GWM H7 vs Hyundai Santa Fe

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.

Hyundai Santa Fe Discontinued model
GWM H7 in South Africa

GWM H7

2.0T LX Petrol 8-Speed Automatic Current
ZAR 799,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 185 kW 🔧 420 Nm ⛽ 11.8 km/l
VS
Hyundai Santa Fe in South Africa

Hyundai Santa Fe

2.2D 4WD Executive Diesel 8-Speed Automatic Discontinued model
ZAR 899,900 last listed
Discontinued model Verified historical specifications remain visible for owner and used-car comparisons.
⚡ 147 kW 🔧 440 Nm ⛽ 13.8 km/l
+ Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

GWM H7 vs Hyundai Santa Fe: the short answer

H7 and Santa Fe are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Recorded price context H7: current from ZAR 649,900 · Santa Fe: last listed from ZAR 899,900

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification H7 Santa Fe
Maximum Power H7185 kW @ 5500 rpm Santa Fe147 kW @ 3800 rpm
Maximum Torque H7420 Nm Santa Fe440 Nm @ 1750 rpm
Engine Size H71999 cc Santa Fe2199 cc
Combined Fuel Economy H711.8 km/l Santa Fe13.8 km/l
Ground Clearance H7195 mm Santa Fe188 mm

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

Independent editorial assessment

Hagalu editorial ratings

When a variant is selected, its rating out of five applies only to that exact derivative; a model-range review is not inherited. Editorial ratings are separate from the Specification Evidence Index out of 100 and are not customer ratings.

GWM H7

2.0T LX

Hagalu editorial rating Not yet rated

No complete editorial rating is published for this exact variant. This is not a zero score.

How Hagalu rates cars

Hyundai Santa Fe

2.2D 4WD Executive

Hagalu editorial rating Not yet rated

No complete editorial rating is published for this exact variant. This is not a zero score.

How Hagalu rates cars

Not yet rated means a complete review is not published; it does not mean the vehicle scored zero. Read the rating methodology.

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

H7

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

Santa Fe

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

Which One's Right for You?

H7

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment

Santa Fe

  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use
  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

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 H7 Santa Fe
360 Degree Camera Yes Yes
Active Engine Braking No Not confirmed
Adaptive Cruise Control Yes Yes
Adaptive Cruise Control Yes Yes
Around View Monitor Yes Yes
Attention Assist Yes Not confirmed
Autonomous Emergency Braking Yes Yes
Automatic High Beam Yes Not confirmed
Auto Highbeam Yes Not Officially Disclosed
Auto Lights Yes Yes
Auto Park Assist No Not confirmed
Auto Wipers Yes No
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 Not confirmed
EV Mode No No
Forward Collision Warning Yes Not Officially Disclosed
Front Camera Yes Not confirmed
Lane Departure Warning Yes Yes
Lane Keep Assist Yes Yes
Park Assist Yes Not Officially Disclosed
Parking Distance Sensors Front and Rear Not confirmed
Parking Sensor Front and Rear Not confirmed
Parking Sensors Front and Rear Front & Rear
Pre-Collision System Yes Not confirmed
Rain Sensor Wipers Yes Not confirmed
Rear View Camera Yes Yes
Rear Cross Traffic Alert Yes Yes
Rear Parking Sensors Yes Not Officially Disclosed
Rear View Camera Yes Not confirmed
Reverse Camera Yes Yes
Reverse Camera Type Yes Not confirmed
Reversing Camera Yes Not confirmed
Sport Mode Yes No
Surround View Camera Yes Yes
Traffic Sign Recognition Yes No
Spec H7 Santa Fe
4WD Engagement Not Applicable Not Officially Disclosed
4WD Hi Range Not Applicable Not Officially Disclosed
4WD Lo Range Not Applicable Not Officially Disclosed
4WD Selector Not Applicable Not Officially Disclosed
Automatic Shift Paddles Yes Not Officially Disclosed
Axle Layout AWD AWD
Clutch Type Torque Converter Not Officially Disclosed
Differential Lock No Not Officially Disclosed
Drive Mode Selector Yes Not confirmed
Drivetrain All Wheel Drive AWD
Drivetrain Layout Front Engine All Wheel Drive HTRAC AWD
Engine Position Front Transverse Front
Final Drive Ratio 3.42 Not Officially Disclosed
Number of Gears 8 Not Officially Disclosed
Gear Shift Indicator Yes Yes
Gear Shift Type Automatic Not Officially Disclosed
Gearbox 8-Speed Automatic 8-speed Automatic
Gearbox Type 8-Speed Automatic Automatic
LSD Available No Yes
Low Range Not Applicable Not Officially Disclosed
Paddle Shifters Yes Yes
Reverse Gear Warning Yes Not confirmed
Steering Turns Lock to Lock 14.7:1 Not confirmed
Transfer Case Not Applicable Not Officially Disclosed
Transmission Speeds 8 Not Officially Disclosed
Transmission Type Automatic Automatic
Rear Differential Lock No Not Officially Disclosed
Low Range Ratio Not Applicable Not Officially Disclosed
Front Differential Lock Not Applicable Not Officially Disclosed

In depth: how these cars differ

This H7 and Santa Fe 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: H7 80 vs Santa Fe 74.

Efficiency index: H7 46 vs Santa Fe 55.

Safety-equipment index: H7 100 vs Santa Fe 98.

Practicality index: H7 71 vs Santa Fe 89.

Ownership-cover index: H7 65 vs Santa Fe 65.

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

Santa Fe leads by 4 points

H7 and Santa Fe are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Evidence leader 78 /100
Lead 4 points
Data 90% source coverage
78
#1 Evidence leader

Santa Fe

90% source coverage 3 strong categories
Best at Safety 98 Check Efficiency 55
Performance 74
Efficiency 55
Safety 98
Practicality 89
Ownership 65
Leads by 4 points
74
#2

H7

99% source coverage 3 strong categories
Best at Safety 100 Check Efficiency 46
Performance 80
Efficiency 46
Safety 100
Practicality 71
Ownership 65
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance H7 +6 Efficiency Santa Fe +9 Safety H7 +2 Practicality Santa Fe +18 Ownership Level

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

Santa Fe

Performance 74/100
Efficiency 55/100
Safety 98/100
Practicality 89/100
Ownership 65/100

H7

Performance 80/100
Efficiency 46/100
Safety 100/100
Practicality 71/100
Ownership 65/100

What the evidence means

Evidence index Hyundai Santa Fe leads the specification evidence index with 78 pts vs 74 pts for H7

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, Santa Fe leads. However, H7 may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

H7 vs Santa Fe 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.