Mitsubishi Outlander vs BYD SEALION 5 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.

Mitsubishi Outlander in South Africa

Mitsubishi Outlander

2.5L Exceed CVT Petrol CVT Current
ZAR 819,995 ex-showroom
⚡ 135 kW 🔧 245 Nm ⛽ 12.3 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

Decision summary

Mitsubishi Outlander vs BYD SEALION 5 DM-i: the short answer

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

SEALION 5 DM-i starts ZAR 250,095 cheaper Outlander from ZAR 759,995 · SEALION 5 DM-i from ZAR 509,900

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification Outlander SEALION 5 DM-i
Maximum Power Outlander135 kW @ 6000 rpm SEALION 5 DM-i72 kW @ 6000 rpm
Maximum Torque Outlander245 Nm @ 3600 rpm SEALION 5 DM-i122 Nm @ 4000-4500 rpm
Engine Size Outlander2488 cc SEALION 5 DM-i1498 cc
Combined Fuel Economy Outlander12.3 km/l SEALION 5 DM-i19.2 km/l
Ground Clearance Outlander210 mm SEALION 5 DM-i150 mm

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

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Outlander

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Fewer listed safety features
Best suited to: Published Performance Published Practicality
Specification evidence leader

SEALION 5 DM-i

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

Which One's Right for You?

Outlander

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

SEALION 5 DM-i

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

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Outlander SEALION 5 DM-i
Model Introduced Year 2022 2026
Generation Fourth-generation Outlander First South African SEALION 5 DM-i generation
Facelift History Current 2026 South African specification including Edition 25. No separately marketed South African facelift announced as at August 2026
Facelift Launched Since Current specification Original current-generation version
Facelift Version Ending Current Current
Body Style SUV SUV
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status active Active
Segment Medium seven-seat SUV Medium SUV
Vehicle Type Passenger vehicle Passenger vehicle
Spec Outlander SEALION 5 DM-i
Length 4710 mm 4738 mm
Width 1862 mm 1860 mm
Height 1745 mm 1710 mm
Wheelbase 2706 mm 2712 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 210 mm 150 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) 180 mm 150 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 55 l 52 l
Boot/Cargo Space 205 l 463 l
Kerb Weight 1690 kg 1735 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 2355 kg 2145 kg
Payload Capacity 665 kg 410 kg
Towing Capacity 1600 kg 0 kg
Seating Capacity 7 seats 5 seats
Number of Rows 3 rows 2 rows
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 5.5 m 6.0 m
Front Headroom 986 mm 970 mm
Rear Headroom 950 mm 910 mm
Front Legroom 1058 mm 1100 mm
Rear Legroom 1014 mm 935 mm

In depth: how these cars differ

This Outlander and SEALION 5 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: Outlander 56 vs SEALION 5 DM-i 39.

Efficiency index: Outlander 49 vs SEALION 5 DM-i 81.

Safety-equipment index: Outlander 76 vs SEALION 5 DM-i 92.

Practicality index: Outlander 64 vs SEALION 5 DM-i 61.

Ownership-cover index: Outlander not separately scored 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.

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 5 DM-i leads by 5 points

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

Evidence leader 67 /100
Lead 5 points
Data 79% source coverage
67
#1 Evidence 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 5 points
62
#2

Outlander

83% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 76 Check Efficiency 49
Performance 56
Efficiency 49
Safety 76
Practicality 64
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Outlander +17 Efficiency SEALION 5 DM-i +32 Safety SEALION 5 DM-i +16 Practicality Outlander +3

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

SEALION 5 DM-i

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

Outlander

Performance 56/100
Efficiency 49/100
Safety 76/100
Practicality 64/100

What the evidence means

Evidence index BYD SEALION 5 DM-i leads the specification evidence index with 67 pts vs 62 pts for Outlander

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, SEALION 5 DM-i leads. However, Outlander may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

Outlander vs SEALION 5 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.