The BYD Sealion 5 May Be The Most Practical Car Right Now

The BYD Sealion 6 is a very enticing option in the market today. Great SUV space, plush cabin, modern tech, and the hybrid technology that is very fuel efficient is just so hard to pass up on.

- By Vincent Villa

The BYD Sealion 6 is a very enticing option in the market today. Great SUV space, plush cabin, modern tech, and the hybrid technology that is very fuel efficient is just so hard to pass up on. You're certainly getting more than your money's worth with it, but the price point is still pretty steep. They have something more attainable, but it's a sedan. If you want the same Sealion 6 silhouette but more attainable, you're in luck.

BYD could have given us a stripped-out Sealion 6 and called it a day. Instead, we have the all-new Sealion 5 DM-i. With an SRP of PHP 1,248,000 (and an introductory price of PHP 1,198,000), it certainly is a more attainable hybrid SUV from the brand. However, the features are a mix of ups and downs. Will it still be a hat trick for BYD's DM-i technology in the Philippines?

We drove the all-new Sealion 5 DM-i from Ayala Malls Manila Bay to Subic. Once there, we went from place to place, indulging ourselves with Subic's poorly maintained asphalt in the less glamorous roads.

Design-wise, the Sealion 5 is vastly different from the other DM-i cars. It doesn't have the signature whiskers like in the Seal 5 sedan and Sealion 6. Instead, it utilized the look of EVs like the Atto 3 and eMAX 7. Only it looks dated unlike those 2. The front end isn't as nice while the rear is bland. It's not something I'll look back on if I park it.