Name: New BYD Seal models and Specifications
Brand: BYD

230kw-design-83kwh-4dr-auto

Available exclusively with Design trim, the single-motor, rear-wheel-drive version of the Seal produces 308bhp and can officially get from 0-62mph in 5.9 seconds. Meanwhile, its official range is a healthy 354 miles.

230kW

This model's second electric motor also ups power from 308bhp to 523bhp. That's enough for 0-62mph in 3.8 seconds, although the official range does drop slightly compared with the RWD model – from 354 miles to 323 miles.

390kW

Even in this entry-level form, the Seal is very well equipped; standard kit includes 19in alloy wheels, adaptive cruise control, a 360-degree parking camera, keyless entry, a heat pump (to improve efficiency), dual-zone climate control, and heated and ventilated front seats with electric adjustment.

Design

Stepping up to range-topping Excellence trim doesn't get you any more luxuries, but it does bring a second motor for four-wheel drive, while a torque-vectoring system further enhances traction.

Excellence

Saloon

BYD is one of the biggest names in electric cars globally, but only launched in the UK recently.

Even so, it has a fast-growing dealer network, and it's models - most notably the Tesla Model 3-rivalling Seal - are gaining attention for impressive tech and good driving ranges.

Other BYDs include the MG4-sized Dolphin and Nissan Qashqai-sized Atto 3.

SEAL

390kW Excellence AWD 83kWh 4dr Auto

390kw-excellence-awd-83kwh-4dr-auto

230kW Design 83kWh 4dr Auto

BYD Seal

Introduction

Performance & drive

Interior

Passenger & boot space

Costs & verdict

As a cash purchase, the entry-level BYD Seal (called the Design) will cost you slightly more than the equivalent&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/polestar/2/hatchback/review/n21641">Polestar 2</a>. That makes it quite a bit more expensive than the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/tesla/model-3/saloon/review/n19010">Tesla Model 3</a> and means it only just undercuts the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/hyundai/ioniq-6/saloon/review/n25431">Hyundai Ioniq 6</a>, although the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/i4/hatchback/review/n23575">BMW i4</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/id7/saloon/review/n26282">Volkswagen&nbsp;ID 7</a>&nbsp;are quite a bit more expensive again.

BYD also gives you lots for your money;&nbsp;standard equipment includes 19in alloy wheels, a powered bootlid, heated and ventilated front seats, dual-zone climate control, a heat pump (to improve efficiency), <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/buying/what-is-cruise-control-and-should-you-have-it-on-your-next-car/n26822">adaptive cruise control</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;keyless entry.

The Seal’s battery has a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/fastest-charging-electric-cars/n26105">maximum charging rate</a> of 150kW, so if you can find a really quick&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/electric-car-charging-networks-rated/n23269">public charger</a> you should be able to top up from 10% to 80% in around 38 minutes.

That’s slower than the i4 (200kW), the Ioniq 6 (220kW), the ID 7 (175kW)&nbsp;and the Model 3 (up to 170kW for the RWD and 250kW for the Long Range) – plus, the Model 3 get cheaper&nbsp;access to the dependable and fast <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/tesla-superchargers-everything-you-need-to-know/n26239">Tesla Supercharger network</a>.

We don’t have any reliability data for the Seal or <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/new-car-deals/make/byd">BYD</a> as a brand yet, so we’ll have to see how it fares over the next few years. But reassuringly, it&nbsp;does come with a generous six-year/93,000-mile warranty, and the battery has its own eight-year/124,000-mile&nbsp;warranty.

The Seal scored a full five stars in its <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/the-safest-cars-on-sale-today/n19724">Euro NCAP safety test</a>,&nbsp;although the Ioniq 6 did a slightly better job of protecting adults in a front impact.

