Nissan Qashqai 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.

Nissan Qashqai Discontinued model
Nissan Qashqai in South Africa

Nissan Qashqai

1.3 Tekna CVT Petrol CVT Discontinued model
ZAR 545,000 last listed
Discontinued model Verified historical specifications remain visible for owner and used-car comparisons.
⚡ 110 kW 🔧 270 Nm ⛽ 17 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 Qashqai
Fuel Economy SEALION 5 DM-i
🛡 Safety SEALION 5 DM-i
📦 Practicality Qashqai
🔑 Ownership Not enough comparable data
Recorded price context Qashqai: last listed from ZAR 495,000 · 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 Qashqai SEALION 5 DM-i
Maximum Power 110 kW 72 kW @ 6000 rpm
Maximum Torque 270 Nm 122 Nm @ 4000-4500 rpm
Engine Size 1332 cc 1498 cc
Combined Fuel Economy 17 km/l 19.2 km/l
Ground Clearance 180 mm 150 mm
Boot / Load Bay 504 l 463 l
Airbags 6 6
Kerb Weight 1450 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

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

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Qashqai +14 pts
Efficiency SEALION 5 DM-i +16 pts
Safety SEALION 5 DM-i +5 pts
Practicality Qashqai +7 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Qashqai

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
Catalogue-index 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?

Qashqai

  • 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

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

Spec Qashqai SEALION 5 DM-i
Model Introduced Year 2007 2026
Facelift History Latest generation redesign improved styling and tech No separately marketed South African facelift announced as at August 2026
Tare Mass Kg 1450 kg -
Generation Not confirmed First South African SEALION 5 DM-i generation
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 Qashqai SEALION 5 DM-i
Length 4425 mm 4738 mm
Width 1835 mm 1860 mm
Height 1625 mm 1710 mm
Wheelbase 2665 mm 2712 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 180 mm 150 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 55 l 52 l
Boot/Cargo Space 504 l 463 l
Kerb Weight 1450 kg 1735 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 1980 kg 2145 kg
Towing Capacity 1800 kg 0 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
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
Minimum Turning Radius Not confirmed 6.0 m
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 3 points

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

Index leader 67 /100
Lead 3 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 3 points
64
#2

Qashqai

87% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 87 Check Ownership 42
Performance 53
Efficiency 65
Safety 87
Practicality 68
Ownership 42
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Qashqai +14 Efficiency SEALION 5 DM-i +16 Safety SEALION 5 DM-i +5 Practicality Qashqai +7

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

Qashqai

Performance 53/100
Efficiency 65/100
Safety 87/100
Practicality 68/100
Ownership 42/100

How to Read This Comparison

🏆 BYD SEALION 5 DM-i leads the catalogue index with 67 pts vs 64 pts for Qashqai

In Hagalu's source-backed catalogue index, SEALION 5 DM-i leads. However, Qashqai 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 Qashqai 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: Qashqai 53 vs SEALION 5 DM-i 39.

Efficiency index: Qashqai 65 vs SEALION 5 DM-i 81.

Safety-equipment index: Qashqai 87 vs SEALION 5 DM-i 92.

Practicality index: Qashqai 68 vs SEALION 5 DM-i 61.

Ownership-cover index: Qashqai 42 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.