Gwm H7 vs Gwm Tank 500

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
Gwm Tank 500 in South Africa

Gwm Tank 500

3.0T Hi4-T Luxury Petrol Automatic
ZAR 1,149,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 340 kW 🔧 750 Nm ⛽ 2.5 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance Tank 500
Fuel Economy Tie
🛡 Safety Tie
📦 Practicality Tie
🔑 Ownership Tie
H7 starts ZAR 1149900 cheaper H7 from ZAR 649,900 · Tank 500 from ZAR 1,149,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec H7 Tank 500
Engine Power 185 340
Torque 420 750
Engine Size 1999 2999
Claimed Mileage 8.5 2.5
Ground Clearance 195 224
Boot Space 620 580
Airbags 8 8
Kerb Weight 1830 2680
Seating Capacity 5 5
Warranty 5 5

= leads in this spec

The Overall Score — Here's How They Stack Up

🏆 Winner
#1

Tank 500

76
/ 100
+3
pts
#2

H7

73
/ 100

Very close match. Final decision depends on buyer preference.

The Bottom Line

Both H7 and Tank 500 are extremely closely matched, making the final choice dependent on buyer preference.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Tank 500 +3 pts
Efficiency Equal
Safety Equal
Practicality Equal
Ownership Equal

Score Breakdown by Category

🏆 Overall Winner

Tank 500

Performance 20/20
Efficiency 0/20
Safety 20/20
Practicality 16/20
Ownership 20/20

H7

Performance 17/20
Efficiency 0/20
Safety 20/20
Practicality 16/20
Ownership 20/20

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

H7

Strengths
  • Nothing stands out clearly here.
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
Best suited to: General Use
🏆 Overall Winner

Tank 500

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
Weak Spots
  • No obvious weak spots to flag.
Best suited to: Highway Driving

Which One's Right for You?

H7

  • Buyers looking for a balanced all-round vehicle

Tank 500

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec H7 Tank 500
Body Type SUV SUV
Daytime Running Lamps Yes Yes
DRL Yes Yes
LED Headlamps Yes Yes
Led Taillights Yes Yes
Fog Lights Yes Yes
Fog Lamps Yes Yes
Led Headlights Yes Yes
Front Fog Lights Yes Yes
Alloy Wheel Design Diamond Cut Premium Alloy 5-Spoke Premium Alloy
Rear Wiper Yes Yes
Chrome Exterior Finish Yes Yes
Door Handle Finish Body Coloured Body Coloured
Roof Type Metal Roof Metal Roof
Rear Spoiler Yes Yes
Wing Mirror Type Electric Adjustable Electric Adjustable
Body Cladding Yes Yes
Exterior Colour Options 6 6
Rear Fog Lights Yes Yes
Roof Rails Yes Yes
Spec H7 Tank 500
Number of Doors 5 5
Seats 5 5
Seating Capacity 5 5
Length 4772 5060
Width 1910 1996
Height 1750 1905
Wheelbase 2800 2950
Ground Clearance 195 224
Kerb Weight 1830 2680
Fuel Tank Capacity 63 80
Boot Space 620 580
Doors 5 5
Front Overhang 880 880
Rear Overhang 890 890
Front Track Width 1560 1560
Rear Track Width 1570 1570
Front Headroom 990 990
Rear Headroom 960 960
Front Legroom 1050 1050
Rear Legroom 890 890
Front Shoulder Room 1430 1520
Rear Shoulder Room 1390 1480
Gross Vehicle Weight 2200 3200
Boot Volume 620 580
Boot Space Seats Folded 820 780
Turning Radius 12.2 13.0
Towing Capacity 1500 3000

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Gwm Tank 500 wins with 76 pts vs 73 pts for H7

In structured scoring, Tank 500 emerges as the stronger overall package. However, H7 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 Tank 500 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 0 vs Tank 500 0. 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 20, Tank 500 20. 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 20, Tank 500 20. 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 16, Tank 500 16. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: H7 17, Tank 500 20. 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 Tank 500 edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

The Tank 500 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 Tank 500 in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: H7 scores 17 vs 20.

Efficiency: H7 scores 0 vs 0.

Safety: H7 scores 20 vs 20.

Practicality: H7 scores 16 vs 16.

Ownership: H7 scores 20 vs 20.

Final structured scoring gives Tank 500 the advantage in this comparison.