GWM P300 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.

GWM P300 in South Africa

GWM P300

2.4T LT 2WD 9AT Diesel Current
ZAR 599,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 135 kW 🔧 480 Nm ⛽ 13.5 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 P300
🛡 Safety Not enough comparable data
📦 Practicality P300
🔑 Ownership Tie
P300 starts ZAR 384,950 cheaper P300 from ZAR 414,950 · P500 from ZAR 799,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec P300 P500
Maximum Power 135 kW 255 kW
Maximum Torque 480 Nm 648 Nm
Engine Size 2400 cc 2000 cc
Combined Fuel Economy 13.5 km/l 10.2 km/l
Ground Clearance 224 mm 224 mm
Boot / Load Bay - -
Airbags Dual front, front side and curtain airbags Front dual, front side, curtain and front centre airbags
Kerb Weight 2070 kg 2810 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Warranty 5 Years / 100,000 km 5 Years / 100,000 km

= leads in this spec

The Bottom Line

P500 has a modest catalogue-index lead, while P300 remains close.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance P500 +27 pts
Efficiency P300 +7 pts
Practicality P300 +3 pts
Ownership Equal

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

P300

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
Best suited to: Published Efficiency Published Practicality
Catalogue-index leader

P500

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Lower published practicality figures
Best suited to: Published Performance

Which One's Right for You?

P300

  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use
  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

P500

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec P300 P500
Model Introduced Year Current local generation year not confirmed Current local generation year not confirmed
Generation Current South African P300 listing; generation notes should be kept tied to the local model year and confirmed derivative data. Current South African P500 listing; generation notes should be kept tied to the local model year and confirmed derivative data.
Facelift History Model-year updates can affect trim, wheels, screens, safety equipment and colours. Use the latest South African price list when checking a specific vehicle. Model-year updates can affect trim, wheels, screens, safety equipment and colours. Use the latest South African price list when checking a specific vehicle.
Facelift Launched Since Original current-generation version Original current-generation version
Facelift Version Ending Current Current
Body Style Double-cab pickup Double-cab pickup
Body Type Cab Pickup Pickup
Color Note Colour availability changes by model year, production batch and dealer stock, check the current colour selector before ordering. Colour availability changes by model year, production batch and dealer stock, check the current colour selector before ordering.
Dealer Stock Note Top grade in the South Africa lineup Flagship grade in the South Africa lineup
Drivetrain Note Drive layout derived from the official derivative naming: 2.4T LT 2WD 9AT Drive layout derived from the official derivative naming: 2.0T HEV Ultra Luxury 4x4 9HAT
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status published published
Segment Pickup Pickup
Tare Mass Kg 2070 kg 2761 kg
Vehicle Type Pickup Pickup
Spec P300 P500
Length 5416 mm 5445 mm
Width 1934 mm 1991 mm
Height 1886 mm 1924 mm
Wheelbase 3230 mm 3350 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 224 mm 224 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 78 l 80 l
Kerb Weight 2070 kg 2810 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 3120 kg 3495 kg
Payload Capacity 1050 kg 685 kg
Towing Capacity 3000 kg 3500 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Doors 4 doors 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 9 points

P500 has a modest catalogue-index lead, while P300 remains close.

Index leader 79 /100
Lead 9 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 9 points
70
#2

P300

63% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Practicality 82 Check Efficiency 57
Performance 71
Efficiency 57
Practicality 82
Ownership 65
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance P500 +27 Efficiency P300 +7 Practicality P300 +3 Ownership Level

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

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

P300

Performance 71/100
Efficiency 57/100
Practicality 82/100
Ownership 65/100

How to Read This Comparison

🏆 GWM P500 leads the catalogue index with 79 pts vs 70 pts for P300

In Hagalu's source-backed catalogue index, P500 leads. However, P300 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 P300 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: P300 71 vs P500 98.

Efficiency index: P300 57 vs P500 50.

Safety-equipment index: P300 not separately scored vs P500 88.

Practicality index: P300 82 vs P500 79.

Ownership-cover index: P300 65 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.