BYD Seal saloon review 2023

4.1 out of 5

The third pillar of BYD’s range in Europe is very impressive. While pricing is yet to be confirmed, if the BYD Seal falls where we expect, it’s set to compete head-on with the Tesla Model 3 and Hyundai Ioniq 6, and its mix of performance and range, as well as its swoopy styling, make it a convincing rival for either. It’s smartly styled inside and out, drives well, and the dual-motor version in particular has rapid performance. The Atto 3 and Dolphin are both competitive offerings, but the Seal could be BYD’s best car yet.

So committed are manufacturers to SUVs both big and small that it’s almost a surprise when a brand debuts a conventional, or better yet a sleek and stylish car, which is exactly what Chinese firm BYD has done with its new Seal.

Joining the Atto 3 and Dolphin on sale in the UK, you might describe the Seal as BYD’s take on cars like the Hyundai Ioniq 6 or Tesla Model 3, or perhaps even the Porsche Taycan – a sleek and relatively low-slung saloon that prioritises range, performance and style over huge luggage space or a commanding driving position.

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Low drag is the aim of the game, helping to contribute to a healthy range from the Seal’s 83kWh battery pack, of either 354 miles in the Seal Design that kicks off the range, or 323 miles in the high-performance Seal Excellence-AWD. On that note, the Design’s 308bhp electric motor is good for 0-62mph in just under six seconds, while the Excellence-AWD, with dual motors and 523bhp, reduces that to 3.8 seconds.

Charging is similarly fast, courtesy of 150kW charging capabilities, enough to lift its charge from 30% to 80% in 26 minutes, while a heat pump helps preserve range even when the weather is cold. A Comfort model will join the range later, with lower power and a shorter range, but this hasn’t yet been confirmed for the UK.

The Design model serving as the current entry point packs plenty of equipment already. BYD’s slightly gimmicky rotating infotainment screen – measuring 15.6 inches here – is present and correct, as is a 10.25-inch driver display, 12-speaker audio system, heated and cooled front seats, and “vehicle to load” capability – meaning you can power external devices using the car’s battery pack.

BYD hasn’t confirmed pricing yet, but at an anticipated £44,000 for the Seal Design, the car is right on target for the single-motor, rear-wheel drive Tesla Model 3 at £43,000, and less than the £47,000 Hyundai Ioniq 6 Premium. The dual-motor Seal should add around £2,500 to that base price, so you’ll be getting a lot of range and performance for the money – there’s really not a lot else out there with a similar mix of qualities.

Trim levels

Power options

Range is certainly one of the Seal’s strengths. All Seals use an 83kWh battery pack, which while not the biggest you’ll see on the market, is a touch larger than the long-range pack in a Hyundai Ioniq 6 and significantly greater than the roughly 60kWh pack of a basic Tesla Model 3.

Combined with a smooth and slippery body shape to reduce aerodynamic drag, the result is a range of 354 miles, nearly 50 miles more than a similarly-priced Model 3, and still better than the 338 miles of the longest-range Ioniq 6. Opt for the dual-motor Seal Excellence-AWD, and range drops slightly to 323 miles, so the real-world range of either model should cover the needs of most drivers.

A standard heat pump will help to maximise that range even in colder weather too, while even the installation of the battery is quite clever – the 11cm tall pack is part of the car’s structure, meaning there’s no need for a separate layer beneath your feet, and this has helped give the Seal its low profile – rather than the slightly awkward, raised look of even some non-SUV EVs.

Charging speed isn’t market-leading, but 150kW of charging capability should get the job done: BYD claims a 30-80% charge in 26 minutes, if you can find a suitably fast public charger.

Model

Battery size

Range

BYD Seal Design

83kWh

354 miles

BYD Seal Excellence-AWD

83kWh

323 miles

BYD currently offers two motor options for the Seal, boiling down to whether you want one of them, or two. The single-motor variant sees a 308bhp electric motor powering the rear wheels, while the dual-motor model, in Excellence-AWD trim, adds a front motor of slightly lower output, for a combined 523bhp.

As you might imagine with outputs like that, neither Seal is short of performance. BYD quotes a 0-62mph time of 5.9 seconds for the single-motor variant – just a fraction behind a single-motor Tesla Model 3 – while the dual-motor car uses its extra power and all-wheel drive traction to great effect, with a claimed 0-62mph time of only 3.8 seconds, roughly splitting Tesla’s Long Range and Performance Model 3 variants.

