BYD Seal - First Impression | Luxury & Performance at Budget

The Chinese underdog, now market leader, soars above Tesla in the first quarter of 2023 and achieves a market share of 21.1%. It has launched its latest product in India, a premium sedan, and I can't miss the fact that it offers a range of 650 kilometers on a single charge. That's a whooping achievement, especially on MIDC, and this will completely change the Range Anxiety mindset.

Variants and Performance

The company offers three variants depending upon the customer's need: Dynamic, Premium, and Performance. The first one is the rear-wheel-drive option with a 61.44 kWh blade battery & a PMS motor generating 150 kW of power and 310 Nm of torque; this variant is called the Dynamic variant.

The second one is also the rear-wheel-drive option with an 82.56 kWh blade battery & a PMS motor generating 230 kW of power and 360 Nm of torque; that's the Premium variant.

The third one is an all-wheel-drive option with an 82.56 kWh blade battery and dual-motor setup producing a combined power of 390 kW and combined torque of 670 Nm; it's called the Performance Variant.

Exterior Design

Since BYD entered with passenger vehicles in India, their design has been highly appreciated. ATTO 3 & even the E6 gets the best design. The design language feels too aerodynamic, especially in the case of Seal. Seal’s design is one of a kind; you will see the Double U Floating LED headlamps on the front illumination part. LED DRL add-on, the Glistening Ripple Lamp looks so dope; these are also inspired by the ripple of an ocean wave. BYD logo, which is chromed, is mounted exactly in the middle of the front bumper. The bumper gets a dual-tone treatment while all the air dams are mentioned on the lower part of the bumper.

Seal is having a drag coefficient of 0.219, which is considered to be low. This, along with its low-profile dynamics, helps it achieve 100 KMPH in just 3.8 seconds, thanks to its dual setup motor producing 390 KW (523 BHP) power along with 670 NM of peak Torque.

Front double wishbone suspension with 5 links may help you get the best of stability around the corners; hope these suspensions come out to be an amalgam of both comfort and stability when we drive it.

It's offered with a ground clearance of 145mm, making it a tough deal for potholes and off-roads while the lower ground clearance is also evidence of better center of gravity, making it stable on highways. Almost zero body roll can be experienced while driving it around the corners due to its low profile and monocoque chassis.

Side View

The side view of the Seal looks low-profiled too; the tires are 19-inchers with 235/45 size. These tires are suiting the overall size of the body. You get flush door handles, just like Land Rover Range Rover Velar is having. All the pillars are blacked out to maintain the dual-treatment theme scheme.

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Rear View

The Tail lamps are connected, and the brake lamps have small dots which accumulate together to form a 3D impact on the whole set-up. Rear diffusers are also present, which will help it maintain the aerodynamic properties by enhancing the transition between the high-velocity airflow and slow airflow.

Features like rear parking sensors, camera, defogger, mid-mounted brake lamps are all greatly packed.

Interior Comfort

Undoubtedly the interior of Seal is eye-catching; you will feel utmost luxury, comfort & a great ambiance to sit in. We have realized that the built, material quality, and the leatherette touch are all top-notch. AC vents are mounted at the perfect location and give maximum air throw without obstructing the airflow. BYD offers a big screen measuring 15 inches which can be rotated to make a tablet, this is BYD’s signature feature and is also offered in Atto 3. Wireless charging is offered for both passenger and driver, and they can charge their phones individually. Seal is offered with a crystal gearshift and BYD calls it Heart of the Ocean, it's inspired by the water droplets and is the visual centerpiece. Cup holders are height adjustable and other features like ambient lighting, leatherette seats leather touch on dashboard & window panel, big armrest with storage space, ergonomically placed buttons, etc., gives it a premium touch.

You can even control rear child lock electronically.

Rear row also gets AC Vents, armrest with cup holders, individual vanity lights, mobile pockets on seats & charging options.

