BYD Seal long-term test
Can a brand that's relatively new to the UK show established names a thing or two in the highly competitive executive car class? We're finding out...
The car BYD Seal 390kW Excellence AWD Run by Steve Huntingford, editor
Why it's here To see if BYD's flagship electric car is a worthy alternative to the Tesla Model 3 and prestige German saloons
Needs to Combine comfort and refinement with cutting-edge tech and a good real-world range
Mileage 8426 List price £48,695 Target Price £45,936 Price as tested £49,571 Test range 280 miles Official range 323 miles
6 February 2025 – Peak performance
“Has that got a 3.8-litre engine?” I was asked the other day, as I stood by the BYD Seal, waiting for my daughter’s ballet class to finish.
“No, it’s electric,” I responded, a little confused.
“Then what’s with the badge?”
Ah, yes. As the range-topping, all-wheel drive version of the Seal, my car does indeed have a 3.8 badge on its bootlid. However, while in days gone by this would have signified a car’s engine capacity, here it instead references the official 0-62mph time of 3.8sec.
That badge’s presence suggests it’s a number BYD is rather proud of. And there’s no denying that it means the Seal is seriously rapid; our reigning Sport Car of the Year, the Porsche Cayman GTS, needs longer to blast to 62mph.
But is ‘3.8sec’ really of any value, beyond bragging rights? After all, I don’t know about you, but I’m not in the habit of mashing my car’s accelerator to the floor when the lights turn green. And I’ve not even once used the Seal’s launch control system, which is designed to make it as easy as possible to extract the advertised performance.
Despite this, though, I actually do think there’s plenty to be said for having a lot of performance on tap.
The closest thing I typically do to a 0-62mph sprint is 0-30mph when I’m looking to pull out of a busy junction, and in these situations the instant hit of torque that my Seal’s powerful electric motors deliver is very welcome. Plus, of course, because all four wheels are driven, very little of their output is wasted.
By comparison, in automatic petrol and diesel cars (even quite fast ones with four-wheel drive) there’s often a noticeable gap between you depressing the accelerator pedal and any actual forward movement – something that can leave you with your heart in your mouth.
In addition, all that performance makes overtakes quicker and less stressful. And because – like most electric cars – the Seal has a single-speed gearbox, it piles on the pace in a very predictable and linear fashion.
So, sure, inappropriate speed is dangerous. But as long as you treat it with the proper respect, I personally think having a powerful car like my Seal can make you safer.
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