While deep underground celebrating the NZ launch of the Shark 6, BYD treated us to another delight, by pulling the silk off the all-new, all-electric, Sealion 7. And what’s more, they let us drive it too – not underground obviously.
The 2025 BYD Sealion 7 is an ambitious entry into the competitive mid-sized electric SUV market, aiming to rival heavyweights like the Tesla Model Y and Kia EV5. Positioned as a value-driven alternative (although you’d never guess it), the Sealion 7 shines in areas like passenger space, an abundant standard features, and ease of use.
The exterior design is contemporary (and dare I say it ‘Porsche-like’ from the rear), while the interior materials and build quality belie the Sealion’s competitive pricing. Nearly all touchpoints are finished with leather or soft materials, and perceived build quality stands out, showing no rattles or squeaks during my drive. Its interior layout is functional yet stylish, featuring a large, rotating 15.6-inch infotainment touchscreen and ambient lighting integrated into a wide gloss black panel. However, said panel’s tendency to attract fingerprints and sun glare could challenge some.
While comfortable for passengers, rear visibility is compromised due to a sloping roofline. The panoramic glass roof enhances cabin ambiance but adds to sun glare on the infotainment screen, a recurring observation on sunny days – I guess it’s a trade off.
Standard across the Sealion 7 lineup (2WD Premium and AWD Performance) is an impressive technological package, including wireless Apple CarPlay, a rotating touchscreen, satellite navigation, over-the-air updates, and a head-up display. The Performance trim builds on this with heated rear seats, a heated steering wheel, and exclusive aesthetic touches like red brake calipers – we only had the Premium model to play with.
Though BYD has enabled unique climate control shortcuts using swipes on the touchscreen, the lack of physical climate or seat adjustment buttons could frustrate old-geezers like me who prefer traditional controls.
The spacious interior seats five adults comfortably, offering excellent rear passenger knee room, adequate under-thigh support, and a flat floor for easy movement. Boot capacity is rated at 500L, smaller than rivals like the Tesla Model Y (854L) but sufficient for family road trips or daily errands, plus, there’s an extra 58L of ‘frunk’ space under the bonnet. Unfortunately, small glovebox and door storage compartments limit its practicality for stowing smaller personal items.
The Sealion 7 Premium, powered by a rear-wheel electric motor, delivers 230kW of power and 380Nm of torque, allowing a 0–100 km/h sprint in a very invigorating 6.7 seconds. Despite this impressive acceleration, its smooth throttle response keeps the experience family-friendly rather than sporty.
Comfort over rough roads is aided by the vehicle’s frequency-selective dampers, which adapt well to various surfaces. While the ride remains firm over uneven roads, the Steering’s lightness at low speeds coupled with decent high-speed stability gives the Sealion 7 reasonable cornering confidence, even with its weight of roughly 2.3 tons. However, it does fall slightly short in sharpness and handling precision – maybe something the ‘Performance’ model will take up.
Regenerative braking is offered in two settings but neither is strong enough for one-pedal operation. This limits energy recovery efficiency and requires consistent use of the brake pedal, which feels slightly soft.
Equipped with an 82.56kWh battery, the Sealion 7 promises 482km (Premium) or 456km (Performance) of driving range under European WLTP standards. Real-world testing we had 397km available at 75% charge – you can work out the math.
The vehicle supports up to 150kW DC fast charging, completing a 10–80% charge in an average 32 minutes. While decent, its charging capabilities lag slightly behind some competitors, however, it does feature 11kW AC charging, making it more flexible for home charging setups.
Starting at $67,990 for the Premium trim and $79,990 for the Performance, the Sealion 7 is seriously good value, offering upmarket trim and a comprehensive feature set. In essence, the Sealion 7 is a well-rounded family SUV that excels in space, equipment, and relaxed driving dynamics – it really is a compelling option.
