GWM H7 vs Jetour T1 i-DM

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 Automatic
ZAR 799,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 185 kW 🔧 420 Nm ⛽ 8.5 km/l
VS
Jetour T1 i-DM in South Africa

Jetour T1 i-DM

T1 i-DM Hybrid Automatic
ZAR 689,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 100 kW 🔧 220 Nm ⛽ 1.1 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance H7
Fuel Economy H7
🛡 Safety H7
📦 Practicality H7
🔑 Ownership T1 i-DM
H7 starts ZAR 689900 cheaper H7 from ZAR 649,900 · T1 i-DM from ZAR 689,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec H7 T1 i-DM
Engine Power 185 100
Torque 420 220
Engine Size 1999 1499
Claimed Mileage 8.5 1.1
Ground Clearance 195 190
Boot Space 620 574
Airbags 8 Front, front side, and front/rear curtain airbags
Kerb Weight 1830 Not Applicable
Seating Capacity 5 Not Applicable
Warranty 5 -

= leads in this spec

The Bottom Line

Both H7 and T1 i-DM are extremely closely matched, making the final choice dependent on buyer preference.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance H7 +23 pts
Efficiency H7 +8 pts
Safety H7 +6 pts
Practicality H7 +4 pts
Ownership T1 i-DM +12 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

🏆 Overall Winner

H7

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger safety package
  • More practical for daily use
Weak Spots
  • Shorter warranty coverage
Best suited to: Highway Driving Fuel Efficiency Family Usage

T1 i-DM

Strengths
  • Better long-term ownership value
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Less comprehensive safety features
  • Less practical in daily usage
Best suited to: General Use

Which One's Right for You?

H7

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power
  • Buyers looking for better fuel efficiency
  • Families prioritising stronger safety equipment
  • Large families needing more practicality and usability

T1 i-DM

  • Long-term owners valuing warranty and ownership peace of mind

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec H7 T1 i-DM
0–100 km/h 150 sec Not Applicable
0-100 km/h 150 sec Not Applicable
Acceleration 0 100 150 sec Not Applicable
Active Engine Braking No -
Active Exhaust Not Available -
Engine Aspiration Turbocharged Not Applicable
Battery Capacity Not Available 18.4
Cylinder Bore 82.5 mm 72 mm
Charging Port Not Available -
AC Charging Time Not Available 6.6kW AC 30-100% in 180 minutes
Combined System Power Not Available 250
Combined System Torque Not Available 530
Compression Ratio 10.5:1 12:1
Cylinder Layout Inline 4 (I4) Not Applicable
Cylinders 4 4
Displacement 1999 cc 1499 cc
Engine 2.0L GW4C20D Turbocharged Petrol 1.5TD hybrid-dedicated engine
Engine Code GW4C20D SQRH4J15
Engine Config 2.0L GW4C20D Turbocharged Petrol Not Applicable
Engine Cylinders 4 4
Engine Displacement 1999 cc 1499 cc
Engine Displacement Cc 1999 cc 1499 cc
Engine Displacement Litres 2 l 1.5 l
Engine Position Front Transverse -
Engine Power kW 185 kW 100 kW
Engine Torque Nm 420 Nm 220 Nm
Engine Type Inline 4 Cylinder Turbocharged Petrol 1.5TD hybrid-dedicated engine
Engine Type Config Inline 4 Cylinder (I4) DOHC 16-Valve Turbocharged Not Applicable
Engine Valves 16 4
EV Range Not Available 100 km
Fuel Grade Required Petrol Hybrid
Fuel System Direct Injection Not Applicable
Induction Turbocharged Not Applicable
Max Power kW 185 kW 100 kW
Maximum Engine RPM 6,000 rpm -
Max Torque Nm 420 Nm 220 Nm
Maximum Power 185 kW 100 kW
Maximum Torque 420 Nm 220 Nm
Motor Position Not Available -
Motor Power Not Available 150
Motor Torque Not Available 310
Motor Type Not Available -
Engine Oil Capacity 5.5 l -
Power 185 kW 100 kW
Power Assisted Steering Electric Power Assisted -
Power 248 bhp 134 bhp
Power kW Rpm 5,500 rpm 5200
Power @ RPM 5,500 rpm 5200
Piston Stroke 93.1 mm 92 mm
System Output Not Available -
Top Speed 210 km/h >180 km/h
Torque 420 Nm 220 Nm
Torque Nm Rpm 1,500-4,000 rpm 2500
Torque @ RPM 1,500-4,000 rpm 2500
Turbo Type Turbocharged Not Applicable
Turbocharger Yes Not Applicable
Valves per Cylinder 16 4
Variable Valve Timing Yes -
Spec H7 T1 i-DM
360 Degree Camera Yes Yes
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 -
Auto Highbeam Yes -
Auto Lights Yes -
Auto Park Assist No -
Auto Wipers Yes -
Blind Spot Monitoring Yes Yes
Blind Spot Warning Yes Yes
Cruise Control Yes -
Drive Modes Yes -
Driver Fatigue Alert Yes -
Eco Mode Yes -
Emergency Braking Yes -
EV Mode No -
Forward Collision Warning Yes Yes
Front Camera Yes -
Lane Departure Warning Yes Yes
Lane Keep Assist Yes Yes
Park Assist Yes -
Parking Distance Sensors Front and Rear -
Parking Sensor Front and Rear -
Parking Sensors Front and Rear Front and rear
Pre-Collision System Yes -
Rain Sensor Wipers Yes -
Rear View Camera Yes -
Rear Cross Traffic Alert Yes Yes
Rear Parking Sensors Yes Front and rear
Rear View Camera Yes -
Reverse Camera Yes -
Reverse Camera Type Yes -
Reversing Camera Yes -
Sport Mode Yes -
Surround View Camera Yes Yes
Traffic Sign Recognition Yes -

Overall Verdict Score

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

Weighted / 100
Verdict readout

H7 leads by 7 points

Both H7 and T1 i-DM are extremely closely matched, making the final choice dependent on buyer preference.

Winner 70 /100
Lead 7 points
Data 97% confidence
70
#1 Winner

H7

97% data confidence 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 100 Check Efficiency 37
Performance 68
Efficiency 37
Safety 100
Practicality 73
Ownership 65
Leads by 7 points
63
#2

T1 i-DM

73% data confidence 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 94 Check Efficiency 29
Performance 45
Efficiency 29
Safety 94
Practicality 69
Ownership 77
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance H7 +23 Efficiency H7 +8 Safety H7 +6 Practicality H7 +4 Ownership T1 i-DM +12

Very close match. Final decision depends on buyer preference.

Why this score View full breakdown
Overall Winner

H7

Performance 68/100
Efficiency 37/100
Safety 100/100
Practicality 73/100
Ownership 65/100

T1 i-DM

Performance 45/100
Efficiency 29/100
Safety 94/100
Practicality 69/100
Ownership 77/100

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 GWM H7 wins with 70 pts vs 63 pts for T1 i-DM

In structured scoring, H7 emerges as the stronger overall package. However, T1 i-DM 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 37 vs T1 i-DM 29. 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, T1 i-DM 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: H7 65, T1 i-DM 77. 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, T1 i-DM 69. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: H7 68, T1 i-DM 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 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 T1 i-DM in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: H7 scores 68 vs 45.

Efficiency: H7 scores 37 vs 29.

Safety: H7 scores 100 vs 94.

Practicality: H7 scores 73 vs 69.

Ownership: H7 scores 65 vs 77.

Final structured scoring gives H7 the advantage in this comparison.