GWM H7 vs BYD SEALION 7

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 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
BYD SEALION 7 in South Africa

BYD SEALION 7

Performance EV AWD 4.5S Electric Single-Speed Reduction Gear Current
ZAR 1,319,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 390 kW 🔧 690 Nm
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance SEALION 7
Fuel Economy SEALION 7
🛡 Safety H7
📦 Practicality H7
🔑 Ownership Not enough comparable data
H7 starts ZAR 460,000 cheaper H7 from ZAR 649,900 · SEALION 7 from ZAR 1,109,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec H7 SEALION 7
Maximum Power 185 kW @ 5500 rpm 390 kW
Maximum Torque 420 Nm 690 Nm
Engine Size 1999 cc Not Applicable
Combined Fuel Economy 11.8 km/l Not Applicable
Ground Clearance 195 mm 163 mm
Boot / Load Bay 620 l 500 l
Airbags 8 9
Kerb Weight 1830 kg 2340 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Warranty 5 Years / 100,000 km 5 years/100000 km complete vehicle; 8 years/200000 km power battery; 5 years/100000 km drive unit

= leads in this spec

The Bottom Line

SEALION 7 has a modest catalogue-index lead, while H7 remains close.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance SEALION 7 +20 pts
Efficiency SEALION 7 +44 pts
Safety H7 +1 pts
Practicality H7 +11 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

H7

Strengths
  • Stronger listed safety equipment
  • Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower fuel efficiency
Best suited to: Published Practicality
Catalogue-index leader

SEALION 7

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Better fuel efficiency
Weak Spots
  • Fewer listed safety features
  • Lower published practicality figures
Best suited to: Published Performance Published Efficiency

Which One's Right for You?

H7

  • Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment
  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

SEALION 7

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec H7 SEALION 7
Model Introduced Year 2024 2025
Generation First generation, derived from Haval's larger SUV platform launched in 2023. Local specification differs from the Chinese-domestic model in suspension calibration and equipment loading. First South African SEALION 7 generation
Facelift History First-generation H7 launched in South Africa in 2024. No significant facelift to date; software updates have refined the all-wheel-drive system calibration and the driver-assistance behaviour. No separately marketed South African facelift announced as at August 2026
Facelift Launched Since 2024 Original current-generation version
Facelift Version Ending Current Current
Body Style SUV SUV
Color Note Crystal White, Hamilton Black, Cosmos Grey, Pittsburgh Silver, Mars Red and Atlantic Blue. Two-tone roof options available on LT and LX trims. -
Dealer Stock Note Flagship grade in the South Africa lineup -
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status published Active
Segment SUV Medium SUV
Tare Mass Kg 1830 kg -
Vehicle Type SUV Passenger vehicle
Spec H7 SEALION 7
Length 4772 mm 4830 mm
Width 1910 mm 1925 mm
Height 1750 mm 1620 mm
Wheelbase 2800 mm 2930 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 195 mm 163 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 63 l 0 l
Boot/Cargo Space 620 l 500 l
Kerb Weight 1830 kg 2340 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 2200 kg 2750 kg
Towing Capacity 1500 kg 1500 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 12.2 m 5.85 m
Front Headroom 990 mm 980 mm
Rear Headroom 960 mm 940 mm
Front Legroom 1050 mm 1100 mm
Rear Legroom 890 mm 820 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) - 140 mm
Payload Capacity - 410 kg
Number of Rows - 2 rows

Source-backed Catalogue Index

A transparent specification index shown only when every vehicle clears the minimum comparable-data threshold.

Weighted / 100
Catalogue-index readout

SEALION 7 leads by 13 points

SEALION 7 has a modest catalogue-index lead, while H7 remains close.

Index leader 88 /100
Lead 13 points
Data 69% source coverage
88
#1 Index leader

SEALION 7

69% source coverage 3 strong categories
Best at Performance 100 Check Practicality 62
Performance 100
Efficiency 90
Safety 99
Practicality 62
Leads by 13 points
75
#2

H7

96% source coverage 3 strong categories
Best at Safety 100 Check Efficiency 46
Performance 80
Efficiency 46
Safety 100
Practicality 73
Ownership 65
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance SEALION 7 +20 Efficiency SEALION 7 +44 Safety H7 +1 Practicality H7 +11

Moderate difference in the source-backed catalogue index.

Why this score View full breakdown
Catalogue-index leader

SEALION 7

Performance 100/100
Efficiency 90/100
Safety 99/100
Practicality 62/100

H7

Performance 80/100
Efficiency 46/100
Safety 100/100
Practicality 73/100
Ownership 65/100

How to Read This Comparison

🏆 BYD SEALION 7 leads the catalogue index with 88 pts vs 75 pts for H7

In Hagalu's source-backed catalogue index, SEALION 7 leads. However, H7 may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. 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

There is no universal winner. Use the comparison table to match the exact South African derivatives 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.

Hagalu does not publish a guaranteed resale winner. Depreciation depends on age, mileage, condition, derivative, colour, supply and demand. Compare several current used-market listings and obtain trade-in valuations for equivalent examples before relying on a resale estimate.

Check the exact derivatives for drive type, ground clearance, tyres, approach and departure angles, wading depth and low-range gearing where officially disclosed. SUV styling or all-wheel drive alone does not prove that a vehicle is suitable for demanding off-road use.

Calculate each exact derivative using your monthly distance and a current fuel or electricity price, then add finance, insurance, scheduled service, tyres and licence costs. Hagalu does not claim a fixed monthly saving without those buyer-specific inputs.

It is worth more only when the exact price difference buys equipment, space, performance or ownership cover that matters to you. Compare like-for-like lifecycle states and derivatives; a current offer and a historical last-listed price are not directly equivalent.

In Depth — Breaking It All Down

This H7 and SEALION 7 comparison uses the exact South African derivatives selected above. 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 SEALION 7 100.

Efficiency index: H7 46 vs SEALION 7 90.

Safety-equipment index: H7 100 vs SEALION 7 99.

Practicality index: H7 73 vs SEALION 7 62.

Ownership-cover index: H7 65 vs SEALION 7 not separately scored.

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.