BYD Sealion 7

Chinese brand BYD's line-up continues to expand with this new, Tesla-rivalling electric family SUV On sale Late 2024 Price from £45,000 (est)

- WILL [e-mail]

‘SEALION 7’ MIGHT SEEM like an odd name, but it's no weirder than an SUV called a Puma or a sports car called a Cayman. Lots of cars are named after animals, so why should pinnipeds be left out? Okay, the '7' in the Sealion's name doesn't mean anything at present, but it suggests smaller versions are on the way.

But enough about the name; what exactly is the Sealion 7? Well, it's an electric family SUV that's a direct rival for Britain's best-selling electric car, the Tesla Model Y, as well as the slightly smaller Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6.

BYD describes the Sealion 7 as a 'performance SUV', and there's no doubt it's pretty rapid in a straight line. Even the entry-level Comfort model, which has a single 308bhp motor driving its rear wheels, can sprint from 0-62mph in 6.7sec. Design and Excellence versions have a second motor on their front axle, giving them four-wheel drive and a total of 523bhp. These versions can rocket to 62mph from a standstill in just 4.5sec.

The Sealion 7 doesn't live up to that performance SUV billing on windier roads, though. There's more body lean than in an EV6 or Model Y, and the steering fails to weight up reassuringly when you turn in to corners. In short, the Sealion isn't much fun to drive.