If I state the word ‘Seal’, you’ll most likely think about the charming water mammal or the rubber lining of your tailgate. 2025 BYD Seal Credit: CarExpert But it’s likewise the name of BYD’s response to the popular Tesla Model 3 battery-electric mid-sized sedan. The BYD Seal has actually hardly been on sale in Australia for a year, however because time it has actually made rather the splash. Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today Despite regional customer tastes moving towards SUVs and utes, the Seal has rapidly end up being the Chinese brand name’s most popular design in Australia … up until now. To the end of October 2024, BYD has actually signed up 5621 examples of the Seal in Australia, which is more than its own Atto 3 (5256 systems) and Sealion 6 (4229) SUVs. By contrast however, Tesla has actually signed up 14,475 Model 3 sales in the exact same timeframe. Still, the BYD outsells almost every other medium sedan in Australia bar the Toyota Camry, efficiently outgunning the volume of the Honda Accord, Hyundai Sonata, Mazda 6 and Skoda Octavia integrated. ENJOY: Paul’s video evaluation of the BYD Seal Performance So why has it shown so popular? Well, worth is definitely one element, offered the variety begins at simply under $50,000 before on-road expenses, and the Performance flagship on test here can be had for under $70,000 plus on-roads, quickly damaging the comparable Model 3. It’s likewise, in other words, simply a great automobile– discover why in this evaluation. Just how much does the BYD Seal expense? The BYD Seal is priced from simply $49,888 plus on-road expenses, though the flagship Seal Performance AWD we’re checking here is priced from $68,748 before on-road expenses. 2025 BYD Seal Credit: CarExpert To see how the BYD Seal lines up versus the competitors, have a look at our contrast tool What is the BYD Seal like on the within? If you’ve beinged in or driven a BYD previously, it’s more of the exact same from the Chinese brand name’s steady, in addition to some special touches to identify the Seal from other designs in the variety. 2025 BYD Seal Credit: CarExpert The screens all use a familiar user interface and, in a cool celebration technique, that enormous 15.6-inch touchscreen can turn in between picture and landscape orientations at the touch of a button. Ahead of the chauffeur is a freestanding 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster that provides a number of various views and numerous menus. It’s likewise quite tidy and appealing in its discussion, which is a plus. The seats are likewise comfy, with a stylish style and good side strengthening, though the base cushion might utilize some additional side assistance. Compared to the Tesla Model 3, a correct chauffeur’s display screen along with cordless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connection may be bottom lines that sway you if you’re into more traditional designs. The infotainment system itself is in fact truly great. Generally, I’m vital of the interface used by numerous Chinese brand names as they’re typically undercooked and under included variations of the multimedia systems offered in their domestic market, however BYD has actually done an excellent task of getting this system all set for the Australian market. 2025 BYD Seal Credit: CarExpert 2025 BYD Seal Credit: CarExpert 2025 BYD Seal Credit: CarExpert 2025 BYD Seal Credit: CarExpert Beyond cordless mobile phone matching, there’s basic FM/DAB radio, satellite navigation, access to ingrained music streaming services, Bluetooth phone and audio streaming, and over-the-air software application updates. It’s tidy, easy to use and uses quite stylish reaction. It’s likewise attached to a respectable 12-speaker Dynaudio-branded audio system. While there’s little in the method of physical switchgear beyond a faster way pod of buttons around the shifter, access to the broader variety of infotainment and environment control functions is all through the touchscreen. If you require to alter fan speed or temperature level on the relocation it can get a little fiddly, however there are at least car environment, fan on/off and front demister buttons on the centre console. You likewise get double cordless phone battery chargers ahead of the Volvo-like clear shift selector, and listed below the bridge-style centre console is a lower storage compartment that’s likewise home to USB-A and USB-C inputs, along with a 12V socket. The very first row is quite excellent, and I discovered the understanding of quality to be quite high– plenty of soft-touch products with well contrasting top-stitching aspects and cool quilting themes on the seat upholstery. 