BYD Sealion 6 plug-in hybrid review: Chinese newcomer impresses

This emerging technology has significant compromises but a growing Chinese brand has developed the most convincing example yet.

Car makers have long pitched plug-in hybrids as the best of both worlds: emissions-free motoring for the daily commute and petrol power for longer journeys. But the reality has often fallen way short, due to compromises in running two separate drive systems. Unpalatable price tags haven’t helped.

But the BYD Sealion 6 aims to address those shortfalls.

Priced from about $51,900 drive-away, the mid-sized five-seat SUV is about the same price as regular hybrids from Toyota, Kia, Hyundai, Nissan and others.

Factor in faux-leather seats, a panoramic sunroof, 360-degree camera, a large infotainment screen and loads of active safety gear and the value equation builds.

BYD also claims the Sealion 6 can travel up to 1092km on its 60-litre fuel tank and 18.3kWh battery pack. It was a claim we wanted to put to the test.

The Sealion is well priced against conventional hybrids. Picture: Toby Hagon.

When we slid behind the wheel of an entry-level Sealion 6 Dynamic – there’s also a more powerful Premium, but it uses more fuel – the trip computer suggested we’d manage close to 1200km from its dual power sources. That’s an impressive claim but predictions mean nothing unless the car delivers. Our test started with 55km around the suburbs running purely on electricity. It was the sort of driving many families would do daily.

With 145kW and 300Nm on offer from the electric motor driving the front wheels there’s decent around-town grunt, which arrives seamlessly through a single-speed transmission.

It lacks the instantaneous shove of an EV but there’s a healthy surge once up and running. Push the accelerator pedal past its final click point and you’ll eventually wake the petrol engine for added thrust.

A petrol motor adds extra grunt for overtaking. Picture: Toby Hagon.

The 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine has just 72kW of power and 122Nm of torque so the majority of the work is being done by electrons. That’s the impression you get from the driver’s seat, too. But the petrol engine comes into its own on the open road.

As we headed for a motorway and the EV range dropped to about 15km, the car automatically engaged hybrid mode, suggesting its claimed 92km of EV-only range may be somewhat optimistic. In hybrid mode you can hear the muted hum of an engine as its serves as a generator for the electric motor but otherwise the cabin is impressively quiet. The engine can also drive the wheels when accelerating to overtake, although it can take a moment to have an effect.

The circa-1200km of anticipated range remained for most of our journey but things started to change as the fuel level dropped. It soon became clear BYD’s 1092km claim was not going to hold. As we ticked over 1000km the range predictor suggested just 11km from the battery, with the fuel tank suggesting it was empty (by our calculations there was still about five litres in the tank).

BYD claims 1200km of range for the Sealion but we couldn’t match that in the real world. Picture: Toby Hagon.

Still, the Sealion 6 easily completed a round trip from the city to the country as well as some suburban duties thrown in at either end.

Impressively, its fuel use in hybrid mode – with some occasionally enthusiastic driving thrown into the mix – was 6.0 litres per 100km. Granted, that’s not as good as the 4.8L/100km listed in the brochure but it’s still thoroughly acceptable.

Importantly, it puts the Sealion 6 in the realms of the RAV4 Hybrid’s real-world fuel use, which has long been the efficiency benchmark.

But the Sealion 6 is not perfect. Its steering is light and vague and the soft suspension lacks the body control of similar-sized rivals, especially over bumps and through corners.

The cabin is well presented. Picture: Toby Hagon

In short, it’s not as sure-footed and stout as a Mazda, Kia, Hyundai, Honda or Toyota. Of course, one of the big things with a PHEV is being able to recharge it externally. A full charge from a household power point should take something like nine hours. A home wallbox is more like 2.5 hours. With electricity use of about 25kWh per 100km it’s not as efficient as an EV, but it’s cheaper than fuelling a hybrid.

And the Sealion 6 can also use public DC fast chargers, although a relatively low 18kW charge peak means it’ll take about an hour to bring the battery back to its claimed 92km of EV range. For those not ready to take the electric leap, the Sealion 6 mounts the most persuasive case yet for moving past a regular hybrid.

BYD Sealion 6 Dynamic

PRICE: From about $51,900 drive-away

WARRANTY/SERVICING: Six yrs/150,000km, $1543 for 5 yrs/100,000km

SAFETY: Seven airbags, auto emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keep assist, rear cross-traffic alert, front cross traffic alert, rear auto braking, driver monitoring, door opening warning, speed sign recognition, 360-degree camera, child presence detection

ENGINE: 1.5-litre 4-cyl and electric motor, 160kW/300Nm

THIRST: 1.1L/100km

SPARE: Repair kit

BOOT: 425L

VERDICT

Four stars

Well priced with decent EV-only rang and hybrid efficiency, even if it’s not as nice to drive as rival SUVS.