BYD SEALION 6 DM-i vs iCAUR V23

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 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
VS
iCAUR V23 in South Africa

iCAUR V23

2WD Electric Single-Speed Reduction Gear Current
ZAR 519,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 100 kW 🔧 180 Nm ⛽ Not applicable — electric consumption measured in kWh/100 km km/l
＋ Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

BYD SEALION 6 DM-i vs iCAUR V23: the short answer

SEALION 6 DM-i and V23 are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

V23 starts ZAR 120,000 cheaper SEALION 6 DM-i from ZAR 639,900 · V23 from ZAR 519,900

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification SEALION 6 DM-i V23
Maximum Power SEALION 6 DM-i96 kW @ 5200 rpm V23100 kW
Maximum Torque SEALION 6 DM-i220 Nm @ 1500-3500 rpm V23180 Nm
Engine Size SEALION 6 DM-i1497 cc V23Not applicable — battery electric vehicle
Combined Fuel Economy SEALION 6 DM-i17.2 km/l V23Not applicable — electric consumption measured in kWh/100 km km/l
Ground Clearance SEALION 6 DM-i180 mm V23190 mm

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

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Specification evidence leader

SEALION 6 DM-i

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

V23

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

Which One's Right for You?

SEALION 6 DM-i

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment

V23

  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use
  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec SEALION 6 DM-i V23
Model Introduced Year 2024 2026
Generation First South African SEALION 6 DM-i generation South African May 2026 local specification sheet for the current V23 generation.
Facelift History No separately marketed South African facelift announced as at August 2026 -
Facelift Launched Since Original current-generation version -
Facelift Version Ending Current -
Body Style SUV SUV
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status Active Published
Segment Medium SUV Electric SUV
Vehicle Type Passenger vehicle Passenger vehicle
Spec SEALION 6 DM-i V23
Length 4775 mm 4220 mm
Width 1890 mm 1915 mm
Height 1670 mm 1845 mm
Wheelbase 2765 mm 2735 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 180 mm 190 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) 150 mm 165 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 60 l Not applicable — battery electric vehicle
Boot/Cargo Space 425 l 372 L rear seats up; 994 L with rear seats folded
Kerb Weight 2100 kg 1550–1850 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 2510 kg 2085 kg
Payload Capacity 410 kg 350–650 kg
Towing Capacity 1300 kg -
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Number of Rows 2 rows 2 rows
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 5.5 m 5.9 m
Front Headroom 980 mm 1020 mm
Rear Headroom 910 mm 990 mm
Front Legroom 1120 mm 1060 mm
Rear Legroom 820 mm 970 mm

In depth: how these cars differ

This SEALION 6 DM-i and V23 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 6 DM-i 58 vs V23 41.

Efficiency index: SEALION 6 DM-i 75 vs V23 99.

Safety-equipment index: SEALION 6 DM-i 99 vs V23 93.

Practicality index: SEALION 6 DM-i 59 vs V23 60.

Ownership-cover index: SEALION 6 DM-i not separately scored vs V23 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

SEALION 6 DM-i leads by 1 points

SEALION 6 DM-i and V23 are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Evidence leader 72 /100
Lead 1 points
Data 83% source coverage
72
#1 Evidence leader

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
Leads by 1 points
71
#2

V23

67% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Efficiency 99 Check Performance 41
Performance 41
Efficiency 99
Safety 93
Practicality 60
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance SEALION 6 DM-i +17 Efficiency V23 +24 Safety SEALION 6 DM-i +6 Practicality V23 +1

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

SEALION 6 DM-i

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

V23

Performance 41/100
Efficiency 99/100
Safety 93/100
Practicality 60/100

What the evidence means

Evidence index BYD SEALION 6 DM-i leads the specification evidence index with 72 pts vs 71 pts for V23

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, SEALION 6 DM-i leads. However, V23 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.

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SEALION 6 DM-i vs V23 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.