Ford EcoSport vs BYD SEALION 5 DM-i

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.

Ford EcoSport Discontinued model
Ford EcoSport in South Africa

Ford EcoSport

1.0 EcoBoost Titanium Automatic Petrol 6-Speed Automatic Discontinued model
ZAR 395,000 last listed
Discontinued model Verified historical specifications remain visible for owner and used-car comparisons.
⚡ 92 kW 🔧 170 Nm ⛽ 17.2 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

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance EcoSport
Fuel Economy SEALION 5 DM-i
🛡 Safety SEALION 5 DM-i
📦 Practicality SEALION 5 DM-i
🔑 Ownership Not enough comparable data
Recorded price context EcoSport: last listed from ZAR 310,000 · SEALION 5 DM-i: current from ZAR 509,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec EcoSport SEALION 5 DM-i
Maximum Power 92 kW 72 kW @ 6000 rpm
Maximum Torque 170 Nm 122 Nm @ 4000-4500 rpm
Engine Size 998 cc 1498 cc
Combined Fuel Economy 17.2 km/l 19.2 km/l
Ground Clearance 200 mm 150 mm
Boot / Load Bay 352 l 463 l
Airbags 6 6
Kerb Weight 1290 kg 1735 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Warranty 4 5 years/100000 km complete vehicle; 8 years/200000 km power battery; 5 years/100000 km drive unit

= 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

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

Where They Actually Differ

Performance EcoSport +1 pts
Efficiency SEALION 5 DM-i +16 pts
Safety SEALION 5 DM-i +6 pts
Practicality SEALION 5 DM-i +3 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

EcoSport

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Fewer listed safety features
  • Lower published practicality figures
Best suited to: Published Performance
Catalogue-index leader

SEALION 5 DM-i

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

Which One's Right for You?

EcoSport

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures

SEALION 5 DM-i

  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use
  • 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 EcoSport SEALION 5 DM-i
Model Introduced Year 2013 2026
Generation Single generation on Ford B2E platform. Produced in India for global markets. SA received the facelift model with improved interior quality and revised safety kit. First South African SEALION 5 DM-i generation
Facelift History Facelift in 2017 — revised front fascia and SYNC 3 infotainment introduced No separately marketed South African facelift announced as at August 2026
Facelift Launched Since 2017 Original current-generation version
Tare Mass Kg 1290 kg -
Facelift Version Ending Not confirmed Current
Body Style Not confirmed SUV
Model Year Not confirmed 2026
Production Status Not confirmed Active
Segment Not confirmed Medium SUV
Vehicle Type Not confirmed Passenger vehicle
Spec EcoSport SEALION 5 DM-i
Length 4325 mm 4738 mm
Width 1765 mm 1860 mm
Height 1653 mm 1710 mm
Wheelbase 2519 mm 2712 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 200 mm 150 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 52 l 52 l
Boot/Cargo Space 352 l 463 l
Kerb Weight 1290 kg 1735 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 1740 kg 2145 kg
Towing Capacity 950 kg 0 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) Not confirmed 150 mm
Payload Capacity Not confirmed 410 kg
Number of Rows Not confirmed 2 rows
Doors Not confirmed 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius Not confirmed 6.0 m
Front Headroom Not confirmed 970 mm
Rear Headroom Not confirmed 910 mm
Front Legroom Not confirmed 1100 mm
Rear Legroom Not confirmed 935 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

SEALION 5 DM-i leads by 6 points

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

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

EcoSport

83% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 86 Check Performance 40
Performance 40
Efficiency 65
Safety 86
Practicality 58
Ownership 55
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance EcoSport +1 Efficiency SEALION 5 DM-i +16 Safety SEALION 5 DM-i +6 Practicality SEALION 5 DM-i +3

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Catalogue-index leader

SEALION 5 DM-i

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

EcoSport

Performance 40/100
Efficiency 65/100
Safety 86/100
Practicality 58/100
Ownership 55/100

How to Read This Comparison

🏆 BYD SEALION 5 DM-i leads the catalogue index with 67 pts vs 61 pts for EcoSport

In Hagalu's source-backed catalogue index, SEALION 5 DM-i leads. However, EcoSport 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 EcoSport and SEALION 5 DM-i 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: EcoSport 40 vs SEALION 5 DM-i 39.

Efficiency index: EcoSport 65 vs SEALION 5 DM-i 81.

Safety-equipment index: EcoSport 86 vs SEALION 5 DM-i 92.

Practicality index: EcoSport 58 vs SEALION 5 DM-i 61.

Ownership-cover index: EcoSport 55 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.