BYD Seal Review 2024

If you're searching for a long-range electric car and are willing to look beyond the mainstream, the BYD Seal is a very good choice. Family buyers might find an electric SUV to be more practical, but the BYD Seal is otherwise a very comfortable and spacious electric vehicle.

We'll start with a caveat: both BYD Seal models are tempting propositions and we wouldn't criticise you for choosing either. That said, we reckon the entry-level BYD Seal Design is the one to go for. Not only is it slightly more affordable (only slightly...), you also get a marginally longer range and almost all of the kit of the range-topping BYD Seal Excellence. The only thing you're really missing out on is all-wheel drive and ludicriously quick acceleration - and, once the novelty factor's over, that's no great loss.

There's one competitor that the BYD Seal is clearly aimed at: the Tesla Model 3. We don't mean that it's copied the Tesla (it very definitely takes its own unique approach); but you can see that BYD is excited by the prospect of tempting away Tesla owners. In comparison to the Model 3, the BYD Seal has a more extensive list of standard equipment as well as a more interesting (in our eyes) interior.

If a Tesla Model 3 isn't your bag, you might also want to look at the Hyundai Ioniq 6. That's a brilliant electric saloon car, although its interior is actually a little disappointing compared to the Seal's. And then there's the new Volkswagen ID.7, which is a slightly more mainstream competitor - or the premium (and very desirable) BMW i4.

Interior quality is top notch. Unlike some competitors (even... no, especially those from more established brands), you don't get the impression that the Seal has been rushed into production, or that its development budget has been spent on things other than the cabin.

The doors close with a satisfying clunk, the materials are all exceptionally chosen and everything is attached together in a neat, well-finished manner. We didn't notice any rattles from our test cars and we have no doubt that the BYD Seal will stand the test of time.

You do get the impression that the BYD Seal's designers have sat around a table and brainstormed how they can make their infotainment offering different from other electric cars. The result is a huge 15.6-inch infotainment screen that can be switched from portrait to landscape display at the touch of a button.

It's exactly the kind of thing a new owner will use a few times to show off to their friends before they forget about it for the rest of their ownership. We prefer it in landscape mode, but at least the option's there.

We'd like to spend a little longer with the BYD Seal before we deliver our full verdict on its infotainment system. It doesn't seem quite as user-friendly as some systems while the graphics aren't particularly bright, either. You'd probably get used to it with time, though, and it certainly seems to react to responses quickly enough. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, which means you can easily connect your phone and access your favourite apps on the move.

Take a seat in the front of the BYD Seal and it actually feels like a very spacious family car. The panoramic sunroof (standard across the roof) adds to the airy vibe, while there's loads of adjustment in the seats so people of all shapes and sizes ought to get comfortable. There's a decent amount of room in the back, too - something BYD says is down to the Seal's 'blade' battery which robs less interior space than a conventional electric car battery pack.

The BYD Seal's boot offers room for up to 400 litres of luggage. That's a reasonable size, although access is pretty tight - the BMW i4's wide hatchback opening is more practical for moving bulky objects. There's room under the boot floor for storing cables, while there's also an extra 53 litres of stowage space in the 'frunk' under the bonnet.

The BYD Seal measures 4800mm long, 1875mm wide and 1460mm high.

From launch, the BYD Seal is offered with a single 82.5kWh battery pack. This is paired with a choice of two different drivetrains. The entry-level BYD Seal Design comes with a single electric motor driving the rear wheels, providing a power output of 313PS and 0-62mph acceleration figure of 5.9 seconds. That's pretty sprightly for an 'entry-level' electric car - it'll certainly feel quick enough for the majority of buyers.

If you want slightly more thrilling acceleration, the BYD Seal Excellence adds an extra electric motor on the front axle. That means it's four-wheel drive, with a total power output of 530PS. This has a 0-62mph time of 3.8 seconds - hence the slightly naff '3.8S' badge on the back of the car. You'll soon get bored of full-throttle acceleration runs in the dual-motor BYD Seal, although its rapid response is useful for overtaking manoeuvres.

