Dongfeng FRIDAY REEV vs BYD SEALION 6 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.

Dongfeng FRIDAY REEV in South Africa

Dongfeng FRIDAY REEV

Exclusive Plug-in Hybrid Single-Speed Reduction Gear Current
ZAR 529,000 ex-showroom
⚡ 120 kW 🔧 240 Nm ⛽ 20.0 km/l
VS
BYD SEALION 6 DM-i in South Africa

BYD SEALION 6 DM-i

Premium DM-i AWD Plug-in Hybrid e-CVT Current
ZAR 799,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 96 kW 🔧 220 Nm ⛽ 17.2 km/l
+ Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

Dongfeng FRIDAY REEV vs BYD SEALION 6 DM-i: the short answer

FRIDAY REEV and SEALION 6 DM-i are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

FRIDAY REEV starts ZAR 150,900 cheaper FRIDAY REEV from ZAR 489,000 · SEALION 6 DM-i from ZAR 639,900

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification FRIDAY REEV SEALION 6 DM-i
Maximum Power FRIDAY REEV120 kW SEALION 6 DM-i96 kW @ 5200 rpm
Maximum Torque FRIDAY REEV240 Nm SEALION 6 DM-i220 Nm @ 1500-3500 rpm
Engine Size FRIDAY REEV1498 cc SEALION 6 DM-i1497 cc
Combined Fuel Economy FRIDAY REEV20.0 km/l SEALION 6 DM-i17.2 km/l
Ground Clearance FRIDAY REEV0 mm SEALION 6 DM-i180 mm

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

Independent editorial assessment

Hagalu editorial ratings

When a variant is selected, its rating out of five applies only to that exact derivative; a model-range review is not inherited. Editorial ratings are separate from the Specification Evidence Index out of 100 and are not customer ratings.

Dongfeng FRIDAY REEV

Exclusive

Hagalu editorial rating Not yet rated

No complete editorial rating is published for this exact variant. This is not a zero score.

How Hagalu rates cars

BYD SEALION 6 DM-i

Premium DM-i AWD

Hagalu editorial rating
4.4/5

Desk research · Exact variant

Editorial assessment, not a customer rating. Not road-tested for this review.

Read the review and score breakdown

Not yet rated means a complete review is not published; it does not mean the vehicle scored zero. Read the rating methodology.

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

FRIDAY REEV

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

SEALION 6 DM-i

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

Which One's Right for You?

FRIDAY REEV

  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use

SEALION 6 DM-i

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment
  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec FRIDAY REEV SEALION 6 DM-i
Model Introduced Year 2026 2024
Generation Current South African generation First South African SEALION 6 DM-i generation
Facelift History Current launch specification No separately marketed South African facelift announced as at August 2026
Facelift Launched Since 2026 Original current-generation version
Facelift Version Ending Current Current
Body Style SUV SUV
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status Active Active
Segment Range-extended SUV Medium SUV
Vehicle Type SUV Passenger vehicle
Spec FRIDAY REEV SEALION 6 DM-i
Length 4600 mm 4775 mm
Width 1860 mm 1890 mm
Height 1680 mm 1670 mm
Wheelbase 2715 mm 2765 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 0 mm 180 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) 170 mm 150 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 43 l 60 l
Boot/Cargo Space 480 l 425 l
Kerb Weight 1820 kg 2100 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 2270 kg 2510 kg
Payload Capacity 450 kg 410 kg
Towing Capacity 750 kg 1300 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Number of Rows 2 rows 2 rows
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 5.8 m 5.5 m
Front Headroom 1000 mm 980 mm
Rear Headroom 950 mm 910 mm
Front Legroom 1050 mm 1120 mm
Rear Legroom 900 mm 820 mm

In depth: how these cars differ

This FRIDAY REEV and SEALION 6 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: FRIDAY REEV 54 vs SEALION 6 DM-i 58.

Efficiency index: FRIDAY REEV 81 vs SEALION 6 DM-i 75.

Safety-equipment index: FRIDAY REEV 92 vs SEALION 6 DM-i 99.

Practicality index: FRIDAY REEV 54 vs SEALION 6 DM-i 59.

Ownership-cover index: FRIDAY REEV not separately scored vs SEALION 6 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 6 DM-i leads by 3 points

FRIDAY REEV and SEALION 6 DM-i are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Evidence leader 72 /100
Lead 3 points
Data 83% source coverage
72
#1 Evidence leader

SEALION 6 DM-i

83% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 99 Check Performance 58
Performance 58
Efficiency 75
Safety 99
Practicality 59
Leads by 3 points
69
#2

FRIDAY REEV

77% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 92 Check Performance 54
Performance 54
Efficiency 81
Safety 92
Practicality 54
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance SEALION 6 DM-i +4 Efficiency FRIDAY REEV +6 Safety SEALION 6 DM-i +7 Practicality SEALION 6 DM-i +5

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

SEALION 6 DM-i

Performance 58/100
Efficiency 75/100
Safety 99/100
Practicality 59/100

FRIDAY REEV

Performance 54/100
Efficiency 81/100
Safety 92/100
Practicality 54/100

What the evidence means

Evidence index BYD SEALION 6 DM-i leads the specification evidence index with 72 pts vs 69 pts for FRIDAY REEV

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, SEALION 6 DM-i leads. However, FRIDAY REEV may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

FRIDAY REEV vs SEALION 6 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.