BYD DOLPHIN vs Toyota Starlet

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
Toyota Starlet in South Africa

Toyota Starlet

1.0T XR CVT Petrol CVT Current
ZAR 319,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 72 kW 🔧 140 Nm ⛽ 16.7 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance DOLPHIN
Fuel Economy DOLPHIN
🛡 Safety Tie
📦 Practicality Tie
🔑 Ownership Not enough comparable data
Starlet starts ZAR 295,000 cheaper DOLPHIN from ZAR 539,900 · Starlet from ZAR 244,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec DOLPHIN Starlet
Maximum Power 150 kW 72 kW @ 5500 rpm
Maximum Torque 310 Nm 140 Nm
Engine Size Not Applicable 996 cc
Combined Fuel Economy Not Applicable 16.7 km/l
Ground Clearance 155 mm 162 mm
Boot / Load Bay 345 l 265 l
Airbags 7 7
Kerb Weight 1658 kg 1005 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 years / 100 000 km

= leads in this spec

The Bottom Line

DOLPHIN holds a noticeable catalogue-index lead over Starlet.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance DOLPHIN +34 pts
Efficiency DOLPHIN +24 pts
Safety Equal
Practicality Equal

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Catalogue-index leader

DOLPHIN

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

Starlet

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

Which One's Right for You?

DOLPHIN

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use

Starlet

  • Buyers who prefer this derivative's confirmed specification mix

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec DOLPHIN Starlet
Model Introduced Year 2024 2020
Generation First South African DOLPHIN generation First generation Starlet in South Africa on B-segment platform
Facelift History No separately marketed South African facelift announced as at August 2026 Minor updates since launch
Facelift Launched Since Original current-generation version Original current-generation version
Facelift Version Ending Current Current
Body Style Hatchback Hatchback
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status Active published
Segment Compact Hatchback Hatchback
Vehicle Type Passenger vehicle Hatchback
Color Note - White, Silver, Grey, Blue, Red, Orange
Dealer Stock Note - Top grade in the South Africa lineup
Tare Mass Kg - 1005 kg
Spec DOLPHIN Starlet
Length 4290 mm 3995 mm
Width 1770 mm 1695 mm
Height 1570 mm 1520 mm
Wheelbase 2700 mm 2520 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 155 mm 162 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) 130 mm -
Fuel Tank Capacity 0 l 40 l
Boot/Cargo Space 345 l 265 l
Kerb Weight 1658 kg 1005 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 2068 kg 1420 kg
Payload Capacity 410 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 4.9 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 17 points

DOLPHIN holds a noticeable catalogue-index lead over Starlet.

Index leader 76 /100
Lead 17 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 17 points
59
#2

Starlet

83% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 98 Check Performance 32
Performance 32
Efficiency 66
Safety 98
Practicality 56
Ownership 43
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance DOLPHIN +34 Efficiency DOLPHIN +24 Safety 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

Starlet

Performance 32/100
Efficiency 66/100
Safety 98/100
Practicality 56/100
Ownership 43/100

How to Read This Comparison

🏆 BYD DOLPHIN leads the catalogue index with 76 pts vs 59 pts for Starlet

In Hagalu's source-backed catalogue index, DOLPHIN leads. However, Starlet 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 Starlet 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 Starlet 32.

Efficiency index: DOLPHIN 90 vs Starlet 66.

Safety-equipment index: DOLPHIN 98 vs Starlet 98.

Practicality index: DOLPHIN 56 vs Starlet 56.

Ownership-cover index: DOLPHIN not separately scored vs Starlet 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.