Lexus NX vs BYD SEALION 7

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.

Lexus NX in South Africa

Lexus NX

NX 350 F SPORT Petrol 8-Speed Automatic Current
ZAR 1,276,500 ex-showroom
⚡ 205 kW 🔧 430 Nm ⛽ 12.3 km/l
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

At a Glance — Who Wins What

⚡ Performance SEALION 7
⛽ Fuel Economy SEALION 7
🛡 Safety SEALION 7
📦 Practicality NX
🔑 Ownership Not enough comparable data
NX starts ZAR 35,700 cheaper NX from ZAR 1,074,200 · SEALION 7 from ZAR 1,109,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec NX SEALION 7
Maximum Power 205 kW @ 6000 rpm 390 kW
Maximum Torque 430 Nm 690 Nm
Engine Size 2400 cc Not Applicable
Combined Fuel Economy 12.3 km/l Not Applicable
Ground Clearance 195 mm 163 mm
Boot / Load Bay 520 l 500 l
Airbags Side,Curtain,Driver,Passenger,Driver Knee 9
Kerb Weight - 2340 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Warranty 7 years / 105,000km 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 7 has a modest catalogue-index lead, while NX remains close.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance SEALION 7 +14 pts
Efficiency SEALION 7 +41 pts
Safety SEALION 7 +6 pts
Practicality NX +3 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

NX

Strengths
  • Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Fewer listed safety features
Best suited to: Published Practicality
Catalogue-index leader

SEALION 7

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

Which One's Right for You?

NX

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

SEALION 7

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use
  • Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec NX SEALION 7
Model Introduced Year 2023 2025
Generation Second-generation Lexus NX mid-size luxury SUV First South African SEALION 7 generation
Facelift History Current South African range includes petrol, self-charging hybrid and plug-in-hybrid derivatives No separately marketed South African facelift announced as at August 2026
Facelift Launched Since Current South African range includes petrol, self-charging hybrid and plug-in-hybrid derivatives Original current-generation version
Facelift Version Ending Current South African specification checked 2026-07-17 Current
Body Style SUV SUV
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status published Active
Segment Luxury SUV Medium SUV
Tare Mass Kg 1760-1860 kg -
Vehicle Type SUV Passenger vehicle
Spec NX SEALION 7
Length 4660 mm 4830 mm
Width 1865 mm 1925 mm
Height 1670 mm 1620 mm
Wheelbase 2690 mm 2930 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 195 mm 163 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 55 l 0 l
Boot/Cargo Space 520 l 500 l
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 2370 kg 2750 kg
Towing Capacity 1000 kg 1500 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 5.8 m 5.85 m
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) - 140 mm
Kerb Weight - 2340 kg
Payload Capacity - 410 kg
Number of Rows - 2 rows
Front Headroom - 980 mm
Rear Headroom - 940 mm
Front Legroom - 1100 mm
Rear Legroom - 820 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 7 leads by 13 points

SEALION 7 has a modest catalogue-index lead, while NX remains close.

Index leader 88 /100
Lead 13 points
Data 69% source coverage
88
#1 Index 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 13 points
75
#2

NX

70% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 93 Check Efficiency 49
Performance 86
Efficiency 49
Safety 93
Practicality 65
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance SEALION 7 +14 Efficiency SEALION 7 +41 Safety SEALION 7 +6 Practicality NX +3

Moderate difference in the source-backed catalogue index.

Why this score View full breakdown
Catalogue-index leader

SEALION 7

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

NX

Performance 86/100
Efficiency 49/100
Safety 93/100
Practicality 65/100

How to Read This Comparison

🏆 BYD SEALION 7 leads the catalogue index with 88 pts vs 75 pts for NX

In Hagalu's source-backed catalogue index, SEALION 7 leads. However, NX may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

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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 NX and SEALION 7 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: NX 86 vs SEALION 7 100.

Efficiency index: NX 49 vs SEALION 7 90.

Safety-equipment index: NX 93 vs SEALION 7 99.

Practicality index: NX 65 vs SEALION 7 62.

Ownership-cover index: NX 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.