Toyota Agya vs BYD DOLPHIN SURF

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.

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

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance DOLPHIN SURF
Fuel Economy DOLPHIN SURF
🛡 Safety DOLPHIN SURF
📦 Practicality Agya
🔑 Ownership Not enough comparable data
Recorded price context Agya: last listed from ZAR 189,900 · DOLPHIN SURF: current from ZAR 341,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Agya DOLPHIN SURF
Maximum Power 51 kW @ 6000 rpm 55 kW
Maximum Torque 91 Nm @ 3600 rpm 135 Nm
Engine Size 998 cc Not Applicable
Combined Fuel Economy 18.0 km/l Not Applicable
Ground Clearance 155 mm 155 mm
Boot / Load Bay 235 l 230 l
Airbags 4 6
Kerb Weight 870 kg 1280 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Warranty 3 3 years/100000 km complete vehicle; 8 years/200000 km power battery; 5 years/100000 km drive unit

= leads in this spec

Archived vehicles remain available for comparison. Verified specs stay visible; historical fields that were not source-confirmed are marked Not confirmed instead of being guessed.

The Bottom Line

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

Where They Actually Differ

Performance DOLPHIN SURF +3 pts
Efficiency DOLPHIN SURF +20 pts
Safety DOLPHIN SURF +17 pts
Practicality Agya +2 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Agya

Strengths
  • Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Fewer listed safety features
Best suited to: Published Practicality
Catalogue-index leader

DOLPHIN SURF

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger listed safety equipment
Weak Spots
  • Lower published practicality figures
Best suited to: Published Performance Published Efficiency

Which One's Right for You?

Agya

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

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
Tare Mass Kg 870 kg -
Facelift Launched Since Not confirmed Original current-generation version
Facelift Version Ending Not confirmed Current
Body Style Not confirmed Hatchback
Model Year Not confirmed 2026
Production Status Not confirmed Active
Segment Not confirmed City Hatchback
Vehicle Type Not confirmed 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
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
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Minimum Turning Radius 4.7 m 4.95 m
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) Not confirmed 120 mm
Payload Capacity Not confirmed 410 kg
Towing Capacity Not confirmed 0 kg
Number of Rows Not confirmed 2 rows
Doors Not confirmed 5 doors
Front Headroom Not confirmed 980 mm
Rear Headroom Not confirmed 920 mm
Front Legroom Not confirmed 1060 mm
Rear Legroom Not confirmed 690 mm

Source-backed Catalogue Index

A transparent specification index shown only when every vehicle clears the minimum comparable-data threshold.

Weighted / 100
Catalogue-index readout

DOLPHIN SURF leads by 10 points

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

Index leader 61 /100
Lead 10 points
Data 60% source coverage
61
#1 Index 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 10 points
51
#2

Agya

79% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Efficiency 70 Check Performance 22
Performance 22
Efficiency 70
Safety 70
Practicality 53
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 +17 Practicality Agya +2

Moderate difference in the source-backed catalogue index.

Why this score View full breakdown
Catalogue-index leader

DOLPHIN SURF

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

Agya

Performance 22/100
Efficiency 70/100
Safety 70/100
Practicality 53/100
Ownership 43/100

How to Read This Comparison

🏆 BYD DOLPHIN SURF leads the catalogue index with 61 pts vs 51 pts for Agya

In Hagalu's source-backed catalogue 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.

Buyers Also Looked At These

Other comparisons that people in the same boat tend to check out.

Questions Buyers Usually Ask

There is no universal winner. Use the comparison table to match the exact South African derivatives 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.

Hagalu does not publish a guaranteed resale winner. Depreciation depends on age, mileage, condition, derivative, colour, supply and demand. Compare several current used-market listings and obtain trade-in valuations for equivalent examples before relying on a resale estimate.

Check the exact derivatives for drive type, ground clearance, tyres, approach and departure angles, wading depth and low-range gearing where officially disclosed. SUV styling or all-wheel drive alone does not prove that a vehicle is suitable for demanding off-road use.

Calculate each exact derivative using your monthly distance and a current fuel or electricity price, then add finance, insurance, scheduled service, tyres and licence costs. Hagalu does not claim a fixed monthly saving without those buyer-specific inputs.

It is worth more only when the exact price difference buys equipment, space, performance or ownership cover that matters to you. Compare like-for-like lifecycle states and derivatives; a current offer and a historical last-listed price are not directly equivalent.

In Depth — Breaking It All Down

This Agya and DOLPHIN SURF comparison uses the exact South African derivatives selected above. 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 70 vs DOLPHIN SURF 87.

Practicality index: Agya 53 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.