BMW i5 vs BYD SEALION 7

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 i5 in South Africa

BMW i5

M60 xDrive Sedan Electric Single-Speed Reduction Gear Current
ZAR 2,080,000 ex-showroom
⚡ 442 kW 🔧 795 Nm
VS
BYD SEALION 7 in South Africa

BYD SEALION 7

Performance EV AWD 4.5S Electric Single-Speed Reduction Gear Current
ZAR 1,319,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 390 kW 🔧 690 Nm
＋ Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

BMW i5 vs BYD SEALION 7: the short answer

i5 and SEALION 7 are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

SEALION 7 starts ZAR 702,100 cheaper i5 from ZAR 1,812,000 · SEALION 7 from ZAR 1,109,900

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification i5 SEALION 7
Maximum Power i5442 kW SEALION 7390 kW
Maximum Torque i5795 Nm SEALION 7690 Nm
Engine Size i5Not Applicable SEALION 7Not Applicable
Combined Fuel Economy i5Not Applicable SEALION 7Not Applicable
Ground Clearance i5140 mm SEALION 7163 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.

BMW i5

M60 xDrive Sedan

Hagalu editorial rating
3.9/5

Desk research · Exact variant

Hagalu Editorial Team ·

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

Read the review and score breakdown

BYD SEALION 7

Performance EV AWD 4.5S

Hagalu editorial rating
4.4/5

Desk research · Exact variant

Hagalu Editorial Team ·

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)

i5

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

SEALION 7

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

Which One's Right for You?

i5

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

SEALION 7

  • Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec i5 SEALION 7
Model Introduced Year 2023 2025
Generation G60 executive electric sedan sharing the 5 Series body architecture with dedicated electric propulsion. First South African SEALION 7 generation
Facelift History Current G60-generation battery-electric i5 Sedan in South African specification. 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 SUV
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status active Active
Segment Premium Sedan Medium SUV
Vehicle Type Car Passenger vehicle
Spec i5 SEALION 7
Length 5060 mm 4830 mm
Width 1900 mm 1925 mm
Height 1505 mm 1620 mm
Wheelbase 2995 mm 2930 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 140 mm 163 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) 125 mm 140 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 0 l 0 l
Boot/Cargo Space 490 l 500 l
Kerb Weight 2370 kg 2340 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 2895 kg 2750 kg
Payload Capacity 600 kg 410 kg
Towing Capacity 2000 kg 1500 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Number of Rows 2 rows 2 rows
Doors 4 doors 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 5.6 m 5.85 m
Front Headroom 985 mm 980 mm
Rear Headroom 940 mm 940 mm
Front Legroom 1047 mm 1100 mm
Rear Legroom 890 mm 820 mm

In depth: how these cars differ

This i5 and SEALION 7 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: i5 100 vs SEALION 7 100.

Efficiency index: i5 90 vs SEALION 7 90.

Safety-equipment index: i5 92 vs SEALION 7 99.

Practicality index: i5 64 vs SEALION 7 62.

Ownership-cover index: i5 not separately scored vs SEALION 7 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 7 leads by 1 points

i5 and SEALION 7 are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Evidence leader 88 /100
Lead 1 points
Data 69% source coverage
88
#1 Evidence leader

SEALION 7

69% source coverage 3 strong categories
Best at Performance 100 Check Practicality 62
Performance 100
Efficiency 90
Safety 99
Practicality 62
Leads by 1 points
87
#2

i5

69% source coverage 3 strong categories
Best at Performance 100 Check Practicality 64
Performance 100
Efficiency 90
Safety 92
Practicality 64
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Level Efficiency Level Safety SEALION 7 +7 Practicality i5 +2

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

SEALION 7

Performance 100/100
Efficiency 90/100
Safety 99/100
Practicality 62/100

i5

Performance 100/100
Efficiency 90/100
Safety 92/100
Practicality 64/100

What the evidence means

Evidence index BYD SEALION 7 leads the specification evidence index with 88 pts vs 87 pts for i5

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, SEALION 7 leads. However, i5 may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

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i5 vs SEALION 7 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.