That is the automobile that has come closest to knocking Tesla off the highest of the EV gross sales charts in Australia.
China’s BYD has been steamrolling into Australia with new fashions of late, and the Sealion 7 you see right here has been certainly one of its most profitable merchandise but – behind the Shark 6 plug-in hybrid (PHEV) dual-cab ute.
Right here, we’ve a 2026 BYD Sealion 7 Premium, probably the most attainable model of the model’s mid-size electrical SUV vary and a direct rival to the top-selling Tesla Mannequin Y.
To the tip of November this yr, 10,864 Sealion 7s have been delivered to Australian properties, which is about half the quantity of the Mannequin Y in the identical interval – although the BYD solely launched regionally in February-March.
Maybe extra telling is the actual fact the Sealion 7 has beat out the Mannequin Y in month-to-month gross sales various occasions in 2025, even when its American-badged, China-sourced rival has it nicely beat when it comes to annual quantity.
We spent per week with the ‘base’ Premium to see what all of the fuss is about, because the competitors within the mid-size electrical SUV phase continues to get hotter and warmer.
How did it fare? Learn on to seek out out…
How a lot does the BYD Sealion 7 price?
Pricing for the Sealion 7 vary kicks off at $54,990 plus on-road prices for the bottom Premium you see right here – if you would like the dual-motor Efficiency, that’ll be one other $9000.
| Mannequin | Worth earlier than on-road prices |
|---|---|
| 2026 BYD Sealion 7 Premium | $54,990 |
| 2026 BYD Sealion 7 Efficiency | $63,990 |
The Premium undercuts the most affordable Mannequin Y by practically $4000, in addition to the China-made Kia EV5 (from $56,770). You possibly can throw in various different names too, however there’d be too many to checklist.
That stated, the Sealion 7 is positioned at a extra premium level available in the market than another Chinese language EVs, specifically the Geely EX5 (from $40,990), alongside the European-sourced Skoda Enyaq (from $54,990 drive-away).
To see how the BYD Sealion 7 traces up towards the competitors, take a look at our comparability instrument
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What’s the BYD Sealion 7 like on the within?
The Sealion 7 ushers within the model’s latest design language, which is rather more fashionable and premium in its presentation than say, the equally sized Sealion 6 plug-in hybrid SUV.
BYD has retained a ten.25-inch digital instrument cluster forward of the driving force, although it’s now cleanly built-in into the dashboard to the purpose the place you barely see it when the car is switched off.
Whereas I applaud the Chinese language model for not going the Tesla route in relegating all of the driving information to the central touchscreen, the dearth of configurability and the big quantities of clean house aren’t to my tastes.
There are a few totally different layouts, together with a driver help show in addition to a map possibility, however personally I a lot desire the digital shows provided by rival makes and fashions – specifically the Europeans.
At the least the multifunction controls on the steering wheel are bodily, clearly labelled and comparatively tactile, quite than being fiddly touch-capacitive items which can be annoying to make use of on the transfer. Similar goes for the console-mounted shift-by-wire selector, which nearly appears like certainly one of Volvo’s crystal glass items – significantly better than a stalk-type one.
The huge 15.6-inch touchscreen takes centre stage, and it could possibly rotate between panorama and portrait orientations, although in case you’re utilizing smartphone mirroring, you’ll be able to solely use the previous.
Headline options embody wi-fi Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, embedded navigation, Spotify integration, an clever voice assistant, and over-the-air software program updates.
My person expertise with the touchscreen was principally effective, and my reliance on Apple CarPlay meant that was the focus. Whereas load occasions are snappy, and display screen graphics and backbone sharp, I had a number of complaints concerning the audio high quality of my microphone throughout cellphone calls, and sometimes had points utilizing Siri integration.
The latter difficulty mainly meant I couldn’t at all times dictate voice prompts or have messages learn out to me. Looks as if a small factor, however it’s actually annoying when these are primary capabilities that ought to simply work.
