We discover if BYD's electric-led plug-in hybrid is a useful EV stepping stone or a dead end

BYD Seal U review: Is EV expert’s hybrid the best of both worlds?

October 23, 2024 Matt Allan

We discover if BYD’s electric-led plug-in hybrid is a useful EV stepping stone or a dead end

BYD has made a bit of a splash in the EV world in the last couple of years.

Among a tide of Chinese brands looking to break into the European market, it feels like the one with the most coherent plan and electric product line-up – from the Dolphin hatchback to the Model 3-rivalling Seal saloon via the Atto 3 family SUV.

But now it’s confusing things with the launch of the Seal U DM-i SUV which, unlike the other models, isn’t a pure EV but a plug-in hybrid. BYD has a host of hybrids on sale in other parts of the world but this is the first time it has strayed from pure battery electric in the UK.

Why the Seal U is of interest to us at EV Powered is twofold. Firstly, BYD describes this plug-in hybrid as electric-dominated, meaning the petrol engine plays a very junior role. Secondly, with a claimed EV range of up to 77 miles, it’s getting towards the sort of ‘significant zero emissions range’ that will allow some hybrids to stay on sale until 2035.

So is the Seal U a serious stepping stone towards an all-electric future?

Design, interior and technology

Visually, the Seal U doesn’t get off to a good start. It’s about as anonymous as it’s possible for a car to be. Ask an AI image generator to come up with a “mainstream large SUV” and this is what you’d expect to see.

Size-wise it’s somewhere between what the nerds call the C and D segment. At 4.77m by 1.89m, it’s a bit bigger than a Ford Kuga or Kia Sportage and around the same size as the new Peugeot E-5008. Unlike the Peugeot, though, it’s purely a five-seat car, and the exterior dimensions don’t quite tally with the interior space, which is where the balance between C and D segment is found.

There’s loads of room up front and rear space is pretty good, too – certainly enough to compete with cars like the Kuga and Sportage. But that comes at the expense of the boot. At 425 litres it’s marginally larger than a Kuga but 100 litres smaller than a Sportage and miles off the vast 916 litres of the Peugeot.

The interior design is a bit more successful than the exterior. It is restrained compared with the outlandish Atto 3 or Dolphin and more in the sensible vein of the Seal saloon. It shares elements such as the crystal-like drive selector with the saloon and while a lot of black plastic gives a dull atmosphere to the cabin, it feels well put together and the massive standard-fit sunroof brings some welcome light to the environment.

Like the Seal, the main digital instruments look oddly cheap and old fashioned and provide an odd mix of info. Some of it is useful – how much charge is in the battery – some less so – tyre temperatures, for example.

The main screen is far better. The rotating 15.6-inch display is sharp and clear, with large icons for selecting menu elements. It also features wireless smartphone mirroring. Sadly, almost every function is controlled through the screen and, although it’s quick to react, too many commonly-used features are buried in sub-menus.

BYD is very proud of all the driver assistance the Seal U has and some of it – adaptive cruise, rear cross traffic alert – is useful. But much of it – lane keep assist, traffic sign alerts, forward collision warning – ranges from irritating to intrusive and requires you to delve through multiple menus to deactivate. BYD could learn from Renault and include a single button to access your preferred setup.

Battery, motor and performance

As mentioned earlier, the Seal U is a plug-in hybrid. All versions use a 1.5-litre petrol engine paired with one or two electric motors, depending on the specification.

But unlike some PHEVs, which are all too willing to drop into petrol mode at the slightest provocation, the Seal U is designed to be electric-dominated. In most cases the Seal U will try to use only the EV motor or motors. Even in hybrid mode, its first approach is to use the petrol engine to charge the battery for the motors – a lot like Nissan’s e-Power or Mazda’s MX-30 range extender. Only under heavy throttle or continuous high speed use does the clutch engage and the engine drive the front wheels a la Kuga or Sportage.

And it proves to work well on the road. Over the course of my test drive taking in slow urban roads, fast county roads and short motorway stints, it used electric power for the vast majority of the time.

In most circumstances, the petrol only springs into life when the throttle is mashed into the floor. And when it does fire up, it’s pretty quiet. Certainly less intrusive than the Peugeot or Nissan units in cars like the 5008 hybrid or X-Trail e-Power.

Like so many hybrids, the Seal U has punchy enough electric performance at part throttle but there’s an inevitable delay when the petrol is asked to kick in. And while the progression is smooth, the 215bhp two-wheel-drive feels a little underwhelming

The all-wheel-drive version fixes this with a second electric motor on the rear axle and a turbo on the petrol engine. This gives a distinct boost in both the all-electric and hybrid operation – taking power to 320bhp and cutting the 0-62mph time from 8.9 seconds to just 5.9 seconds.

The extra power and weight bring a drop in efficiency and EV range, cutting it from 50 miles to around 43 miles. For the full 77 miles of EV range, you need the RWD Comfort spec, which we haven’t yet driven.

While we weren’t able to get a realistic gauge of the AWD’s energy usage and fuel efficiency, the RWD car’s on board computer suggested a combined efficiency of 60.5mpg and battery-only performance of 2.5m/kwh, which is pretty decent for a large car with this halfway house powertrain.

While the powertrain is impressive, the chassis is disappointing. The Seal U’s dynamics feel a generation or more behind all of its rivals, with slack, slow steering, questionable body control and a ride that is both too firm and yet sloppy. There’s a constant busy feel over smoother surfaces but a loose, bouncing sensation over bigger bumps that means the Seal never feels properly composed.

Price and specification

While it can’t compete with rivals in the dynamic stakes, the Seal U claws back standing with its strong value proposition.

The single-motor Boost model costs £33,205 while the AWD Design car is priced at £39,905. That means that the Seal U is around £5,000 cheaper than an alternative from Ford, Kia or Peugeot.

And a low price doesn’t mean a low specification. The only difference between the two models is the powertrain, with all cars coming with 19-inch wheels, auto-dipping LED headlights, a powered tailgate and panoramic sunroof. Electrically adjustable heated seats, a head-up display keyless start, vegan leather upholstery and the massive touchscreen are also standard, as is vehicle-to-load function and a laundry list of driver ‘assistance’ features.

Verdict

The BYD Seal U is a car of three distinct elements. There’s a genuinely impressive powertrain that’s let down by a sloppy chassis, then redeemed with remarkable value.

And the combination of a strong electric-led drivetrain and heaps of equipment for thousands less than equivalents make a strong case for forgiving the mediocre road manners.

For buyers who need a softer introduction to electric motoring, it makes a lot of sense.