I picked up the BYD Sealion 7 AWD Performance on 9 April 2026 with the Tripmeter A reading 737 km and returned it on 16 April 2026 with the Tripmeter A reading 1030, a total of 293 km travelled during the week. This is one and a half times my typical annual mileage of about 10,000 km.
The car was charged to 100% when I picked it up and the range available was 525 km. On return the battery was at 39% and available range 205 km. This indicates a real range of about 480km when the car is driven at mixed highway and slower urban speeds. It would most likely be a range of about 360km from full to empty at constant highway speeds and a full boot load.
I did not have to charge the car Sealion 7 AWD while I had it, otherwise I would have charged it using my newly installed Anker Solix V1 7.4 kW home charger.
I am writing this review as a retired senior in my early 70s and have driven ICE cars for almost 50 years on 4 continents. Manual Ford Anglia and Renault 12 in East Africa, manual Honda Civic station wagon in North America, Volkswagen Polo in the Irish Republic and for over 30 years Fords, Holdens,Toyotas, Mitsubishis and Mazdas in Australia.
As I write this review, it’s been 2 months since I bought my new Kia Air Long Range FWD, all electric car. Just a coincidence but very good timing too as the conflict in the Middle East has caused fuel prices to spike to very high levels. I finally sold my Mazda 3 after owning it for 8 years.
I have been charging my Kia at home with my Anker Solix V1 home charger using the facility my Globird Zero HeroVPP (Virtual Power Plant) retailer is providing. An interesting feature of the plan is that I get a free supply of power between the hours of 11 am and 2 pm every day and I take the opportunity to charge my car at that time for no cost!
The Sealion Premium AWD is a dual-motor mid-size SUV with a WLTP range of 456 km. It delivers a 0-100km/h time of 4.5 seconds.
I drove it twice to locations in Campbelltown on the Hume Motorway from Holsworthy and I experienced the zip and performance during those trips. I had to be careful with accelerating as the power is just amazing. During the time I drove it, power use was 15kWh per 100 kms, pretty good for a dual motor SUV.
Another longer trip was to Riverstone north-west of Holsworthy on the M7. The drive was enjoyable and on the return trip which was after sunset the LED lights were very useful. The automatic turning lights that activate when the turn signal is on is a feature that I have not come across previously, a fine touch! Power use was an impressive 15.2 kWh per 100 kms.
The cabin is very comfortable with vegan leather seats, the front seats are power operated. The large glass roof has a power operated sunshade. I personally am not a fan of glass roofs under the hot Australian sun.
It has a rotating 15.6-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. I used this feature for navigation using my Samsung phone and Waze app, very handy.
It has a power tailgate and a very large boot and a frunk. It has 20 inch alloy wheels (which reduces range compared to if it had smaller 18 or 19 inch wheels) and a 360 degree camera which is handy when parking. It is longer than my Kia EV3 by 53 cm and my previous car, a Mazda 3 2017 by 25 cm.
It also has a 10.25-inch digital driver’s display, a large head-up display and also a very impressive sound system.
In summary a very well appointed mid-size SUV.
The regen function in the Sealion was set on high throughout the review. The big difference between the BYD Sealion 7 AWD Performance and some of the other review cars that I have driven in the last year or so is that it does not have the one pedal driving feature (like all other BYD EVs sold in Australia) and thus regenerative braking when taking my foot off the accelerator isn’t as powerful, requiring pressing the physical brake as well.
I found that the suspension is quite firm and not well tuned to Australian road conditions. I could feel all the bumps and uneven surfaces on the section of the M5 from the exit ramp of Heathcote Road to after the exit to the Hume Highway, a most uncomfortable ride.
During the week that I had the Sealion 7 I used it to do all those functions/chores I would have carried out driving my own car. In addition I demonstrated it to a few seniors who were impressed with the cabin comfort and performance of the car but remarked that it was not something they would buy due to cost, size and above all found the high powered motor unnecessary for a family car.
I too would not buy it as I believe that it does not suit my needs either. It is too big for my wife and I, harder to find street parking as it is much longer than our EV3, I do not need a high powered car at my stage of life and above all it is beyond my budget.
I may have bought it if I were 25 or 30 years younger and had the budget! The driveaway price is almost $70,000.
EDITORS VIEW
I spent a week testing the BYD Sealion 7 Performance, Australia’s most popular non-Tesla EV in 2025/2026 .
After putting it through its paces, I discovered several things that potential buyers really need to know – from hidden features to surprising drawbacks.
I’ll share my honest thoughts on whether the Performance version is worth the extra money, how to make the voice control system like Star Trek, and a few design choices that left me scratching my head.
If you’re considering this car or cross-shopping it against the Tesla Model Y or Zeekr 7X, there are some important details that could save you money and hassle.
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