Storage is a much less irritating subject, with a nifty cubby housing USB and 12V energy shops beneath the bridge-type centre console, decent-sized door bins, and a cubby beneath the front-centre armrest.
I additionally recognize the Tesla-style twin felt-lined cellphone holders forward of the shifter, with one doubling up as a wi-fi cellphone charger with a cooling vent to stop overheating.
Whereas many car controls – together with HVAC – are embedded into the touchscreen, there are nonetheless bodily buttons and toggles on the centre console for stuff like quantity, drive modes and Auto Maintain. The identical can’t be stated for an growing quantity of latest automobiles, particularly Chinese language-branded ones.
Additionally value noting is the strong 12-speaker Dynaudio sound system. It presents full, clear sound with good depth and bass which you’ll be able to dial as much as your liking – not dangerous for what is taken into account an ‘attainable’ automobile.
The rear seat is fairly huge, which is becoming given the Sealion 7 is well on the bigger facet of the ‘medium’ phase – at 4830mm lengthy and 1925mm large, it’s 230mm longer and 70mm wider than the Toyota RAV4.
At 6’1″, I had loads of room behind my very own most popular driving place, even with that sloping coupe-like roofline and high-ish (however flat) rear ground. Fortunately, the panoramic roof additionally doesn’t actually eat into headroom an excessive amount of.
The quilted leather-based trim – which BYD says is real leather-based – within the entrance and rear covers seats which can be snug and fairly supportive, however their sporty and contoured design isn’t mirrored in how they really feel to sit down in.
If something, I typically felt the entrance bucket-style items had been slightly missing in bolstering, and the rear pews are equally fairly flat and at occasions slippery. Not a deal-breaker, however value noting.
In any other case, there’s good head, leg and knee room as talked about earlier, and fogeys with younger youngsters can utilise the ISOFIX anchors on the outboard seats and/or the top-tether factors behind all three.
You additionally get rear air vents, map pockets and bottle holders within the rear doorways, and stated rear doorways retain the gentle, leather-look surfacing you stand up entrance – one thing that’s more and more much less widespread in mainstream automobiles.
Additional again, the Sealion 7 has a wholesome 500-litre cargo space with an adjustable ground, with a decrease space together with a recessed cubby that’s sufficiently big to retailer charging cables, and the car’s tyre restore package.
BYD doesn’t quote cargo quantity with the rear seats folded, however the house is properly sq. and fairly flat. There’s a 58L ‘frunk’ beneath the bonnet, too.
| Dimensions | BYD Sealion 7 |
|---|---|
| Size | 4830mm |
| Width | 1925mm |
| Top | 1620mm |
| Wheelbase | 2930mm |
| Cargo capability | 500L – rear 58L – entrance |
To see how the BYD Sealion 7 traces up towards the competitors, take a look at our comparability instrument
What’s beneath the bonnet?
The Sealion 7 Premium will get a single-motor rear-wheel drive electrical powertrain, fed by an 82.56kWh ‘BYD Blade’ lithium iron phosphate battery.
| Specs | Sealion 7 Premium |
|---|---|
| Drivetrain | Single-motor |
| Battery capability | 82.56kWh |
| Battery sort | Lithium iron phosphate |
| Energy | 230kW |
| Torque | 380Nm |
| Drive sort | Rear-wheel drive |
| Kerb weight | 2225kg |
| 0-100km/h (claimed) | 6.7 seconds |
| Power consumption (claimed) | – |
| Power consumption (as examined) | 16.5kWh/100km |
| Claimed vary (WLTP) | 482km |
| Max AC cost price | 11kW |
| Max DC cost price | 150kW |
To see how the BYD Sealion 7 traces up towards the competitors, take a look at our comparability instrument
How does the BYD Sealion 7 drive?
With the Sealion 6’s gentle and wallowy dealing with making it really feel extra like a walrus, I hoped the Sealion 7’s sportier form would additionally translate to a extra dynamic drive.
