BYD Seal 2024 Review | Goodwood Test

If you haven’t heard of BYD then we’ll forgive you, but it’s probably time to start paying attention. The phrase ‘Tesla killer’ has been around and overused for several years now (even I have been guilty of putting it to a digital page), but this time there might be a grain more truth in it than before.

BYD itself is a giant Chinese conglomerate that started out producing batteries and has since branched out into all sorts of areas including monorails and the automotive industry. In 2023 it became the biggest selling car brand in China, toward the end of that year it became the largest seller of electric cars in the world. Tesla probably won’t be ‘killed’ by anyone now, but BYD has provided rapidfire competition.

The Seal is BYD’s first foray into our small corner of the world. It’s a smooth-looking four-seater EV available in either two- or four-wheel-drive and boasting a raft of technology at a competitive price. The question here is going to be whether BYD is in the market with a product that fits the UK.

We start with a positive. Most EV saloon/fastbacks follow this rough pattern already. The teardrop, Audi A7-like outline can be seen on the Porsche Taycan, Hyundai Ioniq 6, Tesla Model 3 and more. Its first role is smoother aerodynamic progress, but it has a secondary advantage of being pleasing to the eye.

The BYD Seal adds some pleasing touches to this familiar formula. The headlights are slim and handsome, fitting some Renault-style additions to the side. The lower “grille” area is filled with lights and the nose is a sleek point. At the rear there’s a solid light bar across the car, much fatter than many around, but very reminiscent of Peugeot’s recent designs. There’s also a small pair of faux diffusers.

Overall the Seal is a handsome machine, managing to swerve the easy trap of becoming too fussy just to stand out (see HiPhi), and concentrate on just looking good.

The BYD Seal can be procured with a single or dual-motor setup. The single motor car will give you 313PS (230kW) while doubling the motivation will up that to 530PS (390kW). Since we’re spending our time with the dual motor “Excellence” model, that’s where we’ll focus. Of course the torque figure is massive, with 670Nm (494lb ft) under your right foot.

Batteries are 83kWh, which is good, according to BYD, for 323 miles in the more powerful Seal. But, given the Tesla comparisons, you’re interested in the sprint to 62mph. The Seal is not as fast as its American rival, but so proud is BYD of the 3.8 second rush to 100km/h that it put the number on the boot (another talking point with anyone you meet).

Power delivery is rapid but not overly urgent in EV terms. It doesn’t deliver its full electric torque in one almighty punch, choosing to add it to your back in more of a swell than sheer aggression. It means there’s a little more progression to using the power in the Seal than some EVs we’ve driven recently. Sport mode releases just a little more thump, but the traction control is aggressive, especially in the wet, at times robbing you of that full throttle attack you were looking for.

Steering in sport mode is on the weightier side, perhaps it feels a little artificial but I thought it felt reassuring. Flick it over to comfort mode and it becomes that worryingly light twirl, so stay with sport. What the Seal does really well is manage the mass. It’s hovering around two tonnes but doesn’t feel overly burdened by that weight. Chuck the Seal into a corner and it won’t lollop around unpleasantly. That’s, at least in part, because of the way the Seal has been designed. The Seal’s “LFP Blade” batteries are not just ‘in’ the chassis, the top cover is an integral part of the rigidity of the car. That has led to a stiffness that BYD claims is twice that of many of its EV rivals.

The nose feels reasonably reassuring, you can pitch the car into a corner and not worry too much about what’s going to happen. During our week with the Seal we were treated to some extremely British conditions, but even then the Seal felt unruffled around our country lanes.

The overall ride however is… interesting. On a smooth road it feels comfortable, but come across something less than perfect and it reacts with some alarm. The damping is good, but the ride jumps about like it’s in a force nine gale the moment you hit two consecutive bumps. That may well be to do with the Seal’s colossal 39/45psi tyre pressures, but I suspect the springs are just way too stiff, and combined with the super stiff body the forces have nowhere to go other than through your spine.

Under it all there is another annoyance while driving the Seal and that’s its ‘safety’ systems. These are both plentiful and vocal. Some of them can be turned off, and so irritating was the plethora of loud noises that BYD provided me within my first five-minute drive that I’d switched both lane monitoring and traffic sign recognition off before I returned.

Like the outside, the BYD Seal’s interior design also comes out swinging. It’s a comfortable and pleasant place to be, with some excellent seats and a nicely designed centre console that has two wireless charging points.

It is, of course, dominated by its party piece, the big screen (more on that later), but the curved dash behind manages to be unfussy while still adding some interest to the cabin. The gear selector is a crystal-style piece, reminiscent of several other brands, and there’s a smattering of quick selecting buttons on both centre console and steering wheel.

Rear leg room is good, in fact potentially more than you’ll find in one of its chief rivals – the Polestar 2 – although that sloping rear roofline will pinch in a little on those with a taller torso.

The BYD Seal comes with some pretty trick technology in its batteries. We’ve already mentioned the structural nature of their implementation, but the whole battery pack sits at just 110mm high and contains no cobalt – a small boon for those concerned about the environmental impact on battery production. It also incorporates a new generation of heat pump system to regulate battery temperature better, which should ensure a more regular battery range. With up to 150kW charging the Seal will charge from 20-80 per cent in 26 minutes.

The biggest reason you’ll probably have for seeing BYD on social media is the giant rotating screen inside its cars. The Seal is no exception. This giant 15.6-inch screen will, at the touch of a button, shift itself from landscape to portrait or vice versa. Now, you might be thinking something along the lines of ‘that’s just a gimmick right?’ and you would be totally correct. The screen change really serves no purpose other than to shift itself around a bit or entertain your kids. Certainly while driving you’ll want to leave it in landscape mode. Portrait seems to offer few advantages and starts to impinge a little on your field of vision while driving.

But, what the clever rotation can’t hide is that the screen and what’s contained inside it is perhaps the Seal’s biggest issue. Functions that are now stored inside the infotainment include all climate controls, heated seats, rear heated windscreen, adjustment of the regenerative braking and any and all safety features.

Unfortunately, rather than being on display easily, the BYD infotainment system is labyrinthine. It forces you down long convoluted routes to find the information that should be a touch of a button away. Want to turn on the heated rear screen to demist? Well that’s in a sub menu, and good luck getting the screen to react first time when you swipe down from the top.

As standard you can expect to find the very useful dual wireless charging pad, the massive screen, heated seats and steering wheel, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, automatic lights and wipers and more.

Some of the Chinese cars that are making their way into the British market are attacking it with wildly competitive pricing. The Seal however arrives with a £45,000 price tag – £48k for this all-wheel-drive version. That’s not on the low end of the market. In fact it pitches the Seal right into the headlights of some extremely competent cars.

The looks and interior quality will go a long way. It feels like a more comforting, stately place to be than the EV6, but lacks the Kia’s excellent drive or easy to use systems. It’s possibly sleeker than a Polestar 2, but the Swedish machine will be much better to live with given its simple Google integration.

So that leaves the Seal in a tricky place. It has many things to recommend, but living with one might leave you frustrated. Is it a tiny bit undercooked to arrive in a market with so many good cars? Hopefully some of those things we’ve been critical of will be fixed with over the air updates that could transform this car.