Rolls-Royce Cullinan vs BYD SEALION 5 DM-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
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

Decision summary

Rolls-Royce Cullinan vs BYD SEALION 5 DM-i: the short answer

Cullinan has a modest catalogue-index lead, while SEALION 5 DM-i remains close.

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification Cullinan SEALION 5 DM-i
Maximum Power Cullinan420 kW @ 5000-6000 rpm SEALION 5 DM-i72 kW @ 6000 rpm
Maximum Torque Cullinan850 Nm @ 1600-4250 rpm SEALION 5 DM-i122 Nm @ 4000-4500 rpm
Engine Size Cullinan6749 cc SEALION 5 DM-i1498 cc
Combined Fuel Economy Cullinan5.95 km/l SEALION 5 DM-i19.2 km/l
Ground Clearance Cullinan173 mm SEALION 5 DM-i150 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

SEALION 5 DM-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

SEALION 5 DM-i

  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Cullinan SEALION 5 DM-i
Model Introduced Year 2018 2026
Generation Cullinan Series II, the current evolution of the marque's five-door super-luxury SUV First South African SEALION 5 DM-i generation
Facelift History Cullinan was introduced in South Africa in 2018 and received its most extensive evolution as Cullinan Series II in May 2024 No separately marketed South African facelift announced as at August 2026
Facelift Launched Since 2024 Original current-generation version
Facelift Version Ending Current Current
Body Style Five-door luxury SUV SUV
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status active Active
Segment Full-size super-luxury SUV Medium SUV
Vehicle Type Internal-combustion sport utility vehicle Passenger vehicle
Spec Cullinan SEALION 5 DM-i
Length 5355 mm 4738 mm
Width 2000 mm 1860 mm
Height 1835 mm 1710 mm
Wheelbase 3295 mm 2712 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 173 mm 150 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) 173 mm 150 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 90 l 52 l
Boot/Cargo Space 612 l 463 l
Kerb Weight 2725 kg 1735 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 3300 kg 2145 kg
Payload Capacity 575 kg 410 kg
Towing Capacity 2700 kg 0 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Number of Rows 2 rows 2 rows
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 6.6 m 6.0 m
Front Headroom 1064 mm 970 mm
Rear Headroom 1026 mm 910 mm
Front Legroom 1006 mm 1100 mm
Rear Legroom 1090 mm 935 mm

In depth: how these cars differ

This Cullinan and SEALION 5 DM-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 SEALION 5 DM-i 39.

Efficiency index: Cullinan 28 vs SEALION 5 DM-i 81.

Safety-equipment index: Cullinan 99 vs SEALION 5 DM-i 92.

Practicality index: Cullinan 75 vs SEALION 5 DM-i 61.

Ownership-cover index: Cullinan 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.

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 12 points

Cullinan has a modest catalogue-index lead, while SEALION 5 DM-i remains close.

Evidence leader 79 /100
Lead 12 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 12 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 Cullinan +60 Efficiency SEALION 5 DM-i +53 Safety Cullinan +7 Practicality Cullinan +14

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

SEALION 5 DM-i

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

What the evidence means

Evidence index Rolls-Royce Cullinan leads the specification evidence index with 79 pts vs 67 pts for SEALION 5 DM-i

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, Cullinan 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.

Cullinan vs SEALION 5 DM-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.