GWM H6 GT vs KIA Sorento

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.

GWM H6 GT in South Africa

GWM H6 GT

2.0T Hybrid LT Hybrid Current
ZAR 769,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 150 kW 🔧 420 Nm ⛽ 16.1 km/l
VS
KIA Sorento in South Africa

KIA Sorento

2.2 CRDi SXL AWD DCT Diesel 8-Speed DCT Current
ZAR 1,299,995 ex-showroom
⚡ 148 kW 🔧 440 Nm ⛽ 15.6 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance Sorento
Fuel Economy H6 GT
🛡 Safety Sorento
📦 Practicality H6 GT
🔑 Ownership Sorento
H6 GT starts ZAR 300,095 cheaper H6 GT from ZAR 699,900 · Sorento from ZAR 999,995

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec H6 GT Sorento
Maximum Power 150 kW @ 5500 rpm 148 kW @ 3800 rpm
Maximum Torque 420 Nm 440 Nm @ 1750 rpm
Engine Size 1999 cc 2151 cc
Claimed Mileage 16.1 km/l 15.6 km/l
Ground Clearance 192 mm 185 mm
Boot / Load Bay 460 l 219 l
Airbags 6 7
Kerb Weight 1740 kg 1960 kg
Seating Capacity - -
Warranty 5 Years / 100,000 km 7 Years / 150,000 km

= leads in this spec

The Bottom Line

Both H6 GT and Sorento are extremely closely matched, making the final choice dependent on buyer preference.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Sorento +4 pts
Efficiency H6 GT +6 pts
Safety Sorento +6 pts
Practicality H6 GT +1 pts
Ownership Sorento +6 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

H6 GT

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • More practical for daily use
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Less comprehensive safety features
  • Shorter warranty coverage
Best suited to: Fuel Efficiency Family Usage
🏆 Overall Winner

Sorento

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Stronger safety package
  • Better long-term ownership value
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Less practical in daily usage
Best suited to: Highway Driving

Which One's Right for You?

H6 GT

  • Buyers looking for better fuel efficiency
  • Large families needing more practicality and usability

Sorento

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power
  • Families prioritising stronger safety equipment
  • Long-term owners valuing warranty and ownership peace of mind

