BYD SEAL 6 DM-i Saloon review

Driving position 

The BYD SEAL 6 Saloon is simple to get settled in. Electrically adjustable, heated and ventilated vegan leather seats in top-spec trims are dreamy, and the steering wheel has a solid range of motion. 

Though we did find the seat didn’t go as low as in the Touring when we tested the two cars back-to-back. We’re not sure why this is, but it’s more an observation than a criticism. 

Visibility is really good too. You do notice that the rear window is narrower than in the Touring, but you never feel trapped, and seeing all around you at junctions is no trouble. It beats the Tesla Model 3 by a long shot. 

Tech and features 

BYD SEAL 6 DM-i trims  

– Boost 

– Comfort Lite 

– Comfort

Long gone are the days of BYD’s rotating screen as it focuses instead on perfecting its landscape one. 

The base Boost spec features a 12.8-inch landscape infotainment screen, which grows to 15.6 inches with the Comfort model. 

All versions come with an 8.8-inch driver’s display, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, plus a 50W cooled wireless phone charger to keep you topped up on the go. 

It also comes with two USB-C ports (one 18W and the other 60W), not to mention a competent 360-degree camera to make parking much simpler. 

Top-spec Comfort models come with a panoramic sunroof to let in a bit more light. But even without, the cabin hardly feels dark.

Engines and power 

BYD SEAL 6 DM-i Saloon performance stats  

– Power: 184hp or 212hp 

– 0-62mph: 8.5 to 8.9 seconds  

– Top speed: 111mph  

– Driven wheels: Front-wheel drive 

The same 1.5-litre petrol engine, mated to the brand's high-tech Blade Batteries, powers all versions of the SEAL 6. 

Boost models get a 10.08kWh battery, while the Comfort has a larger 19kWh battery – this is the same for the Saloon and Touring.  

The SEAL 6 DM-i uses BYD’s clever Super Hybrid system (DM standing for ‘Dual Mode’) to get the most out of both the engine and electric power. 

The Boost produces 184hp, whereas the Comfort has 212hp with its bigger battery. Both are equally punchy though.

It’s never going to feel as nippy off the line as BYD’s fully electric cars, such as the SEALION 7 or SEAL, but it has plenty of poke for most people. 

Both cars can hit 62mph from a standstill in just 8.9 seconds. Go for the Comfort if you want to reduce that to 8.5 seconds – not that it’s very noticeable. 

It definitely feels punchier than the Touring, which is probably because it's 40kg lighter in Comfort spec. 

Our one gripe is that the brakes didn’t feel as sharp as we’d have hoped (likewise with the Touring). Many new cars have brakes that are too aggressive for the average driver, so it's possible BYD overcorrected in trying to avoid that.

Trust us when we say they still stop the car quickly; they’re just not as firm as some others we’ve tried. 

Handling and ride comfort 

We think the SEAL 6 Saloon rides really rather well on UK roads. We’re impressed. 

It doesn’t feel unsettled on tight country roads, and even on speed bumps, it feels comfortable. It sits perfectly in the middle between soft and firm, which is exactly what you want. 

However, the steering itself is somewhat compromised, and we’ve noticed this in several new electrified cars lately. We found it to feel a little bit numb at times – not giving you the same feedback you’d get in, say, a Toyota Corolla. 

When compared to the Touring, the Saloon feels sportier but not sports-car-like. They’re very similar in the way they move over the same road surfaces, so you’re not going to notice much difference. 

Boot space 

BYD SEAL 6 DM-i Saloon boot space:  

– Boot space: 491 litres 

– Incl. Rear seats folded: 1,370 litres 

Despite being a plug-in hybrid carrying extra batteries, BYD has still managed to give the SEAL 6 DM-i a 491-litre boot, which expands to 1,370 litres when you fold down the rear seats. 

Being a saloon, the boot is narrow but deep, giving you a deceptive amount of space. It feels deeper than the Touring, but obviously nowhere near as tall. 

Rear seats 

Switching between the SEAL 6 Touring and Saloon, we didn’t notice much of a difference between them with regard to space. 

Of course, the Touring has a bigger boot, but overall headroom and legroom felt more or less the same. 

But the real genius move BYD has made is giving the SEAL 6 a totally flat floor. This is very common in electric cars, but less so in plug-in hybrids. This means there’s much more space for middle-seat passengers. 

Storage solutions 

Storage is good for a saloon car. There’s storage underneath the central armrest unit as well as extra bits scattered around. 

It’s about on par with a Škoda Octavia, meaning you’re going to be just fine on longer trips with four or five people. 

BYD SEAL 6 DM-i Saloon dimensions  

– Height: 1,495mm  

– Width: 1,875mm  

– Length: 4,840mm  

– Gross weight: 2,100kg to 2,200kg 

Safety 

The BYD SEAL 6 Saloon has been independently safety tested by Euro NCAP and scored a full five stars, as we’d expect. 

This is thanks to onboard safety features such as front and rear parking sensors, rear-view and 360-degree cameras, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot detection, direct driver fatigue management, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure assistance, forward and rear collision warnings and a door-opening warning. 

Fuel economy 

The SEAL 6 DM-i Saloon has a total combined WLTP range of 935 miles (compared to 839 miles in the Touring), when using petrol and electricity.  

The Boost can drive up to 34 miles in EV mode, and the Comfort can do a claimed 65 miles. 

This is a few miles more than you get on the heavier Touring, but there isn't much in it. It’s only when you compare the overall range that there is a big difference of around 100 miles. 

When you do need to top up the battery, you can do so via AC or DC charging.  

The AC (7kW) charging time from 15% to 100% can take as little as 2.7 hours, and DC (26kW) charging from 30% to 80% takes 23 minutes but is only available on Comfort models. 

Reliability 

BYD's still a new car company in the grand scheme of things, so long-term reliability is unknown, but the signs are promising. 

Every BYD comes with a six-year/93,750-mile warranty, which is far better than the standard three-year cover offered by most other brands. 

Plus, we have total faith in its battery technology. BYD made the first-ever mass-produced plug-in hybrid back in 2008, so they know a thing or two about them.