Volkswagen Caddy Cargo vs Geely E5 EM-i

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.

Volkswagen Caddy Cargo in South Africa

Volkswagen Caddy Cargo

Maxi Cargo 2.0 TDI Manual Diesel Current
ZAR 646,650 ex-showroom
⚡ 81 kW 🔧 300 Nm ⛽ 18.2 km/l
VS
Geely E5 EM-i in South Africa

Geely E5 EM-i

Apex Plug-in Hybrid Current
ZAR 679,999 ex-showroom
⚡ 73 kW 🔧 125 Nm
＋ Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

Volkswagen Caddy Cargo vs Geely E5 EM-i: the short answer

Caddy Cargo and E5 EM-i are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Caddy Cargo starts ZAR 133,299 cheaper Caddy Cargo from ZAR 466,700 · E5 EM-i from ZAR 599,999

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification Caddy Cargo E5 EM-i
Maximum Power Caddy Cargo81 kW E5 EM-i73 kW
Maximum Torque Caddy Cargo300 Nm E5 EM-i125 Nm
Engine Size Caddy Cargo1968 cc E5 EM-i1499 cc
Combined Fuel Economy Caddy Cargo18.2 km/l E5 EM-iNot Officially Disclosed
Ground Clearance Caddy Cargo144 mm E5 EM-i172 mm

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

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Caddy Cargo

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

E5 EM-i

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

Which One's Right for You?

Caddy Cargo

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures

E5 EM-i

  • 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

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Caddy Cargo E5 EM-i
Model Introduced Year Current local generation year not confirmed 2025
Generation Current South African Caddy Cargo listing; generation notes should be kept tied to the local model year and confirmed derivative data. Current South African model / exact generation number not separately published
Facelift History Model-year updates can affect trim, wheels, screens, safety equipment and colours. Use the latest South African price list when checking a specific vehicle. No applicable South African facelift history established
Facelift Launched Since Original current-generation version Not Applicable
Facelift Version Ending Current Not Applicable
Body Style Van SUV
Color Note Colour availability changes by model year, production batch and dealer stock, check the current colour selector before ordering. -
Dealer Stock Note Top grade in the South Africa lineup -
Drivetrain Note 4x2 configuration for the local line-up -
Model Year Current 2026
Production Status published active
Segment Van Passenger vehicle
Tare Mass Kg 1706 kg -
Vehicle Type Van SUV
Spec Caddy Cargo E5 EM-i
Length 4853 mm 4740 mm
Width 1855 mm 1905 mm
Height 1823 mm 1685 mm
Wheelbase 2970 mm 2755 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 144 mm 172 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 50 l 51 l
Boot/Cargo Space 3900 l 528 l
Kerb Weight 1706 kg 1770 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 2350 kg Not Officially Disclosed
Payload Capacity 644 kg Not Officially Disclosed
Towing Capacity 1500 kg Not Officially Disclosed
Seating Capacity 2 seats Not Officially Disclosed
Doors 4 doors Not Officially Disclosed
Minimum Turning Radius 12.1 m Not Officially Disclosed
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) - Not Officially Disclosed
Number of Rows - Not Officially Disclosed
Front Headroom - Not Officially Disclosed
Rear Headroom - Not Officially Disclosed
Front Legroom - Not Officially Disclosed
Rear Legroom - Not Officially Disclosed

In depth: how these cars differ

This Caddy Cargo and E5 EM-i 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: Caddy Cargo 44 vs E5 EM-i 39.

Efficiency index: Caddy Cargo 72 vs E5 EM-i 79.

Safety-equipment index: Caddy Cargo 88 vs E5 EM-i 91.

Practicality index: Caddy Cargo 60 vs E5 EM-i 71.

Ownership-cover index: Caddy Cargo not separately scored vs E5 EM-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.

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

E5 EM-i leads by 4 points

Caddy Cargo and E5 EM-i are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Evidence leader 69 /100
Lead 4 points
Data 55% source coverage
69
#1 Evidence leader

E5 EM-i

55% source coverage 3 strong categories
Best at Safety 91 Check Performance 39
Performance 39
Efficiency 79
Safety 91
Practicality 71
Leads by 4 points
65
#2

Caddy Cargo

55% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 88 Check Performance 44
Performance 44
Efficiency 72
Safety 88
Practicality 60
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Caddy Cargo +5 Efficiency E5 EM-i +7 Safety E5 EM-i +3 Practicality E5 EM-i +11

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

E5 EM-i

Performance 39/100
Efficiency 79/100
Safety 91/100
Practicality 71/100

Caddy Cargo

Performance 44/100
Efficiency 72/100
Safety 88/100
Practicality 60/100

What the evidence means

Evidence index Geely E5 EM-i leads the specification evidence index with 69 pts vs 65 pts for Caddy Cargo

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, E5 EM-i leads. However, Caddy Cargo 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.

Caddy Cargo
Caddy Cargo
VS
Territory
Territory
Caddy Cargo vs Territory →
Caddy Cargo
Caddy Cargo
VS
Eclipse Cross
Eclipse Cross
Caddy Cargo vs Eclipse Cross →
Caddy Cargo
Caddy Cargo
VS
Tiggo 8 Pro
Tiggo 8 Pro
Caddy Cargo vs Tiggo 8 Pro →
Caddy Cargo
Caddy Cargo
VS
CX-30
CX-30
Caddy Cargo vs CX-30 →
Caddy Cargo
Caddy Cargo
VS
C7
C7
Caddy Cargo vs C7 →
Caddy Cargo
Caddy Cargo
VS
J7
J7
Caddy Cargo vs J7 →
E5 EM-i
E5 EM-i
VS
Territory
Territory
E5 EM-i vs Territory →
E5 EM-i
E5 EM-i
VS
Eclipse Cross
Eclipse Cross
E5 EM-i vs Eclipse Cross →

Caddy Cargo vs E5 EM-i 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.