Suzuki Jimny 5-Door 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.

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 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

Suzuki Jimny 5-Door vs BYD SEALION 6 DM-i: the short answer

SEALION 6 DM-i has a modest catalogue-index lead, while Jimny 5-Door remains close.

Jimny 5-Door starts ZAR 200,000 cheaper Jimny 5-Door from ZAR 439,900 · SEALION 6 DM-i from ZAR 639,900

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification Jimny 5-Door SEALION 6 DM-i
Maximum Power Jimny 5-Door75 kW @ 6000 rpm SEALION 6 DM-i96 kW @ 5200 rpm
Maximum Torque Jimny 5-Door130 Nm @ 4000 rpm SEALION 6 DM-i220 Nm @ 1500-3500 rpm
Engine Size Jimny 5-Door1462 cc SEALION 6 DM-i1497 cc
Combined Fuel Economy Jimny 5-Door14.9 km/l SEALION 6 DM-i17.2 km/l
Ground Clearance Jimny 5-Door210 mm SEALION 6 DM-i180 mm

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

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
Specification evidence leader

SEALION 6 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 6 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 6 DM-i
Model Introduced Year 2025 2024
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 6 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 active Active
Segment SUV Medium SUV
Tare Mass Kg 1170 kg -
Vehicle Type SUV Passenger vehicle
Spec Jimny 5-Door SEALION 6 DM-i
Length 3965 mm 4775 mm
Width 1645 mm 1890 mm
Height 1720 mm 1670 mm
Wheelbase 2590 mm 2765 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 210 mm 180 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) Not Officially Disclosed 150 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 40 l 60 l
Boot/Cargo Space 211 l 425 l
Kerb Weight 1215 kg 2100 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 1545 kg 2510 kg
Payload Capacity 330 kg 410 kg
Towing Capacity 1300 kg 1300 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 5.5 m
Front Headroom 990 mm 980 mm
Rear Headroom 910 mm 910 mm
Front Legroom 900 mm 1120 mm
Rear Legroom 600 mm 820 mm

In depth: how these cars differ

This Jimny 5-Door 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: Jimny 5-Door 29 vs SEALION 6 DM-i 58.

Efficiency index: Jimny 5-Door 57 vs SEALION 6 DM-i 75.

Safety-equipment index: Jimny 5-Door 90 vs SEALION 6 DM-i 99.

Practicality index: Jimny 5-Door 49 vs SEALION 6 DM-i 59.

Ownership-cover index: Jimny 5-Door 71 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 14 points

SEALION 6 DM-i has a modest catalogue-index lead, while Jimny 5-Door remains close.

Evidence leader 72 /100
Lead 14 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 14 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 6 DM-i +29 Efficiency SEALION 6 DM-i +18 Safety SEALION 6 DM-i +9 Practicality SEALION 6 DM-i +10

Moderate difference in the source-backed catalogue index.

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

Jimny 5-Door

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

What the evidence means

Evidence index BYD SEALION 6 DM-i leads the specification evidence index with 72 pts vs 58 pts for Jimny 5-Door

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, SEALION 6 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.

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Jimny 5-Door 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.