BYD SEALION 5 DM-i review

Driving position

Sitting behind the wheel of a BYD SEALION 5 DM-i isn’t like sitting behind the wheel of most other family SUVs – the whole experience feels lower and, dare we say, sportier.

There’s still some elevation to the seating position, because you notice decent outward visibility and never feel hemmed in when you’re in traffic, but at the same time it’s got an whiff of estate about it from behind the wheel.

Electrically adjustable front seats are standard on all versions, but steering wheel adjustment does let the SEALION 5 down.

We found there wasn’t enough in/out reach – the wheel felt further away than we would have liked.

Tech and features

BYD SEALION 5 DM-i trim levels

– Comfort

– Design

If you’re not too familiar with BYDs, they’re all about technology, and there’s not a lot that separates the two trims available (because entry-level Comfort is such good value).

Most functions revolve around the 12.8-inch screen, which has wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto but also a pretty decent underlying operating system to begin with.

It’s not quite as easy to navigate as Tesla’s display because there are more menus within menus, but once you get your head around it, it’s pretty straightforward.

There’s also an 8.8-inch display behind the wheel for your speed, efficiency and other information.

Four USB-C ports are available throughout the cabin, with an even split of 18W and fast 60W sockets. Shame the wireless charger is only on top-spec models.

Some highlights of the Comfort model also include keyless entry, adaptive cruise control and a premium-feeling vegan leather interior.

You also get a 3.3kW vehicle-to-load (V2L) system fitted from factory, which means you can top up your electric bike on the go or make a coffee in your not-so-portable coffee machine.

Other key differences between the two trims are that Comfort has rear parking sensors and a reversing camera, and Design has additional front parking sensors and a full 360-degree parking camera.

Design trim also adds an electric boot lid and heated front seats, which are starting to shift from being ‘nice-to-haves’ to ‘essentials’. Still, the top-spec model is cheaper than most key rivals like-for-like, so you can have your cake and eat it.

Another thing we noticed about the BYD SEALION 5 is that, like its BYD siblings, it has slightly different switchgear, materials and designs inside.

It’s something that’s not talked about much but really gives each car its own unique individuality. In today’s cost-cutting climate, many other cars share too many parts, and they start to feel the same.

Serious kudos to BYD.

Engines and power

BYD SEALION 5 DM-i performance stats

– Power: 212hp

– 0-62mph: 7.7 to 8.1 seconds

– Top speed: 106mph

– Driven wheels: Front-wheel drive

BYD’s trim levels don’t just denote equipment levels, but also powertrain offerings. This is true of all models, and it’s the same with the SEALION 5 DM-i.

They both get the same 1.5-litre petrol-powered plug-in hybrid (PHEV) we’ve seen in other cars like the SEAL 6 DM-i and SEAL U DM-i, but with reduced performance because this is ultimately the smaller and more affordable option.

The 1.5-litre engine by itself produces 96hp, but the party trick is the electric motor, which produces either 197hp or 204hp depending on trim level and battery size.

The result is 212hp system output, but with the bigger battery model getting slightly more oomph to counter the extra weight.

And in case you were wondering why 96+197 and 96+204 both equal 212 and not 293/300, it’s because the engine and electric motor produce peak power at different times as they work in tandem.

0-62mph acceleration stands at 7.7 seconds for Comfort or 8.1 seconds for Design.

Handling and ride comfort

Driving the BYD SEALION 5 DM-i is actually a joy – it’s not just another bland SUV that’s been given a hybrid makeover to tick boxes and meet market demands.

Its electric-first feeling makes it feel more like a range extended EV (like the Leapmotor C10 REEV), which means a really smooth and quiet experience.

This is true even when the battery’s flat – the SEALION 5 DM-i doesn’t become a noisy petrol-powered crossover when you’re out of charge.

Instead, the engine works to keep the battery topped up. Though it does drive the wheels if needed, unlike the Nissan Qashqai e-POWER.

The only time you’ll hear the engine at more than a tick over is when you floor it. BYD’s e-CVT system, while slightly different from the CVT you get in a Toyota Prius, does cause the engine to rev highly.

We think that’s a reasonable trade off, because most of the time you won’t be flooring it, and the power delivery remains smooth regardless.

Geared systems, like the one in the Kia Sportage or Volkswagen Tiguan eHybrid, can feel more jarring if you suddenly demand more power.

Boot space

BYD SEALION 5 DM-i boot space

– Boot space: 463 litres

– Incl. Rear seats folded: 1,410 litres

The SEALION 5 isn’t going to win any prizes for boot space, with 463-litres.

It’s a C-segment SUV by all accounts, which puts it up against the Kia Sportage PHEV (540 litres), Ford Kuga PHEV (475 litres), Hyundai Tucson PHEV (558 litres) and Volkswagen Tiguan eHybrid (490 litres), all of which have more space.

This isn’t necessarily a bad thing though, because if you’re upgrading from a C-segment hatchback like a Kia Ceed/K4, Ford Focus, Hyundai i30 or Volkswagen Golf, then you’ll see an improvement in boot space.

All in all, it’s a usable boot with a flat floor and only the slightest bump when you fold the rear seats down.

Rear seats

Rear-seat space is slightly better than boot space compared with the rest of the class – there’s sufficient headroom, and a flat floor makes it easy to fit three abreast, even if the middle seat does perch you a little higher than the outer two.

Storage solutions

You get storage in all the usual places – the glovebox, under the armrest, decently deep door bins and central cupholders.

There’s nothing to shout about here (BYD doesn’t make any bold claims about in-car storage volume like some other manufacturers have done in the past), but you won’t struggle to find a home for all your essentials.

BYD SEALION 5 DM-i dimensions

– Height: 1,710mm

– Width: 2,063mm (inc. wing mirrors)

– Length: 4,738mm

– Weight (kerb): 1,724kg to 1,785kg

Safety

At the time of writing, Euro NCAP hasn’t independently crash-tested the SEALION 5, but standard safety kit is strong.

Better still, both trims have the same driver assistance systems like adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, blind-spot detection and traffic sign recognition.

Fuel economy

We could not be more grateful for the way BYD reports its efficiency figures.

You get a breakdown of electric range, total system range, electric motor efficiency, petrol engine MPG and total system MPG, so you can buy with confidence however you intend on driving it.

In short, BYD claims 53mpg when the battery is dead, and we found that to be fully true in our roughly three-hour test drive through the lakes and reservoirs of North Wales.

This is up there with the best in class in terms of real-world efficiency during our testing.

The 12.96kWh battery in the Comfort model will do 38 miles on electric power alone, and you’ll get 53 miles from the Design’s 18.3kWh battery.

This is about in line with other PHEVs, but we’re now entering the era of higher-range PHEVs with the likes of the VW Tiguan eHybrid pushing out 77 miles in electric mode (albeit for a much higher price).

Total range stands at 616 or 631 miles for petrol and electricity working together.

Reliability

BYD has become the world’s biggest car manufacturer, leading in electric (EV) and plug-in hybrid cars, so we have no qualms over its reliability.

The standard vehicle warranty is six years/93,750 miles, but the battery gets a bigger eight-year/155,000-mile warranty.

And on that point, the SEALION 5 DM-i uses BYD’s now-famous Blade battery, which uses LFP chemistry. What this means in layperson’s terms are that it’s happy to be charged to 100% frequently without causing you worries over degradation – this isn’t true of many PHEVs and EVs.