nm 200 Nm
Engine Size 1497 cc 1197 cc
Claimed Mileage 7.5 km/l 18 km/l
Ground Clearance 175 mm 201 mm
Boot / Load Bay Not confirmed 364 l
Airbags 4 6
Kerb Weight Not confirmed 1362 kg
Seating Capacity Not confirmed -
Warranty 3 Years / 100,000 km 5 years / 150 000 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 XUV3XO are extremely closely matched, making the final choice dependent on buyer preference.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance H2 +5 pts
Efficiency XUV3XO +34 pts
Safety H2 +5 pts
Practicality Equal
Ownership Equal

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

H2

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Stronger safety package
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
Best suited to: Highway Driving
🏆 Overall Winner

XUV3XO

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Less comprehensive safety features
Best suited to: Fuel Efficiency

Which One's Right for You?

H2

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power
  • Families prioritising stronger safety equipment

XUV3XO

  • Buyers looking for better fuel efficiency

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 XUV3XO
Model Introduced Year 2017 Not Available
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. Current local listing
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. Not listed by current South African source page.
Facelift Launched Since 2022 Original current-generation version
Facelift Version Ending Not confirmed Current
Body Style Not confirmed SUV
Model Year Not confirmed Current
Production Status Not confirmed Active
Segment Not confirmed SUV
Vehicle Type Not confirmed SUV
Tare Mass Kg Not confirmed 1362 kg
Spec H2 XUV3XO
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 -
Gearbox 6-Speed DCT Automatic
Final Drive Ratio 4.12:1 Not Applicable
Steering Turns Lock to Lock 3.4 -
Number of Gears 6 6
Transmission Type Automatic DCT 6-speed automatic
Clutch Type Torque Converter DCT Not Applicable
Drivetrain Front Wheel Drive Front-wheel drive
Gearbox Type Automatic 6-speed automatic
Transmission Speeds 6 6
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
Front Differential Lock Not confirmed Not Applicable
Low Range Ratio Not confirmed Not Applicable
Low Range Not confirmed Not Applicable
Axle Layout Not confirmed Front-wheel drive
Rear Differential Lock Not confirmed Not Applicable
Gear Shift Type Not confirmed Not Applicable

Overall Verdict Score

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

Weighted / 100
Verdict readout

XUV3XO leads by 4 points

Both H2 and XUV3XO are extremely closely matched, making the final choice dependent on buyer preference.

Winner 56 /100
Lead 4 points
Data 85% confidence
56
#1 Winner

XUV3XO

85% data confidence 0 strong categories
Best at Efficiency 69 Check Performance 40
Performance 40
Efficiency 69
Safety 61
Practicality 66
Ownership 44
Leads by 4 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 +5 Efficiency XUV3XO +34 Safety H2 +5 Practicality Level Ownership Level

Very close match. Final decision depends on buyer preference.

Why this score View full breakdown
Overall Winner

XUV3XO

Performance 40/100
Efficiency 69/100
Safety 61/100
Practicality 66/100
Ownership 44/100

H2

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

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Mahindra XUV3XO wins with 56 pts vs 52 pts for H2

In structured scoring, XUV3XO 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.

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 XUV3XO 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 XUV3XO 69. 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, XUV3XO 61. 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, XUV3XO 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, XUV3XO 66. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: H2 45, XUV3XO 40. 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 XUV3XO edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

The XUV3XO 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 XUV3XO in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: H2 scores 45 vs 40.

Efficiency: H2 scores 35 vs 69.

Safety: H2 scores 66 vs 61.

Practicality: H2 scores 66 vs 66.

Ownership: H2 scores 44 vs 44.

Final structured scoring gives XUV3XO the advantage in this comparison.