GWM H7 vs KIA Sportage

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
KIA Sportage in South Africa

KIA Sportage

2WD 1.6T-GDI GT-Line S DCT Petrol 7-Speed DCT Current
ZAR 823,995 ex-showroom
⚡ 132 kW 🔧 265 Nm ⛽ 13.9 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance H7
Fuel Economy Sportage
🛡 Safety Tie
📦 Practicality H7
🔑 Ownership Sportage
H7 starts ZAR 13,095 cheaper H7 from ZAR 649,900 · Sportage from ZAR 662,995

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec H7 Sportage
Maximum Power 185 kW @ 5500 rpm 132 kW @ 5500 rpm
Maximum Torque 420 Nm 265 Nm @ 1500 rpm
Engine Size 1999 cc 1591 cc
Claimed Mileage 11.8 km/l 13.9 km/l
Ground Clearance 195 mm 181 mm
Boot / Load Bay 620 l 466 l
Airbags 8 7
Kerb Weight 1830 kg 1570 kg
Seating Capacity - -
Warranty 5 Years / 100,000 km 7 Years / 150,000 km

= leads in this spec

The Bottom Line

Both H7 and Sportage are extremely closely matched, making the final choice dependent on buyer preference.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance H7 +23 pts
Efficiency Sportage +8 pts
Safety Equal
Practicality H7 +8 pts
Ownership Sportage +6 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

🏆 Overall Winner

H7

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

Sportage

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?

H7

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

Sportage

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

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec H7 Sportage
Hybrid System Not Applicable Not Applicable
Combined Power Not Applicable Not Applicable
Combined Torque Not Applicable Not Applicable
Number of Motors Not Applicable Not Applicable
Motor Location Not Applicable Not Applicable
Quarter Mile Not Officially Disclosed Not Officially Disclosed
Rev Limiter Not Officially Disclosed Not Officially Disclosed
Power-to-Weight Ratio 101.1 kW/tonne 84.1 kW/tonne
Torque-to-Weight Ratio 229.5 Nm/tonne 168.8 Nm/tonne
Usable Battery Capacity Not Applicable 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
Battery Capacity Not Applicable Not Applicable
Bore 82.5 mm 77 mm
Compression Ratio 10.5:1 9.5:1
Cylinders 4 4
DC Charging Power Not Applicable Not Applicable
Drive Type AWD FWD
Engine Code GW4C20D G4FJ
Engine Displacement 1999 cc 1591 cc
Fuel System Direct Injection Direct Injection
Fuel Type Petrol Petrol
Launch Control No No
Maximum Torque 420 Nm 265 Nm @ 1500 rpm
Stroke 93.1 mm 85.4 mm
Top Speed 210 km/h 198 km/h
Valves 16 16
Valves per Cylinder 4 4
0-100 km/h 7.9 sec 8.5 sec
Battery Type Not Applicable Not Applicable
Battery Voltage Not Applicable Not Applicable
Cylinder Layout Inline Inline
Drive Modes Not Officially Disclosed Not Officially Disclosed
Maximum Power 185 kW @ 5500 rpm 132 kW @ 5500 rpm
Motor Type Not Applicable Not Applicable
Regenerative Braking Not Applicable Not Applicable
Transmission 8-Speed Automatic 7-Speed DCT
Engine 2-litre Turbocharged Petrol 1.6-litre Turbocharged Petrol
Spec H7 Sportage
360 Degree Camera Yes Yes
Active Engine Braking No -
Adaptive Cruise Control Yes Yes
Around View Monitor Yes Yes
Attention Assist Yes -
Autonomous Emergency Braking 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 No 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 Yes
Adaptive Cruise Control Yes Yes
Automatic High Beam Yes Yes

Overall Verdict Score

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

Weighted / 100
Verdict readout

H7 leads by 5 points

Both H7 and Sportage are extremely closely matched, making the final choice dependent on buyer preference.

Winner 75 /100
Lead 5 points
Data 97% confidence
75
#1 Winner

H7

97% data confidence 3 strong categories
Best at Safety 100 Check Efficiency 46
Performance 80
Efficiency 46
Safety 100
Practicality 73
Ownership 65
Leads by 5 points
70
#2

Sportage

97% data confidence 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 100 Check Efficiency 54
Performance 57
Efficiency 54
Safety 100
Practicality 65
Ownership 71
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance H7 +23 Efficiency Sportage +8 Safety Level Practicality H7 +8 Ownership Sportage +6

Very close match. Final decision depends on buyer preference.

Why this score View full breakdown
Overall Winner

H7

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

Sportage

Performance 57/100
Efficiency 54/100
Safety 100/100
Practicality 65/100
Ownership 71/100

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 GWM H7 wins with 75 pts vs 70 pts for Sportage

In structured scoring, H7 emerges as the stronger overall package. However, Sportage 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 H7 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: H7 46 vs Sportage 54. 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: H7 100, Sportage 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: H7 65, Sportage 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: H7 73, Sportage 65. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: H7 80, Sportage 57. 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 H7 edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

The H7 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 H7 and Sportage in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: H7 scores 80 vs 57.

Efficiency: H7 scores 46 vs 54.

Safety: H7 scores 100 vs 100.

Practicality: H7 scores 73 vs 65.

Ownership: H7 scores 65 vs 71.

Final structured scoring gives H7 the advantage in this comparison.