Quick answer: if you are moving palletised stock, builders rubble or anything that needs a tail-lift on an open load bed, the Hyundai H100 dropside bakkie is the right call — it is cheaper to buy used, cheaper to service and lifts up to 1 130 kg payload. If you need a secured, weather-tight load space for couriers, electronics, alcohol delivery, or anything thieves like, the Hyundai H1 / iLoad panel van wins on practicality despite the higher running cost.
Key Takeaways {#key-takeaways}
- H100 is a workhorse light commercial bakkie — open load body, leaf-spring rear, 2.5L diesel only in SA
- H1 (iLoad / iMax / Grand Starex) is a forward-control van — enclosed cargo, coil rear, 2.4 petrol or 2.5 CRDi
- Used H100 prices in SA: R140k-R260k depending on year and condition (2026 values)
- Used H1 panel van prices: R180k-R380k for tradesman-spec units
- H100 wins on simplicity, payload-per-rand, and parts price
- H1 wins on cargo security, NVH, and dual-purpose use (cargo + people carrier swap)
What These Vans Actually Are
The Hyundai H100 sold in SA is the Porter II (HR-series) — a forward-control 1-tonne light commercial with a leaf-sprung live rear axle, longitudinally mounted D4BB 2.6 natural-aspirated diesel (or in newer units the D4CB 2.5 CRDi). It has been on sale here continuously since the mid-1990s in dropside, panel-van and chassis-cab configurations. The market sees it as a Toyota Stallion / Mahindra Bolero competitor — basic, durable, repairable.
The Hyundai H1 (sold globally as iLoad for the panel van, iMax for the people-carrier, and Grand Starex in some markets) is a much more modern unitary-construction van/MPV. The TQ-generation (2007-2024 in SA) uses a transverse front-engine layout with a D4CB 2.5 CRDi diesel (140-170 hp depending on year) or G4KG 2.4 Theta petrol. Coil-sprung rear, 5-speed automatic or manual, much more car-like to drive.
D4BB & D4CB Diesel Engines
The D4BB 2.5 is the indestructible older engine in earlier H100s. The D4CB 2.5 CRDi powers later H100s and most H1 vans — common-rail, turbocharged, more power but injector-sensitive.
Spec Sheet Head-to-Head
| Spec | H100 Bakkie (Porter II) | H1 iLoad Panel Van (TQ) |
|---|---|---|
| Engine (current SA) | D4BB 2.6 NA Diesel | D4CB 2.5 CRDi |
| Power | 58 kW | 125-130 kW |
| Torque | 167 Nm | 392-441 Nm |
| Payload | Up to 1 130 kg | 870-1 050 kg |
| Load space | Open dropside, 2.4 x 1.6 m | 4.4 m³ enclosed |
| Used price range (2026) | R140 000 - R260 000 | R180 000 - R380 000 |
| Service cost / year | R3 500 - R6 000 | R6 000 - R10 000 |
| Fuel economy (real-world) | 8.5 - 10 L/100km | 9 - 11 L/100km diesel |
| Transmission options | 5-speed manual only | 5MT or 5AT |
| Turning circle | 11.0 m | 11.2 m |
Source: Hyundai SA spec sheets verified May 2026, plus AutoTrader pricing data and our own fleet customer feedback.
When To Buy An H100
The H100 is the right answer when:
- You move bulky / open / awkward loads — building materials, scrap metal, agricultural feed, garden refuse
- Cost matters more than comfort — your driver does 8 hours a day at 80 km/h on rural roads
- You need maximum payload — the dropside lifts 1 130 kg, the panel van still rates 1 000 kg
- Repair cost matters — the D4BB engine is a generation behind common-rail tech, no electronic injectors, no DPF, no AdBlue
- You can fit a canopy / tonneau later if you eventually want enclosed cargo
The H100's weak spots are NVH (it is noisy on the highway), the dated cabin, and the absence of safety kit by modern standards. ABS only became standard mid-life; airbags are basic; no traction control.
When To Buy An H1 / iLoad
The H1 is the right answer when:
- You carry valuable / weather-sensitive cargo — couriers, alcohol delivery, mobile workshops, electronics
- You need to swap between cargo (panel van) and passengers (people carrier) — the iMax conversion is cheap
- Driver comfort is part of retention — the H1 cabin is car-like, with cruise, aircon, and a proper auto box
- You run a longer-route operation — the CRDi engine cruises at 120 km/h all day and the coil-sprung rear is far easier on the lower back
H1 weak spots: D4CB CRDi injector failures are the headline reliability issue (see our CRDi injector failure symptoms guide), and the dual-clutch DPF on later units gets blocked if the van does short stop-start work without highway clearing runs.
Running Cost Reality Check For A Small Business
We see two patterns at the yard:
A two-van delivery business running a 7-year-old H1 panel van plus a 10-year-old H100 typically spends:
- H1 service & parts: R12 000 - R18 000/year including consumables and one injector replacement every 80 000 km
- H100 service & parts: R4 500 - R8 000/year including a clutch every 150 000 km
Over five years the H1 will cost roughly R30 000-R50 000 more in maintenance, but the H1 will likely command R60 000-R100 000 more at resale. For most operators the H1 is the better business decision because:
- Cargo loss to weather and theft on an H100 (especially without a canopy) cuts into margin
- Driver fatigue on H1 is markedly lower over long shifts
- The H1 doubles as a passenger vehicle when needed (eg. office-to-airport runs)
That changes the moment your work involves anything dirty, heavy, or oversized — at which point the H100's open load body becomes priceless.
H100 & H1 Clutch Kits
A loaded H100 or H1 chews clutches. We stock OE-spec clutch kits (cover, plate, release bearing) for both vans — fitted at our preferred independent workshop in Lenasia, or supplied as a part-only quote nationwide.
What To Check When You Inspect A Used Unit
For an H100:
- Leaf spring condition — sag and cracks are common after years of overload
- Diff oil colour — silver flakes mean axle bearings are going
- Fuel pump priming bulb (D4BB) — if it stays soft, the lift pump is dying
- Cab corner rust on the door pillars, especially on coastal-province units
For an H1:
- Listen for injector chatter at idle — a click-click that goes away at 1500 rpm is a common D4CB injector tell
- Check the DPF restriction warning history on a scan tool — multiple regen failures point to a future blockage
- Sliding door rollers and tracks — they get sticky after 200 000 km
- Aux belt tensioner — failed tensioners eat alternators
Final Verdict
For a furniture removal, pest control, plumbing or building business — buy the H100. The lower running cost compounds and the dropside body is worth its weight in gold for off-loading.
For couriers, e-commerce last-mile delivery, mobile services and anything secured and weatherproof — buy the H1 / iLoad. The cargo security plus driver comfort win on total cost of ownership.
Get a used H100 parts quote or a used H1 parts quote from us in Lenasia — same-day delivery in Gauteng, nationwide overnight via courier. If the D4CB or D4BB engine needs replacing, our Hyundai engines for sale page lists current stock and pricing for both commercial diesel variants.
Sources
- Hyundai Automotive South Africa — H100 and H1 specification sheets, May 2026
- AutoTrader SA used-vehicle pricing data, May 2026
- Engine Finder SA used-engine pricing index (https://www.enginefinder.co.za/)
- Our own fleet customer service records, Hyundai Spares Lenasia
