Lexus RX vs BYD SEALION 6 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.

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

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance RX
Fuel Economy SEALION 6 DM-i
🛡 Safety SEALION 6 DM-i
📦 Practicality RX
🔑 Ownership Not enough comparable data
SEALION 6 DM-i starts ZAR 876,600 cheaper RX from ZAR 1,516,500 · SEALION 6 DM-i from ZAR 639,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec RX SEALION 6 DM-i
Maximum Power 205 kW @ 6000 rpm 96 kW @ 5200 rpm
Maximum Torque 430 Nm 220 Nm @ 1500-3500 rpm
Engine Size 2400 cc 1497 cc
Combined Fuel Economy 11.5 km/l 17.2 km/l
Ground Clearance 185 mm 180 mm
Boot / Load Bay 612 l 425 l
Airbags Side,Curtain,Driver,Passenger,Driver Knee,Passenger Seat Cushion 7
Kerb Weight - 2100 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Warranty 7 years / 105,000km 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

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

Where They Actually Differ

Performance RX +27 pts
Efficiency SEALION 6 DM-i +29 pts
Safety SEALION 6 DM-i +6 pts
Practicality RX +16 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Catalogue-index 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

Source-backed Catalogue Index

A transparent specification index shown only when every vehicle clears the minimum comparable-data threshold.

Weighted / 100
Catalogue-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.

Index leader 77 /100
Lead 5 points
Data 70% source coverage
77
#1 Index 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
Catalogue-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

How to Read This Comparison

🏆 Lexus RX leads the catalogue index with 77 pts vs 72 pts for SEALION 6 DM-i

In Hagalu's source-backed catalogue 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.

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 RX and SEALION 6 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: 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.