GWM H6 vs KIA Seltos

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 in South Africa

GWM H6

1.5T Hybrid LX Hybrid Current
ZAR 729,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 115 kW 🔧 260 Nm ⛽ 17.2 km/l
VS
KIA Seltos in South Africa

KIA Seltos

1.5D EX+ Auto Diesel 7-Speed DCT Current
ZAR 599,995 ex-showroom
⚡ 85 kW 🔧 260 Nm ⛽ 19.2 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance H6
Fuel Economy Seltos
🛡 Safety Tie
📦 Practicality H6
🔑 Ownership Seltos
Seltos starts ZAR 199,905 cheaper H6 from ZAR 589,900 · Seltos from ZAR 389,995

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec H6 Seltos
Maximum Power 115 kW @ 5500 rpm 85 kW @ 4000 rpm
Maximum Torque 260 Nm 260 Nm @ 1500 rpm
Engine Size 1497 cc 1493 cc
Claimed Mileage 17.2 km/l 19.2 km/l
Ground Clearance 198 mm 190 mm
Boot / Load Bay 530 l 433 l
Airbags 6 6
Kerb Weight 1680 kg 1430 kg
Seating Capacity - -
Warranty 5 Years / 100,000 km 7 Years / 150,000 km

= leads in this spec

The Bottom Line

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

Where They Actually Differ

Performance H6 +6 pts
Efficiency Seltos +3 pts
Safety Equal
Practicality H6 +1 pts
Ownership Seltos +6 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

🏆 Overall Winner

H6

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • More practical for daily use
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Shorter warranty coverage
Best suited to: Highway Driving Family Usage

Seltos

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • 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?

H6

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

Seltos

  • Buyers looking for better fuel efficiency
  • Long-term owners valuing warranty and ownership peace of mind

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec H6 Seltos
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 107.1 kW/tonne 59.4 kW/tonne
Torque-to-Weight Ratio Not Officially Disclosed 181.8 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 16.0:1
Cylinders 4 4
DC Charging Power Not Applicable Not Applicable
Drive Type FWD FWD
Engine Code GW4B15B D4FE
Engine Displacement 1497 cc 1493 cc
Fuel System Direct Injection Common Rail Direct Injection
Fuel Type Hybrid Diesel
Launch Control No No
Maximum Torque 260 Nm 260 Nm @ 1500 rpm
Regenerative Braking Yes Not Applicable
Valves per Cylinder 4 4
Top Speed 185 km/h 175 km/h
Valves 16 16
0-100 km/h 9.8 sec 10.5 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
Engine 1.5-litre Turbocharged Petrol Hybrid 1.5-litre Turbocharged Diesel
Maximum Power 115 kW @ 5500 rpm 85 kW @ 4000 rpm
Motor Type Not Officially Disclosed Not Applicable
Transmission Not Officially Disclosed 7-Speed DCT
Bore Not Officially Disclosed 75 mm
Stroke Not Officially Disclosed 84.5 mm
Spec H6 Seltos
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 No
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

H6 leads by 0 points

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

Winner 70 /100
Lead 0 points
Data 97% confidence
70
#1 Winner

H6

97% data confidence 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 94 Check Performance 51
Performance 51
Efficiency 70
Safety 94
Practicality 69
Ownership 65
Leads by 0 points
70
#2

Seltos

93% data confidence 3 strong categories
Best at Safety 94 Check Performance 45
Performance 45
Efficiency 73
Safety 94
Practicality 68
Ownership 71
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance H6 +6 Efficiency Seltos +3 Safety Level Practicality H6 +1 Ownership Seltos +6

Very close match. Final decision depends on buyer preference.

Why this score View full breakdown
Overall Winner

H6

Performance 51/100
Efficiency 70/100
Safety 94/100
Practicality 69/100
Ownership 65/100

Seltos

Performance 45/100
Efficiency 73/100
Safety 94/100
Practicality 68/100
Ownership 71/100

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 GWM H6 wins with 70 pts vs 70 pts for Seltos

In structured scoring, H6 emerges as the stronger overall package. However, Seltos 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 H6 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 70 vs Seltos 73. 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 94, Seltos 94. 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 65, Seltos 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 69, Seltos 68. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: H6 51, Seltos 45. 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 H6 edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

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

Performance: H6 scores 51 vs 45.

Efficiency: H6 scores 70 vs 73.

Safety: H6 scores 94 vs 94.

Practicality: H6 scores 69 vs 68.

Ownership: H6 scores 65 vs 71.

Final structured scoring gives H6 the advantage in this comparison.