With a name like “Seal,” you don’t know exactly what you’d expect with this executive sedan from BYD. After all, conjuring up mental images of a blubbery, somewhat cutesy marine mammal doesn’t help things, especially when this is supposed to be a sports sedan offering. Naming aside, there’s the price tag too: at P 2.548-million for the Seal Performance, it’s the most expensive non-Dynasty model BYD currently offers in the market.
For sure, BYD isn’t expecting the Seal to sell in the same numbers as the Sealion 6 DM-i or even the Shark 6 DMO. Instead, it’s all about providing a sort-of-halo model for the brand—proof that BYD could conjure up something more than just commuter-centric models.
It looks great, for one. The smart looks rely on well-executed proportions with paired back styling cues which are far more European than the company’s other efforts. Of course, this being a Chinese brand, they couldn’t help but add some zany touches. These are basically the hit-or-miss styling cues here like the gill-like detailing on the side skirt and fake rear quarter window, and the over styled 19-inch wheels.
Hammering the Seal Performance’s, ummm, performance figures, the rear badge says “3.8S” which connotes its 0 to 100 km/h time. This tells you pretty much what to expect: anytime you put your right foot down the accelerator, it will take off with vigor. There’s a power meter on the 10.25-inch gauge cluster, but feeling your brain pressing against your skull is all the sensation you need. It zooms with no drama save for a momentary tire screech as the Continental EcoContacts fight for traction as a combined 530 horsepower and 670 Nm is dumped through them.
Despite the impressive straight-line pace, it comes with a caveat. In less-than-ideal circumstances, say during Manila’s noontime heat, the rapid pace can’t be replicated continuously. A gander at the power meter shows you that after one or two hard launches, the car starts to limit its output, perhaps to preserve battery and/or motor health. Still, all things considered, it’s fast and makes easy work of overtaking slow-moving traffic.
The Seal’s impressive straight-line pace has BYD Cars Philippines calling it as a sports sedan; it’s not. Handling is tidy and all, but it never gets you involved, especially as the roads get twisty. The main issue is that the steering’s far too numb and artificial (numb, artificial, and heavy in Sport mode). Plus, the suspension, even with its trick semi-adaptive dampers, feels too softly sprung. It’s more of a grand tourer—built to effortlessly eat the miles in hushed comfort. And with an 82.5-kWh lithium iron phosphate battery pack, it can indeed go the distance—520 kilometers per WLTP standards. As tested, however, it falls a tad short at 504 kilometers (6.11 kilometers per kWh).
Loaded to the brim with ADAS, the DiPilot on the Seal can be over protective at times. Thankfully, you don’t have to go digging through the infotainment system to shut them off. You can still opt to do that, or you can simply switch them off using some shortcut buttons near the toggle shifter, thank goodness.
Stepping inside the Seal’s cabin and you’ll find a mixed ergonomic experience. The fundamentals are sound—with the front seats offering plenty of support and adjustment. It even has ventilation and heating, and for the driver, memory presets; you just have to go digging through the infotainment menu to find it. The same issue besets you when you try adjusting the AC vents. They can only be done through the screen. That said, at least the steering wheel also falls nicely into hand and the steering wheel controls here aren’t as flimsy as the ones found in other BYD models.
Visibility is the main issue in the Seal. Not only does the ultra-thick tiller cut your view of the top part of the instrument cluster, but of the extreme corner of the gigantic center screen too. This shows that in the greater scheme of things, touchscreens do have an optimal size and that going big may not necessarily be the best decision. Then, you get to the windows. The view out of the front is fine, but the sloping roof, rear small windows, and tall rear deck all conspire to make the rear glass useless at night. Thankfully, there are corner sensors and a high-def 360-degree camera. There are front and rear parking sensors too, but the front ones only activate when you hit “Reverse” on the gear shifter.
