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.
SEAL has a modest catalogue-index lead, while Tiggo 9 remains close.
Tiggo 9 starts ZAR 318,000 cheaperSEAL from ZAR 1,007,900 · Tiggo 9 from ZAR 689,900
Five key differences
Exact selected derivatives
Swipe sideways to compare every column
Specification
SEAL
Tiggo 9
Maximum Power
SEAL390 kW
Tiggo 9187 kW @ 5500 rpm
Maximum Torque
SEAL670 Nm
Tiggo 9390 Nm
Engine Size
SEALNot Applicable
Tiggo 92000 cc
Combined Fuel Economy
SEALNot Applicable
Tiggo 912.0 km/l
Ground Clearance
SEAL145 mm
Tiggo 9147 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.
BYD SEAL
Performance AWD 3.8S
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.
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
SEAL
Strengths
More powerful engine output
Better fuel efficiency
Stronger listed safety equipment
Weak Spots
Lower published practicality figures
Best suited to:Published PerformancePublished Efficiency
Tiggo 9
Strengths
Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
Less powerful engine setup
Lower fuel efficiency
Fewer listed safety features
Best suited to:Published Practicality
Which One's Right for You?
SEAL
Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use
Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment
Tiggo 9
Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures
Full Specs, Side by Side
Open a category, then swipe sideways to compare every column
Spec
SEAL
Tiggo 9
Model Introduced Year
2024
2026
Generation
First South African SEAL generation
Current South Africa Tiggo 9 range
Facelift History
No separately marketed South African facelift announced as at August 2026
Current South Africa version listed by official source
Facelift Launched Since
Original current-generation version
2026
Facelift Version Ending
Current
Current
Body Style
Sedan
SUV
Model Year
2026
2026
Production Status
Active
active
Segment
Medium Sedan
SUV
Vehicle Type
Passenger vehicle
SUV
Tare Mass Kg
-
1980 kg
Spec
SEAL
Tiggo 9
Length
4800 mm
4810 mm
Width
1875 mm
1925 mm
Height
1460 mm
1741 mm
Wheelbase
2920 mm
2800 mm
Ground Clearance (Default)
145 mm
147 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load)
120 mm
147 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity
0 l
65 l
Boot/Cargo Space
400 l
448 l
Kerb Weight
2185 kg
1980 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW)
2631 kg
2587 kg
Payload Capacity
446 kg
607 kg
Towing Capacity
1500 kg
1425 kg
Seating Capacity
5 seats
7 seats
Number of Rows
2 rows
3 rows
Doors
4 doors
5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius
5.7 m
5.9 m
Front Headroom
1000 mm
1025 mm
Rear Headroom
920 mm
990 mm
Front Legroom
1110 mm
1060 mm
Rear Legroom
810 mm
960 mm
Spec
SEAL
Tiggo 9
Engine
Dual-motor battery-electric powertrain
2-litre Turbocharged Petrol
Engine Code
Not Applicable
Not Officially Disclosed
Fuel Type
Electric
Petrol
Hybrid System
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Engine Displacement
Not Applicable
2000 cc
Cylinders
Not Applicable
4
Cylinder Layout
Not Applicable
Inline
Valves
Not Applicable
16
Valves per Cylinder
Not Applicable
4
Aspiration
Not Applicable
Turbocharged
Fuel System
Not Applicable
Petrol injection
Compression Ratio
Not Applicable
Not Officially Disclosed
Bore
Not Applicable
Not Officially Disclosed
Stroke
Not Applicable
Not Officially Disclosed
Maximum Power
390 kW
187 kW @ 5500 rpm
Maximum Torque
670 Nm
390 Nm
Combined Power
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Combined Torque
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Motor Type
Front Induction; Rear Permanent Magnet Synchronous
Not Applicable
Number of Motors
2
Not Applicable
Motor Location
Front + Rear
Not Applicable
Drive Type
AWD
AWD
Transmission
Single-Speed Reduction Gear
7-Speed DCT
Top Speed
180 km/h
Not Officially Disclosed
0-100 km/h
3.8 sec
Not Officially Disclosed
Quarter Mile
Not Officially Disclosed
Not Officially Disclosed
Drive Modes
Eco, Normal, Sport, Snow
Eco, Normal, Sport
Launch Control
Not Officially Disclosed
Not Officially Disclosed
Rev Limiter
Not Applicable
Not Officially Disclosed
Power-to-Weight Ratio
178.5 kW/tonne
Not Officially Disclosed
Torque-to-Weight Ratio
306.6 Nm/tonne
Not Officially Disclosed
Battery Capacity
82.56 kWh
Not Applicable
Usable Battery Capacity
Not Officially Disclosed
Not Applicable
Battery Type
LFP
Not Applicable
Battery Voltage
550.4 V
