BYD Atto 8 vs Kia Sorento
Value retention, real cost and monthly money, compared on the same 2026 South African data.
The Kia Sorento wins on money kept: 66% retained after three years vs 51%, worth about R 121 442 at trade-in time.
Both curves, one chart
Head to head
| Atto 8 | Sorento | |
|---|---|---|
| New price (from) | R 1 059 900 | R 999 995 |
| ±Monthly instalment | R 18 525/m | R 17 478/m |
| Retained after 1 year | 71% | 82% |
| Retained after 3 years | 51% | 66% |
| Value after 3 years | R 538 020 | R 659 462 |
| Lost to depreciation (3y) | R 521 880 | R 340 533 |
| Value after 5 years | R 378 425 | R 520 274 |
| Our tier | Chinese (new entrant) | Mainstream |
BYD Atto 8 →
Known as the Tang L in China, the Atto 8 arrived in April 2026 as BYD's seven-seat flagship SUV. The Performance AWD version makes 359kW and does 0-100km/h in 4.9 seconds. Pricing runs from R1,059,900 to R1,259,900, putting it against the GWM Tank 500 and premium seven-seaters.
Known for: seven-seat plug-in hybrid flagship
Kia Sorento →
The Sorento arrived in 2003 as a ladder-frame 4x4 and has evolved into a premium-feeling seven-seat family SUV. The 2.2 turbodiesel is the volume choice in South Africa. Priced around the million-rand mark it sells in small numbers, so residuals behave more like a niche import than a mainstream Kia.
Known for: upmarket seven-seat diesel suv
Common questions
Which holds value better, the BYD Atto 8 or the Kia Sorento?
The Kia Sorento. It keeps about 66% of its price after three years against 51% for the BYD Atto 8, a gap of 15 points.
Which is cheaper to own over three years?
Depreciation is the biggest ownership cost. The BYD Atto 8 loses about R 521 880 over three years and the Kia Sorento loses about R 340 533. Fuel, insurance and servicing can narrow or widen that, but the depreciation gap is the number to start from.
What do they cost per month?
On typical finance (10% deposit, 72 months, 11.75%), the BYD Atto 8 runs about R 18 525 per month and the Kia Sorento about R 17 478, before fees and insurance.
Keep going
Modelled estimates on a retail basis; spec levels and real transaction prices vary.