Style-wise, the Seal scores high points with its nicely done interior. Not only does it look futuristic, but the major touchpoints are all agreeable. However, there are still some hard, cheap-feeling plastics, but at least they’re relegated to the bottom part of the cabin—the parts you typically don’t touch. The bigger issue here is the giant glass roof which lets in heat during hotter days. There’s a sunshade, but you deploy it as you would those collapsible ones used when parking. Moreover, BYD can’t help themselves but add cheesy touches like ambient lighting that goes all disco or vehicle sounds that go all ocean-inspired to things like the signal indicators and on-screen presses. Thankfully, these can all be shut off.
The Seal’s bespoke EV platform results in generous room, front or back. What’s more, there’s tons of storage with good-sized door bins (it can’t take a typical Aqua Flask tumbler though), a deep cubby hole beneath the arm rest, and a hollowed-out area beneath the wireless charging pad. The center cup holders are also ingenious in that the depth is adjustable allowing you to raise and lower them depending on the size of your drink. At 400 liters, the cargo hold is equally generous, although the small opening makes loading of bulky items and luggage a bit harder. There’s an additional 53-liter “frunk” for smaller items.
Although BYD doesn’t say it out loud, the Seal seems to have the Tesla Model 3 squarely in its sights as its key rival. The fact that they came up with the lower-priced Seal Advanced (P 1.998-million) is a testament to that. However, you can’t help but think that they should have benchmarked something a bit more emotional. As an EV, the BYD Seal is a solid all-rounder. It’s rapid, comfortable, spacious, and well-speced for its price point. And compared to other BYD models thus far, it is probably their most enthusiast-centric offering yet. However, it doesn’t deliver the level of charm you’d come to expect from a true sports or performance sedan. Still, for a company with a very short history, the Seal comes across as a commendable effort overall.
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2025 BYD Seal Performance |
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| Bottom Line | |
| Pros | Quick, comfortable, spacious. |
| Cons | Not as engaging as you'd think, visibility issues. |
| TL;DR | BYD's most enthusiast-centric offering, but don't go calling it a sports sedan. |
| Ownership | |
| Year Introduced | 2024 |
| Warranty |
6 years / 150,000
kilometers 8 years / 150,000 kilometers (Motor) 8 years / 160,000 kilometers (Battery) |
| The Basics | |
| Body Type | Executive Car |
| Seating | 5 |
| Engine / Drive | Dual Motor/AWD |
| Under the Hood | |
| Motor Type |
Front: Asynchronous Motor Rear: Permanent Magnet Synchronous |
| Maximum Output (BHP) |
Combined: 530 Front: 217, Rear: 312 |
| Maximum Torque (Nm) |
Combined: 670 Front: 310 Nm, Rear: 360 |
| Battery Size (kWh) | 84 (82.5 usable) |
| Architecture (V) | 400 |
| Range, WLTP (km) | 520 |
| Range, As Tested (km) | 504 |
| Energy Consumption (km/kWh) | 6.11 (average speed 19 km/h) |
| Estimated Charging Time, 1-Phase AC (0-100%) | 16 hours |
| Estimated Charging Time, DC (10-80%) | 0.5 hours |
| Charge Port | Type 2 / CCS |
| Transmission | Single Speed AT |
| Cruise Control | Yes, Adaptive |
| Dimensions and Weights | |
| Length (mm) | 4,800 |
| Width (mm) | 1,875 |
| Height (mm) | 1,460 |
| Wheelbase (mm) | 2,920 |
| Curb Weight (kg) | 2,185 |
| Suspension and Tires | |
| Front Suspension | Independent, Double Wishbone |
| Rear Suspension | Independent, Multi-link |
| Front Brakes | Vented and Cross-Drilled Disc |
| Rear Brakes | Vented Disc |
| Parking Brake | Electronic, w/ Auto Hold |
| Tires |
Continental EcoContact 5
Q 235/45 R 19 V (f & r) |
| Recommend Tire Pressure (PSI) |
36, front 42 rear |
| Wheels | Alloy |
| Safety Features | |
| Airbags | 8 |
| Anti-Lock Brakes (ABS) | Yes, with EBD |
