Yet another new BYD targets most competitive C-SUV segment. By Andrew Charman.

WHAT IS IT? C-segment plug-in hybrid SUV  HOW MUCH? £29,995-£32,995  ECONOMY? 51.4mpg  RANGE? 616-631 miles  EMISSIONS? 62g/km (Comfort), 48g/km (Design)

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The rise of BYD on the UK market is little short of astonishing. Having registered 8,788 cars in its first full year of sales in 2024, the Chinese brand mushroomed to 51,422 last year. A core part of this success was an aggressive launch strategy – the Sealion 5 DM-i is the Chinese brand’s ninth new model in a little under three years.

The Sealion 5 is a C-segment SUV and – like its larger sister, the Seal U – a plug-in hybrid which uses BYD’s ‘Super Hybrid’ technology with a ‘dual Mode’ (DM) – in simple terms the 1.5-litre engine spends much of its time generating energy, only providing power when needed.

BYD expects the Sealion 5 to become one of its biggest sellers despite going up against a host of rivals in one of the most hard-fought segments. And while appreciating that fleet buyers will be drawn to full EVs due to the tax advantages, BYD deputy country manager Steve Beattie believes the Sealion 5 will find a ready audience.

“We still see fleet customers hesitant to go into a full EV as they still have the same anxieties over electric as retail customers,” he told Fleet World, adding that BYD also expects to place many Sealion 5s in rental fleets.

A key advantage will be the car’s price, starting at £29,995 on the road – BYD boldly claims its newcomer costs £5,000 less than the average plug-in hybrid and £1,000 under a typical petrol SUV in this class.

There are two versions, with the major difference being battery size – the entry Comfort model employs a 12.9kWh battery offering up to 38 miles of electric-only range, while the Design, costing from £32,995, uses an 18.3kWh unit, adding another 15 miles of EV travel.

As has become typical of this brand, every Sealion 5 comes with a long specification including a full set of ADAS driver-assistance aids. Fleet buyers will favour the Design due to its larger battery and resultant 9% Benefit-in-Kind tax saving (9% BiK rating for 2025/6 versus 18% for the Comfort), though it does also add such niceties as an electric tailgate, heated front seats, wireless phone charging and a 360-degree camera.

BYD’s build quality is already familiar and the Sealion 5 does not disappoint, fit and finish being to a good standard outside and in, with an upmarket look and feel to the surfaces. It’s spacious too, easily competing with long-established SUVs of this size such as Nissan’s Qashqai.

BYD has also responded to previous infotainment screen criticisms – there are easy swipe manoeuvres for essential controls but a proper button for such aspects as the air conditioning fan would still be preferable.

On the road, the Sealion 5 is perfectly well-behaved. Its 0-62mph time of around eight seconds is plenty fast enough to allow swift overtakes while it provides highly refined levels of comfort with a mostly silent drivetrain, due to electric power always being prioritised – generally the arrival of the petrol engine’s contribution is seamless, though a couple of times at speed on the motorway our test car did make its engine noticeably heard with a slightly droning note.

The Sealion 5 is not a particularly exciting car to drive but the target market will care little for that, and while some plug-in rivals offer greater ranges on electric power alone, they also cost a lot more. On price, and general space and quality, the Sealion 5 should suit many buyers.

In Brief

Key fleet model Sealion 5 Design

Pros: Price, build quality

Cons: Touchscreen, powertrain

Seven-word summary: Quality and price make this a contender.

Also consider Kia Sportage, Hyundai Tucson, Škoda Karoq