Dongfeng BOX vs Suzuki Ignis

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 389,000 ex-showroom
⚡ 70 kW 🔧 290 Nm
VS
Suzuki Ignis in South Africa

Suzuki Ignis

1.2 GLX AMT Petrol 5-Speed AMT Current
ZAR 293,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 61 kW 🔧 113 Nm ⛽ 18.9 km/l
+ Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

Dongfeng BOX vs Suzuki Ignis: the short answer

BOX and Ignis are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Ignis starts ZAR 111,100 cheaper BOX from ZAR 349,000 · Ignis from ZAR 237,900

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification BOX Ignis
Maximum Power BOX70 kW Ignis61 kW @ 6000 rpm
Maximum Torque BOX290 Nm Ignis113 Nm @ 4200 rpm
Engine Size BOXNot Applicable Ignis1197 cc
Combined Fuel Economy BOXNot Applicable Ignis18.9 km/l
Ground Clearance BOX175 mm Ignis180 mm

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

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

BOX

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Lower published practicality figures
Best suited to: Published Performance
Specification evidence leader

Ignis

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
Best suited to: Published Efficiency Published Practicality

Which One's Right for You?

BOX

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures

Ignis

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

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec BOX Ignis
Model Introduced Year 2026 2017
Generation Current South African BOX generation Second-generation Ignis on Suzuki's lightweight platform — 850kg kerb weight makes it one of the lightest five-seater crossovers available in any market. K12M engine retained for proven reliability track record.
Facelift History Current South African launch version; no local facelift announced Original global Ignis launched in 2016; second generation arrived 2020 with updated styling and connectivity; current SA specification reflects 2023-2024 equipment update with GLX trim and active safety additions.
Facelift Launched Since Original current-generation version 2024
Facelift Version Ending Current Current
Body Style Hatchback Hatchback
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status active active
Segment Urban Electric Hatchback Hatchback
Vehicle Type Passenger Vehicle Hatchback
Color Note - Silky Silver Metallic, Granite Grey Metallic, Pearl Snow White, Burning Red Pearl, Sphere Blue Metallic, Speedy Blue
Dealer Stock Note - Flagship grade in the South Africa lineup
Tare Mass Kg - 855 kg
Spec BOX Ignis
Length 4020 mm 3700 mm
Width 1810 mm 1690 mm
Height 1570 mm 1595 mm
Wheelbase 2663 mm 2435 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 175 mm 180 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) 160 mm Not Officially Disclosed
Fuel Tank Capacity 0 l 32 l
Boot/Cargo Space 326 l 260 l
Kerb Weight 1285 kg 855 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 2020 kg Not Officially Disclosed
Payload Capacity 500 kg Not Officially Disclosed
Towing Capacity 500 kg Not Officially Disclosed
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Number of Rows 2 rows 2 rows
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 5.2 m Not Officially Disclosed
Front Headroom 1000 mm Not Officially Disclosed
Rear Headroom 970 mm Not Officially Disclosed
Front Legroom 1040 mm Not Officially Disclosed
Rear Legroom 900 mm Not Officially Disclosed

In depth: how these cars differ

This BOX and Ignis 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 52 vs Ignis 25.

Efficiency index: BOX 31 vs Ignis 71.

Safety-equipment index: BOX 88 vs Ignis 88.

Practicality index: BOX 52 vs Ignis 57.

Ownership-cover index: BOX not separately scored vs Ignis 71.

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

Ignis leads by 4 points

BOX and Ignis are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Evidence leader 61 /100
Lead 4 points
Data 86% source coverage
61
#1 Evidence leader

Ignis

86% source coverage 3 strong categories
Best at Safety 88 Check Performance 25
Performance 25
Efficiency 71
Safety 88
Practicality 57
Ownership 71
Leads by 4 points
57
#2

BOX

83% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 88 Check Efficiency 31
Performance 52
Efficiency 31
Safety 88
Practicality 52
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance BOX +27 Efficiency Ignis +40 Safety Level Practicality Ignis +5

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

Ignis

Performance 25/100
Efficiency 71/100
Safety 88/100
Practicality 57/100
Ownership 71/100

BOX

Performance 52/100
Efficiency 31/100
Safety 88/100
Practicality 52/100

What the evidence means

Evidence index Suzuki Ignis leads the specification evidence index with 61 pts vs 57 pts for BOX

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

BOX vs Ignis 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.