| Traction / Stability Control | Yes |
| Parking Sensors | Yes, Front & Rear |
| Parking Camera | Yes, 360-degree |
| Front Seatbelts | 3-pt ELR w/ pre-tensioners x 2 |
| Rear Seatbelts | 3-pt ELR x 3 |
| ISOFIX Child Seat Anchor | Yes |
| Advanced Driver Assist System |
Predictive Collision
Warning Automatic Emergency Braking Lane Keeping Assist Lane Change Assist Front Cross Traffic Alert w/ Braking Rear Cross Traffic Alert w/ Braking Traffic Sign Recognition |
| Other Safety Features |
Blind Spot Detection Tire Pressure Monitoring System Hill Start Assist |
| Exterior Features | |
| Headlights | LED, Auto High Beam |
| Fog Lamps | Yes, Rear (LED) |
| Light Operation | Auto |
| Wiper Operation | Rain-sensing |
| Tailgate | Electronic |
| Interior Features | |
| Steering Wheel Adjust | Tilt/Telescopic |
| Steering Wheel Material | Leather |
| Seating Adjustment (driver) | Electric, 8-way, w/ Memory, Ventilation/Heating |
| Seating Adjustment (front passenger) | Electric, 6-way, Ventilation/Heating |
| Seating Surface | Leather/Suede |
| 2nd Row | 60/40 Split-Fold |
| 3rd Row | None |
| Sunroof | Panoramic |
| Multi-Information Display / Size | Yes, 10.25-inch |
| Convenience Features | |
| Power Steering | Yes |
| Power Door Locks | Yes |
| Power Windows | Yes |
| Power Mirrors | Yes, w/ Fold, Heating |
| Rear View Mirror | Auto-dimming |
| Proximity Key | Yes |
| Climate Control | Dual Zone, w/ Rear Vents |
| Audio System |
Stereo USB Type A USB Type C Bluetooth GPS |
| Wireless Charger | Front x 2 |
| Infotainment Display / Size | Yes, 15.6-inch |
| Smartphone Connectivity |
Apple CarPlay, Wireless Android Auto, Wireless |
| # of Speakers | 12, Dynaudio |
| Steering Controls | Yes |
Byd battery good, but engineering quality of the car not.
ReplyDeleteHow were the seats, weren’t they hard like other Byd’s.
ReplyDeleteI never had any issue with BYD seats...with the Seal or otherwise. In fact, I find them to be on the cushier or softer side compared to other brands. They're not the best...but they're alright.
DeleteHave you driven Tang?
DeleteTop speed is limited to 180km/h right? Why?
ReplyDeleteThat's the limitation of having a single gear as most EVs would have.
DeleteIs it possible to unlock speeds beyond 180km/h by reprogramming it or something?
DeleteBYD should collaborate first with established carmakers in terms of mechanical engineering to achieve better driving dynamics. The company is already very good in terms of battery technology.
ReplyDeleteso two sort of halo models now. The Han and Seal Performance....
ReplyDeleteWhat do you mean by halo?
Deletethey're like flagship models
DeleteBYD has 2 vehicle series that are sold under their own respective dealer networks, the Dynasty Series and the Ocean Series. The halo models of the Dynasty Series are the Han and the Tang, while the Ocean Series has the Seal and the Sealion.
DeleteOddly enough, the Sealion 6 that’s sold here is a rebranded Song Plus from the Dynasty series. That’s why it stands out from other BYD models that are mostly from the Ocean series, the “Sealion 6” doesn’t use the funky Ocean design language.
DeleteHow does the driving dynamics compare to let's say the current Mazda 3?
ReplyDeleteVery different. At low or medium speeds, the Mazda3 has the advantage of being a subjectively better car to drive. More engagement, better ergonomics, better sightlines, etc.
DeleteOf course, when it comes to straight line speed, it's hard to beat the Seal. However, the standard is still the Ioniq 5 N.
I gag everytime someone mentions or implies that Mazda is a benchmark of cars
DeleteWho designs or manufactures BYD's ICE engine now that PHEVs are becoming common to BYD?
ReplyDeleteIsn’t it that BYD manufactures their own engines, just that they only have small displacement engines.
Deleteit could be byd PHEV's achilles heel
DeleteIf you want BYD, better buy a fire extinguisher. Just in case...
ReplyDelete