BYD's Big Seven-Seater SUV Has a Lot to Offer

BYD, a major Chinese car brand, has released a brand-new SUV called the Sealion 8 DM-i in Singapore. This large vehicle can seat seven adults and runs on a plug-in hybrid engine, meaning it can use both electricity and petrol. It is BYD's first seven-seater SUV sold in Singapore, and it arrives with a bold look and a price that undercuts many rivals.

The Sealion 8 is the biggest and most aggressive-looking car BYD has made so far. It has diagonal slashes on the front doors, black fins under the headlights, and wide, muscular curves above the wheels. These bold design choices make the car look smaller than it really is. In fact, the Sealion 8 stretches over five metres long — about the same size as a luxury BMW 7 Series from a few years ago.

Inside, the cabin is very spacious. Two adults can sit comfortably in the third row, and there are air vents back there to keep everyone cool. The middle row even has its own separate climate controls. There is still room for a couple of small bags in the boot, even when all seven seats are in use.

BYD has improved its interior design since its earlier models. The dashboard is clean and simple, without some of the flashier features found in older BYD cars. The front seats can be cooled with ventilation, and there is a special button that lets the driver slide the front passenger seat forward — a feature usually found in luxury chauffeur cars. Physical buttons have been kept for important controls, like the volume dial and drive mode selector, while a touchscreen handles everything else.

The cabin is very quiet, thanks to double-layer glass windows that block wind noise. Even the windshield wipers have been redesigned — the spray nozzles are built into the wiper arms, making them work better. During testing, a smartphone connection feature had some trouble launching Apple CarPlay, but the problem was fixed after re-pairing the phone a couple of times.

The Sealion 8 runs on electric power first, using its 19kWh battery for up to 80 kilometres before the petrol engine kicks in. The engine switches on so smoothly that passengers can barely feel the change. Over a three-and-a-half-day test, the car was estimated to travel more than 800 kilometres on a full tank and charge — a very impressive range for a car this size.

The Sealion 8 produces a combined power output of 205 kilowatts, which is more than a Mercedes-Benz GLC300. This power helps the big SUV move easily, even when it is fully loaded with passengers and luggage. On the motorway, it cruises very comfortably, though the suspension can feel a little bouncy over sharp bumps. Drive smoothly, however, and the Sealion 8 feels like a much more expensive car.

At $306,888 in Singapore, the Sealion 8 is priced thousands of dollars below a comparable Mercedes-Benz. Two other seven-seater SUVs worth comparing are the Skoda Kodiaq, priced at around $309,900, and the Hyundai Santa Fe, starting from $330,499. The Kodiaq is not as roomy as the Sealion 8, and the Santa Fe looks a little more premium inside but is less spacious overall. For families looking for a big, well-equipped SUV at a competitive price, the BYD Sealion 8 is a very strong choice.