Not Applicable
Electric Range
520 km (WLTP)
Not Applicable
AC Charging Power
11 kW
Not Applicable
DC Charging Power
150 kW
Not Applicable
AC Charging Time
8 h 36 min (0-100%)
Not Applicable
DC Charging Time
37 min (10-80%)
Not Applicable
Regenerative Braking
Yes
Not Applicable
Spec
SEAL
Tiggo 9
Gearbox
Single-Speed Reduction Gear
7 DCT
Drivetrain Layout
Front and rear electric drive units
AWD
LSD Available
Not Available
Not Applicable
Transfer Case
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Differential Lock
Not Available
Not Applicable
Paddle Shifters
Not Applicable
Standard
Final Drive Ratio
Not Available
Not Applicable
Number of Gears
1
7
Transmission Type
Automatic
Automatic
Clutch Type
Not Applicable
Automatic clutch
Gear Shift Indicator
Standard
Standard
Gear Shift Type
Crystal gear shifter
Electric
Drivetrain
AWD
AWD
4WD Engagement
Automatic electric all-wheel drive
Not Available
4WD Hi Range
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
4WD Lo Range
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
4WD Selector
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Automatic Shift Paddles
Not Applicable
Standard
Front Differential Lock
Not Available
Not Applicable
Gearbox Type
Single-speed reduction gear
7 DCT
Low Range Ratio
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Low Range
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Axle Layout
4x4
AWD
Rear Differential Lock
Not Available
Not Applicable
Transmission Speeds
1
7
Spec
SEAL
Tiggo 9
Claimed Mileage
Not Applicable
12.0 km/l
City Mileage
Not Applicable
9.7 km/l
Highway Mileage
Not Applicable
14.1 km/l
Fuel Tank Capacity
Not Applicable
65 l
Emission Standard
Not Applicable
Euro VIb
AdBlue Tank Capacity
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Auto Start Stop
Not Applicable
Standard
Real-world Mileage
Not Applicable
12.0 km/l
Charging Port Type
Type 2 AC; CCS2 DC
Not Applicable
Charging Type
AC and DC
Not Applicable
Fuel Tank Litres
Not Applicable
65
Combined Driving Range
520 km (WLTP)
Not Applicable
Electric Consumption
18.2 kWh/100 km (WLTP)
Not Applicable
Range Real World Highway
425 km
Not Applicable
Range Real World Mixed
510 km
Not Applicable
Spec
SEAL
Tiggo 9
Airbags
9
Multiple airbags
ABS
Standard
Standard
Electronic Stability Control
Standard
Standard
Traction Control
Standard
Standard
Hill Descent Control
Not Applicable
Standard
Hill Start Assist
Standard
Standard
Child Safety Lock
Standard
Standard
ISOFIX Mounts
Standard
Standard
Brake Assist
Standard
Standard
Tyre Pressure Monitor
Standard
Standard
Engine Immobiliser
Standard
Standard
Seatbelt Warning All Seats
Standard
Standard
Front Parking Sensors
Standard
Standard
AEB
Standard
Standard
BA
Standard
Standard
Brake Override System
Standard
Standard
Curtain Airbags
Standard
Standard
Driver Airbag
Standard
Standard
EBD
Standard
Standard
Engine Immobiliser
Not Applicable
Standard
Hill Hold
Standard
Standard
Passenger Airbag
Standard
Standard
Rear Cross Traffic Alert
Standard
Standard
Seatbelt Pretensioners
Standard
Standard
Seatbelt Reminder
Standard
Standard
Side Airbags
Standard
Standard
Stability Control
Standard
Standard
TCS
Standard
Standard
Knee Airbag
Not Available
Standard
ABS EBD
Standard
Standard
Spec
SEAL
Tiggo 9
Cruise Control
Standard
Standard
Adaptive Cruise Control
Standard
Standard
Lane Keep Assist
Standard
Standard
Lane Departure Warning
Standard
Standard
Blind Spot Monitoring
Standard
Standard
Rear Cross Traffic Alert
Standard
Standard
Parking Sensors
Standard
Standard
Rear View Camera
Standard
Standard
360 Degree Camera
Standard
Standard
Autonomous Emergency Braking
Standard
Standard
Driver Fatigue Alert
Standard
Standard
Traffic Sign Recognition
Standard
Not Available
Auto Highbeam
Standard
Standard
Auto Wipers
Standard
Standard
Rear Parking Sensors
Standard
Standard
Reverse Camera
Standard
Standard
Adaptive Cruise Control
Standard
Standard
Park Assist
Standard
Standard
Around View Monitor
Standard
Standard
Blind Spot Warning
Standard
Standard
Forward Collision Warning
Standard
Standard
Spec
SEAL
Tiggo 9
Seat Material
Synthetic leather
Leatherette / leather
Heated Seats
Standard
Standard
Ventilated Seats
Standard
Standard
Ambient Lighting
Standard
Standard
Steering Wheel Material
Synthetic leather
Leather
60 40 Split Seat
Standard
Standard
Driver Seat Adjustment
Electric adjustment
Power
Passenger Seat Adjustment
Electric adjustment
