Lexus RX vs BYD SEALION 6 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.

Lexus RX in South Africa

Lexus RX

RX 350 F SPORT Petrol 8-Speed Automatic Current
ZAR 1,642,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 205 kW 🔧 430 Nm ⛽ 11.5 km/l
VS
BYD SEALION 6 DM-i in South Africa

BYD SEALION 6 DM-i

Premium DM-i AWD Plug-in Hybrid e-CVT Current
ZAR 799,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 96 kW 🔧 220 Nm ⛽ 17.2 km/l
＋ Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

Lexus RX vs BYD SEALION 6 DM-i: the short answer

RX and SEALION 6 DM-i are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

SEALION 6 DM-i starts ZAR 876,600 cheaper RX from ZAR 1,516,500 · SEALION 6 DM-i from ZAR 639,900

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification RX SEALION 6 DM-i
Maximum Power RX205 kW @ 6000 rpm SEALION 6 DM-i96 kW @ 5200 rpm
Maximum Torque RX430 Nm SEALION 6 DM-i220 Nm @ 1500-3500 rpm
Engine Size RX2400 cc SEALION 6 DM-i1497 cc
Combined Fuel Economy RX11.5 km/l SEALION 6 DM-i17.2 km/l
Ground Clearance RX185 mm SEALION 6 DM-i180 mm

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

Independent editorial assessment

Hagalu editorial ratings

When a variant is selected, its rating out of five applies only to that exact derivative; a model-range review is not inherited. Editorial ratings are separate from the Specification Evidence Index out of 100 and are not customer ratings.

Lexus RX

RX 350 F SPORT

Hagalu editorial rating Not yet rated

No complete editorial rating is published for this exact variant. This is not a zero score.

How Hagalu rates cars

BYD SEALION 6 DM-i

Premium DM-i AWD

Hagalu editorial rating
4.4/5

Desk research · Exact variant

Hagalu Editorial Team ·

Editorial assessment, not a customer rating. Not road-tested for this review.

Read the review and score breakdown

Not yet rated means a complete review is not published; it does not mean the vehicle scored zero. Read the rating methodology.

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Specification evidence leader

RX

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

SEALION 6 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?

RX

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

SEALION 6 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 RX SEALION 6 DM-i
Model Introduced Year 2023 2024
Generation Fifth-generation Lexus RX luxury SUV First South African SEALION 6 DM-i generation
Facelift History Current fifth-generation South African range with petrol, hybrid, performance-hybrid and plug-in-hybrid choices No separately marketed South African facelift announced as at August 2026
Facelift Launched Since Current fifth-generation South African range with petrol, hybrid, performance-hybrid and plug-in-hybrid choices 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 1895-2005 kg -
Vehicle Type SUV Passenger vehicle
Spec RX SEALION 6 DM-i
Length 4890 mm 4775 mm
Width 1920 mm 1890 mm
Height 1695 mm 1670 mm
Wheelbase 2850 mm 2765 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 185 mm 180 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 67.5 l 60 l
Boot/Cargo Space 612 l 425 l
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 2590 kg 2510 kg
Towing Capacity 2000 kg 1300 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 5.9 m 5.5 m
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) - 150 mm
Kerb Weight - 2100 kg
Payload Capacity - 410 kg
Number of Rows - 2 rows
Front Headroom - 980 mm
Rear Headroom - 910 mm
Front Legroom - 1120 mm
Rear Legroom - 820 mm

In depth: how these cars differ

This RX and SEALION 6 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: RX 85 vs SEALION 6 DM-i 58.

Efficiency index: RX 46 vs SEALION 6 DM-i 75.

Safety-equipment index: RX 93 vs SEALION 6 DM-i 99.

Practicality index: RX 75 vs SEALION 6 DM-i 59.

Ownership-cover index: RX not separately scored vs SEALION 6 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

RX leads by 5 points

RX and SEALION 6 DM-i are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Evidence leader 77 /100
Lead 5 points
Data 70% source coverage
77
#1 Evidence leader

RX

70% source coverage 3 strong categories
Best at Safety 93 Check Efficiency 46
Performance 85
Efficiency 46
Safety 93
Practicality 75
Leads by 5 points
72
#2

SEALION 6 DM-i

83% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 99 Check Performance 58
Performance 58
Efficiency 75
Safety 99
Practicality 59
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance RX +27 Efficiency SEALION 6 DM-i +29 Safety SEALION 6 DM-i +6 Practicality RX +16

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

RX

Performance 85/100
Efficiency 46/100
Safety 93/100
Practicality 75/100

SEALION 6 DM-i

Performance 58/100
Efficiency 75/100
Safety 99/100
Practicality 59/100

What the evidence means

Evidence index Lexus RX leads the specification evidence index with 77 pts vs 72 pts for SEALION 6 DM-i

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, RX leads. However, SEALION 6 DM-i may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

Related comparisons

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RX vs SEALION 6 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.