Toyota RAV4 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.

Toyota RAV4 in South Africa

Toyota RAV4

2.5 HEV GR-S CVT Hybrid CVT Current
ZAR 941,800 ex-showroom
⚡ 137 kW 🔧 221 Nm ⛽ 21.3 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

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance RAV4
Fuel Economy RAV4
🛡 Safety RAV4
📦 Practicality RAV4
🔑 Ownership Not enough comparable data
SEALION 5 DM-i starts ZAR 100,100 cheaper RAV4 from ZAR 610,000 · SEALION 5 DM-i from ZAR 509,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec RAV4 SEALION 5 DM-i
Maximum Power 137 kW @ 6000 rpm 72 kW @ 6000 rpm
Maximum Torque 221 Nm 122 Nm @ 4000-4500 rpm
Engine Size 2500 cc 1498 cc
Combined Fuel Economy 21.3 km/l 19.2 km/l
Ground Clearance 186 mm 150 mm
Boot / Load Bay 732 l 463 l
Airbags Driver Knee, Front Side, Rear Curtain, Front Curtain 6
Kerb Weight - 1735 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Warranty 3 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

RAV4 and SEALION 5 DM-i are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance RAV4 +11 pts
Efficiency RAV4 +3 pts
Safety RAV4 +1 pts
Practicality RAV4 +10 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Catalogue-index leader

RAV4

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger listed safety equipment
  • Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
  • No obvious weak spots to flag.
Best suited to: Published Performance Published Efficiency Published Practicality

SEALION 5 DM-i

Strengths
  • Nothing stands out clearly here.
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Fewer listed safety features
  • Lower published practicality figures
Best suited to: General Use

Which One's Right for You?

RAV4

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

SEALION 5 DM-i

  • Buyers who prefer this derivative's confirmed specification mix

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec RAV4 SEALION 5 DM-i
Model Introduced Year 2026 2026
Generation All-new sixth-generation RAV4 introduced in South Africa in July 2026 First South African SEALION 5 DM-i generation
Facelift History Full model change for 2026 with HEV, PHEV and GR-Sport derivatives No separately marketed South African facelift announced as at August 2026
Facelift Launched Since Full model change for 2026 with HEV, PHEV and GR-Sport derivatives Original current-generation version
Facelift Version Ending Current South African 2026 specification Current
Body Style SUV SUV
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status published Active
Segment SUV Medium SUV
Tare Mass Kg 1725-1740 kg -
Vehicle Type SUV Passenger vehicle
Spec RAV4 SEALION 5 DM-i
Length 4645 mm 4738 mm
Width 1880 mm 1860 mm
Height 1680 mm 1710 mm
Wheelbase 2690 mm 2712 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 186 mm 150 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 55 l 52 l
Boot/Cargo Space 732 l 463 l
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 2230 kg 2145 kg
Towing Capacity 1000 kg 0 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 5.6 m 6.0 m
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) - 150 mm
Kerb Weight - 1735 kg
Payload Capacity - 410 kg
Number of Rows - 2 rows
Front Headroom - 970 mm
Rear Headroom - 910 mm
Front Legroom - 1100 mm
Rear Legroom - 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

RAV4 leads by 6 points

RAV4 and SEALION 5 DM-i are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Index leader 73 /100
Lead 6 points
Data 61% source coverage
73
#1 Index leader

RAV4

61% source coverage 3 strong categories
Best at Safety 93 Check Performance 50
Performance 50
Efficiency 84
Safety 93
Practicality 71
Leads by 6 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 RAV4 +11 Efficiency RAV4 +3 Safety RAV4 +1 Practicality RAV4 +10

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Catalogue-index leader

RAV4

Performance 50/100
Efficiency 84/100
Safety 93/100
Practicality 71/100

SEALION 5 DM-i

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

How to Read This Comparison

🏆 Toyota RAV4 leads the catalogue index with 73 pts vs 67 pts for SEALION 5 DM-i

In Hagalu's source-backed catalogue index, RAV4 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 RAV4 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: RAV4 50 vs SEALION 5 DM-i 39.

Efficiency index: RAV4 84 vs SEALION 5 DM-i 81.

Safety-equipment index: RAV4 93 vs SEALION 5 DM-i 92.

Practicality index: RAV4 71 vs SEALION 5 DM-i 61.

Ownership-cover index: RAV4 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.