BYD Sealion 5 DM-i 2026 review: strong on value and tech but rivals drive better

Verdict

Worthy of your consideration on price alone, there’s plenty to really like about BYD’s ninth new model in three years. The Sealion 5’s accomplished, efficient and refined DM-i plug-in hybrid system is among the very best of its type, while the spacious cabin, long kit list and premium-feeling interior will win it plenty of fans looking for an affordable, easy to live with family SUV. It doesn’t handle as well as its European and Korean counterparts, but for many, that simply won’t matter.

This is the BYD Sealion 5 DM-i: the Chinese giant’s ninth new model in three years and a challenger to the strong-selling Kia Sportage. But here’s the hook: this spacious, plug-in hybrid family SUV, starts from less than £30,000.

Measuring just over 4.7 metres long, the Sealion 5 slots in at the top of the C-segment – alongside cars like the Sportage, plus the Hyundai Tucson, Skoda Karoq and Ford Kuga. Yet at that price, you’ll struggle to even find a pure-petrol alternative – let alone a fuel-efficient PHEV with a meaningful electric range.

So, the Sealion is worthy of your consideration on price alone. But is there more to this Chinese newcomer than its bargain billing? Can it battle with the best when it comes to standard equipment, family-friendly features, tech, quality, refinement or driving dynamics? We’ve driven a top-spec Sealion 5 DM-i Design on UK roads to find out.

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How much range you get will depend on which of the two trims you choose. Visually identical, the base Comfort model gets big-car kit such as LED lights front and rear, 18-inch wheels and a twin-screen infotainment system, plus a 12.96kWh battery that’s good for 38 miles of electric-only running. There are four colours to choose from, although only our car’s Atlantis Blue is standard; black, grey or white paint are an £850 extra.

Stepping up to Design (£32,995) adds an electric tailgate, heated front seats, wireless phone charging and 360-degree parking cameras, but it also boosts the battery to 18.3kWh – taking the range to a useful 53 miles on a charge. Unlike the slightly larger BYD Seal U DM-i, neither version of the Sealion comes with DC fast-charge capability.

It’s hard to say with any certainty how many miles our test car did before the engine kicked in, although the fact we didn’t even notice that initial transition is high praise for the Sealion 5’s composure and refinement on the move. The clever hybrid system juggles the two power sources almost imperceptibly; the petrol motor only makes itself known when you ask for full power, or when it fires into life at a set of traffic lights.

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In fact, we found the BYD particularly quiet at motorway speeds, with only a little wind and road noise making its way into the cabin. By and large, it’s a comfortable car; there’s a bit of fidget to the ride at lower speeds or over rough surfaces, but on the whole it’s easily a match for its European or Korean rivals in this regard.

Where it can’t quite hold court is when it comes to more spirited driving. The steering has a decent enough weight to it, but there’s something of a disconnect at the front axle. It feels very vague, and quite disconcerting at times – especially if you try to string together a series of quick direction changes.

Even with 209bhp and 300Nm of torque this isn’t a particularly fast car either, with seemingly little instant torque – even in the ‘Sport’ drive mode. True to its slightly dowdy aesthetic, the Sealion 5 rewards a more relaxed approach.

We thought the brakes could do with fine-tuning, too. This might be due to the fact our car had done fewer than 1,000 miles, but the pedal felt both wooden and a bit grabby – none of which was improved by ramping up the level of regenerative braking; there are just two strengths, neither of which is particularly aggressive. If you like the idea of a one-pedal driving experience, you’ll need to look elsewhere.

But step back and take the Sealion 5 for what it is, and there really is plenty to like. The cabin is vast, with enough room in the back for even tall adults to sit comfortably – you may even squeeze three abreast for relatively lengthy periods, thanks to the generous legroom and totally flat floor. The 463-litre boot is nothing to write home about in this area of the market, but the load lip is flat, and the space is square. There’s little in the way of underfloor storage, however.

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Up front, if you’ve never sat in a BYD, you’ll be blown away by the feel, fit and finish. The rear-view mirror is a bit flimsy, and the piano-black plastic on the gear selector won’t rival the tactility of some upper-end SUVs, but there’s vegan leather on the seats and steering wheel, plus soft materials on the doors and dashboard.

The cabin centres around a twin-screen infotainment system, although in the Sealion 5’s case, the main display doesn’t rotate as it does in some of the maker’s other models. This is no great shame; we’ve previously found this feature to be little more than a gimmick, more often than not defaulting to the landscape orientation anyway.

The hardware and software buried within is slick and responsive, but some of the menus are still overcomplicated and it’s not always easy to find what you’re looking for. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, although on one occasion our car managed to inexplicably drop its connection despite maintaining a solid Bluetooth link – refusing to reinitiate until we’d deleted and repaired our phone.

The Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) in various Chinese cars have come under fire in recent years, and unfortunately, the Sealion 5 is another one that fails to meet European tastes and preferences. The incessant beeps and bongs are one thing, but the Driver Attention Warning (DAW)’s oversensitivity sees itself chiming every time you glance at the screen, or down at the array of buttons on the centre console. We found the naggy Lane Assist borderline unbearable too; BYD UK’s country manager, Bono Ge, told us this is something they’re working on, with fixes planned for the near future.

Circling back to the value proposition, BYD says the Sealion 5 will be available from just £299 per month on a four-year (6,000 miles per annum) finance plan, with a £1,999 deposit. Those wanting the added kit and extra range of the top-spec Design will pay £319 per month with a £2,999 deposit on otherwise identical terms. Every version comes with a six-year, 93,750-mile warranty.

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