2025 BYD Seal Credit: CarExpert 2025 BYD Seal Credit: CarExpert Those in the back aren’t forgotten either. If you’re a little above typical height like 6’1 ″ me, you’ll discover there’s excellent area even behind a motorist around your height. Leg and knee space are excellent, though toe space is on the tighter side if the front seats remain in their most affordable positions. Head space is likewise good, regardless of the basic set scenic sunroof. Facilities consist of rear air vents with a little storage slot at the back of the centre console, a flip-down armrest with cupholders, ISOFIX and top-tether kid seat anchor points, and double map pockets on the backs of the front seats. 2025 BYD Seal Credit: CarExpert Under the bootlid, there’s a priced estimate 400 litres of baggage capability, which while appropriate is almost 200 litres down on the declared volume of the Model 3. Even more, there’s 50 litres in the ‘frunk’, which once again is down on the Model 3’s priced estimate 88 litres. To see how the BYD Seal lines up versus the competitors, have a look at our contrast tool What’s under the bonnet? The top-shelf Seal Performance is the sole variation readily available with a dual-motor AWD powertrain. 2025 BYD Seal Credit: CarExpert To see how the BYD Seal lines up versus the competitors, have a look at our contrast tool How does the BYD Seal drive? This was my very first drive in the BYD Seal, and I left quite pleased with the electrical sedan. 2025 BYD Seal Credit: CarExpert For everyday driving to and from work I rather delight in the calmness and linearity of EV driving. The Seal is smooth, peaceful and quite comfy. Immediate torque shipment and the absence of combustion engine sound are no doubt consider why an increasing quantity of Australians are turning to electrical automobiles and plug-in hybrids for the everyday grind. In its basic setting, the Seal is quite a sleeper, using light controls and uncomplicated reaction to produce more of a lazy, high-end ambiance instead of overtly informing you it’s capable of speeding up at lightning speed. The steering is light, the suspension tune is on the softer side– especially for something called ‘Performance’– that makes this sedan simple to manoeuvre in rush hour and tight city streets. 2025 BYD Seal Credit: CarExpert It may make you question whether it’s worth investing the additional $10,000 for the Performance over the Premium with the Extended Range battery pack, provided the Seal’s more comfort-leaning tuning. Even more, if the Seal’s main function is to be a daily commuter, the tradeoff in efficiency by opting for the single-motor Premium with an additional 50km in declared WLTP variety (570km), while keeping a reputable 5.9-second 0-100km/ h velocity claim. If you choose the included grip of all-wheel drive, as well as understanding you can run to the legal limitation in less than 4.0 seconds, the Seal Performance is the choice for you. I offered it a bootful a number of times in Sport mode, and I can verify the Seal Performance is bloody quick, most likely much faster than it requires to be. It simply connects and goes, and it definitely feels as fast as its sub-4.0 s declare recommends. 2025 BYD Seal Credit: CarExpert To be sincere however, I would be more than delighted with the mid-spec Premium and its additional variety. The Performance, while extremely quickly in a straight line, feels a little too suppressed to be a correct sports sedan. I’ve had even more appealing experiences in lower-powered combustion automobiles like the BMW 3 Series– 320i or 330i– and while even this flagship Seal is, incredibly, still less expensive than even the most affordable 3 Series, if you desire an appropriate sports sedan experience you might be much better served somewhere else. Still, the precise guiding makes the Seal a good thing to guide, though the softer suspension suggests you can feel the Seal’s weight in bends. Plant your foot out of a pinnacle and you get some wheel scrabble. Consider it more of an extremely quick GT. 2025 BYD Seal Credit: CarExpert From a chauffeur help tech point of view, BYD is certainly at the front of the Chinese pack for calibration, with systems that are much closer to section criteria. Adaptive cruise control and lane centring are respectable, though sometimes the adaptive cruise was a touch conservative and indecisive with lead lorries that teeter in between speeds. Blind-spot tracking and rear cross-traffic alert likewise been available in convenient, and the outstanding surround electronic camera vision implies there’s no reason for rashed wheels or scraped bumpers. To see how the BYD Seal lines up versus the competitors, have a look at our contrast tool What do you get? The Performance sits atop a three-variant lineup in Australia. 