After spending time in the rear-wheel drive model, we’d be surprised if you’d wish for anything more. It’ll swish to motorway speeds in no time, and it’s actually quite capable on country roads too, with a mix of good performance, keen steering responses, and a ride that isn’t too troubled by poor surfaces.

The Excellence-AWD is certainly quicker but not necessarily better, thanks to a different suspension setup that results in a “pattering” feel over some surfaces, and steering that doesn’t feel quite as natural as the cheaper car, though if straight-line speed is your goal, you can probably put up with both of those complaints. We’d avoid Sport mode in either car, which makes the steering feel oddly over-assisted. Refinement though is more than competitive, with low levels of road and wind noise – and of course, the motor is nearly silent.

Model

Power

0-62mph

Top speed

BYD Seal Design

308bhp

5.9s

112mph

BYD Seal Excellence-AWD

523bhp

3.8s

112mph

The quality of Chinese cars might have been a joke as little as a decade ago, but the Seal is one of those cars that makes you appreciate how quickly the country’s cars have developed. Even by BYD’s recent standards, it’s another step in the right direction, with widespread use of tactile materials, soft-touch surfaces, and of course, a notable focus on infotainment.

Step inside and the Seal’s dashboard has a clean, upmarket design, and is dominated by BYD’s now-expected 15.6-inch infotainment display – with the party trick/gimmick (you decide) of rotating between a landscape and a portrait layout. Alongside this and visible through the steering wheel is a smaller 10.25-inch display, relaying information for the driver. The speed at which the infotainment responds to finger prods and voice commands is impressive, but it’s not without its faults. That rotating screen doesn’t have any tangible benefit, and if you’re using Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, then the heating controls disappear off the screen – there are no physical alternatives.

The quiet and spacious cabin is a point in the Seal’s favour, though some drivers and passengers may have to compromise their comfort for each other, since the low-mounted front seat bases restrict rear foot space – in other words, the front-seat passengers can sit higher to compensate, or the rear seat passengers will have to put up. Otherwise, you’ll probably not think too hard about doing longer distances in the Seal.

As alluded to above the Seal isn’t short of space. The clever battery placement means BYD has been able to get away with a lower, racier roofline without squeezing headroom, and a relatively long wheelbase (the distance between the front and rear wheels) has been beneficial for legroom too, aside from the issues we’ve mentioned over rear-seat foot room.

There’s enough space for five adults, and even those over six feet tall should be happy enough in the rear seats – the sloping roof doesn’t seem to compromise headroom. Nor is it much of a barrier to luggage capacity.

Size comparison

Model

Length

Width

Height

BYD Seal

4,800mm

1,875mm

1,460mm

Tesla Model 3

4,694mm

1,849mm

1,443mm

Hyundai Ioniq 6

4,855mm

1,880mm

1,495mm

Polestar 2

4,606mm

1,859mm

1,473mm

The Seal is a traditional saloon rather than a large hatchback, which will ultimately compromise its practicality for some owners – but then its closest rivals, the Hyundai Ioniq 6 and Tesla Model 3, both use this format, and any lack of boot access certainly hasn’t harmed the Tesla’s sales figures. If the 400 litres of boot space isn’t enough, there’s a ‘frunk’ under the bonnet for an extra 53 litres (more than enough space for stashing the car’s charging cables), and BYD has been generous with interior storage too – the wireless charging pad, for instance, is big enough for a pair of phones to sit side by side.

Boot space comparison

Model

Boot space

BYD Seal

400 litres

Tesla Model 3

425 litres (including frunk)

Hyundai Ioniq 6

401 litres

Polestar 2

405 litres

The Seal is brand new, and BYD’s presence in the UK isn’t much older, so we’ve not yet got a solid handle on either the Seal’s dependability or BYD’s reputation for sales, service and quality. As such we can’t yet vouch for the Seal’s reliability, beyond BYD being a well-established brand in its home market, one with millions of vehicles under its belt – plus the usual caveats that mechanically, electric cars are quite simple and relatively low-maintenance compared to their combustion counterparts.

Build quality also seems good, which is a positive sign, while BYD’s standard six-year warranty, and eight years of cover for the battery and motor, should allay any worries for the first few owners at least.

Safety is another relative unknown, though in this respect, the BYD Atto 3’s five-star performance in recent Euro NCAP crash testing bodes well for the Seal – it received scores of 91% and 89% for adult and child occupant protection, 69% for vulnerable road users,

And 74% for its safety assistance systems. Given the Seal is larger and more sophisticated, it’s in with a chance of a good score.