BYD SHARK 6 DMO vs KIA Tasman

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.

BYD SHARK 6 DMO in South Africa

BYD SHARK 6 DMO

Performance DMO AWD Plug-in Hybrid e-CVT Current
ZAR 1,149,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 180 kW 🔧 380 Nm ⛽ 9.5 km/l
VS
KIA Tasman in South Africa

KIA Tasman

2.2D X-Pro 4x4 Double Cab Colour Coded Diesel 8-Speed Automatic Current
ZAR 1,004,999 ex-showroom
⚡ 147 kW 🔧 440 Nm ⛽ 11.8 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance SHARK 6 DMO
Fuel Economy SHARK 6 DMO
🛡 Safety SHARK 6 DMO
📦 Practicality Tasman
🔑 Ownership Not enough comparable data
Tasman starts ZAR 309,905 cheaper SHARK 6 DMO from ZAR 989,900 · Tasman from ZAR 679,995

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec SHARK 6 DMO Tasman
Maximum Power 180 kW 147 kW @ 3800 rpm
Maximum Torque 380 Nm 440 Nm @ 1750 rpm
Engine Size Not Officially Disclosed 2151 cc
Combined Fuel Economy 9.5 km/l 11.8 km/l
Ground Clearance 230 mm 231 mm
Boot / Load Bay 1200 l 1115 l
Airbags 7 6
Kerb Weight 2775 kg 2085 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Warranty 5 years/100000 km complete vehicle; 8 years/200000 km power battery; 5 years/100000 km drive unit 7 Years / 150,000 km

= leads in this spec

The Bottom Line

SHARK 6 DMO and Tasman are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance SHARK 6 DMO +10 pts
Efficiency SHARK 6 DMO +6 pts
Safety SHARK 6 DMO +5 pts
Practicality Tasman +5 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Catalogue-index leader

SHARK 6 DMO

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

Tasman

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?

SHARK 6 DMO

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

Tasman

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec SHARK 6 DMO Tasman
Model Introduced Year 2025 2025
Generation First South African SHARK 6 DMO generation First generation; global launch 2024; SA launch 2025
Facelift History No separately marketed South African facelift announced as at August 2026 First generation; no facelift yet
Facelift Launched Since Original current-generation version Original current-generation version
Facelift Version Ending Current Current
Body Style Double-cab Pickup Pickup
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status Active published
Segment Double-cab Pickup Pickup
Vehicle Type Light commercial vehicle Pickup
Body Type Cab - Single/extended/double cab as per derivative name
Color Note - Clear White, Aurora Black Pearl, Steel Grey, Gravity Blue, Tasman Orange, X-Pro Matte Green
Dealer Stock Note - Flagship grade in the South Africa lineup
Drivetrain Note - Drive layout derived from the official derivative naming: 2.2D X-Pro 4x4 Double Cab Colour Coded
Tare Mass Kg - 2085 kg
Spec SHARK 6 DMO Tasman
Length 5457 mm 5335 mm
Width 1971 mm 1930 mm
Height 1925 mm 1895 mm
Wheelbase 3260 mm 3200 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 230 mm 231 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) Not Officially Disclosed -
Fuel Tank Capacity 60 l 80 l
Boot/Cargo Space 1200 l 1115 l
Kerb Weight 2775 kg 2085 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 3500 kg 3250 kg
Payload Capacity 725 kg 1100 kg
Towing Capacity 3500 kg 3500 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Number of Rows 2 rows -
Doors 4 doors 4 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 6.75 m 12.6 m
Front Headroom 1025 mm 1010 mm
Rear Headroom 990 mm 955 mm
Front Legroom 1048 mm 1040 mm
Rear Legroom 880.4 mm 855 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

SHARK 6 DMO leads by 5 points

SHARK 6 DMO and Tasman are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Index leader 82 /100
Lead 5 points
Data 83% source coverage
82
#1 Index leader

SHARK 6 DMO

83% source coverage 3 strong categories
Best at Safety 99 Check Efficiency 53
Performance 82
Efficiency 53
Safety 99
Practicality 87
Leads by 5 points
77
#2

Tasman

100% source coverage 4 strong categories
Best at Safety 94 Check Efficiency 47
Performance 72
Efficiency 47
Safety 94
Practicality 92
Ownership 71
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance SHARK 6 DMO +10 Efficiency SHARK 6 DMO +6 Safety SHARK 6 DMO +5 Practicality Tasman +5

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Catalogue-index leader

SHARK 6 DMO

Performance 82/100
Efficiency 53/100
Safety 99/100
Practicality 87/100

Tasman

Performance 72/100
Efficiency 47/100
Safety 94/100
Practicality 92/100
Ownership 71/100

How to Read This Comparison

🏆 BYD SHARK 6 DMO leads the catalogue index with 82 pts vs 77 pts for Tasman

In Hagalu's source-backed catalogue index, SHARK 6 DMO leads. However, Tasman 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 SHARK 6 DMO and Tasman 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: SHARK 6 DMO 82 vs Tasman 72.

Efficiency index: SHARK 6 DMO 53 vs Tasman 47.

Safety-equipment index: SHARK 6 DMO 99 vs Tasman 94.

Practicality index: SHARK 6 DMO 87 vs Tasman 92.

Ownership-cover index: SHARK 6 DMO not separately scored vs Tasman 71.

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.