The Seal also benefits from a comprehensive suite of standard safety aids to stop you from getting into a crash in the first place. These&nbsp;include automatic emergency braking (<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/what-is-aeb-and-how-does-it-work/n3283">AEB</a>), blind-spot detection, active lane assist, front and rear cross-traffic alert,&nbsp;and traffic-sign recognition.

“Just a few years ago, I would have been impressed by a&nbsp;150kW charging speed, but these days it feels slow, which shows how fast electric cars are progressing.” –&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/authors/neil-winn/n1101">Neil Winn, Deputy Reviews Editor</a>

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There are two versions of the BYD Seal:&nbsp;a single motor,&nbsp;rear-wheel-drive model, badged Design, and one with&nbsp;twin-motors and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/4x4s-for-off-roading/n26188">four-wheel drive</a>, badged Excellence.

The latter&nbsp;has an official range between charges of up to 323 miles, yet it's quicker&nbsp;from 0-62mph than most&nbsp;versions of the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/tesla/model-3/saloon/review/n19010">Tesla Model 3</a>,&nbsp;with an official time of 3.8 seconds. As a result, when&nbsp;you put your foot down, it takes off immediately and with&nbsp;vigour, forcing you back into your seat.

As enjoyable as it is to have that sort of pace available, though,&nbsp;we suspect the entry-level Design model will be more than quick enough for most buyers. At our private test track, we clocked one accelerating from 0-60mph in a very respectable&nbsp;6.1 seconds – 0.3 seconds&nbsp;faster than the rear-wheel-drive&nbsp;Model 3 we tested on the same day. That’s still the kind of performance that makes overtaking slow-moving traffic a breeze.

In addition, going for the Design boosts the official range to&nbsp;354 miles. However, it's worth noting that in&nbsp;our real-world <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/electric-car-best-winter-range/n24274">winter&nbsp;range test</a>&nbsp;it covered just 255 miles before running out of juice, compared with the 293 miles achieved by a Model 3 Long Range.

The Seal Excellence comes with semi-adaptive dampers, while the Design gets a passive set-up, but in truth&nbsp;they deliver a similar feel. There's enough plushness to take the sting out of bumps and potholes, and enough control to stop you floating around over undulations.

Our only issue with the ride is that patched-up surfaces cause the car to fidget around more than the&nbsp;Model 3 and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/id7/saloon/review/n26282">Volkswagen&nbsp;ID 7</a>. But you'll still be more comfortable than you would be in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/hyundai/ioniq-6/saloon/review/n25431">Hyundai Ioniq 6</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/polestar/2/hatchback/review/n21641">Polestar 2</a>.

All&nbsp;Seals also drum&nbsp;up more road noise than a Model 3 or ID 7 over coarse surfaces, but you're well isolated from wind noise,&nbsp;aided by&nbsp;standard double-glazed front windows.

As for handling, body lean is nicely contained&nbsp;and the Excellence&nbsp;even gets a torque-vectoring system to help increase&nbsp;traction. But, like the&nbsp;Model 3, the Seal doesn't particularly involve&nbsp;you in the driving process. For an electric saloon that really engages, you need to look to the far pricier <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/e-tron-gt/saloon/review/n22728">Audi E-Tron GT</a> or&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/porsche/taycan/saloon/review/n20184">Porsche Taycan</a>.

The main issue in the Seal is steering that&nbsp;feels quite numb and slow around the centre point before suddenly causing the nose of the car to dart into corners – at least when you're in Comfort mode.

We'd recommend switching the steering to Sport, because this brings&nbsp;greater consistency of response&nbsp;(if not greater feedback).

“Like the steering, I think the brakes are much better in Sport mode than Comfort, because&nbsp;this makes them more progressive and so it's easier to slow the car smoothly.” –&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/authors/steve-huntingford/n1018">Steve Huntingford, Editor</a>

OUR PICK

Fuel 

Gearbox

0-62 MPH

http://example.com

230kw

390kw

The BYD Seal&nbsp;might have a&nbsp;name that makes you smile, but this sleek electric saloon promises to be a serious contender in the executive car class. Indeed, globally, BYD now sells more electric vehicles (EVs) than any other brand.

