BMW i4 vs BYD SEAL

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.

BMW i4 in South Africa

BMW i4

M60 xDrive Gran Coupé Electric Single-Speed Reduction Gear Current
ZAR 1,750,000 ex-showroom
⚡ 442 kW 🔧 795 Nm
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

Decision summary

BMW i4 vs BYD SEAL: the short answer

i4 and SEAL are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

SEAL starts ZAR 492,100 cheaper i4 from ZAR 1,500,000 · SEAL from ZAR 1,007,900

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification i4 SEAL
Maximum Power i4442 kW SEAL390 kW
Maximum Torque i4795 Nm SEAL670 Nm
Engine Size i4Not Applicable SEALNot Applicable
Combined Fuel Economy i4Not Applicable SEALNot Applicable
Ground Clearance i4140 mm SEAL145 mm

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

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Specification evidence leader

i4

Strengths
  • Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
  • Fewer listed safety features
Best suited to: Published Practicality

SEAL

Strengths
  • Stronger listed safety equipment
Weak Spots
  • Lower published practicality figures
Best suited to: General Use

Which One's Right for You?

i4

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

SEAL

  • Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec i4 SEAL
Model Introduced Year 2021 2024
Generation Battery-electric G26 Gran Coupé with four doors, a rear liftback and a road-car seating position. First South African SEAL generation
Facelift History Current updated G26-based i4 Gran Coupé range in South Africa; current derivative identity is eDrive35 and M60 xDrive. No separately marketed South African facelift announced as at August 2026
Facelift Launched Since Original current-generation version Original current-generation version
Facelift Version Ending Current Current
Body Style Sedan Sedan
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status active Active
Segment Premium Sedan Medium Sedan
Vehicle Type Car Passenger vehicle
Spec i4 SEAL
Length 4783 mm 4800 mm
Width 1852 mm 1875 mm
Height 1448 mm 1460 mm
Wheelbase 2856 mm 2920 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 140 mm 145 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) 125 mm 120 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 0 l 0 l
Boot/Cargo Space 470 l 400 l
Kerb Weight 2285 kg 2185 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 2730 kg 2631 kg
Payload Capacity 520 kg 446 kg
Towing Capacity 1600 kg 1500 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Number of Rows 2 rows 2 rows
Doors 4 doors 4 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 5.6 m 5.7 m
Front Headroom 994 mm 1000 mm
Rear Headroom 944 mm 920 mm
Front Legroom 1036 mm 1110 mm
Rear Legroom 888 mm 810 mm

In depth: how these cars differ

This i4 and SEAL 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: i4 100 vs SEAL 100.

Efficiency index: i4 90 vs SEAL 90.

Safety-equipment index: i4 92 vs SEAL 98.

Practicality index: i4 61 vs SEAL 57.

Ownership-cover index: i4 not separately scored 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.

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

i4 leads by 0 points

i4 and SEAL are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Evidence leader 86 /100
Lead 0 points
Data 69% source coverage
86
#1 Evidence leader

i4

69% source coverage 3 strong categories
Best at Performance 100 Check Practicality 61
Performance 100
Efficiency 90
Safety 92
Practicality 61
Leads by 0 points
86
#2

SEAL

68% source coverage 3 strong categories
Best at Performance 100 Check Practicality 57
Performance 100
Efficiency 90
Safety 98
Practicality 57
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Level Efficiency Level Safety SEAL +6 Practicality i4 +4

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

i4

Performance 100/100
Efficiency 90/100
Safety 92/100
Practicality 61/100

SEAL

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

What the evidence means

Evidence index BMW i4 leads the specification evidence index with 86 pts vs 86 pts for SEAL

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, i4 leads. However, SEAL may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

i4 vs SEAL 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.