LDV D90 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.

LDV D90 in South Africa

LDV D90

D90 Flagship Diesel 8-Speed Automatic Current
ZAR 899,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 160 kW 🔧 500 Nm ⛽ 10.99 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

LDV D90 vs Geely E5 EM-i: the short answer

D90 and E5 EM-i are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

E5 EM-i starts ZAR 299,901 cheaper D90 from ZAR 899,900 · E5 EM-i from ZAR 599,999

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification D90 E5 EM-i
Maximum Power D90160 kW @ 4000 rpm E5 EM-i73 kW
Maximum Torque D90500 Nm @ 1500-2400 rpm E5 EM-i125 Nm
Engine Size D901996 cc E5 EM-i1499 cc
Combined Fuel Economy D9010.99 km/l E5 EM-iNot Officially Disclosed
Ground Clearance D90210 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

D90

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?

D90

  • 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 D90 E5 EM-i
Model Introduced Year 2025 2025
Generation Current South African D90 generation. Current South African model / exact generation number not separately published
Facelift History No later South African facelift is published. No applicable South African facelift history established
Facelift Launched Since 2025 Not Applicable
Facelift Version Ending Current Not Applicable
Body Style Seven-seat large SUV SUV
Model Year 2025 2026
Production Status active active
Segment SUV Passenger vehicle
Vehicle Type SUV SUV
Spec D90 E5 EM-i
Length 5046 mm 4740 mm
Width 2016 mm 1905 mm
Height 1876 mm 1685 mm
Wheelbase 2950 mm 2755 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 210 mm 172 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) Not Officially Disclosed Not Officially Disclosed
Fuel Tank Capacity Not Officially Disclosed 51 l
Boot/Cargo Space 343 l 528 l
Kerb Weight 2370 kg 1770 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 3100 kg Not Officially Disclosed
Payload Capacity 730 kg Not Officially Disclosed
Towing Capacity 3100 kg Not Officially Disclosed
Seating Capacity 7 seats Not Officially Disclosed
Number of Rows 3 rows Not Officially Disclosed
Doors 5 doors Not Officially Disclosed
Minimum Turning Radius 6.45 m Not Officially Disclosed
Front Headroom 1010 mm Not Officially Disclosed
Rear Headroom 990 mm Not Officially Disclosed
Front Legroom 1050 mm Not Officially Disclosed
Rear Legroom 950 mm Not Officially Disclosed

In depth: how these cars differ

This D90 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: D90 82 vs E5 EM-i 39.

Efficiency index: D90 45 vs E5 EM-i 79.

Safety-equipment index: D90 93 vs E5 EM-i 91.

Practicality index: D90 78 vs E5 EM-i 71.

Ownership-cover index: D90 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

D90 leads by 7 points

D90 and E5 EM-i are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Evidence leader 76 /100
Lead 7 points
Data 68% source coverage
76
#1 Evidence leader

D90

68% source coverage 3 strong categories
Best at Safety 93 Check Efficiency 45
Performance 82
Efficiency 45
Safety 93
Practicality 78
Leads by 7 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 D90 +43 Efficiency E5 EM-i +34 Safety D90 +2 Practicality D90 +7

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

D90

Performance 82/100
Efficiency 45/100
Safety 93/100
Practicality 78/100

E5 EM-i

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

What the evidence means

Evidence index LDV D90 leads the specification evidence index with 76 pts vs 69 pts for E5 EM-i

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, D90 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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D90 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.