BYD Sealion 7 SUV

230kW Comfort 83kWh 5dr Auto [2025]

Not that long ago, if you wanted an all-electric vehicle, you didn't have much of a choice. It was a Tesla - and not much else. Unless you were happy to drive a milk float, of course.

Then the floodgates opened, and now everyone is making electric cars – BMW, Ford, Renault, Vauxhall, you name it.

Not only is this transforming the automotive industry, but it’s also provided a pathway for a whole host of Chinese manufacturers to try and join the party.

Arguably, nobody has made a splash quite as large as BYD. And that’s quite apt, too, given most of BYD’s vehicles are named after animals typically found in the water, such as the Seal, a sporty saloon, and the smaller Dolphin hatchback.

It is another of BYD’s cars that we're interested in today, though: the Sealion 7.

It is a mid-size crossover SUV with coupe styling to appeal to those who want the best of both worlds: sportier characteristics and practicality.

The '7' in the name is somewhat misleading because it's not a seven-seater - it can only hold five people. The number doesn’t appear to refer to anything specific, although BYD is known for numbering its vehicles to denote its position in the range based on size.

Nevertheless, it joins a burgeoning list of cars from BYD, one of a growing number of Chinese automotive companies trying to crack the UK market.

Generally speaking, its efforts so far have been positively received.

So, how does this latest entry stack up? We have taken one for a test drive to find out.