GWM H7 vs Hyundai Tucson

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
Hyundai Tucson in South Africa

Hyundai Tucson

2.0D AT Executive AWD Diesel 8-Speed Automatic Current
ZAR 764,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 137 kW 🔧 416 Nm ⛽ 13.9 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance H7
Fuel Economy Tucson
🛡 Safety H7
📦 Practicality Tie
🔑 Ownership Tie
Tucson starts ZAR 81,000 cheaper H7 from ZAR 649,900 · Tucson from ZAR 568,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec H7 Tucson
Maximum Power 185 kW @ 5500 rpm 137 kW @ 3800 rpm
Maximum Torque 420 Nm 416 Nm @ 2000 rpm
Engine Size 1999 cc 1995 cc
Claimed Mileage 11.8 km/l 13.9 km/l
Ground Clearance 195 mm 181 mm
Boot / Load Bay 620 l 540 l
Airbags 8 6
Kerb Weight 1830 kg 1720 kg
Seating Capacity - -
Warranty 5 Years / 100,000 km 5

= leads in this spec

The Bottom Line

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

Where They Actually Differ

Performance H7 +11 pts
Efficiency Tucson +10 pts
Safety H7 +8 pts
Practicality Equal
Ownership Equal

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

🏆 Overall Winner

H7

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Stronger safety package
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
Best suited to: Highway Driving

Tucson

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Less comprehensive safety features
Best suited to: Fuel Efficiency

Which One's Right for You?

H7

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power
  • Families prioritising stronger safety equipment

Tucson

  • Buyers looking for better fuel efficiency

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec H7 Tucson
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 79.7 kW/tonne
Torque-to-Weight Ratio 229.5 Nm/tonne 241.9 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 Not Officially Disclosed
Compression Ratio 10.5:1 Not Officially Disclosed
Cylinders 4 4
DC Charging Power Not Applicable Not Applicable
Drive Type AWD AWD
Engine Code GW4C20D Not Officially Disclosed
Engine Displacement 1999 cc 1995 cc
Fuel System Direct Injection Common Rail Direct Injection
Fuel Type Petrol Diesel
Launch Control No Not Officially Disclosed
Maximum Torque 420 Nm 416 Nm @ 2000 rpm
Stroke 93.1 mm Not Officially Disclosed
Top Speed 210 km/h 195 km/h
Valves 16 16
Valves per Cylinder 4 4
0-100 km/h 7.9 sec 9.5 sec
Battery Type Not Applicable Not Applicable
Battery Voltage Not Applicable Not Applicable
Cylinder Layout Inline Inline
Drive Modes Not Officially Disclosed Eco, Normal
Maximum Power 185 kW @ 5500 rpm 137 kW @ 3800 rpm
Motor Type Not Applicable Not Applicable
Regenerative Braking Not Applicable Not Applicable
Transmission 8-Speed Automatic 8-Speed Automatic
Engine 2-litre Turbocharged Petrol 2-litre Turbocharged Diesel
Spec H7 Tucson
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 Not Available
Auto Lights Yes Yes
Auto Park Assist No -
Auto Wipers Yes No
Blind Spot Monitoring Yes Yes
Blind Spot Warning Yes Yes
Cruise Control Yes Yes
Driver Fatigue Alert Yes Not Available
Eco Mode Yes Yes
Emergency Braking Yes Yes
EV Mode No No
Forward Collision Warning Yes Not Available
Front Camera Yes -
Lane Departure Warning Yes Yes
Lane Keep Assist Yes Yes
Park Assist Yes Not Available
Parking Distance Sensors Front and Rear Front & Rear
Parking Sensor Front and Rear Front & Rear
Parking Sensors Front and Rear Front & Rear
Pre-Collision System Yes Yes
Rain Sensor Wipers Yes No
Rear View Camera Yes Yes
Rear Cross Traffic Alert Yes Yes
Rear Parking Sensors Yes Front & Rear
Rear View Camera Yes Yes
Reverse Camera Yes Yes
Reverse Camera Type Yes Yes
Reversing Camera Yes Yes
Sport Mode Yes No
Surround View Camera Yes Yes
Traffic Sign Recognition Yes No
Adaptive Cruise Control Yes Yes
Automatic High Beam Yes -

Overall Verdict Score

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

Weighted / 100
Verdict readout

H7 leads by 3 points

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

Winner 75 /100
Lead 3 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 3 points
72
#2

Tucson

91% data confidence 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 92 Check Efficiency 56
Performance 69
Efficiency 56
Safety 92
Practicality 73
Ownership 65
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance H7 +11 Efficiency Tucson +10 Safety H7 +8 Practicality Level Ownership Level

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

Tucson

Performance 69/100
Efficiency 56/100
Safety 92/100
Practicality 73/100
Ownership 65/100

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 GWM H7 wins with 75 pts vs 72 pts for Tucson

In structured scoring, H7 emerges as the stronger overall package. However, Tucson 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 Tucson 56. 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, Tucson 92. 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, Tucson 65. 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, Tucson 73. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: H7 80, Tucson 69. 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 Tucson in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: H7 scores 80 vs 69.

Efficiency: H7 scores 46 vs 56.

Safety: H7 scores 100 vs 92.

Practicality: H7 scores 73 vs 73.

Ownership: H7 scores 65 vs 65.

Final structured scoring gives H7 the advantage in this comparison.