BYD has updated the Seal electric saloon for the 2026 model year, adding extra tech, greater storage and new design features while carrying over current prices from £45,730.
BYD has updated the Seal electric saloon for the 2026 model year, adding extra tech, greater storage and new design features while carrying over current prices from £45,730.
The Tesla Model 3 rival launched in the UK in 2023, and the revisions for 2026 focus on enhancing practicality, safety tech and contemporary design.
Style changes include new-design 19-inch wheels plus three new exterior colour options. The Ruby Red, Obsidian Black and Lavender Grey choices join the existing Polar White, Indigo Grey and Atlantis Grey shades. The BYD logo at the rear is repositioned too.
The interior retains the soft Nappa leather upholstery, but removes the stitched logo on the headrests for a cleaner design while the NFC logo also disappears from the centre armrest.
Boot space grows, maximising the luggage space available within the existing 4.8m footprint. Accessed via a powered tailgate as standard, there’s now 485 litres up for grabs, compared to 400 before, along with a pair of tethering hooks to secure loose items. The ‘frunk’ under the bonnet has been redesigned and gets an extra 19 litres, now offering 72 litres – that’s big enough to hold charging cables, or even a carry-on suitcase.
Changes to onboard technology focus on driver assistance and add in a Driver Monitoring System, which can detect the driver’s attention on the road. Another new addition for the 2026 version is the Bluetooth key, which enables drivers to access their car through a smartphone-based keyless entry system.
As before, the Seal offers two grades – Design and Excellence – which are focused on comprehensive equipment. The Design trim includes LED headlights with high beam assistant, panoramic glass roof, Dynaudio 12-speaker sound system, two 15-watt wireless charging trays, front seats which are electrically adjustable and feature both heating and ventilation, plus a 15.6-inch touchscreen. The Excellence grade adds in head-up display.
Powertrains are also carried over. The entry-level Design features a single motor driving the rear wheels. Maximum output stands at 312hp and 360Nm of torque, which gives a 0-62mph time of 5.9 seconds.
Excellence benefits from unique powertrain and chassis specifications. Its two-motor, all-wheel drive configuration develops 530hp and 670Nm of torque, resulting in a 0-62mph time of 3.8 seconds, while semi-adaptive suspension technology features variable frequency dampers.
Both models are limited to a top speed of 112mph and feature an 82.5kWh cobalt-free Lithium Iron-Phosphate (LFP) battery, delivering a WLTP range of 354 miles for the Design trim, and 323 miles for the Excellence. Rapid charging is available up to 150kW; a 10%-80% recharge takes 37 minutes.
Prices start at £45,730 for the Design, with the Excellence priced at £48,730 – unchanged from the existing Seal. As with the rest of the BYD lineup, the Seal gets a six-year, 93,750-mile warranty, plus battery cover of up to eight years or 155,350 miles.
