BYD Seal U review – lots of kit, but vague to drive

Verdict – is the BYD Seal U a good car?

While a plug-in hybrid SUV may seem like a welcome addition to BYD’s lineup, the Seal U is far from perfect. The driving experience is vague, dissatisfying and not especially comfortable, so keen drivers ought to look elsewhere. However, it’s not all bad; it’s priced well considering its size, with a generous amount of kit and high material and build quality on the inside. If you’re nervous about buying from such a new brand to the UK, BYD also offers a very competitive warranty.

BYD Seal U models, specs and alternatives

The BYD Seal U is something of a departure for the Chinese car brand, being its first car launched in the UK without a fully-electric powertrain, following the BYD Atto 3, BYD Seal and BYD Dolphin EVs. Somewhat confusingly, BYD has now also launched a similarly sized electric SUV to the Seal U called the BYD Sealion 7.

Instead of being fully-electric, the BYD Seal U is a plug-in hybrid petrol model. The brand’s decision to introduce a car with a hybrid system likely comes in response to slower-than-expected demand for EVs, with petrol and hybrids still taking up the majority of the market share in the UK.

Two versions of the BYD Seal U were available from launch, called Boost and Design – Boost starts from around £33,000, while Design models come in at a whisker below £40,000. Another mid-range Comfort version arrived later.

15

Contrary to what its name might suggest, the Boost specification gets a system output of 215bhp from a four-cylinder engine and single electric motor, while the range-topping Design model gets 319bhp courtesy of an extra electric motor.

Each version gets a different battery size, too. Boost models come with an 18kWh battery which BYD says is capable of 50 miles to a charge, but the Comfort version has a 78-mile range on electricity alone from a larger 27kWh battery, which is an impressive figure for a PHEV. The Design model gets the shortest range of the bunch, using the smaller of the two batteries and with an extra electric motor to power.

BYD is a new brand to the UK so it doesn’t yet feature on our Driver Power customer satisfaction survey. BYD is a household name in China, though, and the brand is keen to prove its faith in its cars by offering a competitive six-year/93,750-mile warranty. Safety is a high point, too – the Seal U plug-in hybrid was tested in September 2024 by Euro NCAP and achieved the full five-star rating.

Unlike the Chinese brand’s other UK models, the BYD Seal U is a plug-in hybrid, so it uses a combustion engine paired with one or two motors. PHEVs can be a great middle-ground for buyers that want lower running costs thanks to the ability to travel short distances on electric power, while also having the benefits of petrol power when you want to travel further afield.

15

The BYD Seal U boasts up to an impressive 78-mile range in Comfort trim thanks to a large 27kWh battery, while the entry-level Boost and top-spec Design models both feature a smaller 18kWh battery that still provides a usable amount of range. Entry-level cars will be able to manage up to 50 miles of electric driving, while this drops to 43 miles in Design guise as a trade-off for the extra motor and performance this model comes with.

While the Seal U’s electric-only range equates to high mpg figures on paper, you must keep the battery regularly topped up if you’re to have any chance of coming close to this level of fuel efficiency, so bear this in mind. With 18kW DC charging speeds, the BYD Seal U models with the 18kWh battery will take around 35 minutes to charge from 30-60%, according to BYD, while the 24kWh battery takes 55 minutes.

How much will the BYD Seal U cost in tax?

With CO2 emissions spanning from 15g/km to 37g/km for the BYD Seal U, we can expect these figures to be low, therefore putting it in a low Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) tax band for company-car buyers.

What will the BYD Seal U cost to insure?

The BYD Seal U Boost sits in insurance group 32 out of 50, which is fairly competitive for a high-tech PHEV. This increases to group 40 for the range-topping Design model with extra features and power. For context, rivals such as the Kia Sportage PHEV or Toyota RAV4 sit in groups 24 or 28 out of 50, respectively.

15

The BYD Seal U engine lineup is fairly simple, but consists solely of plug-in hybrid systems based around a 1.5-litre four-cylinder unit with either one front-mounted electric motor or two motors driving all four wheels.

For the most part, the BYD Seal U is refined and quiet when running on electricity, but the petrol engine can be noisy if it needs to kick in at lower speeds around town. On the motorway, engine noise is much less noticeable, but that’s unfortunately because there’s a lot of road and wind noise generated by the large door mirrors and 19-inch wheels.

Although the BYD Seal U does come with a few different drive modes, we were hard-pressed to notice much of a difference when cycling through them. Sport mode makes the throttle a little more responsive, and you have to adjust the weighting of the steering via on-screen menus separately, while the suspension cannot be adjusted.

As a result, the Seal U feels more comfort-focused than anything, which is fine for an SUV in this market, but it feels easily upset over different surfaces and fails to inspire confidence in its driver as a result. There’s a disconnected feeling which is easy to live with on the motorway, but take it to a B-road and it feels unbalanced and produces a lot of body roll. This was noticeable when driving the Seal U back-to-back with the Volkswagen Tiguan, which exhibits a firmer ride, but also feels noticeably more precise along a twisty road.

Plug-in hybrid models

15

The BYD Seal U’s plug-in hybrid system is quite complex, but in a nutshell, either the engine or electric motor can directly send power to the wheels, but the petrol engine acts as a generator to top up the battery most of the time. We think the Seal U feels very much like an EV to drive, and the transition between petrol and electric power is incredibly smooth.

