Hyundai Elantra vs BYD SEAL

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.

Hyundai Elantra Discontinued model
Hyundai Elantra in South Africa

Hyundai Elantra

1.5 IVT Fluid Petrol Discontinued model
ZAR 492,900 last listed
Discontinued model Verified historical specifications remain visible for owner and used-car comparisons.
⚡ 85 kW 🔧 143 Nm ⛽ 17.5 km/l
VS
BYD SEAL in South Africa

BYD SEAL

Performance AWD 3.8S Electric Single-Speed Reduction Gear Current
ZAR 1,211,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 390 kW 🔧 670 Nm
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance SEAL
Fuel Economy SEAL
🛡 Safety SEAL
📦 Practicality Elantra
🔑 Ownership Not enough comparable data
Recorded price context Elantra: last listed from ZAR 448,900 · SEAL: current from ZAR 1,007,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Elantra SEAL
Maximum Power 85 kW @ 6300 rpm 390 kW
Maximum Torque 143 Nm @ 4500 rpm 670 Nm
Engine Size 1497 cc Not Applicable
Combined Fuel Economy 17.5 km/l Not Applicable
Ground Clearance 130 mm 145 mm
Boot / Load Bay 473 l 400 l
Airbags 6 9
Kerb Weight 1355 kg 2185 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Warranty 5 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

SEAL holds a noticeable catalogue-index lead over Elantra.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance SEAL +64 pts
Efficiency SEAL +23 pts
Safety SEAL +11 pts
Practicality Elantra +7 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Elantra

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

SEAL

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?

Elantra

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

SEAL

  • 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

Archived cars use verified historical spec records. Rows remain comparable; unavailable historical values are shown plainly rather than estimated.

Spec Elantra SEAL
Model Introduced Year 1990 2024
Generation Seventh generation Elantra on Hyundai's K3 platform; bold parametric design language marks a clear break from the conservative sixth gen First South African SEAL generation
Facelift History Seventh generation launched globally in 2020 and brought to SA; significant leap in styling and interior quality over the previous generation No separately marketed South African facelift announced as at August 2026
Facelift Launched Since 2020 Original current-generation version
Tare Mass Kg 1355 kg -
Facelift Version Ending Not confirmed Current
Body Style Not confirmed Sedan
Model Year Not confirmed 2026
Production Status Not confirmed Active
Segment Not confirmed Medium Sedan
Vehicle Type Not confirmed Passenger vehicle
Spec Elantra SEAL
Length 4680 mm 4800 mm
Width 1825 mm 1875 mm
Height 1415 mm 1460 mm
Wheelbase 2720 mm 2920 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 130 mm 145 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 47 l 0 l
Boot/Cargo Space 473 l 400 l
Kerb Weight 1355 kg 2185 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 1860 kg 2631 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Doors 4 doors 4 doors
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) Not confirmed 120 mm
Payload Capacity Not confirmed 446 kg
Towing Capacity Not confirmed 1500 kg
Number of Rows Not confirmed 2 rows
Minimum Turning Radius Not confirmed 5.7 m
Front Headroom Not confirmed 1000 mm
Rear Headroom Not confirmed 920 mm
Front Legroom Not confirmed 1110 mm
Rear Legroom Not confirmed 810 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

SEAL leads by 23 points

SEAL holds a noticeable catalogue-index lead over Elantra.

Index leader 86 /100
Lead 23 points
Data 68% source coverage
86
#1 Index leader

SEAL

68% source coverage 3 strong categories
Best at Performance 100 Check Practicality 57
Performance 100
Efficiency 90
Safety 98
Practicality 57
Leads by 23 points
63
#2

Elantra

89% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 87 Check Performance 36
Performance 36
Efficiency 67
Safety 87
Practicality 64
Ownership 65
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance SEAL +64 Efficiency SEAL +23 Safety SEAL +11 Practicality Elantra +7

Moderate difference in the source-backed catalogue index.

Why this score View full breakdown
Catalogue-index leader

SEAL

Performance 100/100
Efficiency 90/100
Safety 98/100
Practicality 57/100

Elantra

Performance 36/100
Efficiency 67/100
Safety 87/100
Practicality 64/100
Ownership 65/100

How to Read This Comparison

🏆 BYD SEAL leads the catalogue index with 86 pts vs 63 pts for Elantra

In Hagalu's source-backed catalogue index, SEAL leads. However, Elantra 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 Elantra and SEAL 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: Elantra 36 vs SEAL 100.

Efficiency index: Elantra 67 vs SEAL 90.

Safety-equipment index: Elantra 87 vs SEAL 98.

Practicality index: Elantra 64 vs SEAL 57.

Ownership-cover index: Elantra 65 vs SEAL 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.