Dongfeng BOX vs Suzuki Swift

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 Swift in South Africa

Suzuki Swift

1.2 GLX CVT Petrol CVT Current
ZAR 296,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 60 kW 🔧 112 Nm ⛽ 20 km/l
+ Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

Dongfeng BOX vs Suzuki Swift: the short answer

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

Swift starts ZAR 120,100 cheaper BOX from ZAR 349,000 · Swift from ZAR 228,900

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification BOX Swift
Maximum Power BOX70 kW Swift60 kW @ 5700 rpm
Maximum Torque BOX290 Nm Swift112 Nm @ 4300 rpm
Engine Size BOXNot Applicable Swift1197 cc
Combined Fuel Economy BOXNot Applicable Swift20 km/l
Ground Clearance BOX175 mm Swift145 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
  • Stronger listed safety equipment
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
Best suited to: Published Performance
Specification evidence leader

Swift

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Fewer listed safety features
Best suited to: Published Efficiency

Which One's Right for You?

BOX

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment

Swift

  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec BOX Swift
Model Introduced Year 2026 2017
Generation Current South African BOX generation Third generation (AZ/NZ series) on HEARTECT platform; Z12E DualJet engine generation introduced globally 2020-2021; current SA specification reflects 2022 range update with GLX tier added
Facelift History Current South African launch version; no local facelift announced Third-generation Swift launched in SA in 2017 with K12B engine; engine updated to Z12E DualJet in 2021 bringing improved fuel economy and refined low-rpm performance; GLX trim added to the SA range in 2022 with heads-up display and dual-zone climate control; ongoing specification updates maintain competitive equipment levels
Facelift Launched Since Original current-generation version 2022
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 - Solid White, Pearl Snow White, Metallic Blue, Metallic Red, Metallic Granite Grey, Metallic Silky Silver, Pearl Midnight Black, Burning Red Pearl
Dealer Stock Note - Flagship grade in the South Africa lineup
Tare Mass Kg - 975 kg
Spec BOX Swift
Length 4020 mm 3890 mm
Width 1810 mm 1735 mm
Height 1570 mm 1495 mm
Wheelbase 2663 mm 2450 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 175 mm 145 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) 160 mm Not Officially Disclosed
Fuel Tank Capacity 0 l 37 l
Boot/Cargo Space 326 l 265 l
Kerb Weight 1285 kg 975 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 2020 kg 1380 kg
Payload Capacity 500 kg 425 kg
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 4.8 m
Front Headroom 1000 mm 975 mm
Rear Headroom 970 mm 967 mm
Front Legroom 1040 mm 1032 mm
Rear Legroom 900 mm 890 mm

In depth: how these cars differ

This BOX and Swift 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 Swift 28.

Efficiency index: BOX 31 vs Swift 75.

Safety-equipment index: BOX 88 vs Swift 86.

Practicality index: BOX 52 vs Swift 52.

Ownership-cover index: BOX not separately scored vs Swift 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

Swift leads by 3 points

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

Evidence leader 60 /100
Lead 3 points
Data 88% source coverage
60
#1 Evidence leader

Swift

88% source coverage 3 strong categories
Best at Safety 86 Check Performance 28
Performance 28
Efficiency 75
Safety 86
Practicality 52
Ownership 71
Leads by 3 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 +24 Efficiency Swift +44 Safety BOX +2 Practicality Level

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

Swift

Performance 28/100
Efficiency 75/100
Safety 86/100
Practicality 52/100
Ownership 71/100

BOX

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

What the evidence means

Evidence index Suzuki Swift leads the specification evidence index with 60 pts vs 57 pts for BOX

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

BOX vs Swift 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.