Dongfeng BOX vs Hyundai Venue Cargo

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
Hyundai Venue Cargo in South Africa

Hyundai Venue Cargo

1.2 Premium Cargo MT Petrol Current
ZAR 309,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 61 kW 🔧 114 Nm ⛽ 15.4 km/l
＋ Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

Dongfeng BOX vs Hyundai Venue Cargo: the short answer

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

Venue Cargo starts ZAR 90,000 cheaper BOX from ZAR 399,900 · Venue Cargo from ZAR 309,900

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification BOX Venue Cargo
Maximum Power BOX70 kW Venue Cargo61 kW
Maximum Torque BOX160 Nm Venue Cargo114 Nm
Engine Size BOXNot Applicable Venue Cargo1197 cc
Combined Fuel Economy BOX0 km/l Venue Cargo15.4 km/l
Ground Clearance BOX0 mm Venue Cargo190 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

Hyundai Venue Cargo

1.2 Premium Cargo MT

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)

BOX

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

Venue Cargo

Strengths
  • Stronger listed safety equipment
  • Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower fuel efficiency
Best suited to: Published Practicality

Which One's Right for You?

BOX

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

Venue Cargo

  • Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment
  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec BOX Venue Cargo
Model Introduced Year 2026 Current local generation year not confirmed
Generation Current South African generation Current South African Venue Cargo listing; generation notes should be kept tied to the local model year and confirmed derivative data.
Facelift History Current launch specification Model-year updates can affect trim, wheels, screens, safety equipment and colours. Use the latest South African price list when checking a specific vehicle.
Facelift Launched Since 2026 Original current-generation version
Facelift Version Ending Current Current
Body Style Hatchback Panel van
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status Active active
Segment Electric city hatchback Van
Vehicle Type Hatchback Van
Color Note - Colour availability changes by model year, production batch and dealer stock, check the current colour selector before ordering.
Dealer Stock Note - Base grade in the South Africa lineup
Tare Mass Kg - 1250 kg
Spec BOX Venue Cargo
Length 4020 mm 3995 mm
Width 1810 mm 1770 mm
Height 1570 mm 1617 mm
Wheelbase 2663 mm 2500 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 0 mm 190 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) 140 mm Not Officially Disclosed
Fuel Tank Capacity 0 l 45 l
Boot/Cargo Space 326 l 1296 l
Kerb Weight 1370 kg 1250 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 1820 kg Not Officially Disclosed
Payload Capacity 450 kg 620 kg
Towing Capacity 750 kg Not Officially Disclosed
Seating Capacity 5 seats 2 seats
Number of Rows 2 rows 1 rows
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 5.8 m Not Officially Disclosed
Front Headroom 1000 mm Not Officially Disclosed
Rear Headroom 950 mm Not Applicable
Front Legroom 1050 mm Not Officially Disclosed
Rear Legroom 900 mm Not Applicable

In depth: how these cars differ

This BOX and Venue Cargo 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 Venue Cargo 30.

Efficiency index: BOX 90 vs Venue Cargo 61.

Safety-equipment index: BOX 70 vs Venue Cargo 89.

Practicality index: BOX 47 vs Venue Cargo 66.

Ownership-cover index: BOX not separately scored vs Venue Cargo 65.

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

Venue Cargo leads by 3 points

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

Evidence leader 61 /100
Lead 3 points
Data 70% source coverage
61
#1 Evidence leader

Venue Cargo

70% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 89 Check Performance 30
Performance 30
Efficiency 61
Safety 89
Practicality 66
Ownership 65
Leads by 3 points
58
#2

BOX

64% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Efficiency 90 Check Performance 36
Performance 36
Efficiency 90
Safety 70
Practicality 47
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance BOX +6 Efficiency BOX +29 Safety Venue Cargo +19 Practicality Venue Cargo +19

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

Venue Cargo

Performance 30/100
Efficiency 61/100
Safety 89/100
Practicality 66/100
Ownership 65/100

BOX

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

What the evidence means

Evidence index Hyundai Venue Cargo leads the specification evidence index with 61 pts vs 58 pts for BOX

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, Venue Cargo leads. However, BOX 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
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BOX vs K2700 →
BOX
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DOLPHIN SURF
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BOX
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BOX
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BOX vs Mazda2 →
BOX
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BOX vs Polo →
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VS
K2700
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Venue Cargo vs K2700 →
Venue Cargo
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VS
DOLPHIN SURF
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Venue Cargo vs DOLPHIN SURF →

BOX vs Venue Cargo 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.