Suzuki Across vs BYD SEALION 7

A proper head-to-head in South Africa — compare price, performance, fuel economy or electric range, safety and the details that shape long-term ownership.

Suzuki Across in South Africa

Suzuki Across

1.5 GLX 6AT Petrol Mild Hybrid 6-Speed Automatic Current
ZAR 464,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 76 kW 🔧 137 Nm ⛽ 18.9 km/l
VS
BYD SEALION 7 in South Africa

BYD SEALION 7

Performance EV AWD 4.5S Electric Single-Speed Reduction Gear Current
ZAR 1,319,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 390 kW 🔧 690 Nm
+ Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

Suzuki Across vs BYD SEALION 7: the short answer

SEALION 7 holds a noticeable catalogue-index lead over Across.

Across starts ZAR 760,000 cheaper Across from ZAR 349,900 · SEALION 7 from ZAR 1,109,900

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification Across SEALION 7
Maximum Power Across75.8 kW @ 6000 rpm SEALION 7390 kW
Maximum Torque Across136.8 Nm @ 4400 rpm SEALION 7690 Nm
Engine Size Across1462 cc SEALION 7Not Applicable
Combined Fuel Economy Across18.9 km/l SEALION 7Not Applicable
Ground Clearance Across210 mm SEALION 7163 mm

Strongest published figure in that row; no road-test winner is implied.

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Across

Strengths
  • Nothing stands out clearly here.
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Fewer listed safety features
Best suited to: General Use
Specification evidence leader

SEALION 7

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

Which One's Right for You?

Across

  • Buyers who prefer this derivative's confirmed specification mix

SEALION 7

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use
  • Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Across SEALION 7
Model Introduced Year 2026 2025
Generation First South African generation of the current Across First South African SEALION 7 generation
Facelift History All-new March 2026 South African launch model; no facelift yet No separately marketed South African facelift announced as at August 2026
Facelift Launched Since Original current-generation version Original current-generation version
Facelift Version Ending Current Current
Body Style Five-door compact SUV SUV
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status active Active
Segment C-segment family SUV Medium SUV
Tare Mass Kg 1200-1250 kg -
Vehicle Type Passenger vehicle Passenger vehicle
Spec Across SEALION 7
Length 4360 mm 4830 mm
Width 1795 mm 1925 mm
Height 1655 mm 1620 mm
Wheelbase 2600 mm 2930 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 210 mm 163 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) Not Officially Disclosed 140 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 45 l 0 l
Boot/Cargo Space 333 l 500 l
Kerb Weight Not Officially Disclosed 2340 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) Not Officially Disclosed 2750 kg
Payload Capacity 460 kg 410 kg
Towing Capacity Not Officially Disclosed 1500 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Number of Rows 2 rows 2 rows
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 5.4 m 5.85 m
Front Headroom Not Officially Disclosed 980 mm
Rear Headroom Not Officially Disclosed 940 mm
Front Legroom Not Officially Disclosed 1100 mm
Rear Legroom Not Officially Disclosed 820 mm

In depth: how these cars differ

This Across and SEALION 7 comparison uses the exact derivatives selected above for South Africa. The catalogue index covers performance, efficiency, safety equipment, practicality and ownership cover only where comparable source-backed fields are present.

Performance index: Across 34 vs SEALION 7 100.

Efficiency index: Across 76 vs SEALION 7 90.

Safety-equipment index: Across 91 vs SEALION 7 99.

Practicality index: Across 62 vs SEALION 7 62.

Ownership-cover index: Across not separately scored vs SEALION 7 not separately scored.

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.

Specification Evidence Index

A transparent comparison of published catalogue fields. This is not a road-test score, owner rating or editorial review rating, and it appears only when every vehicle clears the same comparable-data threshold.

Evidence / 100
Evidence-index readout

SEALION 7 leads by 24 points

SEALION 7 holds a noticeable catalogue-index lead over Across.

Evidence leader 88 /100
Lead 24 points
Data 69% source coverage
88
#1 Evidence leader

SEALION 7

69% source coverage 3 strong categories
Best at Performance 100 Check Practicality 62
Performance 100
Efficiency 90
Safety 99
Practicality 62
Leads by 24 points
64
#2

Across

73% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 91 Check Performance 34
Performance 34
Efficiency 76
Safety 91
Practicality 62
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance SEALION 7 +66 Efficiency SEALION 7 +14 Safety SEALION 7 +8 Practicality Level

Moderate difference in the source-backed catalogue index.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

SEALION 7

Performance 100/100
Efficiency 90/100
Safety 99/100
Practicality 62/100

Across

Performance 34/100
Efficiency 76/100
Safety 91/100
Practicality 62/100

What the evidence means

Evidence index BYD SEALION 7 leads the specification evidence index with 88 pts vs 64 pts for Across

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, SEALION 7 leads. However, Across may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

Across vs SEALION 7 questions

There is no universal winner. Use the comparison table to match the models and available derivatives in South Africa 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.