BYD Sealion 7



In a relatively short space of time, BYD has emerged as the clear leader of the pack of new brands arriving from China. The Sealion 7 is the latest addition to its offering, the seventh model to go on sale in Europe, and the fifth in the UK - we don't get the Han or Tang models due to a lack of right-hand-drive production. Keeping up the aquatic-themed naming convention, thanks in part to the brand's 'Ocean Aesthetics' design language that several models fall under, the Sealion 7 steps into the role of midsized SUV coupe, facing up to rivals that include the Skoda Enyaq Coupe, Tesla Model Y, Volkswagen ID.5 and even the Ford Mustang Mach-E.

The Sealion 7 comes in three versions, starting with a rear-drive single-motor called Comfort. Two dual-motor, all-wheel-drive variants accompany that first car, these called the Design AWD and a range-topping Excellence AWD, which also gets a larger capacity battery for an extended one-shot driving range and faster charging speeds too.

Test Car Specifications

Model: 2025 BYD Sealion 7 Excellence AWD
Price: TBC
Engine: 390kW electric motors
Battery: 91.3kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery
Transmission: single-speed automatic, all-wheel drive
Power: 530hp
Torque: 690Nm
Emissions: 0g/km
Range: 312 miles
0-62mph: 4.5 seconds
Top speed: 133mph
Boot space: 520-1,789 litres (plus 58-litre 'frunk')

Styling

Get the measuring tape out, and you'll discover that the Sealion 7 is - at 4,830mm - a little longer than almost all of its main competitors. It's not a massive difference on average, but it does bring some subtle advantages, which we'll touch upon in a moment. Up front, there is similar styling to what you'll see on the BYD Seal and Seal U DM-i SUV, especially around the headlights, which are LED units as standard. Unlike the rounded wheel arches in the Seal U DM-i, the Sealion 7 gets squared-off arches with plastic cladding. These house 19-inch wheels on the Comfort and Design AWD, and 20-inch wheels on the Excellence AWD we're driving here.

Differences to BYD's other aquatically named SUV include the use of retractable door handles that sit flush with the bodywork when locked and, most obviously, the sloping roofline. The glass black window surround hints at a sportier image and the darkened C-pillar treatment gives that roof a floating appearance. Pronounced rear haunches enhance the rear-quarter view and the wrap-around rear lights - joined by a light bar - feature a detailed design. A black plastic diffuser, extended roof spoiler and a small lip on the trailing edge of the bootlid confirm its sportier nature.

Interior

The overall look and layout of the Sealion 7 are similar to what already exists in other BYD models, such as the Seal U DM-i and Seal saloon. Up front are electrically adjustable sports seats that are heated and ventilated as standard, and which come upholstered in artificial 'vegan leather', while the Excellence AWD version gains Nappa leather upholstery.

You get plenty of screen real estate inside the Sealion 7. For starters, there's a 10.25-inch digital instrument panel behind the steering wheel, with all the usual information laid out in a way that's reasonably readable at a glance. Our Excellence AWD test car also gets a colour head-up display as standard.

All versions get the same 15.6-inch touchscreen display that appears to float from the dashboard. That set-up is to enable its bonus feature: the ability to rotate through 90 degrees, providing the choice of portrait or landscape layouts. We found the portrait mode more congenial to use the native satnav with, but if you want to use either Android Auto or Apple CarPlay (both available wirelessly and come as standard), then you'll have to keep the display in its landscape orientation. We're pleased to see that BYD has also improved the layout of its native infotainment system. The changes add better graphics and a cleaner aesthetic, making it more intuitive to use.

We like the steering wheel, as it's not overly thick and has a flattish bottom. Buttons remain physical items and are kept to a minimum for a better user experience. The rest of the cabin features an uncluttered layout, with a centre console containing a 50-watt wireless charging pad, crystal-effect drive selector, and other controls for drive modes and volume grouped in one cluster. You get additional storage under the armrest and more underneath the centre console, though it does require a bit of contortion on your behalf to access it. Two USB-C ports can also be found in this area, but accessing them is a fiddly affair.

The fit and finish of the cabin are good, and for the most part it all looks quite decent, too. But go searching beyond the most prominent of touchpoints and the plastic materials begin to take a dip in quality. There's nothing that's going to be a dealbreaker for most buyers, but there are aspects of the interior that could be better.

When it comes to rear-passenger space, the Sealion 7 gets a nose out in front of the competition. Thanks in part to its longer overall length, which is slightly greater than the segment average, the BYD provides plenty of legroom for passengers, and despite its sloping roofline we had no complaints with headroom. All models get a full-length panoramic glass roof with a retractable blind and this really brightens up the cabin, especially for those in the back seats. Manually adjusting the angle of the rear seatbacks can help add a few more millimetres to the overall headroom, while simultaneously making the seating position more comfortable.

Practicality

Don't let the Sealion 7's sporty styling make you think it isn't a practical car; despite the side profile, it remains as practical as it is spacious inside. An electrically operated bootlid lifts to reveal 520 litres of cargo space with a reasonably low load height and wide aperture. There is a small lip to overcome to reach the boot floor, though an additional underfloor compartment is handy for putting in that charging cable. Rear seats can fold forward in a 60/40 split, increasing cargo volume to 1,789 litres. Furthermore, the front bonnet opens to reveal a useful 58 litres of extra storage.

