BYD Sealion 6 Dynamic 2024 Review

The 2024 BYD Sealion 6 is available in two well-equipped models: the front-drive Dynamic and the more powerful AWD Premium.

It’s the entry-level Dynamic we’ve tested here.

Priced from $48,990 plus on-road costs, it undercuts its prime PHEV competitor in the Mitsubishi Outlander. That price also puts it in the mix with the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid that still dominates in a booming – and broadening – hybrid-powered mid-size SUV segment.

The Sealion 6 Premium sells from $52,990 plus ORCs.

The 2024 BYD Sealion 6 Dynamic rides on 19-inch alloy wheels and comes with a panoramic sunroof complete with a retracting cover.

It’s the start of a high level of standard kit that pits it against the more expensive variants of mid-size SUV rivals.

There’s also ambient interior lighting, fake leather trim and power-adjustable front seats with heating and ventilation.

Smart key entry was hit-and-miss for us, often requiring a press of the button to get the doors to unlock. You can also use a credit card-sized keycard to access and start the vehicle or even pair your phone as the key.

There’s also a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and 15.6-inch central infotainment screen with satellite navigation embedded.

If you choose the Premium it adds a head-up display, a turbocharger for the engine and an electric motor to the rear wheels for all-wheel drive.

Neither model gets a spare wheel, with a repair kit in its place for punctures.

The BYD Sealion 6 is covered by a six-year/150,000km warranty with eight years and 160,000km of coverage for the high-voltage battery (with a guarantee at least 70 per cent of the original capacity will be in play).

Dig deeper, though, and that warranty has some odd exclusions. The multimedia system and shock absorbers are only covered for three years and 60,000km, for example.

Servicing is required each year or when the car has travelled 20,000km. There’s an initial free service at three months or 3500km, then you start paying at 12 months or 20,000km. Servicing for the first five years or 100,000km totals $1543 (or $1648 for the Premium).

The 2024 BYD Sealion 6 Dynamic gets seven airbags, one of which provides a cushion between the front seat occupants to protect against head clashes in a side impact.

Plus, there’s autonomous emergency braking (AEB) and speed sign recognition as well as blind spot warning, door opening warning, child presence detection and front and rear cross traffic alert.

The Sealion 6 hasn’t yet been independently crash tested by ANCAP.

The 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster in the 2024 BYD Sealion 6 Dynamic packs plenty into it, and you can access all manner of menus with a few presses of the buttons on the steering wheel.

Often it’s easier to delve into the centre screen, which is a mixed bag.

It’s vibrant and clear, especially the images from the 360-degree camera. And the main layout and icons are easy to navigate.

But too much of the ventilation functionality is packed into the screen, so if you want to adjust the temperature or fan speed – or activate the seat heaters – it can be multiple button presses to get to the appropriate menus.

The central screen rotates 90 degrees, allowing you to choose between portrait and landscape configurations. However, in the upright portrait layout you can’t see it through polarised sunglasses and it doesn’t support Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.

There’s a USB-A and USB-C charge port in the front and the same again in the rear.

The 2024 BYD Sealion 6 Dynamic gets a tiny 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine, but it’s the electric motor doing most of the work.

Whereas the engine makes just 72kW and 122Nm, the electric motor muscles up with 145kW and 300Nm, each driving through a single speed transmission.

Combined, the two can pump out 160kW and 300Nm.

The 2024 BYD Sealion 6 Dynamic has an official fuel consumption figure of 1.1 litres per 100km, although as with all PHEVs that’s largely irrelevant.

When running in EV mode you won’t use any fuel and we managed about 75km on the battery, which bodes well against the 92km claim.

That said, when the 18.3kWh lithium-ion battery (using lithium ferrous phosphate, or LFP, chemistry) reaches about 15km of remaining range, the car wants to switch to hybrid mode, so the maximum EV range appears somewhat academic.

Interestingly, in the brochure BYD claims a hybrid fuel consumption figure of 4.8L/100km (how much it is expected to use once the battery has been depleted).

During our hybrid driving we managed more like 6.0L/100km, although that was mostly at country road speeds – always trickier for electrified vehicles – and with some enthusiastic overtakes and cornering thrown into the mix.

We suspect you’d get closer to the 4.8L/100km around town, although for around-town running it also seems logical you’d be mostly running in EV mode.

Be wary of the range estimator, though.

When we jumped in to the fully-charged, fully-fuelled Sealion 6 it was suggesting it’d get close to 90km from the battery and 1100km from the fuel tank.

It maintained that circa-1200km range optimism for much of our 1000km-plus road trip, only frantically recalculating as petrol started to become scarce in the tank.

The inaccuracy of its range estimator was reinforced at the end of our drive when we popped 10 litres of fuel into an almost empty tank and it instantly jumped up to predicting 305km of driving range. After about 25km of driving, it then lowered its forecast to 200km.

