Nascent Chinese electric car brand expands UK offering with stylish, range-conscious new Tesla Model 3 rival.
In its mission to overcome the might of the established brands in Europe, Chinese battery giant BYD is bolstering its presence here with arguably its most important EV to date: the BYD Seal.While the BYD Atto 3 is designed to take on the likes of the Volkswagen ID 3, this saloon is ambitiously intended to rival the Tesla Model 3, Hyundai Ioniq 6 and BMW i4.BYD is a huge company, employing some 600,000 people across six continents to produce not only cars but also batteries, solar panels, trains and buses. Roughly one in five mobile phones around the world has a BYD battery. And it manufactures almost everything in-house, including its cobalt-free, lithium-iron-phosphate Blade battery.Blending hints of Porsche Taycan and Genesis GV60, the Seal is by far the best looking of the Euro-focused BYDs so far, to these eyes at least. The design leans into the maritime theme more than the Dolphin, with a couple of fin and gill details, which are subtle enough.Set to arrive in the UK by the end of 2023, it sits on the same e-Platform 3.0 as the Atto 3 and Dolphin. However, the Seal gets a bigger 82.5kWh battery pack and the single-motor version is rear-wheel drive rather than front-wheel drive. It has 308bhp and should get 354 miles on a single charge while the dual-motor Seal gets a very serious 523bhp. It should still be good for 323 miles according to the WLTP test. A rear-wheel drive 61kWh Comfort model will also join the Seal line-up in 2024. As we’ve come to expect from BYD, the interior is more appealing than the minimalist and more austere Tesla Model 3. On first inspection, the quality stacks up too, with plenty of soft-touch faux leather and a neat suede effect on the doors and dashboard. It feels more traditionally upmarket than Model 3, but doesn’t quite have the classiness of the BMW i4.The rotating 15.6in touchscreen takes centre stage. While that may be a gimmick, the infotainment display is relatively responsive and easy to use, but as in the Atto 3, it’s not without its frustrations. There are far too many sub-menus, making it too hard to find certain functions. The heated seats, for example, are buried deep in the climate control sub-menu and adjusting them on the move is awkward. The centre screen is joined by a large digital driver display that features sharper graphics and greater scope for customisation than in the Atto 3 and BYD Dolphin.There are plenty of cubbyholes and storage pockets throughout the cabin. The sloping roofline means head room in the back is sufficient rather than abundant. Six-footers will find it harder to get comfortable and the middle seat is suitable only for kids.Our first taste of the Seal back in April was on a track, which made the ride quality hard to judge. Now that we’ve had a more extensive drive on German roads, the good news is that the rear-driven Seal rides comfortably and upholds a good level of suppleness and isolation over large imperfections, thanks to slightly softer springing than the Model 3.Since the all-wheel drive model is 130kg heavier, BYD has upgraded the suspension setup with frequency-selective dampers, a technology that’s becoming increasingly common. They’re passive dampers, but they’re supposedly firmer when cornering and softer when absorbing bumps. Nevertheless, the dual-motor Seal struggles with long-wave undulations, never really settling down. Regardless of configuration, wind and road noise are well suppressed.BYD calls the Seal a “high performance sports sedan”, and the raw performance certainly never leaves you wanting. The 523bhp version doesn’t accelerate with the whip-crack attitude of a Tesla Model 3 Performance or BMW i4 M50, but sub-4.0sec jaunts to 60mph are still comical in an otherwise sensible saloon. The rear-drive car has more than enough poke and its power delivery is more progressive too, so that would be our choice.It doesn’t feel like a sports saloon though, as the handling is limited in its feedback. Body control is good and there is minimal lean, but the inconsistently weighted steering is too vague and saps confidence. In sport mode the steering weights up and feels more predictable but it still never feels as communicative or engaging as the BMW i4. One other gripe is that the Seal’s mandated speed limit warning system doesn’t just bong, it has a voice chiming up to admonish you for going over what the system thinks – often incorrectly – is the speed limit. Thankfully you can turn it off, but it requires a trawl through the vehicle menus.Could the BYD Seal be the model that shifts UK buying intentions towards the east? Persuading Tesla and BMW owners to switch will be a tough hurdle to overcome: as will bolstering brand equity in the UK.BYD is yet to confirm UK pricing for either, but we expect the single-motor Design to cost from around £45,000 and the dual-motor Excellence from around £50,000, thus undercutting most rivals. The Seal is both capable and likeable, making it the brand’s most convincing model yet.