Positioned above the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/byd/dolphin/hatchback/review/n25891">BYD Dolphin</a>, <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/byd/atto-2/4x4/review/n27417">BYD Atto 2</a> and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/byd/atto-3/hatchback/review/n25563">BYD Atto 3</a>&nbsp;in the Chinese company's range, the Seal&nbsp;has its sights set on toppling the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/tesla/model-3/saloon/review/n19010">Tesla Model 3</a>. And it has some impressive numbers to help its cause.

<h2 dir="ltr">BYD Seal video review</h2>

<iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/DHRxnTPrzOQ?si=9mxngZnbvjk1--ys" width="560"></iframe>

For example, the entry-level version&nbsp;has an official range of more than 350 miles, while the range-topper can accelerate from 0-62mph in less than four seconds.

Beyond the Model 3, rivals include the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/i4/hatchback/review/n23575">BMW i4</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/hyundai/ioniq-6/saloon/review/n25431">Hyundai Ioniq 6</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/polestar/2/hatchback/review/n21641">Polestar 2</a>&nbsp;and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/id7/saloon/review/n26282">Volkswagen&nbsp;ID 7</a>. So&nbsp;can&nbsp;the BYD Seal hold its own against the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/electric-cars/n17000">best electric cars</a> for performance, range, charging speed and more? Read on to find out...

When you slide behind the wheel&nbsp;of the BYD Seal, you quickly appreciate that the driving position is fundamentally sound and easy to tailor to your shape.

The supportive seats are electrically adjustable with a memory function and&nbsp;adjustable lumbar support as standard, and there's four-way manual steering-wheel adjustment. Our one gripe is that the&nbsp;wheel tends to cut off your view of the top of the instrumentation screen&nbsp;if you're tall.

Visibility could also be better.&nbsp;True, the view out of the front is fine, but the sloping roof and small rear windows conspire to limit over-the-shoulder vision, making it a challenge to see what’s in your blind-spot.&nbsp;

To make up for this and make parking easier, every Seal comes with&nbsp;a 360-degree camera that can display&nbsp;a video feed and a digitised version of the Seal on the 15.6in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/best-car-infotainment-systems-tested-and-rated/n21269">infotainment touchscreen</a>. It allows you to drag your finger across the screen to rotate your virtual car and see what’s around you.

Front and rear parking sensors are also standard, although these&nbsp;don’t provide an audible warning when you’re approaching an object – just a visual one on the screen.

That screen can be electronically rotated between landscape and portrait configurations, and&nbsp;features big icons that are pretty easy to hit on the move, but it’s not especially responsive. And while the voice control understands most commands, it seems to lack confidence, invariably questioning whether or not it heard you correctly. Overall, we much prefer the infotainment system in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/i4/hatchback/review/n23575">BMW i4</a>.

You do at least get<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/owning/what-is-android-auto/n1194"> Android Auto</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/owning/what-is-apple-carplay/n1193">Apple CarPlay</a> as standard in the Seal, although these&nbsp;can only be used when the screen is in landscape orientation.

The Seal's designers didn’t hold back when it came to the interior styling. It looks very futuristic, with heavily contoured surfaces and an eclectic use of materials. It’s more pleasant to sit in than the austere <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/hyundai/ioniq-6/saloon/review/n25431">Hyundai Ioniq 6</a>,&nbsp;but not quite up there with the i4&nbsp;for outright build quality.

For example, there are some&nbsp;harder and cheaper-feeling plastics lower down in the interior, while the shut line between the internal door panel and dashboard is cavernous. Then again, the&nbsp;screen doesn’t wobble when you press it – something we’ve experienced in some very expensive <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/mercedes-benz">Mercedes&nbsp;car models</a>.

