GWM Jolion 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.

GWM Jolion in South Africa

GWM Jolion

1.5T Hybrid LT Hybrid Current
ZAR 519,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 115 kW 🔧 250 Nm ⛽ 17.9 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 Jolion
Fuel Economy SEALION 5 DM-i
🛡 Safety Jolion
📦 Practicality SEALION 5 DM-i
🔑 Ownership Not enough comparable data
Jolion starts ZAR 100,000 cheaper Jolion from ZAR 409,900 · SEALION 5 DM-i from ZAR 509,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Jolion SEALION 5 DM-i
Maximum Power 115 kW @ 5500 rpm 72 kW @ 6000 rpm
Maximum Torque 250 Nm 122 Nm @ 4000-4500 rpm
Engine Size 1497 cc 1498 cc
Combined Fuel Economy 17.9 km/l 19.2 km/l
Ground Clearance 190 mm 150 mm
Boot / Load Bay 340 l 463 l
Airbags 6 6
Kerb Weight 1500 kg 1735 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Warranty 5 Years / 100,000 km 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

Jolion and SEALION 5 DM-i are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Jolion +12 pts
Efficiency SEALION 5 DM-i +8 pts
Safety Jolion +1 pts
Practicality SEALION 5 DM-i +1 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Catalogue-index leader

Jolion

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

SEALION 5 DM-i

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

Which One's Right for You?

Jolion

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

SEALION 5 DM-i

  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use
  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Jolion SEALION 5 DM-i
360 Degree Camera Yes Standard
Active Engine Braking No -
Adaptive Cruise Control Yes Standard
Adaptive Cruise Control Yes Standard
Around View Monitor Yes Standard
Attention Assist Yes -
Autonomous Emergency Braking Yes Standard
Automatic High Beam Yes -
Auto Highbeam Yes Standard
Auto Lights Yes -
Auto Park Assist No -
Auto Wipers Yes Standard
Blind Spot Monitoring Yes Standard
Blind Spot Warning Yes Standard
Cruise Control Yes Standard
Driver Fatigue Alert Yes Not Available
Eco Mode Yes -
Emergency Braking Yes -
EV Mode Yes -
Forward Collision Warning Yes Standard
Front Camera Yes -
Lane Departure Warning Yes Standard
Lane Keep Assist Yes Standard
Park Assist Yes Standard
Parking Distance Sensors Front and Rear -
Parking Sensor Front and Rear -
Parking Sensors Front and Rear Standard
Pre-Collision System Yes -
Rain Sensor Wipers Yes -
Rear View Camera Yes Standard
Rear Cross Traffic Alert Yes Standard
Rear Parking Sensors Yes Standard
Rear View Camera Yes -
Reverse Camera Yes Standard
Reverse Camera Type Yes -
Reversing Camera Yes -
Sport Mode Yes -
Surround View Camera Yes Standard
Traffic Sign Recognition Yes Standard
Spec Jolion SEALION 5 DM-i
4WD Engagement Not Applicable Not Applicable
4WD Hi Range Not Applicable Not Applicable
4WD Lo Range Not Applicable Not Applicable
4WD Selector Not Applicable Not Applicable
Automatic Shift Paddles No Not Applicable
Axle Layout FWD 4x2
Clutch Type Wet Multi-Disc Not Applicable
Differential Lock No Not Available
Differential Type Front Not Available -
Differential Type Rear Not Available -
Drive Mode Selector Yes -
Drivetrain Front Wheel Drive FWD
Drivetrain Layout Front Engine Front Wheel Drive Front-engine, front-wheel drive
Engine Position Front Transverse -
Final Drive Ratio 3.73 3.3
Front Differential Lock Not Applicable Not Available
Number of Gears 2 Not Applicable
Gear Shift Indicator Yes Standard
Gear Shift Type Automatic Gearshift lever
Gearbox DHT Hybrid Transmission e-CVT
Gearbox Type DHT Hybrid Transmission Electronically controlled continuously variable transmission
LSD Available No Not Available
Low Range Not Applicable Not Applicable
Low Range Ratio Not Applicable Not Applicable
Paddle Shifters No Not Applicable
Rear Differential Lock Not Applicable Not Applicable
Reverse Gear Warning Yes -
Steering Turns Lock to Lock 14.7:1 -
Transfer Case Not Applicable Not Applicable
Transfer Case Guard Not Available -
Transmission Speeds 2 Not Applicable
Transmission Type Automatic Automatic

Source-backed Catalogue Index

A transparent specification index shown only when every vehicle clears the minimum comparable-data threshold.

Weighted / 100
Catalogue-index readout

Jolion leads by 1 points

Jolion and SEALION 5 DM-i are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Index leader 68 /100
Lead 1 points
Data 96% source coverage
68
#1 Index leader

Jolion

96% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 93 Check Performance 51
Performance 51
Efficiency 73
Safety 93
Practicality 60
Ownership 65
Leads by 1 points
67
#2

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
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Jolion +12 Efficiency SEALION 5 DM-i +8 Safety Jolion +1 Practicality SEALION 5 DM-i +1

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Catalogue-index leader

Jolion

Performance 51/100
Efficiency 73/100
Safety 93/100
Practicality 60/100
Ownership 65/100

SEALION 5 DM-i

Performance 39/100
Efficiency 81/100
Safety 92/100
Practicality 61/100

How to Read This Comparison

🏆 GWM Jolion leads the catalogue index with 68 pts vs 67 pts for SEALION 5 DM-i

In Hagalu's source-backed catalogue index, Jolion leads. However, SEALION 5 DM-i 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 Jolion 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: Jolion 51 vs SEALION 5 DM-i 39.

Efficiency index: Jolion 73 vs SEALION 5 DM-i 81.

Safety-equipment index: Jolion 93 vs SEALION 5 DM-i 92.

Practicality index: Jolion 60 vs SEALION 5 DM-i 61.

Ownership-cover index: Jolion 65 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.