Geely E5 EM-i vs Toyota RAV4

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.

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
VS
Toyota RAV4 in South Africa

Toyota RAV4

2.5 HEV GR-S CVT Hybrid CVT Current
ZAR 941,800 ex-showroom
⚡ 137 kW 🔧 221 Nm ⛽ 21.3 km/l
＋ Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

Geely E5 EM-i vs Toyota RAV4: the short answer

E5 EM-i and RAV4 are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

E5 EM-i starts ZAR 10,001 cheaper E5 EM-i from ZAR 599,999 · RAV4 from ZAR 610,000

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification E5 EM-i RAV4
Maximum Power E5 EM-i73 kW RAV4137 kW @ 6000 rpm
Maximum Torque E5 EM-i125 Nm RAV4221 Nm
Engine Size E5 EM-i1499 cc RAV42500 cc
Combined Fuel Economy E5 EM-iNot Officially Disclosed RAV421.3 km/l
Ground Clearance E5 EM-iNot Officially Disclosed RAV4186 mm

Strongest published figure in that row; no road-test winner is implied.

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

E5 EM-i

Strengths
  • Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Fewer listed safety features
Best suited to: Published Practicality
Specification evidence leader

RAV4

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger listed safety equipment
Weak Spots
  • Lower published practicality figures
Best suited to: Published Performance Published Efficiency

Which One's Right for You?

E5 EM-i

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

RAV4

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use
  • Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec E5 EM-i RAV4
Model Introduced Year 2025 2026
Generation Current South African model / exact generation number not separately published All-new sixth-generation RAV4 introduced in South Africa in July 2026
Facelift History No applicable South African facelift history established Full model change for 2026 with HEV, PHEV and GR-Sport derivatives
Facelift Launched Since Not Applicable Full model change for 2026 with HEV, PHEV and GR-Sport derivatives
Facelift Version Ending Not Applicable Current South African 2026 specification
Body Style SUV SUV
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status active published
Segment Passenger vehicle SUV
Vehicle Type SUV SUV
Tare Mass Kg - 1725-1740 kg
Spec E5 EM-i RAV4
Length 4740 mm 4645 mm
Width 1905 mm 1880 mm
Height 1685 mm 1680 mm
Wheelbase 2755 mm 2690 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) Not Officially Disclosed 186 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) Not Officially Disclosed -
Fuel Tank Capacity 51 l 55 l
Boot/Cargo Space 528 l 732 l
Kerb Weight 1770 kg -
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) Not Officially Disclosed 2230 kg
Payload Capacity Not Officially Disclosed -
Towing Capacity Not Officially Disclosed 1000 kg
Seating Capacity Not Officially Disclosed 5 seats
Number of Rows Not Officially Disclosed -
Doors Not Officially Disclosed 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius Not Officially Disclosed 5.6 m
Front Headroom Not Officially Disclosed -
Rear Headroom Not Officially Disclosed -
Front Legroom Not Officially Disclosed -
Rear Legroom Not Officially Disclosed -

In depth: how these cars differ

This E5 EM-i and RAV4 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: E5 EM-i 39 vs RAV4 50.

Efficiency index: E5 EM-i 79 vs RAV4 84.

Safety-equipment index: E5 EM-i 91 vs RAV4 93.

Practicality index: E5 EM-i 74 vs RAV4 71.

Ownership-cover index: E5 EM-i not separately scored vs RAV4 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

RAV4 leads by 3 points

E5 EM-i and RAV4 are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Evidence leader 73 /100
Lead 3 points
Data 61% source coverage
73
#1 Evidence leader

RAV4

61% source coverage 3 strong categories
Best at Safety 93 Check Performance 50
Performance 50
Efficiency 84
Safety 93
Practicality 71
Leads by 3 points
70
#2

E5 EM-i

51% source coverage 3 strong categories
Best at Safety 91 Check Performance 39
Performance 39
Efficiency 79
Safety 91
Practicality 74
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance RAV4 +11 Efficiency RAV4 +5 Safety RAV4 +2 Practicality E5 EM-i +3

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

RAV4

Performance 50/100
Efficiency 84/100
Safety 93/100
Practicality 71/100

E5 EM-i

Performance 39/100
Efficiency 79/100
Safety 91/100
Practicality 74/100

What the evidence means

Evidence index Toyota RAV4 leads the specification evidence index with 73 pts vs 70 pts for E5 EM-i

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, RAV4 leads. However, E5 EM-i may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

Related comparisons

Continue with closely related South African models and comparable body styles.

E5 EM-i
E5 EM-i
VS
Tiggo 8 Pro Max
Tiggo 8 Pro Max
E5 EM-i vs Tiggo 8 Pro Max →
E5 EM-i
E5 EM-i
VS
Tiggo 7 PHEV
Tiggo 7 PHEV
E5 EM-i vs Tiggo 7 PHEV →
E5 EM-i
E5 EM-i
VS
H6
H6
E5 EM-i vs H6 →
E5 EM-i
E5 EM-i
VS
CX-5
CX-5
E5 EM-i vs CX-5 →
E5 EM-i
E5 EM-i
VS
SEALION 6 DM-i
SEALION 6 DM-i
E5 EM-i vs SEALION 6 DM-i →
E5 EM-i
E5 EM-i
VS
T2
T2
E5 EM-i vs T2 →
RAV4
RAV4
VS
Tiggo 8 Pro Max
Tiggo 8 Pro Max
RAV4 vs Tiggo 8 Pro Max →
RAV4
RAV4
VS
Tiggo 7 PHEV
Tiggo 7 PHEV
RAV4 vs Tiggo 7 PHEV →

E5 EM-i vs RAV4 questions

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.