Automakers have long touted plug-in hybrids as the best of both worlds: zero-emission motoring for everyday commutes and gasoline power for long-distance travel. But the reality has often been that the compromises of operating two separate drive systems have often fallen far short. The unpalatable price tag hasn’t helped either.
However, the BYD Sealion 6 aims to overcome these shortcomings.
Starting at about $51,900, this midsize five-passenger SUV is priced similarly to conventional hybrids from Toyota, Kia, Hyundai, and Nissan.
Factor in synthetic leather seats, a panoramic sunroof, a 360-degree camera, a large infotainment screen, and a host of active safety features, and the value equation begins to form.
BYD also claims the Sealion 6 can travel up to 1,092 km with its 60-liter fuel tank and 18.3 kWh battery pack, a claim we were eager to test.
When we sat in the entry-level Sealion 6 Dynamic – there’s also the more powerful Premium, but it’s more fuel-hungry – the trip computer suggested we could drive close to 1,200km on dual power. It’s an impressive claim, but unless the car lives up to expectations, the prediction means nothing. Our test began with a 55km electric-only drive around the countryside, a daily drive for many families.
With 145kW and 300Nm of torque from an electric motor driving the front wheels, there's decent propulsion around town, delivered seamlessly via a single-speed transmission.
There’s no immediate thrust from the EV, but once it’s up and running there’s a healthy surge. If you press the accelerator past the final click, the gasoline engine eventually wakes up to add thrust.
The 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine produces just 72kW and 122Nm of torque, so most of the work is done by electronics. That impression also comes from the driver’s seat. But the petrol engine really comes into its own on the open road.
As we head out onto the freeway and the EV range drops to around 15km, the car automatically engages hybrid mode, suggesting that the claimed 92km EV-only range may be a bit optimistic. In hybrid mode, there’s a quiet hum of the engine acting as a generator for the electric motors, but otherwise the cabin is impressively quiet. The engine can also drive the wheels when accelerating for an overtaking maneuver, but it can take a while to kick in.
The estimated range of around 1,200 km was maintained for most of the trip, but as the fuel level began to drop, things began to change. It soon became clear that BYD’s 1,092 km claim was not going to hold up. At over 1,000 km, the range predictor suggested that we had just 11 km left on the battery, and the fuel tank was empty (we calculated that there were about 5 litres left in the tank).
Nonetheless, Sealion 6 easily completed the round trip from city to country, with a few suburban areas at either end.
What’s impressive is that fuel consumption in hybrid mode – with the occasional enthusiastic drive – was 6.0 litres per 100 km. Sure, it’s not as good as the 4.8 litres per 100 km claimed in the brochure, but it’s still quite acceptable.
What's important is that Sealion 6 is put into the real-world fuel-use domain of the RAV4 Hybrid, which has long been an efficiency benchmark.
But the Sealion 6 isn’t perfect. The steering is light and vague, and the soft suspension lacks the body control of similarly sized rivals, especially over bumps and corners.
Simply put, it’s not as reliable and robust as a Mazda, Kia, Hyundai, Honda or Toyota. Of course, one of the big advantages of a PHEV is that it can be charged externally. It takes about 9 hours to fully charge from a domestic power outlet. A domestic wall outlet takes about 2.5 hours. It uses about 25kWh of electricity per 100km, so it’s not as efficient as an EV, but it’s cheaper than fueling a hybrid.
And while the Sealion 6 can also use public DC fast chargers, the relatively low 18kW charging peak means it takes around an hour to get the battery back to its claimed 92km EV range. For those who aren’t ready to make the leap to electric, the Sealion 6 presents the most compelling case for going beyond conventional hybrids.
BYD Sealion 6 Dynamic
price: Available to drive starting at around $51,900
Warranty/Service: $1543 for 6 years/150,000km, 5 years/100,000km
safety: 7 airbags, automatic emergency braking, blind spot monitoring, lane keeping assist, rear cross traffic alert, front cross traffic alert, rear automatic braking, driver monitoring, door open warning, speed sign recognition, 360-degree camera, child presence detection
engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder and electric motor, 160kW/300Nm
thirst: 1.1 liters/100km
extra: Repair tools
boot: 425 liters
verdict
four stars
It's not as comfortable to drive as competing SUVs, but it offers EV-only range, hybrid efficiency, and a reasonable price.
