BAIC B30 vs Honda CR-V

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.

BAIC B30 in South Africa

BAIC B30

B30 Elite Adventure Petrol 7-Speed DCT Current
ZAR 519,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 138 kW 🔧 305 Nm ⛽ 12.41 km/l
VS
Honda CR-V in South Africa

Honda CR-V

2.0 Hybrid e:HEV Hybrid e-CVT Current
ZAR 819,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 204 kW 🔧 335 Nm ⛽ 20 km/l
+ Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

BAIC B30 vs Honda CR-V: the short answer

CR-V has a modest catalogue-index lead, while B30 remains close.

B30 starts ZAR 170,000 cheaper B30 from ZAR 519,900 · CR-V from ZAR 689,900

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification B30 CR-V
Maximum Power B30138 kW CR-V204 kW
Maximum Torque B30305 Nm CR-V335 Nm
Engine Size B301498 cc CR-V1993 cc
Combined Fuel Economy B3012.41 km/l CR-V20 km/l
Ground Clearance B30215 mm CR-V198 mm

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

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

B30

Strengths
  • Stronger listed safety equipment
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Lower published practicality figures
Best suited to: General Use
Specification evidence leader

CR-V

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

Which One's Right for You?

B30

  • Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment

CR-V

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use
  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec B30 CR-V
Model Introduced Year 2025 2023
Generation Current first-generation BAIC B30 for South Africa, introduced locally for the 2025 model year with petrol and self-charging HEV derivatives. Built on Honda’s global SUV platform with focus on comfort and safety
Facelift History The B30 was unveiled locally in August 2025 and launched in November 2025 as the first South African version; no later local facelift has been announced. Latest generation introduced with improved design, features, and safety technology
Facelift Launched Since 2025 Original current-generation version
Facelift Version Ending Current Current
Body Style Five-door mid-size SUV SUV
Model Year 2025 2026
Production Status active active
Segment Mid-size SUV SUV
Vehicle Type SUV SUV
Color Note - White, Black, Silver, Grey, Blue, Red
Dealer Stock Note - Top grade in the South Africa lineup
Tare Mass Kg - 1750 kg
Spec B30 CR-V
Length 4730 mm 4690 mm
Width 1910 mm 1860 mm
Height 1790 mm 1690 mm
Wheelbase 2820 mm 2700 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 215 mm 198 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) Not Officially Disclosed 198 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 60 l 57 l
Boot/Cargo Space Not Officially Disclosed 497 l
Kerb Weight 1575 kg 1750 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 2034 kg 2250 kg
Payload Capacity 459 kg 500 kg
Towing Capacity 1500 kg 1500 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Number of Rows 2 rows 2 rows
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius Not Officially Disclosed 5.7 m
Front Headroom Not Officially Disclosed 970 mm
Rear Headroom Not Officially Disclosed 970 mm
Front Legroom Not Officially Disclosed 1049 mm
Rear Legroom Not Officially Disclosed 1041 mm

In depth: how these cars differ

This B30 and CR-V 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: B30 59 vs CR-V 77.

Efficiency index: B30 51 vs CR-V 80.

Safety-equipment index: B30 92 vs CR-V 91.

Practicality index: B30 61 vs CR-V 66.

Ownership-cover index: B30 not separately scored vs CR-V 60.

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

CR-V leads by 10 points

CR-V has a modest catalogue-index lead, while B30 remains close.

Evidence leader 76 /100
Lead 10 points
Data 94% source coverage
76
#1 Evidence leader

CR-V

94% source coverage 3 strong categories
Best at Safety 91 Check Ownership 60
Performance 77
Efficiency 80
Safety 91
Practicality 66
Ownership 60
Leads by 10 points
66
#2

B30

70% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 92 Check Efficiency 51
Performance 59
Efficiency 51
Safety 92
Practicality 61
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance CR-V +18 Efficiency CR-V +29 Safety B30 +1 Practicality CR-V +5

Moderate difference in the source-backed catalogue index.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

CR-V

Performance 77/100
Efficiency 80/100
Safety 91/100
Practicality 66/100
Ownership 60/100

B30

Performance 59/100
Efficiency 51/100
Safety 92/100
Practicality 61/100

What the evidence means

Evidence index Honda CR-V leads the specification evidence index with 76 pts vs 66 pts for B30

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, CR-V leads. However, B30 may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

B30 vs CR-V 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.