Features

Seal is feature-packed, and there are many industry 1st features which if offered by BYD. Features that I liked the most are mentioned below:

PM2.5 high efficiency filter (CN95) Negative ion air purifier Automatic dual-zone heat pump air-conditioning RGB dynamic mood lights with rhythm function *Apple CarPlay® (USB) and Android Auto™ (wireless) 15.6 Inch intelligent Rotating touch screen display Driver seat 8-way power adjustable Driver seat 4-way lumber power adjustment Passenger seat 6-way power adjustable Front seats ventilated & heated Driver seat with position memory Courtesy seating 10.25-inch LCD instrumentation Heated steering wheel Privacy glass - rear door, rear quarter, and rear windscreen Soundproof double-glazed glass - windshield and front door Door mirror auto-tilt with position memory Electrically heated and adjustable exterior mirrors Electronic hidden door handles

Vehicle to load mobile power station is better suited for camping and outdoor activities, you can charge and run small appliances even if you are outstation.

Safety

Seal’s safety is uncompromised and it's offered with 9 Airbags with far side airbag which is something that isn’t offered under this budget. Seal is also offered with a 360-degree camera, the resolution of the camera is great, and it's crystal clear even in low light. 2 front parking sensors and 4 rear parking sensors make it even safer in claustrophobic places; you won't be needing any assistance while crossing any market place or traffic.

BYD’s Advanced Driver Assistance System provides intelligent driving systems and multi-sensor layouts providing the driver with more reliable and safe driving solutions. It's not as advanced as Tesla’s Auto Drive mode, but ADAS L2 makes it a sensible choice for those looking for Autonomous driving. Some of its best features are:

Automatic Emergency Braking Adaptive Cruise Control Blind Spot Detection Door Open Warning Lane Departure Warning Lane Departure Prevention Rear Cross Traffic Brake

We can't miss the fact that it's Euro NCAP & ANCAP 5-star rated car tested in 2023, proving it to be the safest under the category, though IONIQ5 & EV6 both are 5-star rated at Euro NCAP but they aren't offered with more safety features like 9 airbags.

Comfort

Front seats are very comfortable and resemble the seats of a sports car. These seats are heated and ventilated making it apt for any climate, especially for Indians. For your comfort, even the steering is also heated. You get a great amount of cushion and one can easily travel up to 500 Kms on these seats without taking a halt. Rear-row comfort is good, the seats are having great under thigh support and enormous recline angle while the legroom is actually compromised, a little more legroom would have given better comfort to the rear passenger, especially to someone sitting beside the driver where the driver is of good health & built.

Space

Seal is 4800mm long and one can't deny that its space management is greatly done, 400Ls of Boot Space comes with straight loading and 2 storage spaces on the side corners which makes it apt for organizing things good. Seal's boot also comes with a 60:40 ratio which makes it better for accommodating more luggage in case of shifting homes, going on a trip, or even in the case of cargo shuffling. Good marks in this department too.

Competition

Seal is having only Hyundai IONIQ 5 as a direct rival while indirect rivals may include Kia EV6 which is almost 18 lakhs costlier than Seal when compared base variant to base variant of both the cars. IONIQ 5 is priced at 46.05 Lakhs while it's only offered with just a single variant.

Comparing it IONIQ 5 gets just 6 airbags, has much lesser dimensions, lower battery capacity of 72.6 Kwh. It's only offered with RWD setup while Seal has 3 variants and you can even buy its AWD variant which is positioned at the top. Be it the mechanicals used or the features offered, Seal is packed better. Seal produces 390 KW power in its AWD variant while 150 KW in its RWD variant (base variant), giving 670 NM & 310 NM of peak torque respectively, on the other hand, IONIQ 5 produces 150 KW and 350 NM of torque with its PSM motor.

CarBike360 Says: 

Seal undoubtedly is having a Value For Money proposition even though it's a CKD product. It has undercut the price of Kia EV6 & IONIQ5 & still offering an ample amount of features, giving segment best safety and predominantly the best design so far. Seal promises to be the perfect option for those looking for high-performance EV and luxury both under a budget of 55 Lakhs (on-road). At this price, it's even a good choice for those who are looking for performance in ICE fuel type and don't have to rely on their performance car much on long outstation trips.