BYD makes great leap forward with Sealion 7
The Straits Times|January 18, 2025
The electric vehicle from the Chinese carmaker feels spacious and luxurious, with an attractive price tag to boot
Lee Nian Tjoe
BYD makes great leap forward with Sealion 7

Sea lions are predators who feed on more than 50 species of fish, squid and the like. They have huge appetites, eating up to 8 per cent of their weight daily. Similar things can be said about the Sealion 7, the latest electric vehicle (EV) from BYD. Just replace "fish and squid" with "other cars".

BYD started promoting the midsized electric sport utility vehicle (SUV) in December 2024 before its official debut in January. Sources said the brand collected in excess of 300 orders within two weeks.

For context, Tesla took the whole of 2023 to register 391 units of the Model 3 EV saloon.

At 4,830mm long, the Sealion is bigger than the BMW X3 (4,755mm). The wheelbase is also longer at 2,930mm, versus the popular BMW's 2,865mm.

As far as initial impressions go, the BYD looks premium. The panel gaps are consistently tight and the doors close with a satisfying thunk.

Finished in polished silver, the swanky 20-inch alloy wheels on the Performance version add a bit of bling to the sizeable SUV. They are an inch larger than the ones on the single-motor Premium version of the Sealion 7.

The generous dimensions translate to plenty of cabin space and storage area. The Sealion has a sizeable bin under the bonnet that can accommodate a backpack or two, complementing the 500-litre boot behind the rear seat.

Despite its name, the Sealion 7 does not have seven seats. What it offers is a lot of space for up to three passengers in the back seats.

The sitting position is more reclined, like in a limousine, so the occupants can stretch out and take advantage of the legroom that comes with the lengthy wheelbase.

This set-up also means headroom is not compromised by the car's sloping roofline.

This story is from the January 18, 2025 edition of The Straits Times.

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This story is from the January 18, 2025 edition of The Straits Times.

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