BYD DOLPHIN SURF vs Toyota Yaris

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.

Includes a historical vehicle

Current, upcoming and historical vehicles can be compared side by side. Historical records keep their verified specifications, while price labels show last-listed context rather than current new-car availability.

Toyota Yaris Discontinued model
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
Toyota Yaris in South Africa

Toyota Yaris

1.5 XR CVT Petrol CVT Discontinued model
ZAR 359,900 last listed
Discontinued model Verified historical specifications remain visible for owner and used-car comparisons.
⚡ 88 kW 🔧 145 Nm ⛽ 15.1 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance Yaris
Fuel Economy DOLPHIN SURF
🛡 Safety Yaris
📦 Practicality Yaris
🔑 Ownership Not enough comparable data
Recorded price context DOLPHIN SURF: current from ZAR 341,900 · Yaris: last listed from ZAR 289,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec DOLPHIN SURF Yaris
Maximum Power 55 kW 88 kW @ 6000 rpm
Maximum Torque 135 Nm 145 Nm @ 4800 rpm
Engine Size Not Applicable 1496 cc
Combined Fuel Economy Not Applicable 15.1 km/l
Ground Clearance 155 mm 160 mm
Boot / Load Bay 230 l 286 l
Airbags 6 7
Kerb Weight 1280 kg 1110 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 3

= leads in this spec

Archived vehicles remain available for comparison. Verified specs stay visible; historical fields that were not source-confirmed are marked Not confirmed instead of being guessed.

The Bottom Line

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

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Yaris +12 pts
Efficiency DOLPHIN SURF +29 pts
Safety Yaris +10 pts
Practicality Yaris +6 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Catalogue-index leader

DOLPHIN SURF

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

Yaris

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

Which One's Right for You?

DOLPHIN SURF

  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use

Yaris

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

Full Specs, Side by Side

Archived cars use verified historical spec records. Rows remain comparable; unavailable historical values are shown plainly rather than estimated.

Spec DOLPHIN SURF Yaris
Model Introduced Year 2025 2020
Generation First South African DOLPHIN SURF generation Not confirmed
Facelift History No separately marketed South African facelift announced as at August 2026 Regular updates with improved safety and features
Facelift Launched Since Original current-generation version Not confirmed
Facelift Version Ending Current Not confirmed
Body Style Hatchback Not confirmed
Model Year 2026 Not confirmed
Production Status Active Not confirmed
Segment City Hatchback Not confirmed
Vehicle Type Passenger vehicle Not confirmed
Tare Mass Kg - 1110 kg
Spec DOLPHIN SURF Yaris
Length 3925 mm 4180 mm
Width 1720 mm 1745 mm
Height 1590 mm 1500 mm
Wheelbase 2500 mm 2550 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 155 mm 160 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) 120 mm Not confirmed
Fuel Tank Capacity 0 l 42 l
Boot/Cargo Space 230 l 286 l
Kerb Weight 1280 kg 1110 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 1690 kg 1515 kg
Payload Capacity 410 kg Not confirmed
Towing Capacity 0 kg Not confirmed
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Number of Rows 2 rows Not confirmed
Doors 5 doors Not confirmed
Minimum Turning Radius 4.95 m 5.1 m
Front Headroom 980 mm Not confirmed
Rear Headroom 920 mm Not confirmed
Front Legroom 1060 mm Not confirmed
Rear Legroom 690 mm Not confirmed

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 1 points

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

Index leader 61 /100
Lead 1 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 1 points
60
#2

Yaris

82% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 97 Check Performance 37
Performance 37
Efficiency 61
Safety 97
Practicality 57
Ownership 43
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Yaris +12 Efficiency DOLPHIN SURF +29 Safety Yaris +10 Practicality Yaris +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

Yaris

Performance 37/100
Efficiency 61/100
Safety 97/100
Practicality 57/100
Ownership 43/100

How to Read This Comparison

🏆 BYD DOLPHIN SURF leads the catalogue index with 61 pts vs 60 pts for Yaris

In Hagalu's source-backed catalogue index, DOLPHIN SURF leads. However, Yaris 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 Yaris 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 Yaris 37.

Efficiency index: DOLPHIN SURF 90 vs Yaris 61.

Safety-equipment index: DOLPHIN SURF 87 vs Yaris 97.

Practicality index: DOLPHIN SURF 51 vs Yaris 57.

Ownership-cover index: DOLPHIN SURF not separately scored vs Yaris 43.

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.