2025 BYD Seal Credit: CarExpert 2025 BYD Seal Credit: CarExpert 2025 BYD Seal Credit: CarExpert 2025 BYD Seal Credit: CarExpert Seal Dynamic highlights: 15.6-inch touchscreen infotainment system Wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto Satellite navigation 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster 12-speaker 775W Dynaudio stereo DAB digital radio 1 x USB-C, USB-A outlet (front) 1 x USB-C, USB-A outlet (back) Dual cordless phone battery chargers 8-way power chauffeur’s seat 6-way power guest seat 4-way power-adjustable wheel Heated and aerated front seats Leatherette-wrapped guiding wheel Leatherette upholstery Keyless entry and begin Ambient lighting Panoramic silver plated glass roofing system Rear personal privacy glass 18-inch alloy wheels Automatic high-beam Automatic LED headlights Rain-sensing wipers Seal Premium includes: Long Range battery Head-up screen Exterior mirror auto-tilt and memory Leather-wrapped guiding wheel Leather upholstery Driver’s memory 19-inch alloy wheels 4-way back change Seal Performance AWD includes: Dual-motor AWD Heated guiding wheel Frequency Selective Damping shock absorbers To see how the BYD Seal lines up versus the competitors, have a look at our contrast tool Is the BYD Seal safe? The BYD Seal has a first-class ANCAP security score based upon Euro NCAP screening in 2023. 2025 BYD Seal Credit: CarExpert Standard security devices consists of: 9 air bags incl. front-centre Autonomous emergency situation braking Adaptive cruise control Blind-spot tracking Emergency lane keep help Front, rear cross-traffic help Intelligent speed limitation help Lane departure alerting Lane keep help Rear cross-traffic help Traffic sign acknowledgment Parking sensing units– front, rear Rear resident alert Safe exit cautioning Surround-view cam To see how the BYD Seal lines up versus the competitors, have a look at our contrast tool How much does the BYD Seal expense to run? The BYD Seal is backed by a six-year, 150,000 km car guarantee and an eight-year, 160,000 km battery guarantee. 2025 BYD Seal Credit: CarExpert To see how the BYD Seal lines up versus the competitors, have a look at our contrast tool CarExpert’s Take on the BYD Seal Funny name aside, the BYD Seal truly is no joke. 2025 BYD Seal Credit: CarExpert It’s an objectively excellent item with really sharp rates and a lot of basic devices. For those desiring a more like-for-like option to the Tesla Model 3, it strikes the mark in many location and substantially damages its US-engineered, Chinese-made competitor. Beyond that, it’s an exceptional commuter, with punchy efficiency and great variety. The cabin provides a clever style and it’s ergonomically more traditional than something like a Model 3, while likewise still bold to be a little various. Rear seat and boot area are appropriate without being outstanding; and while there’s great driving variety available despite the variation you pick, showed performance of over 18kWh/100km isn’t impressive, nor is the DC charging capability of 150kW. When it comes to whether the Performance is the choice, I believe my gripes with this cars and truck might quickly be attended to by choosing among the more budget friendly grades. 2025 BYD Seal Credit: CarExpert The softer, more comfort-oriented trip and managing calibration would much better fit either the entry-level or mid-spec grades, with the latter offering exceptional driving variety at a $10,000-lower rate point. I likewise believe that while the cabin is reasonably perfectly cut, a few of the more affordable interior surface areas and surfaces are much more appropriate in a $58,000 BYD Seal than a $68,000 one. At the Performance’s rate point– efficiency aside– you’re likewise taking a look at some quite strong competitors beyond the Model 3. The more unique Hyundai Ioniq 6 starts from $66,500, while the Polestar 2 Long Range Single Motor uses a remarkable 659km of WLTP variety for a starting of $66,400 (both rates leave out on-road expenses). Still, the BYD Seal has a lot to use, and is more than deserving of your factor to consider if you’re in the marketplace for an electrical sedan. 2025 BYD Seal Credit: CarExpert Interested in purchasing a BYD Seal? Contact among CarExpert’s relied on dealerships here MORE: Everything BYD Seal Pros Excellent worth Neck-snapping velocity Comfortable, refined good manners Cons Not tuned to be a sports sedan Premium-spec makes more sense Storage and charging off the speed Top Line Specs Power: 390kW Fuel Type: Electric Economy: 0.0 L/100km CO2 Emissions: 0g/km ANCAP Safety Rating: 5
Find out more
