Omoda C9 SHS vs BYD SEALION 5 DM-i

A proper head-to-head in South Africa — we cover price, performance, petrol economy, safety and what it'll actually cost you to own each one long term.

Omoda C9 SHS in South Africa

Omoda C9 SHS

C9 SHS AWD Plug-in Hybrid Current
ZAR 999,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 440 kW 🔧 915 Nm ⛽ 71.4 km/l
VS
BYD SEALION 5 DM-i in South Africa

BYD SEALION 5 DM-i

Dynamic DM-i Plug-in Hybrid e-CVT Current
ZAR 569,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 72 kW 🔧 122 Nm ⛽ 19.2 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance C9 SHS
Fuel Economy C9 SHS
🛡 Safety C9 SHS
📦 Practicality C9 SHS
🔑 Ownership Not enough comparable data
SEALION 5 DM-i starts ZAR 490,000 cheaper C9 SHS from ZAR 999,900 · SEALION 5 DM-i from ZAR 509,900

Key Specs Side by Side

The specs that matter most — highlighted where one car leads.

Spec C9 SHS SEALION 5 DM-i
Maximum Power 440 kW @ 5500 rpm 72 kW @ 6000 rpm
Maximum Torque 915 Nm 122 Nm @ 4000-4500 rpm
Engine Size 1500 cc 1498 cc
Combined Fuel Economy 71.4 km/l 19.2 km/l
Ground Clearance 165 mm 150 mm
Boot / Load Bay 660 l 463 l
Airbags Multiple airbags 6
Kerb Weight - 1735 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Warranty 7 Years / 200 000 km 5 years/100000 km complete vehicle; 8 years/200000 km power battery; 5 years/100000 km drive unit

= leads in this spec

The Bottom Line

C9 SHS holds a noticeable catalogue-index lead over SEALION 5 DM-i.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance C9 SHS +59 pts
Efficiency C9 SHS +15 pts
Safety C9 SHS +2 pts
Practicality C9 SHS +17 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Catalogue-index leader

C9 SHS

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

SEALION 5 DM-i

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?

C9 SHS

  • 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

SEALION 5 DM-i

  • Buyers who prefer this derivative's confirmed specification mix

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec C9 SHS SEALION 5 DM-i
Model Introduced Year 2025 2026
Generation Current South Africa C9 SHS range First South African SEALION 5 DM-i generation
Facelift History Current South Africa version listed by official source No separately marketed South African facelift announced as at August 2026
Facelift Launched Since 2025 Original current-generation version
Facelift Version Ending Current Current
Body Style SUV SUV
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status active Active
Segment SUV Medium SUV
Tare Mass Kg Not Available -
Vehicle Type SUV Passenger vehicle
Spec C9 SHS SEALION 5 DM-i
Length 4775 mm 4738 mm
Width 1920 mm 1860 mm
Height 1671 mm 1710 mm
Wheelbase 2800 mm 2712 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 165 mm 150 mm
Boot/Cargo Space 660 l 463 l
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 2717 kg 2145 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) - 150 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity - 52 l
Kerb Weight - 1735 kg
Payload Capacity - 410 kg
Towing Capacity - 0 kg
Number of Rows - 2 rows
Minimum Turning Radius - 6.0 m
Front Headroom - 970 mm
Rear Headroom - 910 mm
Front Legroom - 1100 mm
Rear Legroom - 935 mm

Source-backed Catalogue Index

A transparent specification index shown only when every vehicle clears the minimum comparable-data threshold.

Weighted / 100
Catalogue-index readout

C9 SHS leads by 24 points

C9 SHS holds a noticeable catalogue-index lead over SEALION 5 DM-i.

Index leader 91 /100
Lead 24 points
Data 60% source coverage
91
#1 Index leader

C9 SHS

60% source coverage 4 strong categories
Best at Performance 98 Check Practicality 78
Performance 98
Efficiency 96
Safety 94
Practicality 78
Leads by 24 points
67
#2

SEALION 5 DM-i

79% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 92 Check Performance 39
Performance 39
Efficiency 81
Safety 92
Practicality 61
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance C9 SHS +59 Efficiency C9 SHS +15 Safety C9 SHS +2 Practicality C9 SHS +17

Moderate difference in the source-backed catalogue index.

Why this score View full breakdown
Catalogue-index leader

C9 SHS

Performance 98/100
Efficiency 96/100
Safety 94/100
Practicality 78/100

SEALION 5 DM-i

Performance 39/100
Efficiency 81/100
Safety 92/100
Practicality 61/100

How to Read This Comparison

🏆 Omoda C9 SHS leads the catalogue index with 91 pts vs 67 pts for SEALION 5 DM-i

In Hagalu's source-backed catalogue index, C9 SHS leads. However, SEALION 5 DM-i may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

Buyers Also Looked At These

Other comparisons that people in the same boat tend to check out.

Questions Buyers Usually Ask

There is no universal winner. Use the comparison table to match the exact South African derivatives 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.

Hagalu does not publish a guaranteed resale winner. Depreciation depends on age, mileage, condition, derivative, colour, supply and demand. Compare several current used-market listings and obtain trade-in valuations for equivalent examples before relying on a resale estimate.

Check the exact derivatives for drive type, ground clearance, tyres, approach and departure angles, wading depth and low-range gearing where officially disclosed. SUV styling or all-wheel drive alone does not prove that a vehicle is suitable for demanding off-road use.

Calculate each exact derivative using your monthly distance and a current fuel or electricity price, then add finance, insurance, scheduled service, tyres and licence costs. Hagalu does not claim a fixed monthly saving without those buyer-specific inputs.

It is worth more only when the exact price difference buys equipment, space, performance or ownership cover that matters to you. Compare like-for-like lifecycle states and derivatives; a current offer and a historical last-listed price are not directly equivalent.

In Depth — Breaking It All Down

This C9 SHS and SEALION 5 DM-i comparison uses the exact South African derivatives selected above. The catalogue index covers performance, efficiency, safety equipment, practicality and ownership cover only where comparable source-backed fields are present.

Performance index: C9 SHS 98 vs SEALION 5 DM-i 39.

Efficiency index: C9 SHS 96 vs SEALION 5 DM-i 81.

Safety-equipment index: C9 SHS 94 vs SEALION 5 DM-i 92.

Practicality index: C9 SHS 78 vs SEALION 5 DM-i 61.

Ownership-cover index: C9 SHS not separately scored vs SEALION 5 DM-i 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.