Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross vs BYD SEALION 5 DM-i

A proper head-to-head in South Africa — compare price, performance, fuel economy or electric range, safety and the details that shape long-term ownership.

Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross in South Africa

Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross

1.5L GLS Exceed CVT 4x2 Petrol CVT Current
ZAR 620,000 ex-showroom
⚡ 110 kW 🔧 250 Nm ⛽ 13 km/l
VS
BYD SEALION 5 DM-i in South Africa

BYD SEALION 5 DM-i

Dynamic DM-i Plug-in Hybrid e-CVT Current
ZAR 569,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 72 kW 🔧 122 Nm ⛽ 19.2 km/l
+ Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross vs BYD SEALION 5 DM-i: the short answer

Eclipse Cross and SEALION 5 DM-i are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

SEALION 5 DM-i starts ZAR 25,090 cheaper Eclipse Cross from ZAR 534,990 · SEALION 5 DM-i from ZAR 509,900

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification Eclipse Cross SEALION 5 DM-i
Maximum Power Eclipse Cross110 kW @ 5500 rpm SEALION 5 DM-i72 kW @ 6000 rpm
Maximum Torque Eclipse Cross250 Nm @ 3500 rpm SEALION 5 DM-i122 Nm @ 4000-4500 rpm
Engine Size Eclipse Cross1499 cc SEALION 5 DM-i1498 cc
Combined Fuel Economy Eclipse Cross13 km/l SEALION 5 DM-i19.2 km/l
Ground Clearance Eclipse Cross180 mm SEALION 5 DM-i150 mm

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

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Eclipse Cross

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

SEALION 5 DM-i

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

Which One's Right for You?

Eclipse Cross

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

SEALION 5 DM-i

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

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Eclipse Cross SEALION 5 DM-i
Model Introduced Year 2021 2026
Generation First-generation Eclipse Cross facelift First South African SEALION 5 DM-i generation
Facelift History Current South African facelift specification. No separately marketed South African facelift announced as at August 2026
Facelift Launched Since Current specification Original current-generation version
Facelift Version Ending Current Current
Body Style SUV SUV
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status active Active
Segment Compact crossover SUV Medium SUV
Vehicle Type Passenger vehicle Passenger vehicle
Spec Eclipse Cross SEALION 5 DM-i
Length 4545 mm 4738 mm
Width 1805 mm 1860 mm
Height 1685 mm 1710 mm
Wheelbase 2670 mm 2712 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 180 mm 150 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) 155 mm 150 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 63 l 52 l
Boot/Cargo Space 437 l 463 l
Kerb Weight 1490 kg 1735 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 2100 kg 2145 kg
Payload Capacity 610 kg 410 kg
Towing Capacity 1600 kg 0 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Number of Rows 2 rows 2 rows
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 5.3 m 6.0 m
Front Headroom 1003 mm 970 mm
Rear Headroom 932 mm 910 mm
Front Legroom 1039 mm 1100 mm
Rear Legroom 943 mm 935 mm

In depth: how these cars differ

This Eclipse Cross and SEALION 5 DM-i comparison uses the exact derivatives selected above for South Africa. The catalogue index covers performance, efficiency, safety equipment, practicality and ownership cover only where comparable source-backed fields are present.

Performance index: Eclipse Cross 52 vs SEALION 5 DM-i 39.

Efficiency index: Eclipse Cross 51 vs SEALION 5 DM-i 81.

Safety-equipment index: Eclipse Cross 76 vs SEALION 5 DM-i 92.

Practicality index: Eclipse Cross 64 vs SEALION 5 DM-i 61.

Ownership-cover index: Eclipse Cross not separately scored vs SEALION 5 DM-i 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

SEALION 5 DM-i leads by 6 points

Eclipse Cross and SEALION 5 DM-i are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Evidence leader 67 /100
Lead 6 points
Data 79% source coverage
67
#1 Evidence leader

SEALION 5 DM-i

79% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 92 Check Performance 39
Performance 39
Efficiency 81
Safety 92
Practicality 61
Leads by 6 points
61
#2

Eclipse Cross

83% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 76 Check Efficiency 51
Performance 52
Efficiency 51
Safety 76
Practicality 64
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Eclipse Cross +13 Efficiency SEALION 5 DM-i +30 Safety SEALION 5 DM-i +16 Practicality Eclipse Cross +3

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

SEALION 5 DM-i

Performance 39/100
Efficiency 81/100
Safety 92/100
Practicality 61/100

Eclipse Cross

Performance 52/100
Efficiency 51/100
Safety 76/100
Practicality 64/100

What the evidence means

Evidence index BYD SEALION 5 DM-i leads the specification evidence index with 67 pts vs 61 pts for Eclipse Cross

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, SEALION 5 DM-i leads. However, Eclipse Cross may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

Eclipse Cross vs SEALION 5 DM-i questions

There is no universal winner. Use the comparison table to match the models and available derivatives in South Africa 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.