Ford Puma 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.

Includes a historical vehicle

Current, upcoming and historical vehicles can be compared side by side. Historical records keep their verified specifications, while price labels show last-listed context rather than current new-car availability.

Ford Puma Discontinued model
Ford Puma in South Africa

Ford Puma

1.0T EcoBoost ST-Line Automatic Petrol 7-Speed DCT Discontinued model
ZAR 459,900 last listed
Discontinued model Verified historical specifications remain visible for owner and used-car comparisons.
⚡ 92 kW 🔧 170 Nm ⛽ 16.4 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 Puma
Fuel Economy SEALION 5 DM-i
🛡 Safety Puma
📦 Practicality Tie
🔑 Ownership Not enough comparable data
Recorded price context Puma: last listed from ZAR 389,900 · SEALION 5 DM-i: current from ZAR 509,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Puma SEALION 5 DM-i
Maximum Power 92 kW @ 6000 rpm 72 kW @ 6000 rpm
Maximum Torque 170 Nm 122 Nm @ 4000-4500 rpm
Engine Size 999 cc 1498 cc
Combined Fuel Economy 16.4 km/l 19.2 km/l
Ground Clearance 170 mm 150 mm
Boot / Load Bay 456 l 463 l
Airbags 8 6
Kerb Weight 1325 kg 1735 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Warranty 3 5 years/100000 km complete vehicle; 8 years/200000 km power battery; 5 years/100000 km drive unit

= leads in this spec

Archived vehicles remain available for comparison. Verified specs stay visible; historical fields that were not source-confirmed are marked Not confirmed instead of being guessed.

The Bottom Line

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

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Puma +1 pts
Efficiency SEALION 5 DM-i +17 pts
Safety Puma +6 pts
Practicality Equal

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Puma

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Stronger listed safety equipment
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
Best suited to: Published Performance
Catalogue-index leader

SEALION 5 DM-i

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

Which One's Right for You?

Puma

  • 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

Full Specs, Side by Side

Archived cars use verified historical spec records. Rows remain comparable; unavailable historical values are shown plainly rather than estimated.

Spec Puma SEALION 5 DM-i
Model Introduced Year 2023 2026
Generation First generation Puma in South Africa First South African SEALION 5 DM-i generation
Facelift History New model introduced in South Africa No separately marketed South African facelift announced as at August 2026
Tare Mass Kg 1325 kg -
Facelift Launched Since Not confirmed Original current-generation version
Facelift Version Ending Not confirmed Current
Body Style Not confirmed SUV
Model Year Not confirmed 2026
Production Status Not confirmed Active
Segment Not confirmed Medium SUV
Vehicle Type Not confirmed Passenger vehicle
Spec Puma SEALION 5 DM-i
Length 4186 mm 4738 mm
Width 1805 mm 1860 mm
Height 1531 mm 1710 mm
Wheelbase 2594 mm 2712 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 170 mm 150 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 42 l 52 l
Boot/Cargo Space 456 l 463 l
Kerb Weight 1325 kg 1735 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 1775 kg 2145 kg
Towing Capacity 1200 kg 0 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Minimum Turning Radius 5.4 m 6.0 m
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) Not confirmed 150 mm
Payload Capacity Not confirmed 410 kg
Number of Rows Not confirmed 2 rows
Doors Not confirmed 5 doors
Front Headroom Not confirmed 970 mm
Rear Headroom Not confirmed 910 mm
Front Legroom Not confirmed 1100 mm
Rear Legroom Not confirmed 935 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 5 points

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

Index leader 67 /100
Lead 5 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 5 points
62
#2

Puma

87% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 98 Check Performance 40
Performance 40
Efficiency 64
Safety 98
Practicality 61
Ownership 43
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Puma +1 Efficiency SEALION 5 DM-i +17 Safety Puma +6 Practicality Level

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

Puma

Performance 40/100
Efficiency 64/100
Safety 98/100
Practicality 61/100
Ownership 43/100

How to Read This Comparison

🏆 BYD SEALION 5 DM-i leads the catalogue index with 67 pts vs 62 pts for Puma

In Hagalu's source-backed catalogue index, SEALION 5 DM-i leads. However, Puma 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 Puma 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: Puma 40 vs SEALION 5 DM-i 39.

Efficiency index: Puma 64 vs SEALION 5 DM-i 81.

Safety-equipment index: Puma 98 vs SEALION 5 DM-i 92.

Practicality index: Puma 61 vs SEALION 5 DM-i 61.

Ownership-cover index: Puma 43 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.