The there are electric cars on sale with a longer range, the real-world range of the BYD Seal ought to be sufficient for a lot of drivers.

Both BYD Seals use the same 82.5kWh battery pack (a smaller battery might be offered at a later date), with the Design having an official WLTP range of up to 354 miles. The BYD Seal Excellence, with its higher power output, has a range of 323 miles.

These figures are intended to be indicative of what you could see rather than gospel, but we'd certainly expect to cover close to 300 miles before you need to charge the BYD Seal.

During our wet and windy test drive in the north of England, the BYD Seal kept us well isolated from the storm going on outside. Like a lot of electric cars, it's exceptionally relaxing to drive. There's no grumble from the engine, obviously, while we didn't notice a whine from the electric motor(s). Any wind noise is drowned out by the speakers, while there's only a slight thrum from the chunky alloy wheels.

You might think that this is one area in which the BYD Seal falls apart compared to more established (in the UK market) competitors. But not so - independent experts Euro NCAP have put it through their challenging crash tests and concluded that it's a very safe car. Safe enough to achieve a respectable five star rating (including impressive 89% and 87% scores of adult and child occupants respectively).

That impressive safety rating is partly down to the extensive list of safety and driver-assistance kit that's fitted as standard on both BYD Seal models. You name it, it's got it: forward collision warning, rear collision warning, automatic emergency braking, rear cross traffic alert, lane keep assistance... you get the idea.

Some of these features can feel a bit overzealous in the real world - the Hyundai Ioniq 6, for example, likes to beep at the slightest dip in driving standards, which gets a bit irritating. But BYD has listened to feedback and toned down some of the functions - so, while it's there to help prevent a collision, it's not overly intrusive.

The BYD Seal is a bit of an unknown in terms of reliability. The brand hasn't been around for long in Europe, so we're yet to see how it performs in long-term ownership surveys.

That doesn't mean it's going to be flakier than an old Renault, though. Electric cars are usually very reliable (there's less to go wrong than in a petrol or diesel car), while BYD builds its own batteries and motors. Remember, BYD is a huge global player in the electric vehicle market - it's one of the biggest manufacturers of battery-powered buses, trucks and even forklift trucks, so it does have some experience in making dependable vehicles. 

BYD Seal insurance groups are yet to be confirmed. It's worth shopping around for quotes - recent price hikes mean the Seal could cost quite a lot to insure, especially as a relatively rare electric car.

Nothing. Zero. Zilch. Nada. Like all electric cars, the BYD Seal doesn't cost anything to tax. That's set to change in 2025 but hey, enjoy the savings while you can.

There are two trim levels available: the BYD Seal Design and the BYD Excellence. The biggest difference between the two is the BYD Excellence comes with an extra electric motor, providing extra power (and all-wheel drive). In terms of actual equipment, the two are very similar - you'll struggle to tell the difference between them, which makes the base-spec BYD Seal Design a very tempting choice.

Standard equipment on the BYD Seal Design includes a panoramic sunroof, electric tailgate, 19-inch alloy wheels, high-beam assist and metallic paint. Inside, the BYD Seal Design features a heated leather steering wheel, 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, 15.6-inch rotating infotainment screen (with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto), wireless phone charging, leather seats (heated and ventilated in the front), ambient lighting and dual-zone air conditioning. A 360-degree camera is standard, as well as front/rear parking sensors, automatic vehicle hold, keyless entry/start and an electronic parking brake.  

The BYD Seal Excellence adds a head-up display and semi-adaptive dampers. That's about it. Aside from the aforementioned extra performance.

There aren't any optional extras, either, apart from two premium colours (Shadow green and Indigo grey). Buyers get a choice of four standard colours and two interiors. This limited choice helps keep the ordering process simple and speeds up delivery times, says BYD.