Power
Seat Trim
Synthetic leather
Leatherette / leather
Front Shoulder Room
-
Not Available
Rear Shoulder Room
-
Not Available
Spec
SEAL
Tiggo 9
Climate Control
Automatic
Automatic
Power Windows
Standard
Standard
Keyless Entry
Standard
Standard
Push Button Start
Standard
Standard
Wireless Charging
Standard
Standard
Sunroof
Panoramic
Standard
Electric Tailgate
Standard
Standard
Rain Sensing Wipers
Standard
Standard
AC Type
Automatic
Automatic
Load Bed Length
-
Not Applicable
Load Bed Width
-
Not Applicable
Boot Space Seats Folded
-
2065 l
Loadbox Length Mm
-
Not Applicable
Loadbox Width Mm
-
Not Applicable
Spec
SEAL
Tiggo 9
Infotainment System
15.6-inch rotating touchscreen
Touchscreen infotainment
Apple CarPlay
Standard
Standard
Android Auto
Standard
Standard
Bluetooth Connectivity
Standard
Standard
Number of Speakers
12
8
Digital Instrument Cluster
Full LCD instrument display
Standard
USB Ports
Front and rear USB-A/USB-C ports
Front and rear USB where listed
Infotainment Screen
15.6
10.25-inch or larger by trim
Touchscreen
15.6
10.25-inch or larger by trim
Spec
SEAL
Tiggo 9
LED Headlamps
Standard
Standard
Daytime Running Lamps
LED
Standard
Fog Lamps
Rear fog lamp
Standard
Roof Rails
Not Applicable
Standard
Exterior Colour Options
Sky Black, Atlantis Gray, Aurora White, North Ice Blue, Rosemary Gray, Wind Grass Green
White, black, grey, silver, blue, green and other official Chery market colours by model.
Headlights
Standard
Standard
Panoramic Sunroof
Standard
Standard
Spec
SEAL
Tiggo 9
Approach Angle
13 deg
Not Available
Departure Angle
14 deg
Not Available
Wading Depth
Not Applicable
Not Available
Terrain Modes
Not Applicable
Standard
Locking Differential
Not Available
Not Applicable
4WD System Type
Electric all-wheel drive
AWD / 4WD as listed
Breakover Angle
Not Applicable
Not Available
Ground Clearance Max
-
147 mm
Ground Clearance Min
-
147 mm
Spec
SEAL
Tiggo 9
Tyre Size
235/45 R19
20-inch alloy
Front Brake Type
Ventilated disc
Ventilated Disc
Rear Brake Type
Disc
Disc
Spare Wheel Type
Tyre repair kit
Not Available
Wheel Rim Size
19
20-inch alloy
Handbrake Type
Electronic parking brake
Electronic parking brake
Spec
SEAL
Tiggo 9
Front Suspension
Double wishbone
MacPherson strut
Rear Suspension
Multi-link
Multi-link
Front Track Width
-
Not Available
Rear Track Width
-
Not Available
Spec
SEAL
Tiggo 9
CO2 Emissions
0 g/km
197 g/km
Fuel Octane Requirement
-
Petrol
Spec
SEAL
Tiggo 9
Service Plan
5 years/100000 km maintenance plan
5 Year / 75 000 km
Spec
SEAL
Tiggo 9
Ownership Role
flagship all-wheel-drive derivative
flagship or capability-focused
Price Zar
1211900 ZAR
779900 ZAR
Pricing Role
flagship all-wheel-drive derivative
flagship or capability-focused
Starting Price
1211900
779900
Starting Price Zar
1211900
779900
Spec
SEAL
Tiggo 9
Warranty
5 years/100000 km complete vehicle; 8 years/200000 km power battery; 5 years/100000 km drive unit
7 Year / 200 000 km
In depth: how these cars differ
This SEAL and Tiggo 9 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: SEAL 100 vs Tiggo 9 80.
Efficiency index: SEAL 90 vs Tiggo 9 47.
Safety-equipment index: SEAL 98 vs Tiggo 9 94.
Practicality index: SEAL 57 vs Tiggo 9 67.
Ownership-cover index: SEAL not separately scored vs Tiggo 9 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.
Model imagery
SEAL and Tiggo 9 image comparison
Open an image for its full canonical file or visit the model page for the complete vehicle record.
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
SEAL leads by 12 points
SEAL has a modest catalogue-index lead, while Tiggo 9 remains close.
Performance
SEAL +20
Efficiency
SEAL +43
Safety
SEAL +4
Practicality
Tiggo 9 +10
Moderate difference in the source-backed catalogue index.
Why this scoreView full breakdown
Evidence-index leader
SEAL
Performance
100/100
Efficiency
90/100
Safety
98/100
Practicality
57/100
Tiggo 9
Performance
80/100
Efficiency
47/100
Safety
94/100
Practicality
67/100
What the evidence means
Evidence indexBYD SEAL
leads the specification evidence index with 86 pts
vs 74 pts for Tiggo 9
In Hagalu's specification evidence index, SEAL leads. However, Tiggo 9 may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.
Related comparisons
Continue with closely related South Africa models and comparable body styles.
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.
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