We've already mentioned some of the storage features in the BYD's cabin, but it's worth noting some other details. The door bins are only average in size and what they can accommodate. Most standard drink bottles will fit in them, along with some smaller oddments. The two cupholders atop the centre console are much more useful as they include an adjustable base. That means taller bottles can fit in without sticking up as high and potentially getting in the way, and then if you want to put a standard takeaway coffee cup in, the base can be raised so your hot beverage is easier to reach.

Rear passengers also get two USB-C ports on the back of the centre console, which pop out from a hidden compartment. In our Excellence AWD model, the outer rear seats had a heating function, though the Sealion 7 only gets dual-zone climate control, meaning those in the rear can't select their preferred temperature.

Performance

Each of the three specification grades in the Sealion 7 range gets a unique powertrain set-up that starts with a single-motor, rear-wheel drive Comfort model. This version has an output of 312hp and 380Nm, powered by an 82.5kWh lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) blade battery. Even though this is the entry point to the line-up, it still has respectable performance credentials, with 0-62mph taking 6.7 seconds and going on to the same 133mph top speed as the more potent dual-motor versions.

The mid-level Design AWD and range-topping Excellence AWD get the same dual-motor set-up with 530hp and 690Nm, and can accelerate from 0-62mph in 4.5 seconds. Minor equipment details aside, the other main difference between these two is the battery.

Design AWD gets the same 82.5kWh unit as the Comfort, whereas the Excellence AWD gets a larger 91.3kWh pack that extends the driving range a little farther and provides a faster peak DC charge rate of 230kW versus the usual 150kW. That brings the time to charge from 10-80 per cent down from 32 minutes to just 24 minutes, provided you find a suitable charging unit that can supply such power.

We expect the single-motor Comfort to be a popular choice among savvy buyers, but we've only had the opportunity to drive the other bookend to the Sealion7 range - the Excellence AWD. Straight off the bat is the instantaneous performance of the dual-motor set-up, which, even before you select the Sport mode, is capable of delivering great dollops of roll-on power whenever your right foot commands it. Dare we say it almost seems like overkill in what remains ostensibly a family-sized SUV.

Helping to ensure that surge of performance is always on tap is a new electric motor that BYD builds in-house, which can spin at up to 23,000rpm. BYD claims it to be the world's fastest electric motor in mass production, and unlike similar high-performance electric motors, it manages to use a single-speed gearbox, unlike others that rely on a two-speed set-up.

The larger battery does give the overall driving range a boost - officially only by another 25 miles - to 312 miles. That's not a great deal, especially when you consider the single-motor version will manage 299 miles on a combined WLTP cycle, though the aforementioned bump in charging speed will appeal to some.

Ride & Handling

Attempts have been made to back up the Sealion 7's sporty looks with dynamic characteristics that match, but these do fall a little short of the mark. Yes, it has an abundance of electric shove whenever you go looking for it, but its on-road handling and kinematics struggle to keep up. There are no elaborate suspension systems at play here, such as 48-volt anti-roll stabilisation or the like; instead, BYD opts for a double-wishbone set-up on the front axle and a multilink arrangement at the rear.

Supporting these are Frequency Selective Dampers (FSDs), a semi-active arrangement that controls oil flow within the dampers, resulting in a firm ride that helps to soak up some bigger hits and absorbs the minor stuff more smoothly; in principle, at least. Even on the well-maintained roads around our Frankfurt test route, the ride was best described as busy and certainly on the firmer side of things.

Driving the BYD with more enthusiasm doesn't bring a whole lot of joy when you start tackling bends and corners, as you feel the car fighting against its own weight at times. Weighing 2,435kg at the kerb, the Sealion 7 isn't what you'd call light, and even with its sizeable battery housed low down in the chassis as part of what the company describes as a cell-to-body construction, as the speed builds you do feel the mass and inertia when turning into bends. It's never in an uncontrolled sense, but it quickly reminds you that you're not guiding a nimble bantamweight MX-5 through the corners. What it feels is surefooted and planted, thanks partly to it powering both axles. You can play around with the steering feel through the menu system, choosing between a normal or a more weighted 'Sport' set-up. The former is fine, in our opinion.

Value

As yet, we don't have pricing confirmed for the UK, but BYD has form for being quite competitive on price. We expect it to carry a slight premium over the Seal saloon car. Buyers can choose from three versions of the Sealion 7, and the positive news is that standard equipment levels are more generous than most.

Along with LED headlights and 19-inch alloy wheels, the Sealion 7 gets heated and ventilated electrically adjustable front seats, 10.25-inch digital instruments and a 15.6-inch touchscreen display with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a wireless charging pad, four USB-C ports, reversing camera, parking sensors and a host of other driver assistance systems including adaptive cruise control, lane centring and lane keep assist, blind spot detection, intelligent high beam control and a 360-degree camera system, amongst many other features.

The top-spec Excellence AWD model we drove gets 20-inch alloy wheels, Nappa leather upholstery and a colour head-up display. Other than those, all versions of the Sealion 7 get identical specifications.

Verdict

Having already rolled out a decent plug-in hybrid SUV in the Seal U DM-i, the arrival of the Sealion 7 firmly covers the electric SUV portion in BYD's range. It does a solid job of providing a practical interior with plenty of passenger space, despite taking on a sportier exterior form. The powertrain options cover a broad enough spectrum of performance needs, though we feel that the single-motor version is the more sensible option to go for overall.