Toyota Agya vs BYD DOLPHIN SURF

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.

Includes a historical vehicle

Current, upcoming and historical vehicles can be compared side by side. Historical records keep their verified specifications, while price labels show last-listed context rather than current new-car availability.

Toyota Agya Discontinued model
Toyota Agya in South Africa

Toyota Agya

1.0 XR CVT Petrol CVT Discontinued model
ZAR 229,900 last listed
Discontinued model Verified historical specifications remain visible for owner and used-car comparisons.
⚡ 51 kW 🔧 91 Nm ⛽ 18.0 km/l
VS
BYD DOLPHIN SURF in South Africa

BYD DOLPHIN SURF

Dynamic EV Electric Single-Speed Reduction Gear Current
ZAR 395,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 55 kW 🔧 135 Nm
+ Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

Toyota Agya vs BYD DOLPHIN SURF: the short answer

DOLPHIN SURF has a modest catalogue-index lead, while Agya remains close.

Recorded price context Agya: last listed from ZAR 189,900 · DOLPHIN SURF: current from ZAR 341,900

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification Agya DOLPHIN SURF
Maximum Power Agya51 kW @ 6000 rpm DOLPHIN SURF55 kW
Maximum Torque Agya91 Nm @ 3600 rpm DOLPHIN SURF135 Nm
Engine Size Agya998 cc DOLPHIN SURFNot Applicable
Combined Fuel Economy Agya18.0 km/l DOLPHIN SURFNot Applicable
Ground Clearance Agya155 mm DOLPHIN SURF155 mm

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

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Agya

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

DOLPHIN SURF

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?

Agya

  • Buyers who prefer this derivative's confirmed specification mix

DOLPHIN SURF

  • 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

Archived cars use verified historical spec records. Rows remain comparable; unavailable historical values are shown plainly rather than estimated.

Spec Agya DOLPHIN SURF
Model Introduced Year 2015 2025
Generation Second generation Agya for South Africa First South African DOLPHIN SURF generation
Facelift History Updated with refreshed styling and features No separately marketed South African facelift announced as at August 2026
Facelift Launched Since 2021 Original current-generation version
Facelift Version Ending 2024 Current
Body Style Hatchback Hatchback
Model Year 2021 2026
Production Status discontinued Active
Segment Hatchback City Hatchback
Tare Mass Kg 870 kg -
Vehicle Type Hatchback Passenger vehicle
Spec Agya DOLPHIN SURF
Length 3760 mm 3925 mm
Width 1665 mm 1720 mm
Height 1520 mm 1590 mm
Wheelbase 2455 mm 2500 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 155 mm 155 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) 125 mm 120 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 35 l 0 l
Boot/Cargo Space 235 l 230 l
Kerb Weight 870 kg 1280 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 1265 kg 1690 kg
Payload Capacity 395 kg 410 kg
Towing Capacity 1600 kg 0 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Number of Rows 2 rows 2 rows
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 4.7 m 4.95 m
Front Headroom 983 mm 980 mm
Rear Headroom 951 mm 920 mm
Front Legroom 1048 mm 1060 mm
Rear Legroom 899 mm 690 mm

In depth: how these cars differ

This Agya and DOLPHIN SURF 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: Agya 22 vs DOLPHIN SURF 25.

Efficiency index: Agya 70 vs DOLPHIN SURF 90.

Safety-equipment index: Agya 71 vs DOLPHIN SURF 87.

Practicality index: Agya 51 vs DOLPHIN SURF 51.

Ownership-cover index: Agya 43 vs DOLPHIN SURF 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

DOLPHIN SURF leads by 11 points

DOLPHIN SURF has a modest catalogue-index lead, while Agya remains close.

Evidence leader 61 /100
Lead 11 points
Data 60% source coverage
61
#1 Evidence leader

DOLPHIN SURF

60% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Efficiency 90 Check Performance 25
Performance 25
Efficiency 90
Safety 87
Practicality 51
Leads by 11 points
50
#2

Agya

87% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 71 Check Performance 22
Performance 22
Efficiency 70
Safety 71
Practicality 51
Ownership 43
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance DOLPHIN SURF +3 Efficiency DOLPHIN SURF +20 Safety DOLPHIN SURF +16 Practicality Level

Moderate difference in the source-backed catalogue index.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

DOLPHIN SURF

Performance 25/100
Efficiency 90/100
Safety 87/100
Practicality 51/100

Agya

Performance 22/100
Efficiency 70/100
Safety 71/100
Practicality 51/100
Ownership 43/100

What the evidence means

Evidence index BYD DOLPHIN SURF leads the specification evidence index with 61 pts vs 50 pts for Agya

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

Agya vs DOLPHIN SURF 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.