Rolls-Royce Cullinan 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.

Rolls-Royce Cullinan in South Africa

Rolls-Royce Cullinan

Cullinan Series II Petrol 8-Speed Automatic Current
Price on request
⚡ 420 kW 🔧 850 Nm ⛽ 5.95 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

Rolls-Royce Cullinan vs Geely E5 EM-i: the short answer

Cullinan has a modest catalogue-index lead, while E5 EM-i remains close.

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification Cullinan E5 EM-i
Maximum Power Cullinan420 kW @ 5000-6000 rpm E5 EM-i73 kW
Maximum Torque Cullinan850 Nm @ 1600-4250 rpm E5 EM-i125 Nm
Engine Size Cullinan6749 cc E5 EM-i1499 cc
Combined Fuel Economy Cullinan5.95 km/l E5 EM-iNot Officially Disclosed
Ground Clearance Cullinan173 mm E5 EM-i172 mm

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

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Specification evidence leader

Cullinan

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

E5 EM-i

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

Which One's Right for You?

Cullinan

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

E5 EM-i

  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Cullinan E5 EM-i
Model Introduced Year 2018 2025
Generation Cullinan Series II, the current evolution of the marque's five-door super-luxury SUV Current South African model / exact generation number not separately published
Facelift History Cullinan was introduced in South Africa in 2018 and received its most extensive evolution as Cullinan Series II in May 2024 No applicable South African facelift history established
Facelift Launched Since 2024 Not Applicable
Facelift Version Ending Current Not Applicable
Body Style Five-door luxury SUV SUV
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status active active
Segment Full-size super-luxury SUV Passenger vehicle
Vehicle Type Internal-combustion sport utility vehicle SUV
Spec Cullinan E5 EM-i
Length 5355 mm 4740 mm
Width 2000 mm 1905 mm
Height 1835 mm 1685 mm
Wheelbase 3295 mm 2755 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 173 mm 172 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) 173 mm Not Officially Disclosed
Fuel Tank Capacity 90 l 51 l
Boot/Cargo Space 612 l 528 l
Kerb Weight 2725 kg 1770 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 3300 kg Not Officially Disclosed
Payload Capacity 575 kg Not Officially Disclosed
Towing Capacity 2700 kg Not Officially Disclosed
Seating Capacity 5 seats Not Officially Disclosed
Number of Rows 2 rows Not Officially Disclosed
Doors 5 doors Not Officially Disclosed
Minimum Turning Radius 6.6 m Not Officially Disclosed
Front Headroom 1064 mm Not Officially Disclosed
Rear Headroom 1026 mm Not Officially Disclosed
Front Legroom 1006 mm Not Officially Disclosed
Rear Legroom 1090 mm Not Officially Disclosed

In depth: how these cars differ

This Cullinan 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: Cullinan 99 vs E5 EM-i 39.

Efficiency index: Cullinan 28 vs E5 EM-i 79.

Safety-equipment index: Cullinan 99 vs E5 EM-i 91.

Practicality index: Cullinan 75 vs E5 EM-i 71.

Ownership-cover index: Cullinan 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

Cullinan leads by 10 points

Cullinan has a modest catalogue-index lead, while E5 EM-i remains close.

Evidence leader 79 /100
Lead 10 points
Data 83% source coverage
79
#1 Evidence leader

Cullinan

83% source coverage 3 strong categories
Best at Performance 99 Check Efficiency 28
Performance 99
Efficiency 28
Safety 99
Practicality 75
Leads by 10 points
69
#2

E5 EM-i

55% source coverage 3 strong categories
Best at Safety 91 Check Performance 39
Performance 39
Efficiency 79
Safety 91
Practicality 71
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Cullinan +60 Efficiency E5 EM-i +51 Safety Cullinan +8 Practicality Cullinan +4

Moderate difference in the source-backed catalogue index.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

Cullinan

Performance 99/100
Efficiency 28/100
Safety 99/100
Practicality 75/100

E5 EM-i

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

What the evidence means

Evidence index Rolls-Royce Cullinan leads the specification evidence index with 79 pts vs 69 pts for E5 EM-i

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, Cullinan leads. However, E5 EM-i may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

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Cullinan 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.