BYD Sealion 7 2025 Review - International

First, some background as to where the 2025 BYD Sealion 7 fits within the BYD family. It’s about the same size as the Sealion 6, but whereas the Sealion 6 is a plug-in hybrid EV, the Sealion 7 is a pure battery electric vehicle.

It’s also larger than the Atto 3, which was the first BYD to be sold in serious volume in Australia. Underneath, the Sealion 7 shares plenty with the BYD Seal, the mid-sized sedan that takes the fight to the Tesla Model 3.

Pricing hasn’t been set yet for the BYD Sealion 7, but it’s a fair bet it’ll undercut the Tesla Model Y. That’s important, because the Model Y is still the big seller in the EV market, topping the sales charts – in part because of the value it offers.

The Model Y is also the third best-selling SUV in the country, outsold in the first nine months of 2024 only by the Toyota RAV4 and Mitsubishi Outlander. It’s been destroying its EV rivals.

For an idea of what the Sealion 7 could cost it’s worth looking at the BYD Seal. That’s because beneath the very different skin the Sealion 7 and Seal share the same underpinnings and electrical architecture.

While specifications are yet to be announced for Australia, the Sealion 7 is also likely to have a similarly high level of equipment as the Seal. The Seal sells from $49,888 for the single-motor Dynamic, $55,798 for the Premium – also with one motor but a larger battery – and $65,748 for the dual-motor Performance (all prices exclude on-road costs). Even if it floats north by a grand or two, the Sealion 7 should still undercut the Tesla Model Y, which starts at $55,900 plus on-roads.

If equipment levels vaguely mimic the Seal, the Sealion 7 should come with plenty of kit, including a massive panoramic sunroof, 360-degree camera, front and rear parking sensors, blind spot warning, two wireless phone chargers, 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, power adjustable front seats, heated and ventilated front seats and the ability to use your phone as the key. The Sealion 7 we drove also included a 15.6-inch central infotainment screen.

At entry level, the Sealion 7 Dynamic should get 170kW of power (20kW up on the Seal) from a circa 72kWh battery. The Sealion 7 Premium will offer a larger battery – about 81kWh – and make 230kW from its single rear motor. Topping the range, the Sealion 7 Performance steps up the power enormously with a second motor boosting the combined outputs to 390kW.

The 2025 BYD Sealion 7 has more space inside than it gives away from the outside. Up front there’s an airy feel courtesy of the vast glass roof and decent occupant space. The floating centre console also caters for phones up top and bags down below.

And it’s nicely presented, with quilting on the seats, satin metallic finishes and enough buttons to work with the virtual controls embedded in the infotainment screen. But it’s the back seat that really delivers on space, with loads of knee room and adult-friendly headroom. The flat floor also makes it easy for big feet to find a space to relax.

A 60/40 split-folding back seat is handy for loading larger items and there’s some additional storage beneath the boot floor. A useful binnacle beneath the bonnet creates some frunk space.

The Sealion 7 also looks set to come with loads, which is to be expected in the circa-$60K electric SUV space. But with what is shaping up to be a price advantage over newcomer brands – most of which are hovering around $55K or just above – it could provide a tempter to get away from Tesla.

Performance is also acceptable, although we were struggling to work out exactly what we were driving. The car we sampled first was a single motor variant that we think was running the 230kW tune with the longer range battery. Our confusion was understandable, because the Sealion 7 is easy to drive, with easily-accessibly performance, irrespective of the trim level and powertrain. Even in single-motor guise it pulls cleanly and with the sort of effortless flexibility that works well around the suburbs. The dual-motor model ramps it up with more firepower off the line.

The 2025 BYD Sealion 7 has more to like than not like. But there are still some niggles.

The infotainment screen is crisp and clear and easy to navigate, but we’d still like to see more physical buttons to make it easier to perform commonly used functions; adjusting the temperature and air recirculation are top of the list on that front. That said, it’s great BYD has a proper volume dial (many aren’t bothering these days) and a drive mode selector.

We still have plenty to learn about its driving manners, although even first impressions indicate there is room for improvement. On Giti tyres, the single motor model was pretty quick to let out a yelp around corners, although the concrete runway we sampled it on was barely representative of the finest Aussie councils dish up.

But the balance and composure felt OK, albeit without much in the way of bumps to trip it up. Steering was light and not particularly communicative, but it was crisp and responsive. The dual-motor model we drove briefly was running on 20-inch Michelin tyres, which stepped up the grip.

As with the Seal, the BYD Sealion 7 doesn’t always have the throttle crispness that makes EVs so responsive. Sure, it delivers strong acceleration, but when you lift off the pedal it occasionally feels like it runs on for a second or so. It’s as though engineers have tried to dial out some of the jerkiness you can get by snapping off the accelerator pedal, but in some instances it also reduces the feeling of control.

The success of the BYD Sealion 7 is likely to lie in its pricing, something we’ll learn closer to its 2025 arrival. If it can undercut the Tesla Model Y then it’ll likely be a solid contender at the action end of the EV market. Such pricing would, in turn, undercut some of the new arrivals from lesser known brands.

While BYD is still a minnow in Australia, it’s better established than the likes of Zeekr, Xpeng, Leapmotor and Smart, each of which is playing in a similar space.

Importantly, the foundations of a good SUV are there in the Sealion 7. We’ve still got lots to learn – including how it drives on real roads – but based on our brief stint behind the wheel, it’s one of the most serious contenders in the electric mid-sized SUV segment.

2025 BYD Sealion 7 at a glance:
Price: From about $55,000
Available: 2025
Powertrain: Single permanent magnet synchronous motor
Output: 170kW or 230kW in single motor guise, 390kW as a dual motor
Transmission: Single-speed reduction gear
Battery: 72kWh/81kWh lithium ferrous phosphate lithium ion
Range: 550-610km, depending on the model
Energy consumption: TBA
Safety rating: Not tested

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