Fairly rapidly, I realised the Sealion 7 – whereas not fairly as gentle because the Sealion 6 – follows the type of most Chinese language automobiles in being tuned extra for consolation and ease of use quite than driver engagement or dynamism.
Gentle steering, a reasonably supple journey, and clean acceleration are all optimistic traits for the each day grind, and play nicely into the Sealion 7’s goal demographic – dad and mom and their households.
That stated, it’s missing a bit in soul and character, feeling a bit generic in its driving behaviour with a light-weight and assisted really feel to all the driving force controls – you’ll be able to flick it into Sport mode for higher response, however it doesn’t do all that a lot within the single-motor Premium.
Most of my time behind the wheel of the Sealion 7 was spent driving to and from the Melbourne CarExpert workplace within the Docklands from my residence within the japanese suburbs of Melbourne, mixing inner-city stints with about 18km of driving on the M3 Japanese Freeway – which is presently present process loads of development and roadworks.
The Sealion 7 Premium’s smaller 19-inch wheels (with staggered 235/50 entrance and 255/45 rear Continental tyres) supply a extra supple journey than the Efficiency with its 20-inch rolling inventory, and there’s first rate physique management. However over sharper hits and turns the Sealion 7 can really feel slightly wobblier than I’d count on a car that appears like this to.
Protecting in thoughts this factor weighs 2.2 tonnes, BYD has performed a good job of conserving the Sealion 7’s weight in verify for normal driving duties. Simply don’t count on it to wow you or make you smile in case you dial up the warmth slightly.
The steering really feel is mild and at occasions obscure, and as talked about earlier it’s a little top-heavy in corners, with a physique that may typically pogo or porpoise over successive bumps and undulations.
At the least highway and wind noise are properly insulated, even over among the damaged, patchy surfaces that presently line quite a few sections of the aforementioned M3 Freeway.
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Effectivity wasn’t too dangerous for such a big car, both.
The Sealion 7’s journey pc displayed an indicated 16.5kWh/100km with its oddly brief ‘final 50km’ readout following blended driving, although it assorted between that and the 18-19kWh mark relying on the driving situations.
The Sealion 7 Premium’s claimed 482km of WLTP-certified driving vary can be achievable at that 16.5kWh/100km consumption price, however we had been seeing nearer to 400km on the 18kWh/100km price. Given Melbourne’s typically chilly and moist situations on the time, that’s not too dangerous, although loads of rivals can do higher.
BYD’s calibration of driver help programs is fairly good, particularly relative to different Chinese language manufacturers, and it’s the identical right here within the Sealion 7 – with some caveats.
The adaptive cruise management typically works effective, however there’s a feminine voice that shouts at you to substantiate it’s on whenever you flip it on, and once more sometimes whenever you flip it off – which typically causes cellphone calls to disconnect.
Energetic lane centring really works, in contrast to my expertise in a number of Chery and Omoda-Jaecoo merchandise, although there are numerous annoying bings and bongs for the velocity restrict warning and driver consideration monitoring, which is able to grate.
Most of those are simply toggled through buttons on the steering wheel, although a number of are buried within the touchscreen, which requires a number of presses via sub-menus.
One huge plus is the BYD’s normal encompass digital camera system, which presents crisp imaginative and prescient of the car’s environment and a trick 3D panoramic view to make sure you’re not scuffing wheels and bumpers.
To see how the BYD Sealion 7 traces up towards the competitors, take a look at our comparability instrument
What do you get?
The Premium could be the ‘base’ Sealion 7, however it comes fairly comprehensively geared up.
