Dongfeng BOX vs Suzuki Celerio

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.

Dongfeng BOX in South Africa

Dongfeng BOX

BOX E3 430 Electric Single-Speed Reduction Gear Current
ZAR 449,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 70 kW 🔧 160 Nm ⛽ 0 km/l
VS
Suzuki Celerio in South Africa

Suzuki Celerio

1.0 GL AMT Petrol 5-Speed AMT Current
ZAR 225,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 49 kW 🔧 89 Nm ⛽ 18.2 km/l
＋ Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

Dongfeng BOX vs Suzuki Celerio: the short answer

BOX has a modest catalogue-index lead, while Celerio remains close.

Celerio starts ZAR 211,000 cheaper BOX from ZAR 399,900 · Celerio from ZAR 188,900

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification BOX Celerio
Maximum Power BOX70 kW Celerio49 kW
Maximum Torque BOX160 Nm Celerio89 Nm
Engine Size BOXNot Applicable Celerio998 cc
Combined Fuel Economy BOX0 km/l Celerio18.2 km/l
Ground Clearance BOX0 mm Celerio0 mm

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

Independent editorial assessment

Hagalu editorial ratings

When a variant is selected, its rating out of five applies only to that exact derivative; a model-range review is not inherited. Editorial ratings are separate from the Specification Evidence Index out of 100 and are not customer ratings.

Dongfeng BOX

BOX E3 430

Hagalu editorial rating Not yet rated

No complete editorial rating is published for this exact variant. This is not a zero score.

How Hagalu rates cars

Suzuki Celerio

1.0 GL AMT

Hagalu editorial rating Not yet rated

No complete editorial rating is published for this exact variant. This is not a zero score.

How Hagalu rates cars

Not yet rated means a complete review is not published; it does not mean the vehicle scored zero. Read the rating methodology.

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Specification evidence leader

BOX

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

Celerio

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

Which One's Right for You?

BOX

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

Celerio

  • Buyers who prefer this derivative's confirmed specification mix

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec BOX Celerio
Model Introduced Year 2026 2026
Generation Current South African generation Current market generation
Facelift History Current launch specification Current market specification
Facelift Launched Since 2026 2026
Facelift Version Ending Current Current
Body Style Hatchback Hatchback
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status Active active
Segment Electric city hatchback Hatchback
Vehicle Type Hatchback Hatchback
Spec BOX Celerio
Length 4020 mm 3695 mm
Width 1810 mm 1655 mm
Height 1570 mm 1555 mm
Wheelbase 2663 mm 2435 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 0 mm 0 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) 140 mm 150 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 0 l 32 l
Boot/Cargo Space 326 l 295 l
Kerb Weight 1370 kg 825 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 1820 kg 1260 kg
Payload Capacity 450 kg 435 kg
Towing Capacity 750 kg 500 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Number of Rows 2 rows 2 rows
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 5.8 m 5.2 m
Front Headroom 1000 mm 1000 mm
Rear Headroom 950 mm 950 mm
Front Legroom 1050 mm 1050 mm
Rear Legroom 900 mm 900 mm

In depth: how these cars differ

This BOX and Celerio 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: BOX 36 vs Celerio 20.

Efficiency index: BOX 90 vs Celerio 69.

Safety-equipment index: BOX 70 vs Celerio 67.

Practicality index: BOX 47 vs Celerio 43.

Ownership-cover index: BOX not separately scored vs Celerio 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

BOX leads by 10 points

BOX has a modest catalogue-index lead, while Celerio remains close.

Evidence leader 58 /100
Lead 10 points
Data 64% source coverage
58
#1 Evidence leader

BOX

64% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Efficiency 90 Check Performance 36
Performance 36
Efficiency 90
Safety 70
Practicality 47
Leads by 10 points
48
#2

Celerio

74% source coverage 0 strong categories
Best at Efficiency 69 Check Performance 20
Performance 20
Efficiency 69
Safety 67
Practicality 43
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance BOX +16 Efficiency BOX +21 Safety BOX +3 Practicality BOX +4

Moderate difference in the source-backed catalogue index.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

BOX

Performance 36/100
Efficiency 90/100
Safety 70/100
Practicality 47/100

Celerio

Performance 20/100
Efficiency 69/100
Safety 67/100
Practicality 43/100

What the evidence means

Evidence index Dongfeng BOX leads the specification evidence index with 58 pts vs 48 pts for Celerio

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

Related comparisons

Continue with closely related South Africa models and comparable body styles.

BOX
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VS
i20
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BOX vs i20 →
BOX
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Celerio vs i20 →
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Polo-Vivo
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Celerio vs Polo-Vivo →

BOX vs Celerio 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.