China's premium play
The Sealion 7 is BYD's statement SUV-coupe for Britain: £44,990 (Comfort RWD, 308bhp) to £57,290 (Excellence AWD), with the dual-motor cars packing up to ~523bhp and the bigger 91.3kWh Blade battery on top trims. Range spans up to 312 miles WLTP (Comfort), with real-world testing nearer 215–260 — the efficiency gap to a Tesla being the spec-sheet's honest asterisk.
The headline that families should note: Euro NCAP five stars with a 93% child-occupant score — equal-best in nine years of testing — atop BYD's cell-to-body Blade LFP architecture.
The honest assessment
What Car? and Auto Express converge on the same picture: keenly priced, generously equipped, genuinely plush — the cabin's space and rear-seat comfort embarrass some premium badges — while the dynamic report card reads soft: body control that discourages enthusiasm, efficiency that turns headline range into ordinary real-world figures, and the touchscreen-dependency endemic to the breed. Charging sits midpack.
As a value flagship it lands: Model Y money buys more kit and comfort here, less efficiency and network. BYD's UK dealer expansion continues; warranty terms are competitive; residuals remain the newness unknown.
The questions buyers actually ask
Comfort, Design or Excellence? Comfort RWD is the value core and range king. The AWD cars add pace the chassis doesn't request; Excellence adds the big battery and toys.
Sealion 7 or Model Y? The Tesla wins efficiency, charging and resale record; the BYD wins price-for-kit, cabin plushness and that child-safety score. Family spreadsheets split honestly.
LFP battery care? Blade LFP tolerates 100% charging happily — a daily-life simplification over NMC rivals worth factoring.
- £44,990–£57,290; 308bhp RWD to ~523bhp AWD
- Five-star NCAP; 93% child score — equal-best in nine years
- Up to 312 miles WLTP; real-world 215–260 — efficiency trails Tesla
- Plush, spacious, soft — comfort-first by character
- Rivals: Tesla Model Y, Kia EV6, Skoda Enyaq Coupe
Key takeaways
- £44,990–£57,290; 308bhp RWD to ~523bhp AWD
- Five-star NCAP; 93% child score — equal-best in nine years
- Up to 312 miles WLTP; real-world 215–260 — efficiency trails Tesla
- Plush, spacious, soft — comfort-first by character
- Rivals: Tesla Model Y, Kia EV6, Skoda Enyaq Coupe
Sources & further reading
- BYD UK pricing
- Euro NCAP results
- What Car? and Auto Express road tests, 2026
Figures, prices and policy details were current at the last-updated date above. Automotive pricing, incentives and regulations change frequently — verify time-sensitive details with the linked primary sources. Read our editorial policy and fact-checking standards.
