Nissan NP300 Hardbody vs GWM P500

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.

Includes a historical vehicle

Current, upcoming and historical vehicles can be compared side by side. Historical records keep their verified specifications, while price labels show last-listed context rather than current new-car availability.

Nissan NP300 Hardbody Discontinued model
Nissan NP300 Hardbody in South Africa

Nissan NP300 Hardbody

2.5 TDi Double Cab Hi-Rider 4x4 Automatic Diesel 7-Speed Automatic Discontinued model
ZAR 529,900 last listed
Discontinued model Verified historical specifications remain visible for owner and used-car comparisons.
⚡ 98 kW 🔧 304 Nm ⛽ 11.4 km/l
VS
GWM P500 in South Africa

GWM P500

2.0T HEV Ultra Luxury 4x4 9HAT Hybrid Current
ZAR 999,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 255 kW 🔧 648 Nm ⛽ 10.2 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance P500
Fuel Economy P500
🛡 Safety P500
📦 Practicality P500
🔑 Ownership P500
Recorded price context NP300 Hardbody: last listed from ZAR 349,900 · P500: current from ZAR 799,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec NP300 Hardbody P500
Maximum Power 98 kW @ 3600 rpm 255 kW
Maximum Torque 304 Nm 648 Nm
Engine Size 2488 cc 2000 cc
Combined Fuel Economy 11.4 km/l 10.2 km/l
Ground Clearance 215 mm 224 mm
Boot / Load Bay Not confirmed -
Airbags 4 Front dual, front side, curtain and front centre airbags
Kerb Weight 1395 kg 2810 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Warranty 3 5 Years / 100,000 km

= leads in this spec

Archived vehicles remain available for comparison. Verified specs stay visible; historical fields that were not source-confirmed are marked Not confirmed instead of being guessed.

The Bottom Line

P500 holds a noticeable catalogue-index lead over NP300 Hardbody.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance P500 +48 pts
Efficiency P500 +4 pts
Safety P500 +20 pts
Practicality P500 +6 pts
Ownership P500 +22 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

NP300 Hardbody

Strengths
  • Nothing stands out clearly here.
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Fewer listed safety features
  • Lower published practicality figures
  • Lower published ownership cover
Best suited to: General Use
Catalogue-index leader

P500

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger listed safety equipment
  • Stronger published practicality figures
  • Stronger published ownership cover
Weak Spots
  • No obvious weak spots to flag.
Best suited to: Published Performance Published Efficiency Published Practicality

Which One's Right for You?

NP300 Hardbody

  • Buyers who prefer this derivative's confirmed specification mix

P500

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use
  • Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment
  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures
  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published warranty or service cover

Full Specs, Side by Side

Archived cars use verified historical spec records. Rows remain comparable; unavailable historical values are shown plainly rather than estimated.

Spec NP300 Hardbody P500
Model Introduced Year 2008 Current local generation year not confirmed
Generation Long-running model with proven commercial reliability Current South African P500 listing; generation notes should be kept tied to the local model year and confirmed derivative data.
Facelift History Updated over the years with improved safety and features Model-year updates can affect trim, wheels, screens, safety equipment and colours. Use the latest South African price list when checking a specific vehicle.
Tare Mass Kg 1395 kg 2761 kg
Facelift Launched Since Not confirmed Original current-generation version
Facelift Version Ending Not confirmed Current
Body Style Not confirmed Double-cab pickup
Body Type Cab Not confirmed Pickup
Color Note Not confirmed Colour availability changes by model year, production batch and dealer stock, check the current colour selector before ordering.
Dealer Stock Note Not confirmed Flagship grade in the South Africa lineup
Drivetrain Note Not confirmed Drive layout derived from the official derivative naming: 2.0T HEV Ultra Luxury 4x4 9HAT
Model Year Not confirmed 2026
Production Status Not confirmed published
Segment Not confirmed Pickup
Vehicle Type Not confirmed Pickup
Spec NP300 Hardbody P500
Length 4875 mm 5445 mm
Width 1760 mm 1991 mm
Height 1655 mm 1924 mm
Wheelbase 2500 mm 3350 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 215 mm 224 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 75 l 80 l
Kerb Weight 1395 kg 2810 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 2400 kg 3495 kg
Towing Capacity 2500 kg 3500 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Minimum Turning Radius 5.8 m -
Payload Capacity Not confirmed 685 kg
Doors Not confirmed 4 doors

Source-backed Catalogue Index

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

Weighted / 100
Catalogue-index readout

P500 leads by 22 points

P500 holds a noticeable catalogue-index lead over NP300 Hardbody.

Index leader 79 /100
Lead 22 points
Data 67% source coverage
79
#1 Index leader

P500

67% source coverage 3 strong categories
Best at Performance 98 Check Efficiency 50
Performance 98
Efficiency 50
Safety 88
Practicality 79
Ownership 65
Leads by 22 points
57
#2

NP300 Hardbody

77% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Practicality 73 Check Ownership 43
Performance 50
Efficiency 46
Safety 68
Practicality 73
Ownership 43
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance P500 +48 Efficiency P500 +4 Safety P500 +20 Practicality P500 +6 Ownership P500 +22

Moderate difference in the source-backed catalogue index.

Why this score View full breakdown
Catalogue-index leader

P500

Performance 98/100
Efficiency 50/100
Safety 88/100
Practicality 79/100
Ownership 65/100

NP300 Hardbody

Performance 50/100
Efficiency 46/100
Safety 68/100
Practicality 73/100
Ownership 43/100

How to Read This Comparison

🏆 GWM P500 leads the catalogue index with 79 pts vs 57 pts for NP300 Hardbody

In Hagalu's source-backed catalogue index, P500 leads. However, NP300 Hardbody 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 NP300 Hardbody and P500 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: NP300 Hardbody 50 vs P500 98.

Efficiency index: NP300 Hardbody 46 vs P500 50.

Safety-equipment index: NP300 Hardbody 68 vs P500 88.

Practicality index: NP300 Hardbody 73 vs P500 79.

Ownership-cover index: NP300 Hardbody 43 vs P500 65.

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.