If you have already met the BYD Seal, you must have likely been impressed by its performance and charmed by its oceanic theme, which explains the whiskered name itself. Now, it is time to meet the BYD Seal 7. This spacious midsize sedan is far removed from its compact all-electric cousin and is a hybrid! This review will explain all about the Seal 7 – well, all but the name!
Watch the review video now or after reading the article.
The Design
BYD Seal could remind you of the Tesla Model 3 while Seal 7 can bring to mind a full-fledged family sedan like the Toyota Camry – or Crown – depending on your generosity in attitude. 4980 mm long with a 2900 wheel base, it is a foot longer than the Seal and 6 cm longer than the Camry. And yet, it shares the name sans the figure at the end. As we know, many Chinese cars do take liberties with their naming, so might as well go ahead and build our dreams around it.
The wave-like rear lamps and large teardrop headlamps of the BYD Seal 7 both live up to its oceanic theme. The coupe-like rear and the 18 inch wheels add to the design flair.
The Hybrid Seal 7
There is a marked difference between the Camry and the Seal 7 in their hybrid form. The latter is a plug-in hybrid and doesn’t rely solely on recharging on the move. The Seal 7 badge is accompanied by three letters (DM-I) which stands for Dual Mode intelligent – basically, it can smartly switch between electric and petrol modes. And when exactly does that happen? When the battery charge dips to 25%, the car draws its power from petrol instead of its 17.6 kWh battery. While the battery itself isn’t big on paper, it is good enough for 75 km of range. If your usage pattern is just plying around the city, you might seldom have to resort to gas – other than to give the petrol tank a swirl to avoid dust settling down! So, doesn’t it turn to petrol-power infusion when it is too fast to remain on electric? Apparently, most of the power demand is met by the generator except when long-distance power demands a helping hand from the ICE. Of course, it switches totally to petrol when the battery drops below the 25% reserve. Seal 7 rates fuel consumption to be 6.2L per 100 km on average though at times I achieved 5.6 and 3.9 L per hundred! The total hybrid range claimed is 840 km from its 50-litre tank.
The drivetrain and performance
BYD Seal 7 is equipped with a 17.6 kWh battery and a 1.5L engine. The motor generates 137 hp (102 kW) and 231 Nm. The petrol engine spins 220 Nm of torque and 129 hp (96 kW). To keep things simple, the combined output works out to 270 hp – good enough to take this family sedan from standstill to 100 kmph in a respectable 7.9 sec. In comparison, the Camry runs on 227 horsepower.
Some figures that translate the drive to easy and enjoyable: Seal 7 has a 11.2 km turning radius and a sporty 120 mm ground clearance when fully loaded. The steering feel is rather easy-going which isn’t that sporty on regular mode but offers an effortless extra edge during parking. That said, even on ramps, the BYD Seal 7 sticks to a decent line – no complains therefore, especially with those comfortable suspensions. The driver door armrest might provide a less comfortable perch to some for “rest and steer”.
Family space
The cabin looks elegant indeed in the burgundy synthetic leather with comfortable ventilated seats and plenty of legroom. The panoramic sunroof adds to the openness. The coupe-styled rear affords 465L of boot space, even though some space is claimed by the run-flat tyres.
Cabin tech
Depending on the trim – comfort or luxury – the cabin comes equipped with a 12.8” central screen or a 15.6” one, both capable of BYD’s signature rotation from landscape mode to portrait! Dynaudio sound with 12 speakers and a 50W wireless charger set the top trim apart with an extra slot to park a second phone.
The voice command system in the cabin wakes up to “Hi BYD!” and responds to orders like temperature and volume adjustment. The system serves decent music while it does but the radio reception sometimes got weaker with time. When connected, spotify and other apps are available.
Safety
BYD has been placing safety in the spotlight with their hybrid Blade battery, with its claim of a higher resistance to heat and catching fire when compared with the regular Lithium ion. The design is also meant to make fractional repair and replacement easier. In the cabin safety equipment, an unprecedented 13 airbags are worth mentioning, which includes knee and curtain airbags too.
The electronic driver assistance features include Adaptive Cruise Control and Blind Spot Monitor besides front and rear collision warning and intervention systems. The camera assistance is intuitive. For example, the top view came automatically on as I tried to manoeuvre past a car double-parked in an in-road. The comfort trim gets a rear camera only.
The essential BYD Seal 7
BYD Seal sets an example among family hybrid sedans with inspiring design, uncompromising comfort and trendsetting safety while keeping to an astonishing value spectrum with its two trims priced at AED 109,900 and 129,900 supported by a 6 year / 150,000 km overall warranty and an 8 year / 200,000 km battery warranty.