There are two options from launch – one of which uses just one electric motor in addition to the 1.5-litre engine, and another which uses two motors for added performance and traction. Despite what its high power figure might have you expect, the higher-spec Design model with the dual motors didn’t feel particularly fast during our drive. In fact, when we briefly tested the front-wheel drive single-motor variety we didn’t find it felt much different in terms of performance, despite BYD’s on-paper figures.

Despite the fact the BYD Seal U may fall behind in other areas, its strong tech offering and interior are particular plus points. We were genuinely impressed by the cabin’s build and material quality. Our model’s interior felt attractive with vegan faux leather on the seats and a panoramic roof letting in lots of light.

Is the BYD Seal U’s infotainment and sat-nav system easy to use?

15

BYD’s large 15.6-inch rotating infotainment screen from the brand’s other models makes an appearance on the Seal U, and it works well for the most part. The screen is clear, and we found the myriad of cameras on the car useful in helping us to manoeuvre – the image was crisp when shown through the touchscreen and made it very user-friendly.

Being able to rotate the screen is a bit of a gimmick, though, and we left it in landscape mode after a bit of experimenting. We also found the separate climate controls and shortcuts of the Volkswagen Tiguan’s setup a bit more user-friendly than the BYD’s software.

There aren’t really any trim levels for the BYD Seal U – the Boost, Comfort and Design models denote which power and battery option you go for, with equipment coming as part of the package, and pretty much identical on each. Like rival models from Hyundai and Kia, there aren’t really any optional extras to pore over either.

15

The BYD Seal U is pretty spacious on the inside thanks to its long wheelbase and flat floor. Legroom is generous in the rear so it should be roomy enough for adults and children to travel in as passengers. 

Both front seats get electric adjustment, while a large glovebox, decent-sized door bins and a cubby between the front occupants provide quite a bit of storage. Two cupholders sit behind the gear selector, while back seat passengers will find a further two in the flip-down armrest. A further neat feature is Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) charging, which gives the Seal U the ability to run or charge powerful electric items like a fridge or portable electric BBQ while parked up. 

Does the BYD Seal U have a big boot?

15

The BYD Seal U’s boot isn’t class-leading but should suit most small families as there’s enough space for a stroller and some bags. Despite being longer than the Volkswagen Tiguan, however, the Seal U offers 65 litres less than the plug-in hybrid VW. Compared with some diesel and petrol SUVs, the difference is even more noticeable.

A slightly raised boot lip requires you to lift items over it, so it’s likely to get scuffed over the years. At least it’s a pretty wide space, and there are handy cubbies on either side to stop items like a first aid kit from sliding around. Fold the 60/40 split rear seats down and there’s a bit of a hump to get items over, while space increases to 1,440 litres. 

Is the BYD Seal U a good tow car?

Caravanners probably won’t be rushing out to order a Seal U, because standard versions can only pull a 750kg trailer. The dual-motor Design trim ups this to a reasonable 1,300kg, but even this is only enough for a small to medium sized trailer or caravan. Both the Honda CR-V and Ford Kuga can haul heavier loads.

BYD doesn’t feature on our Driver Power customer satisfaction survey as it’s a relatively new brand in the UK. There’s little reliability data to go on, but BYD does make up for this with an enticing warranty. 

BYD offers a warranty for up to six years or 93,750 miles, whichever comes first. That’s a very competitive warranty compared with the industry-standard three years, but not as impressive as Kia’s seven-year/100,000-mile warranty or even Toyota’s warranty that can last for up to 10 years or 100,000 miles so long as you have it serviced every year by a Toyota dealership.

How safe is the BYD Seal U?

15

The BYD Seal U was tested by Euro NCAP in electric guise (sold in non-UK markets) in 2023, and the plug-in hybrid version (sold in the UK) was tested in September 2024. It excels in every category, and its safety assistance tech is comprehensive, adding up to a five-star overall score. We could tell that the brand had tweaked some of these features – which include autonomous emergency braking, lane-keep assist and more – to be easier to turn off and less intrusive than their applications in the other BYD models we’ve tested, which is positive progress.

Should you buy a BYD Seal U?

The BYD Seal U is a welcome addition to the brand’s so-far all-electric lineup, but it’s not perfect. We think it should prove popular on account of its strong tech offering and well-built, high-quality cabin as well as its spacious rear seats.

The problem is that the Seal U is let down by the driving experience it offers. It feels disconnected and unsettled, with vague steering, and it doesn’t even boast a notably comfortable ride in spite of these compromises. We think that’s a shame given that the all-electric BYD Seal saloon is one of the best cars in its class to drive.

What is the best BYD Seal U for low running costs?

The BYD Seal U Comfort has a larger battery for maximum range of up to 78 miles, so it’s worth getting if your priority is zero-emissions driving. Thanks to this extra distance between stops, its official economy and emissions figures are also substantially improved.

BYD Seal U alternatives

The BYD Seal U arrives in a market awash with SUVs of many shapes and sizes, and there are even many plug-in hybrid and hybrid SUVs to choose from for low running costs. The BYD U’s pricing means that while it’s larger than some of these models, it’s also in a similar price bracket, and costs less than other well-established names of the same size.

• Honda CR-V
• Toyota RAV4
• Nissan Qashqai
• Kia Sportage
• Hyundai Tucson
• Volkswagen Tiguan

How we tested the BYD Seal U

We drove the BYD Seal U in both single-motor Boost and dual-motor Design guises in May 2024, before putting the Seal U Comfort head-to-head with the Volkswagen Tiguan on British roads.