Hyundai Santa Fe vs Gwm Tank 300

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.

Hyundai Santa Fe in South Africa

Hyundai Santa Fe

2.2D 4WD Executive Diesel Automatic
ZAR 899,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 147 kW 🔧 440 Nm ⛽ 13.8 km/l
VS
Gwm Tank 300 in South Africa

Gwm Tank 300

2.0T Hi4-T Hybrid Hybrid Automatic
ZAR 849,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 240 kW 🔧 750 Nm ⛽ 2.8 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance Tank 300
Fuel Economy Tie
🛡 Safety Tie
📦 Practicality Santa Fe
🔑 Ownership Tie
Tank 300 starts ZAR 899900 cheaper Santa Fe from ZAR 899,900 · Tank 300 from ZAR 699,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Santa Fe Tank 300
Engine Power 147 240
Torque 440 750
Engine Size 2199 1999
Claimed Mileage 13.8 2.8
Ground Clearance 188 224
Boot Space 703 490
Airbags 7 8
Kerb Weight 1980 2050
Seating Capacity 7 5
Warranty 5 5

= leads in this spec

The Overall Score — Here's How They Stack Up

🏆 Winner
#1

Tank 300

75
/ 100
+4
pts
#2

Santa Fe

71
/ 100

Very close match. Final decision depends on buyer preference.

The Bottom Line

Both Santa Fe and Tank 300 are extremely closely matched, making the final choice dependent on buyer preference.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Tank 300 +5 pts
Efficiency Equal
Safety Equal
Practicality Santa Fe +1 pts
Ownership Equal

Score Breakdown by Category

🏆 Overall Winner

Tank 300

Performance 20/20
Efficiency 0/20
Safety 20/20
Practicality 15/20
Ownership 20/20

Santa Fe

Performance 15/20
Efficiency 0/20
Safety 20/20
Practicality 16/20
Ownership 20/20

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Santa Fe

Strengths
  • More practical for daily use
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
Best suited to: Family Usage
🏆 Overall Winner

Tank 300

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
Weak Spots
  • Less practical in daily usage
Best suited to: Highway Driving

Which One's Right for You?

Santa Fe

  • Large families needing more practicality and usability

Tank 300

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Santa Fe Tank 300
Length 4830 4638
Width 1900 1926
Height 1750 1850
Wheelbase 2815 2750
Ground Clearance 188 224
Kerb Weight 1980 2050
Seating Capacity 7 5
Boot Space 703 490
Rear Track Width 1660 mm 1570
Gross Vehicle Weight 2440 kg 2200
Front Track Width 1652 mm 1560
Turning Radius 5.7 m 12.4
Towing Capacity 2000 kg (Braked) 2500
Load Bed Length Not Applicable -
Load Bed Width Not Applicable -
Doors 5 5
Seats 7 5
Front Legroom Available 1050
Rear Legroom Available 890
Front Headroom Available 990
Rear Headroom Available 960
Front Shoulder Room Available 1430
Rear Shoulder Room Available 1390
Boot Space Seats Folded Available 690
Number of Doors Available 5
Max Payload Available -
Boot Volume Available 490
Front Overhang Available 880
Fuel Tank Capacity Available 65
Rear Overhang Available 890
Spec Santa Fe Tank 300
Engine 2.2 R-Series CRDi Diesel 2.0L GW4C20D Turbocharged Petrol + Rear Electric Motor
Engine Type Diesel Inline 4 Cylinder Turbocharged Petrol
Displacement 2199 1999
Cylinders 4 4
Power 147 240
Torque 440 750
Fuel System Common Rail Direct Injection Direct Injection
Turbocharger Yes Yes
Top Speed 205 195
0-100 km/h 8.5 167
Power @ RPM 3800 5,500 rpm
Torque @ RPM 1750 1,500-4,000 rpm
Valves per Cylinder 16 (4 per cylinder) 16
Compression Ratio 15.9:1 10.5:1
Engine Position Front Front Transverse
Fuel Grade Required Diesel Petrol
Engine Type Config Inline Inline 4 Cylinder (I4) DOHC 16-Valve Turbocharged
Variable Valve Timing Yes Yes
Cylinder Bore Available 82.5
Piston Stroke Available 93.1
Engine Code Available GW4C20D
Engine Oil Capacity Available 5.5
Power 150 322
Cylinder Layout Available Inline 4 (I4)
Engine Aspiration Available Turbocharged
Maximum Engine RPM Available 6,000
0–100 km/h Available 5.8
Battery Capacity Available 19.1 kWh
Charging Port Available -
AC Charging Time Available -
Engine Displacement Available 1999
EV Range Available 105

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Gwm Tank 300 wins with 75 pts vs 71 pts for Santa Fe

In structured scoring, Tank 300 emerges as the stronger overall package. However, Santa Fe 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 300 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: Santa Fe 0 vs Tank 300 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: Santa Fe 20, Tank 300 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: Santa Fe 20, Tank 300 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: Santa Fe 16, Tank 300 15. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Santa Fe 15, Tank 300 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 300 edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

The Tank 300 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 Santa Fe and Tank 300 in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: Santa Fe scores 15 vs 20.

Efficiency: Santa Fe scores 0 vs 0.

Safety: Santa Fe scores 20 vs 20.

Practicality: Santa Fe scores 16 vs 15.

Ownership: Santa Fe scores 20 vs 20.

Final structured scoring gives Tank 300 the advantage in this comparison.