“I wish the digital screen in front of the driver could show a sat-nav map, but the&nbsp;fact that there’s a second screen at all is still an upgrade on the&nbsp;Tesla Model 3.” –&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/authors/doug-revolta/n1031">Doug Revolta, Head of Video</a>

The Seal is the most convincing model yet from Chinese brand BYD

Like the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/tesla/model-3/saloon/review/n19010">Tesla Model 3</a>, the BYD Seal comes with&nbsp;a&nbsp;panoramic glass roof that ditches the traditional head room-robbing shutter. However, the Seal's is actually better than the Model 3's, because it lets you&nbsp;turn the glass&nbsp;opaque at the touch of a button to shield occupants from strong sunlight.

This design is&nbsp;combined with generous leg room front and rear,&nbsp;and a flat floor in the back of the car. So, it's all the more disappointing that&nbsp;a lack of under-thigh support compromises rear-seat comfort on long journeys.&nbsp;A Model 3 is much better in this respect, while&nbsp;if you want a true limo-like passenger experience, we’d point you in the direction of the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/id7/saloon/review/n26282">Volkswagen&nbsp;ID 7</a>.

More positively, there's loads of storage in the front, with occupants treated to good-sized door bins, a wireless charging pad that holds two mobiles phones, a deep cubby beneath&nbsp;the central armrest and a large hollowed out area between the front seats. There are also two cupholders built into the centre console with variable depth, allowing you to raise and lower them depending on the size of your drink.

The Seal has 400 litres of <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/the-cars-with-the-biggest-boots/n18791">boot space</a> – just about matching&nbsp;the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/hyundai/ioniq-6/saloon/review/n25431">Hyundai Ioniq 6</a> for volume but lagging behind the Model 3 and ID 7. It's hardly surprising, then, that we&nbsp;managed to fit seven <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/the-cars-with-the-biggest-boots/n18791">carry-on suitcases</a> in the Seal's boot versus eight in the ID 7's and nine in the Model 3's. Still, that’s big enough for a family holiday, and you do get space under the floor for your charging cables – freeing up the 53-litre front boot for other items.

Indeed, the main problem with the Seal’s boot is that, as in the Ioniq 6 and the Model 3, it has a small opening, making it hard to load bulky items of luggage.&nbsp;The <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/i4/hatchback/review/n23575">BMW i4</a> and the ID 7 feature hatchback-style boots that provide&nbsp;a bigger aperture.

“I think it's crazy that so few electric cars have under-bonnet storage, so the fact that the Seal does feels like&nbsp;a real bonus.”&nbsp;–&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/authors/will-nightingale/n1020">Will Nightingale, Reviews Editor</a>

design

excellence

With its plush interior, generous equipment levels and long range, the BYD Seal is well worth considering if you’re in the market for an electric saloon and don't want a Tesla. But if you are happy to consider a Model 3, that car is cheaper and even better.

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Sufficient range between charges to fit in with most people’s lifestyles – and in the real world, not on some far-fetched official test </li> <li>Quick charging times and compatibility with the most ubiquitous types of public charging points </li> <li>Priced to be within the grasp of more than just the privileged few </li> <li>As with any car, ride comfort, practicality and ownership costs can’t be ignored</li></ul>

We define an electric car as one that runs purely on battery power and has no tailpipe to puff out nasty chemicals.

The best of the breed offer sufficient range between charges to fit in with most people’s lifestyles – and in the real world, not on some far-fetched official test cycle.

Electric

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Effortless long-distance capability</li> <li>Strong standard specification</li> <li>Low running costs</li> <li>Comfortable driving position</li> <li>Comprehensive yet easy-to-use infotainment system</li></ul>

Executive cars are often the choice of company car drivers, so factors such as CO2 emissions (which govern your monthly tax bill) are just as important as cruising refinement for those long motorway journeys, a plush cabin and (whisper it) the image of the badge on the bonnet.

The good news is that there are options for all budgets and tastes.

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