BYD expands Irish range with Sealion 7

When BYD’s Sealion 7 was launched in Ireland in April, by Motor Distributors Limited, it was the Chinese brand’s fifth model launched here in two years. Like other Chinese car manufacturers, BYD is making big inroads into the Irish passenger car sales, with some 1,339 units sold here so far this year, representing an almost 47% increase in sales on the whole of last year.

One thing is certain: Chinese manufacturers have learnt to design and kit out their new models with a high degree of styling and specification to attract buyers looking for more bang for their buck, and all their models are competitively priced.

The Sealion 7 is part of BYD’s ‘Ocean X Series’ design language that also includes the model’s Seal stablemate. The mid-sized car was designed to be a visually appealing and aerodynamically efficient SUV. Whatever. This is a sleek car that impresses with a low bonnet, a sweeping fastback design that aids aerodynamics, and a sporty appearance. The designers say the dual flowing lines mimic the energy of ocean waves. The front also includes double U-shaped LED headlight clusters.

Squarish-shaped wheel arches add a rugged look, but I’m not sure they fit in with the overall styling. The 4.5S at the rear refers to the car’s ability to accelerate from 0-100km/h in 4.5 seconds. Wheels are 19- or 20-inch alloys depending on the grade, with the larger wheels standard on all-wheel-drive variants. Door handles pop out when you approach.

A large panoramic sunroof allows natural light into the interior. Another plus is double-layered laminated glass in the front doors and privacy glass in the rear, optimised for sound and heat insulation.

High-quality, premium materials and finishes are evident throughout the cabin. Door handles are unusual as you pull up the flat-shaped handle to open them from the inside. The dash is nicely styled, the main feature being a freestanding 15.6-inch rotating infotainment screen that has BYD’s latest software. There are controls for radio, phone, entertainment, and online connectivity. The colourful driver’s information cluster shows a lot of drive and charging information and your current speed at the top centre.

You get a wireless phone charger, a 12V power socket, and two Type-C USB ports up front and two more USBs in the rear. Cubbies are a decent glovebox, a big area below the front armrest, and large door bins front and rear.

My very comfortable driver’s seat had leather-type upholstery, could be heated, and had power adjustments including lumbar support. The front passenger’s seat had the same but no lumbar support. Front seats have integrated headrests. The multi-functional and flat-bottomed steering wheel is four-way adjustable, and the unusual crystal automatic gear selector on the flat of the central console really took my fancy.

There’s big rear head and leg room courtesy of the extended wheelbase of 2930mm. Rear seats are padded and angled to minimise fatigue on long journeys, and they can also be heated; the centre seat back lowers as an armrest with a pair of cupholders but has no hatch to the boot. Being an all-electric car, there’s a totally flat rear floor.

A power tailgate opens up a luggage capacity of 520 litres that can expand to a huge 1,789 litres, and there’s an area below the high boot floor for charging cables or you can store them in the ‘frunk’ under the bonnet.

Features include dual-zone climate control, voice control (just say ‘Hi, BYD’), an excellent reversing camera, brilliant blind spot monitoring system, and front and rear parking sensors, while the big array of ADAS driving assistance systems in all trims includes a 360-degree camera, Adaptive Cruise Control, Forward Collision/Rear Collision warning, front and rear Cross Traffic alerts, as well as Hill Hold Control and Auto Hold functions.

The car is powered by BYD’s own, in-house-developed, Blade Batteries, which they claim to be among the best in the world. The range starts with a single-motor, 308 bhp, rear-wheel-drive ‘Comfort’ edition followed by two all-wheel-drive versions of ‘Design’ and ‘Excellence’, each with a big array of standard equipment.

The entry level has an 82.5 kWh battery with a rated range of 482km, 380Nm torque, and a 0-100km/h time of 6.7 secs. A heat pump system is standard.

My 523bhp dual-motor Design review car has a range of 456 kms, 530bhp, and an enormous 690Nm torque. It rides on 20-inch Michelin tyres, and the red brake callipers look sporty. The top Excellence AWD (subsidised RRP is from €56,490) features a 91.3 kWh battery and a 502 km range. Comfort and Design versions can charge from 10-80% in 32 minutes using a fast public charging meter, while Excellence takes 24 minutes. All versions get an 11 kW three-phase AC charging as standard. Road tax is €120.

On the road, I appreciated the quiet drive, the big comfort, good driving position, heavy steering, and how well the car drove. It was plenty agile and had a tight turning circle for a car its size. Thick A-pillars merging with side mirrors hindered my visibility somewhat, and the narrow rear window didn’t help much with rear visibility, especially if seats here are occupied.

I found the driver monitoring sensor on the lower A-pillar too intrusive, tracking my eye movements, head position, and attention. A big yellow eye often appeared on the driver’s screen telling me to keep my eyes on the road when I had been doing that anyway. A slight turn of your head can kick-start this annoying alert, and you can’t turn it off or cover it up.

Sealion 7 achieved a maximum five-star safety rating from Euro NCAP in April 2025. A six-year manufacturer’s warranty and an eight-year battery and electric motor warranty apply to all BYD Sealion 7 models.

PRICES: from €45,435 - €56,490 after state subsidies but excluding dealer delivery and related charges. Business/commercial buyers, state subsidies comprise of VRT rebate only. My Design grade AWD is €55,890, Design grade including metallic paint €56,990.