JAC X200 vs Hyundai H-100 vs Kia K2700: which one has the lowest running costs?

Known for their bulletproof reliability, Hyundai’s H-100 and Kia’s K2700 have cemented their place as firm favourites among business owners when it comes to purchasing light commercial vehicles to be used as pure workhorses. Chinese brand JAC introduced its X200 model back in 2017 in a bid to take some market share from the South Korean brands and on paper at least, they appear to have a tempting proposition.

At AutoTrader we pride ourselves on taking you through the entire purchasing journey, informing you all the way. In today's piece, we will be focussing on the running costs of the X200, H-100 and K2700 to determine which one makes the most sense for those in the market for a vehicle of this type. The models chosen for this comparison are all single cab dropside models equipped with diesel engines and have a payload of 1.3-tons or more.

The figures

	JAC X200 2.8TDi 1.5-ton dropside	Hyundai H-100 Bakkie 2.6D deck	Kia K2700 2.7D workhorse dropside
Engine size	4-cyl, 2.8-litre turbodiesel	4-cyl, 2.6-litre diesel	4-cyl, 2.7-litre diesel
Power/Torque	80 kW/250 Nm	58 kW/167 Nm	62 kW/168 Nm
Fuel tank capacity	65-litres	65-litres	60-litres
Kerb weight	1 685 kg	1 665 kg	1 580 kg
Fuel range	684km	637km	561kg
Payload	1500kg	1335kg	1300kg
Gearbox	5-speed manual	5-speed manual	5-speed manual
Claimed consumption	9.5 L/100 km	10.2 L/100 km	10.7 L/100 km
Warranty	5 yr/150 000 km	5 yr/150 000 km/7 yr 200 000km drivetrain	5 yr/unlimited mileage
Price	R 294 900	R 321 900	R 314 995

Comparing the trio

Purchase price

The three models used for this comparison are part of larger model ranges, however, we chose the three products that best compete with one another from a price, spec, purpose and capability perspective. Monthly instalments are calculated throughout 72-months with a 10% deposit and no balloon or residual. The interest rate is set at 11%.

JAC X200 2.8TDi 1.5-ton dropside

With the instalment parameters in place, the JAC will work out at R5 052 per month over 72 months.

Hyundai H-100 Bakkie 2.6D deck

With the instalment parameters in place, the Hyundai will work out at R5 514 per month over the 72 months.

Kia K2700 2.7D workhorse dropside

With the instalment parameters in place, the Kia will work out at R5 396 per month over 72 months.

Fuel consumption

Taking claimed fuel consumption figures as a representation of real-world driving consumption is often misleading, however, looking at the claimed figures, the kerb weight of each vehicle, power and torque figures and the point within the rev range where each produces peak torque and power, we can see which model is likely to have the best consumption.

In this scenario, the JAC appears to have both the Hyundai and the Kia beaten, with far superior torque and power figures which are developed at a lower point in the rev range. This means that the powertrain in the JAC does not have to work as hard as the engines in the Kia and Hyundai, meaning that it is both the lightest on fuel on paper and will most likely be the most efficient in the real world.

Warranties & maintenance plans

All three models come with extensive warranties spanning five years, however, the Kia has the advantage of providing no mileage cap while Hyundai throws in a 7-year/200 000km drivetrain warranty, making the JAC’s warranty the least impressive. The Chinese entrant fights back though, offering the best service plan with 5-years/60 000km while the Hyundai and Kia have 3-year/60 000km service plans. The trio all require servicing every 10 000km.

Verdict

Looking at all of the factors that determine running costs, it would appear that the JAC X200 offers the best light commercial vehicle option, which is a surprise considering the popularity of both the Hyundai and Kia.