2026 BYD Sealion 7 Premium tools highlights:
- 19-inch alloy wheels
- Tyre restore package
- LED headlights
- Panoramic glass roof
- Energy tailgate
- Energy-folding exterior mirrors
- Proximity entry with push-button begin
- NFC card key
- BYD digital key
- Rain-sensing wipers
- 15.6-inch rotating touchscreen infotainment system
- Wi-fi Apple CarPlay
- Wi-fi Android Auto
- Satellite tv for pc navigation
- 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster
- Head-up show
- 12-speaker Dynaudio sound system
- 1 x USB-C, 1 x USB-A outlet (entrance)
- 1 x USB-C, 1 x USB-A outlet (rear)
- Wi-fi cellphone charger
- Leather-based-wrapped steering wheel
- Leather-based upholstery
- 8-way energy driver’s seat
- 4-way energy lumbar
- Energy leg relaxation
- Driver reminiscence
- 6-way energy passenger seat
- Heated and ventilated entrance seats
- RGB ambient lighting with rhythm perform
- Twin-zone local weather management
- PM2.5 high-efficiency filter
The Efficiency provides:
- 20-inch alloy wheels
- Painted entrance brake calipers
- Heated steering wheel
- Heated rear seats
To see how the BYD Sealion 7 traces up towards the competitors, take a look at our comparability instrument
Is the BYD Sealion 7 protected?
The BYD Sealion 7 acquired the utmost five-star ANCAP security score beneath 2025 testing standards.
| Class | BYD Sealion 7 |
|---|---|
| Grownup occupant safety | 87 per cent |
| Little one occupant safety | 93 per cent |
| Susceptible highway person safety | 76 per cent |
| Security help | 78 per cent |
Commonplace security tools consists of:
- 9 airbags incl. front-centre
- Adaptive cruise management
- Autonomous emergency braking
- Blind-spot monitoring
- Driver consideration monitoring
- Lane-keep help
- Emergency lane-keep help
- Entrance cross-traffic help
- Rear cross-traffic help
- Clever velocity restrict help
- Secure exit warning
- Little one presence detection
- Encompass-view digital camera
- Entrance and rear parking sensors
To see how the BYD Sealion 7 traces up towards the competitors, take a look at our comparability instrument
How a lot does the BYD Sealion 7 price to run?
BYD presents a six-year/150,000km bumper-to-bumper guarantee, whereas the BYD Blade battery pack is roofed for eight years or 160,000km.
| Servicing and Guarantee | BYD Sealion 7 |
|---|---|
| Car guarantee | 6 years, 150,000km |
| Excessive-voltage battery guarantee | 8 years, 160,000km |
| Roadside help | 12 months complimentary, then service-activated |
| Service intervals | 12 months, 20,000km |
| Capped-price servicing | 10 years |
| Whole capped-price servicing price | $4538 |
To see how the BYD Sealion 7 traces up towards the competitors, take a look at our comparability instrument
CarExpert’s Tackle the BYD Sealion 7
The bottom Sealion 7 does a number of issues nicely sufficient to justify its sturdy gross sales efficiency, and I don’t assume I’d be dropping an additional 9 grand for the sooner one.
It goes arduous on worth and appears, with a number of gloss and sparkle within the areas that matter for purchasers seeking to maximise their return on funding within the type of screens, trimmings and creature consolation.
The driving expertise is once more ‘simply effective’ for the type of each day commuting most patrons will likely be utilizing it for, however whereas it does all the pieces nicely sufficient, it’s hardly a standout in the best way the a lot cheaper Seal sedan is.
Not helped by the actual fact there are much more rivals within the SUV house, the Sealion 7 is going through more and more stiff competitors from all corners of the globe, lots of which provide higher tech, a greater drive, or a combination of each.
Whereas the BYD is a strong possibility on this phase, the bottom Mannequin Y bests it in lots of areas, and I’d even be intrigued by sharply priced entry variations of the Skoda Enyaq and the upcoming Toyota bZ4X facelift if I had been purchasing on this phase.
CarExpert can prevent hundreds on a brand new BYD Sealion 7. Click on right here to get an amazing deal.
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