BYD DOLPHIN SURF vs Suzuki Ignis

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.

BYD DOLPHIN SURF in South Africa

BYD DOLPHIN SURF

Dynamic EV Electric Single-Speed Reduction Gear Current
ZAR 395,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 55 kW 🔧 135 Nm
VS
Suzuki Ignis in South Africa

Suzuki Ignis

1.2 GLX AMT Petrol 5-Speed AMT Current
ZAR 293,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 61 kW 🔧 113 Nm ⛽ 18.9 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance Tie
Fuel Economy DOLPHIN SURF
🛡 Safety Ignis
📦 Practicality Ignis
🔑 Ownership Not enough comparable data
Ignis starts ZAR 104,000 cheaper DOLPHIN SURF from ZAR 341,900 · Ignis from ZAR 237,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec DOLPHIN SURF Ignis
Maximum Power 55 kW 61 kW @ 6000 rpm
Maximum Torque 135 Nm 113 Nm @ 4200 rpm
Engine Size Not Applicable 1197 cc
Combined Fuel Economy Not Applicable 18.9 km/l
Ground Clearance 155 mm 180 mm
Boot / Load Bay 230 l 260 l
Airbags 6 6
Kerb Weight 1280 kg 855 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Warranty 3 years/100000 km complete vehicle; 8 years/200000 km power battery; 5 years/100000 km drive unit 5

= leads in this spec

The Bottom Line

DOLPHIN SURF and Ignis are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Equal
Efficiency DOLPHIN SURF +19 pts
Safety Ignis +1 pts
Practicality Ignis +6 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Catalogue-index leader

DOLPHIN SURF

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

Ignis

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

Which One's Right for You?

DOLPHIN SURF

  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use

Ignis

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

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec DOLPHIN SURF Ignis
Model Introduced Year 2025 2017
Generation First South African DOLPHIN SURF generation Second-generation Ignis on Suzuki's lightweight platform — 850kg kerb weight makes it one of the lightest five-seater crossovers available in any market. K12M engine retained for proven reliability track record.
Facelift History No separately marketed South African facelift announced as at August 2026 Original global Ignis launched in 2016; second generation arrived 2020 with updated styling and connectivity; current SA specification reflects 2023-2024 equipment update with GLX trim and active safety additions.
Facelift Launched Since Original current-generation version 2024
Facelift Version Ending Current Current
Body Style Hatchback Hatchback
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status Active published
Segment City Hatchback Hatchback
Vehicle Type Passenger vehicle Hatchback
Color Note - Silky Silver Metallic, Granite Grey Metallic, Pearl Snow White, Burning Red Pearl, Sphere Blue Metallic, Speedy Blue
Dealer Stock Note - Flagship grade in the South Africa lineup
Tare Mass Kg - 855 kg
Spec DOLPHIN SURF Ignis
Length 3925 mm 3700 mm
Width 1720 mm 1690 mm
Height 1590 mm 1595 mm
Wheelbase 2500 mm 2435 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 155 mm 180 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) 120 mm -
Fuel Tank Capacity 0 l 32 l
Boot/Cargo Space 230 l 260 l
Kerb Weight 1280 kg 855 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 1690 kg -
Payload Capacity 410 kg -
Towing Capacity 0 kg -
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Number of Rows 2 rows 2 rows
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 4.95 m -
Front Headroom 980 mm -
Rear Headroom 920 mm -
Front Legroom 1060 mm -
Rear Legroom 690 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

DOLPHIN SURF leads by 0 points

DOLPHIN SURF and Ignis are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Index leader 61 /100
Lead 0 points
Data 60% source coverage
61
#1 Index leader

DOLPHIN SURF

60% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Efficiency 90 Check Performance 25
Performance 25
Efficiency 90
Safety 87
Practicality 51
Leads by 0 points
61
#2

Ignis

86% source coverage 3 strong categories
Best at Safety 88 Check Performance 25
Performance 25
Efficiency 71
Safety 88
Practicality 57
Ownership 71
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Level Efficiency DOLPHIN SURF +19 Safety Ignis +1 Practicality Ignis +6

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Catalogue-index leader

DOLPHIN SURF

Performance 25/100
Efficiency 90/100
Safety 87/100
Practicality 51/100

Ignis

Performance 25/100
Efficiency 71/100
Safety 88/100
Practicality 57/100
Ownership 71/100

How to Read This Comparison

🏆 BYD DOLPHIN SURF leads the catalogue index with 61 pts vs 61 pts for Ignis

In Hagalu's source-backed catalogue index, DOLPHIN SURF leads. However, Ignis 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 DOLPHIN SURF and Ignis 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: DOLPHIN SURF 25 vs Ignis 25.

Efficiency index: DOLPHIN SURF 90 vs Ignis 71.

Safety-equipment index: DOLPHIN SURF 87 vs Ignis 88.

Practicality index: DOLPHIN SURF 51 vs Ignis 57.

Ownership-cover index: DOLPHIN SURF not separately scored vs Ignis 71.

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.