Suzuki Jimny 5-Door 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.

Suzuki Jimny 5-Door in South Africa

Suzuki Jimny 5-Door

1.5 GLX AllGrip AT Petrol 4-Speed Automatic Current
ZAR 489,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 75 kW 🔧 130 Nm ⛽ 14.9 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 SEALION 5 DM-i
Fuel Economy SEALION 5 DM-i
🛡 Safety SEALION 5 DM-i
📦 Practicality SEALION 5 DM-i
🔑 Ownership Not enough comparable data
Jimny 5-Door starts ZAR 70,000 cheaper Jimny 5-Door from ZAR 439,900 · SEALION 5 DM-i from ZAR 509,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Jimny 5-Door SEALION 5 DM-i
Maximum Power 75 kW @ 6000 rpm 72 kW @ 6000 rpm
Maximum Torque 130 Nm @ 4000 rpm 122 Nm @ 4000-4500 rpm
Engine Size 1462 cc 1498 cc
Combined Fuel Economy 14.9 km/l 19.2 km/l
Ground Clearance 210 mm 150 mm
Boot / Load Bay 211 l 463 l
Airbags 6 6
Kerb Weight 1215 kg 1735 kg
Seating Capacity 4 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

The Bottom Line

SEALION 5 DM-i has a modest catalogue-index lead, while Jimny 5-Door remains close.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance SEALION 5 DM-i +10 pts
Efficiency SEALION 5 DM-i +24 pts
Safety SEALION 5 DM-i +2 pts
Practicality SEALION 5 DM-i +12 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Jimny 5-Door

Strengths
  • Nothing stands out clearly here.
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Fewer listed safety features
  • Lower published practicality figures
Best suited to: General Use
Catalogue-index leader

SEALION 5 DM-i

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger listed safety equipment
  • Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
  • No obvious weak spots to flag.
Best suited to: Published Performance Published Efficiency Published Practicality

Which One's Right for You?

Jimny 5-Door

  • Buyers who prefer this derivative's confirmed specification mix

SEALION 5 DM-i

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • 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

Spec Jimny 5-Door SEALION 5 DM-i
Model Introduced Year 2025 2026
Generation Fourth-generation Jimny five-door — JB74W. Uses identical powertrain, ladder-frame chassis, AllGrip Pro 4x4 system, and suspension geometry as the JB74 two-door. Body extended 360mm longer with full rear doors and a longer wheelbase First South African SEALION 5 DM-i generation
Facelift History Two-door Jimny (JB74) returned to SA market in 2021 after a nine-year absence. Five-door variant (JB74W) launched globally in 2023 and introduced in South Africa in 2025 as a distinct model — not a trim level of the two-door. No separately marketed South African facelift announced as at August 2026
Facelift Launched Since 2025 Original current-generation version
Facelift Version Ending Current Current
Body Style SUV SUV
Color Note Kinetic Yellow, Bluish Black Pearl, Solid White, Granite Grey Metallic, Chili Red, Brisk Blue Metallic -
Dealer Stock Note Flagship grade in the South Africa lineup -
Drivetrain Note Drive layout derived from the official derivative naming: 1.5 GLX AllGrip AT -
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status published Active
Segment SUV Medium SUV
Tare Mass Kg 1170 kg -
Vehicle Type SUV Passenger vehicle
Spec Jimny 5-Door SEALION 5 DM-i
Length 3965 mm 4738 mm
Width 1645 mm 1860 mm
Height 1720 mm 1710 mm
Wheelbase 2590 mm 2712 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 210 mm 150 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 40 l 52 l
Boot/Cargo Space 211 l 463 l
Kerb Weight 1215 kg 1735 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 1545 kg 2145 kg
Payload Capacity 330 kg 410 kg
Towing Capacity 1300 kg 0 kg
Seating Capacity 4 seats 5 seats
Number of Rows 2 rows 2 rows
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 5.7 m 6.0 m
Front Headroom 990 mm 970 mm
Rear Headroom 910 mm 910 mm
Front Legroom 900 mm 1100 mm
Rear Legroom 600 mm 935 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) - 150 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 9 points

SEALION 5 DM-i has a modest catalogue-index lead, while Jimny 5-Door remains close.

Index leader 67 /100
Lead 9 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 9 points
58
#2

Jimny 5-Door

95% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 90 Check Performance 29
Performance 29
Efficiency 57
Safety 90
Practicality 49
Ownership 71
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance SEALION 5 DM-i +10 Efficiency SEALION 5 DM-i +24 Safety SEALION 5 DM-i +2 Practicality SEALION 5 DM-i +12

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

Jimny 5-Door

Performance 29/100
Efficiency 57/100
Safety 90/100
Practicality 49/100
Ownership 71/100

How to Read This Comparison

🏆 BYD SEALION 5 DM-i leads the catalogue index with 67 pts vs 58 pts for Jimny 5-Door

In Hagalu's source-backed catalogue index, SEALION 5 DM-i leads. However, Jimny 5-Door 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 Jimny 5-Door 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: Jimny 5-Door 29 vs SEALION 5 DM-i 39.

Efficiency index: Jimny 5-Door 57 vs SEALION 5 DM-i 81.

Safety-equipment index: Jimny 5-Door 90 vs SEALION 5 DM-i 92.

Practicality index: Jimny 5-Door 49 vs SEALION 5 DM-i 61.

Ownership-cover index: Jimny 5-Door 71 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.