BYD DOLPHIN vs GWM Ora 03

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 in South Africa

BYD DOLPHIN

Premium Extended Range EV Electric Single-Speed Reduction Gear Current
ZAR 602,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 150 kW 🔧 310 Nm
VS
GWM Ora 03 in South Africa

GWM Ora 03

400 Ultra Luxury Electric Current
ZAR 805,950 ex-showroom
⚡ 126 kW 🔧 250 Nm
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance DOLPHIN
Fuel Economy Tie
🛡 Safety Not enough comparable data
📦 Practicality Tie
🔑 Ownership Not enough comparable data
DOLPHIN starts ZAR 147,050 cheaper DOLPHIN from ZAR 539,900 · Ora 03 from ZAR 686,950

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec DOLPHIN Ora 03
Maximum Power 150 kW 126 kW
Maximum Torque 310 Nm 250 Nm
Engine Size Not Applicable Not Applicable
Combined Fuel Economy Not Applicable Not Applicable
Ground Clearance 155 mm 145 mm
Boot / Load Bay 345 l -
Airbags 7 Dual SRS, front side, side curtain and front centre airbags
Kerb Weight 1658 kg 1685 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 Years / 100,000 km

= leads in this spec

The Bottom Line

DOLPHIN has a modest catalogue-index lead, while Ora 03 remains close.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance DOLPHIN +14 pts
Efficiency Equal
Practicality Equal

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Catalogue-index leader

DOLPHIN

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
Weak Spots
  • No obvious weak spots to flag.
Best suited to: Published Performance

Ora 03

Strengths
  • Nothing stands out clearly here.
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
Best suited to: General Use

Which One's Right for You?

DOLPHIN

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures

Ora 03

  • Buyers who prefer this derivative's confirmed specification mix

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec DOLPHIN Ora 03
Model Introduced Year 2024 Current local generation year not confirmed
Generation First South African DOLPHIN generation Current South African Ora 03 listing; generation notes should be kept tied to the local model year and confirmed derivative data.
Facelift History No separately marketed South African facelift announced as at August 2026 Model-year updates can affect trim, wheels, screens, safety equipment and colours. Use the latest South African price list when checking a specific vehicle.
Facelift Launched Since Original current-generation version Original current-generation version
Facelift Version Ending Current Current
Body Style Hatchback Electric hatchback
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status Active published
Segment Compact Hatchback Hatchback
Vehicle Type Passenger vehicle Hatchback
Color Note - Colour availability changes by model year, production batch and dealer stock, check the current colour selector before ordering.
Dealer Stock Note - Flagship grade in the South Africa lineup
Tare Mass Kg - 1685 kg
Spec DOLPHIN Ora 03
Length 4290 mm 4235 mm
Width 1770 mm 1825 mm
Height 1570 mm 1603 mm
Wheelbase 2700 mm 2650 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 155 mm 145 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) 130 mm -
Fuel Tank Capacity 0 l -
Boot/Cargo Space 345 l -
Kerb Weight 1658 kg 1685 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 2068 kg 2120 kg
Payload Capacity 410 kg 435 kg
Towing Capacity 0 kg -
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Number of Rows 2 rows -
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 5.25 m -
Front Headroom 1000 mm -
Rear Headroom 900 mm -
Front Legroom 1130 mm -
Rear Legroom 740 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 leads by 12 points

DOLPHIN has a modest catalogue-index lead, while Ora 03 remains close.

Index leader 76 /100
Lead 12 points
Data 64% source coverage
76
#1 Index leader

DOLPHIN

64% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 98 Check Practicality 56
Performance 66
Efficiency 90
Safety 98
Practicality 56
Leads by 12 points
64
#2

Ora 03

50% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Efficiency 90 Check Performance 52
Performance 52
Efficiency 90
Practicality 56
Ownership 65
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance DOLPHIN +14 Efficiency Level Practicality Level

Moderate difference in the source-backed catalogue index.

Why this score View full breakdown
Catalogue-index leader

DOLPHIN

Performance 66/100
Efficiency 90/100
Safety 98/100
Practicality 56/100

Ora 03

Performance 52/100
Efficiency 90/100
Practicality 56/100
Ownership 65/100

How to Read This Comparison

🏆 BYD DOLPHIN leads the catalogue index with 76 pts vs 64 pts for Ora 03

In Hagalu's source-backed catalogue index, DOLPHIN leads. However, Ora 03 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 and Ora 03 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 66 vs Ora 03 52.

Efficiency index: DOLPHIN 90 vs Ora 03 90.

Safety-equipment index: DOLPHIN 98 vs Ora 03 not separately scored.

Practicality index: DOLPHIN 56 vs Ora 03 56.

Ownership-cover index: DOLPHIN not separately scored vs Ora 03 65.

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.