BYD SEALION 5 DM-i vs Chery Tiggo 4 Cross HEV

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.

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
VS
Chery Tiggo 4 Cross HEV in South Africa

Chery Tiggo 4 Cross HEV

Comfort HEV Hybrid Current
ZAR 439,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 150 kW 🔧 310 Nm ⛽ 18.5 km/l
＋ Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

BYD SEALION 5 DM-i vs Chery Tiggo 4 Cross HEV: the short answer

SEALION 5 DM-i and Tiggo 4 Cross HEV are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Tiggo 4 Cross HEV starts ZAR 70,000 cheaper SEALION 5 DM-i from ZAR 509,900 · Tiggo 4 Cross HEV from ZAR 439,900

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification SEALION 5 DM-i Tiggo 4 Cross HEV
Maximum Power SEALION 5 DM-i72 kW @ 6000 rpm Tiggo 4 Cross HEV150 kW @ 5500 rpm
Maximum Torque SEALION 5 DM-i122 Nm @ 4000-4500 rpm Tiggo 4 Cross HEV310 Nm
Engine Size SEALION 5 DM-i1498 cc Tiggo 4 Cross HEV1500 cc
Combined Fuel Economy SEALION 5 DM-i19.2 km/l Tiggo 4 Cross HEV18.5 km/l
Ground Clearance SEALION 5 DM-i150 mm Tiggo 4 Cross HEV180 mm

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

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

SEALION 5 DM-i

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger listed safety equipment
  • Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
Best suited to: Published Efficiency Published Practicality
Specification evidence leader

Tiggo 4 Cross HEV

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Fewer listed safety features
  • Lower published practicality figures
Best suited to: Published Performance

Which One's Right for You?

SEALION 5 DM-i

  • 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

Tiggo 4 Cross HEV

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec SEALION 5 DM-i Tiggo 4 Cross HEV
Model Introduced Year 2026 2026
Generation First South African SEALION 5 DM-i generation Current South Africa Tiggo 4 Cross HEV 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 SUV SUV
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status Active active
Segment Medium SUV SUV
Vehicle Type Passenger vehicle SUV
Tare Mass Kg - 1387 kg
Spec SEALION 5 DM-i Tiggo 4 Cross HEV
Length 4738 mm 4351 mm
Width 1860 mm 1831 mm
Height 1710 mm 1662 mm
Wheelbase 2712 mm 2610 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 150 mm 180 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) 150 mm 180 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 52 l 51 l
Boot/Cargo Space 463 l 340 l
Kerb Weight 1735 kg 1387 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 2145 kg 1905 kg
Payload Capacity 410 kg 518 kg
Towing Capacity 0 kg 1300 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Number of Rows 2 rows 2 rows
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 6.0 m 5.5 m
Front Headroom 970 mm 1010 mm
Rear Headroom 910 mm 975 mm
Front Legroom 1100 mm 1040 mm
Rear Legroom 935 mm 930 mm

In depth: how these cars differ

This SEALION 5 DM-i and Tiggo 4 Cross HEV 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: SEALION 5 DM-i 39 vs Tiggo 4 Cross HEV 62.

Efficiency index: SEALION 5 DM-i 81 vs Tiggo 4 Cross HEV 75.

Safety-equipment index: SEALION 5 DM-i 92 vs Tiggo 4 Cross HEV 91.

Practicality index: SEALION 5 DM-i 61 vs Tiggo 4 Cross HEV 57.

Ownership-cover index: SEALION 5 DM-i not separately scored vs Tiggo 4 Cross HEV 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

Tiggo 4 Cross HEV leads by 4 points

SEALION 5 DM-i and Tiggo 4 Cross HEV are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Evidence leader 71 /100
Lead 4 points
Data 65% source coverage
71
#1 Evidence leader

Tiggo 4 Cross HEV

65% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 91 Check Practicality 57
Performance 62
Efficiency 75
Safety 91
Practicality 57
Leads by 4 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 Tiggo 4 Cross HEV +23 Efficiency SEALION 5 DM-i +6 Safety SEALION 5 DM-i +1 Practicality SEALION 5 DM-i +4

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

Tiggo 4 Cross HEV

Performance 62/100
Efficiency 75/100
Safety 91/100
Practicality 57/100

SEALION 5 DM-i

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

What the evidence means

Evidence index Chery Tiggo 4 Cross HEV leads the specification evidence index with 71 pts vs 67 pts for SEALION 5 DM-i

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, Tiggo 4 Cross HEV 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.

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SEALION 5 DM-i vs Tiggo 4 Cross HEV 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.