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec H6 GT Sorento
Hybrid System Parallel Hybrid Not Applicable
Combined Power 180 kW Not Applicable
Combined Torque Not Officially Disclosed Not Applicable
Number of Motors Not Officially Disclosed Not Applicable
Motor Location Not Officially Disclosed Not Applicable
Quarter Mile Not Officially Disclosed Not Officially Disclosed
Rev Limiter Not Officially Disclosed Not Officially Disclosed
Power-to-Weight Ratio 103.4 kW/tonne 75.5 kW/tonne
Torque-to-Weight Ratio Not Officially Disclosed 224.5 Nm/tonne
Usable Battery Capacity Not Officially Disclosed Not Applicable
Electric Range Not Applicable Not Applicable
AC Charging Time Not Applicable Not Applicable
DC Charging Time Not Applicable Not Applicable
AC Charging Power Not Applicable Not Applicable
Aspiration Turbocharged Turbocharged
Compression Ratio 10.5:1 15.4:1
Cylinders 4 4
DC Charging Power Not Applicable Not Applicable
Drive Type FWD AWD
Engine Code GW4C20B D4HB
Engine Displacement 1999 cc 2151 cc
Fuel System Direct Injection Common Rail Direct Injection
Fuel Type Hybrid Diesel
Launch Control No No
Regenerative Braking Yes Not Applicable
Top Speed 200 km/h 200 km/h
Valves 16 16
Valves per Cylinder 4 4
Engine 2-litre Turbocharged Petrol Hybrid 2.2-litre Turbocharged Diesel
Maximum Torque 420 Nm 440 Nm @ 1750 rpm
0-100 km/h 8.2 sec 8.5 sec
Battery Capacity 1.8 kWh Not Applicable
Battery Type Lithium-ion Not Applicable
Battery Voltage Not Officially Disclosed Not Applicable
Cylinder Layout Inline Inline
Drive Modes Not Officially Disclosed Not Officially Disclosed
Maximum Power 150 kW @ 5500 rpm 148 kW @ 3800 rpm
Motor Type Not Officially Disclosed Not Applicable
Transmission Not Officially Disclosed 8-Speed DCT
Bore Not Officially Disclosed 85.4 mm
Stroke Not Officially Disclosed 94 mm
Spec H6 GT Sorento
360 Degree Camera Yes Yes
Active Engine Braking No -
Adaptive Cruise Control Yes Yes
Adaptive Cruise Control Yes Yes
Around View Monitor Yes Yes
Attention Assist Yes -
Autonomous Emergency Braking Yes Yes
Automatic High Beam Yes Yes
Auto Highbeam Yes Yes
Auto Lights Yes Yes
Auto Park Assist No -
Auto Wipers Yes Yes
Blind Spot Monitoring Yes Yes
Blind Spot Warning Yes Yes
Cruise Control Yes Yes
Driver Fatigue Alert Yes Yes
Eco Mode Yes Yes
Emergency Braking Yes Yes
EV Mode Yes No
Forward Collision Warning Yes Yes
Front Camera Yes Yes
Lane Departure Warning Yes Yes
Lane Keep Assist Yes Yes
Park Assist Yes Yes
Parking Distance Sensors Front and Rear Yes
Parking Sensor Front and Rear Yes
Parking Sensors Front and Rear Yes
Pre-Collision System Yes Yes
Rain Sensor Wipers Yes Yes
Rear View Camera Yes Yes
Rear Cross Traffic Alert Yes Yes
Rear Parking Sensors Yes Yes
Rear View Camera Yes Yes
Reverse Camera Yes Yes
Reverse Camera Type Yes Yes
Reversing Camera Yes Yes
Sport Mode Yes Yes
Surround View Camera Yes Yes
Traffic Sign Recognition Yes No

Overall Verdict Score

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

Weighted / 100
Verdict readout

Sorento leads by 2 points

Both H6 GT and Sorento are extremely closely matched, making the final choice dependent on buyer preference.

Winner 75 /100
Lead 2 points
Data 97% confidence
75
#1 Winner

Sorento

97% data confidence 3 strong categories
Best at Safety 100 Check Efficiency 61
Performance 74
Efficiency 61
Safety 100
Practicality 64
Ownership 71
Leads by 2 points
73
#2

H6 GT

97% data confidence 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 94 Check Practicality 65
Performance 70
Efficiency 67
Safety 94
Practicality 65
Ownership 65
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Sorento +4 Efficiency H6 GT +6 Safety Sorento +6 Practicality H6 GT +1 Ownership Sorento +6

Very close match. Final decision depends on buyer preference.

Why this score View full breakdown
Overall Winner

Sorento

Performance 74/100
Efficiency 61/100
Safety 100/100
Practicality 64/100
Ownership 71/100

H6 GT

Performance 70/100
Efficiency 67/100
Safety 94/100
Practicality 65/100
Ownership 65/100

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 KIA Sorento wins with 75 pts vs 73 pts for H6 GT

In structured scoring, Sorento emerges as the stronger overall package. However, H6 GT 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 Sorento 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: H6 GT 67 vs Sorento 61. 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: H6 GT 94, Sorento 100. 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: H6 GT 65, Sorento 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: H6 GT 65, Sorento 64. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: H6 GT 70, Sorento 74. 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 Sorento edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

The Sorento 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 H6 GT and Sorento in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: H6 GT scores 70 vs 74.

Efficiency: H6 GT scores 67 vs 61.

Safety: H6 GT scores 94 vs 100.

Practicality: H6 GT scores 65 vs 64.

Ownership: H6 GT scores 65 vs 71.

Final structured scoring gives Sorento the advantage in this comparison.