The 2024 BYD Sealion 6 Dynamic can be charged at up to 7kW using an AC wallbox. That means a full charge in around three hours, or you can use a standard power point and get the job done in about nine hours.

There’s also faster DC charging functionality. However, the car will accept a maximum of 18kW – less than some AC chargers – so it won’t be a particularly quick charge; you’d be looking at about an hour.

However, it at least allows you to utilise those public fast-chargers that would not be possible with just an AC connection.

The Sealion 6 also has vehicle-to-load (V2L) functionality that allows a power board to be plugged into the charge port to provide 230V household power.

The 2024 BYD Sealion 6 Dynamic is up against some tough competition, but the newcomer comes out swinging with its hybrid system.

Whereas most hybrids run the engine when you’re accelerating, the Sealion 6 relies mostly on its electric motor, in turn drawing from the battery pack if there’s sufficient charge.

Oddly, it doesn’t have the immediacy of an EV, instead driving through its single-speed transmission with something of a dull – albeit effective – reaction.

But with 145kW and 300Nm there’s enough to keep things shuffling along, even with almost two tonnes of car as part of the equation.

Floor the throttle past the click-down point at the final portion of the pedal movement and the Sealion 6 will waken the petrol engine as speed builds.

That’s a key point, because at lower speeds it’s almost entirely electrons doing the hauling, whereas the engine chimes in once speed increases and those engine revs can be matched to the tall-ish drive ratio.

The engine also adds some pep when overtaking on a country road, although again there’s that delayed reaction that means you have to pre-empt when you want more pull.

All of which requires an adjustment to the driving style, but with that swift recalibration there’s lots to like with the way the Sealion 6 goes about its business.

Cementing its credentials is the aforementioned efficiency that makes it a match for regular hybrids but with the added bonus of having EV-only range that can make motoring a whole lot more affordable.

Less ingratiating is the way it deals with bumps and corners.

It doesn’t take much of a bend or an imperfection to realise the Sealion 6 has some dynamic deficiencies.

The steering is light and responsive but lacks feel, in turn translating to a less connected driving sensation.

The suspension is also soft, so quick directional changes can have the body leaning – and it doesn’t feel particularly well tied-down.

Plus, it can overreact to big bumps.

It’s all very controllable and can be comfortable if there’s not too much body movement, but there’s also room for improvement.

In short, the Sealion 6 lacks the surefootedness so many rivals do well.

The 2024 BYD Sealion 6 Dynamic is very much an on-road SUV.

While the all-wheel drive Premium model adds traction in slippery conditions, both lack a spare wheel and the sort of ground clearance to make them any more than soft-roaders.

The 2024 BYD Sealion 6 is a mid-size SUV with five seats. It’s not as spacious as some of the larger class contenders – think Kia Sportage and Nissan X-TRAIL – but there’s still ample room for families with good headroom throughout.

A floating centre console up front has a storage hidey-hole underneath, which along with other pockets and a small covered binnacle provides plenty of options for paraphernalia.

It also looks upmarket. Faux leather does a good job of mimicking the real thing and the red and tan hues are a break from greys and blacks.

Silver highlights around the cabin team with ambient lighting for something above-average.

The front seats with integrated head restraints are comfy but could do with more lateral support.

Those in the rear are also well-looked-after, in part courtesy of the flat floor that makes foot space easier for the middle occupant.

The boot has a high-ish floor with a 60/40-split folding rear seat to accommodate chunky cargo.
There’s also a binnacle to the left of the boot and some small additional pockets beneath the removeable boot floor.

Cargo space is rated at 425 litres, expanding to a maximum 1440L when the rear seats are lowered.

After more than 1000km of varied driving, we feel we’ve given the 2024 BYD Sealion 6 Dynamic a thorough test that plays to its prime sales pitch: the ability to run purely on electricity while heading off on a road trip knowing you only have to refuel, not recharge.

PHEVs can often be a challenge to recommend due to the inevitable compromises, especially around value and efficiency.

But the 2024 BYD Sealion 6 largely answers those.

Its $48,990 (plus ORCs) asking price pits it against regular hybrids rather than plug-ins.

That it manages to broadly match the efficiency of those while also giving the option of EV-only running makes it a compelling proposition against the likes of the RAV4, X-TRAIL and CR-V.

It’s an impressive PHEV drivetrain that mounts the most convincing case yet for teaming petrol with electricity.

It’s a shame other parts of the driving experience are not as good, taking the edge off a car that comes the closest yet to offering the best of both worlds.

2024 BYD Sealion 6 Dynamic at a glance:
Price: $48,990 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Powertrain: 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol-electric
Output: 72kW/122Nm (electric motor: 145kW/300Nm)
Combined output: 160kW/300Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Battery: 18.3kWh LFP lithium-ion
Range: 92km (NEDC)
Energy consumption: 16.9kWh/100km (ADR)
Fuel: 1.1L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 24g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Not tested