BYD SEALION 5 DM-i vs Hyundai Venue Cargo

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
Hyundai Venue Cargo in South Africa

Hyundai Venue Cargo

1.2 Premium Cargo MT Petrol Current
ZAR 309,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 61 kW 🔧 114 Nm ⛽ 15.4 km/l
＋ Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

BYD SEALION 5 DM-i vs Hyundai Venue Cargo: the short answer

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

Venue Cargo starts ZAR 200,000 cheaper SEALION 5 DM-i from ZAR 509,900 · Venue Cargo from ZAR 309,900

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification SEALION 5 DM-i Venue Cargo
Maximum Power SEALION 5 DM-i72 kW @ 6000 rpm Venue Cargo61 kW
Maximum Torque SEALION 5 DM-i122 Nm @ 4000-4500 rpm Venue Cargo114 Nm
Engine Size SEALION 5 DM-i1498 cc Venue Cargo1197 cc
Combined Fuel Economy SEALION 5 DM-i19.2 km/l Venue Cargo15.4 km/l
Ground Clearance SEALION 5 DM-i150 mm Venue Cargo190 mm

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

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Specification evidence leader

SEALION 5 DM-i

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger listed safety equipment
Weak Spots
  • Lower published practicality figures
Best suited to: Published Performance Published Efficiency

Venue Cargo

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?

SEALION 5 DM-i

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

Venue Cargo

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec SEALION 5 DM-i Venue Cargo
Model Introduced Year 2026 Current local generation year not confirmed
Generation First South African SEALION 5 DM-i generation Current South African Venue Cargo listing; generation notes should be kept tied to the local model year and confirmed derivative data.
Facelift History No separately marketed South African facelift announced as at August 2026 Model-year updates can affect trim, wheels, screens, safety equipment and colours. Use the latest South African price list when checking a specific vehicle.
Facelift Launched Since Original current-generation version Original current-generation version
Facelift Version Ending Current Current
Body Style SUV Panel van
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status Active active
Segment Medium SUV Van
Vehicle Type Passenger vehicle Van
Color Note - Colour availability changes by model year, production batch and dealer stock, check the current colour selector before ordering.
Dealer Stock Note - Base grade in the South Africa lineup
Tare Mass Kg - 1250 kg
Spec SEALION 5 DM-i Venue Cargo
Length 4738 mm 3995 mm
Width 1860 mm 1770 mm
Height 1710 mm 1617 mm
Wheelbase 2712 mm 2500 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 150 mm 190 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) 150 mm Not Officially Disclosed
Fuel Tank Capacity 52 l 45 l
Boot/Cargo Space 463 l 1296 l
Kerb Weight 1735 kg 1250 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 2145 kg Not Officially Disclosed
Payload Capacity 410 kg 620 kg
Towing Capacity 0 kg Not Officially Disclosed
Seating Capacity 5 seats 2 seats
Number of Rows 2 rows 1 rows
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 6.0 m Not Officially Disclosed
Front Headroom 970 mm Not Officially Disclosed
Rear Headroom 910 mm Not Applicable
Front Legroom 1100 mm Not Officially Disclosed
Rear Legroom 935 mm Not Applicable

In depth: how these cars differ

This SEALION 5 DM-i and Venue Cargo 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 Venue Cargo 30.

Efficiency index: SEALION 5 DM-i 81 vs Venue Cargo 61.

Safety-equipment index: SEALION 5 DM-i 92 vs Venue Cargo 89.

Practicality index: SEALION 5 DM-i 61 vs Venue Cargo 66.

Ownership-cover index: SEALION 5 DM-i not separately scored vs Venue Cargo 65.

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

SEALION 5 DM-i leads by 6 points

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

Evidence leader 67 /100
Lead 6 points
Data 79% source coverage
67
#1 Evidence leader

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
Leads by 6 points
61
#2

Venue Cargo

70% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 89 Check Performance 30
Performance 30
Efficiency 61
Safety 89
Practicality 66
Ownership 65
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance SEALION 5 DM-i +9 Efficiency SEALION 5 DM-i +20 Safety SEALION 5 DM-i +3 Practicality Venue Cargo +5

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

SEALION 5 DM-i

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

Venue Cargo

Performance 30/100
Efficiency 61/100
Safety 89/100
Practicality 66/100
Ownership 65/100

What the evidence means

Evidence index BYD SEALION 5 DM-i leads the specification evidence index with 67 pts vs 61 pts for Venue Cargo

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, SEALION 5 DM-i leads. However, Venue Cargo 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 Venue Cargo 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.