BYD Ti7 seven-seater looms as rugged family SUV for Australia

BYD's Ti7 has been confirmed and priced for the United Kingdom. The Ti7 is a boxy seven-seat plug-in hybrid SUV with more than a hint of Land Rover Defender about it.

The SUV is firming as an early-2027 prospect for Australia even though the Chinese giant is yet to commit to the model here.

Known as the Fang Cheng Bao Ti7 in its home market, the SUV went on sale in September 2025 and found 83,584 buyers in its first four months.

The Ti7 has been earmarked for right-hand drive markets under the mainstream BYD badge rather than the brand’s Denza or Fang Cheng Bao sub-brands.

BYD UK has confirmed the Ti7 in a single DM-p Super Hybrid specification, pairing a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine with electric motors on both axles for a combined 300kW and a claimed 0-100km/h time of 4.8 seconds.

A 35.6-kilowatt-hour Blade battery is quoted at 127km of electric-only running on the WLTP cycle, while a new long-range variant launched in China last week lifts that to a 50kWh pack and a claimed 315km on the more generous CLTC cycle. Hopefully that’s locked in by the time the Ti7 reaches Australia.

At 5146mm long, 1995mm wide and 1865mm tall on a 2920mm wheelbase in UK trim, the Ti7 is a bigger setup than the Hyundai Santa Fe and Kia Sorento, sitting much closer to the Toyota Kluger and Prado on the tape measure. The Chinese-market car is quoted at 4999mm long, with the tailgate-mounted spare accounting for the difference.

That spare is the detail most people will notice. Hung off a heavy side-opening tailgate in a way that has all but disappeared from the family SUV class, it does the Defender impression no harm at all, even if it makes reverse parking a more considered exercise.

Boot space runs from 126 litres with all three rows in use to 970L with the third row folded, and 1830L with the second row folded as well.

UK-model equipment includes a 15.6-inch touchscreen, 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, 18-speaker audio, tri-zone climate control, panoramic roof, 20-inch alloy wheels and an in-car fridge that also warms drinks.

Buyers expecting genuine off-road ability should temper their expectations. Approach and departure angles of 24 and 25 degrees respectively, road-biased tyres and drive modes that make only mild changes to the steering and dampers mark the Ti7 as more of a school-run SUV.

The Ti7 reaches UK showrooms in November before first customer deliveries in January 2027, which puts right-hand drive production well and truly in motion.

BYD trademarked the Ti7 name in Australia in December 2025 and is yet to say anything publicly about local plans, but the model would slot in above the Sealion 8 as the brand’s largest and most expensive SUV here.

For now, families wanting a seven-seat plug-in hybrid with a bit of attitude will have to keep waiting – and hope BYD Australia says yes.

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