BYD Seal 6 DM-i (2025) Review

Introduction

The BYD Seal 6 DM-i is the most recent addition to the Chinese firm’s aquatically-named and ever-expanding Seal family.

First came the fully-electric Seal, a sumptuous saloon EV that competes with the Tesla Model 3 and the BMW i4.

Then came the Seal U DM-i, a plug-in hybrid SUV that took the styling of the executive Seal - including its ‘X’-shaped front face - but added more in the way of practicality.

And now it’s the turn of the Seal 6 DM-i - which takes the best bits from the Seal EV and the Seal U SUV and mashes them together in an appealing package.

Two distinct body shapes are up for grabs - the Seal 6 Saloon or the Seal 6 Touring estate. Prices begin at £33,990 for the Seal 6 Saloon or £34,990 for the Seal 6 Touring.

At the press conference we attended at BYD’s HQ in Uxbridge, Bono Ge, Country Manager for BYD UK and Ireland, explained how it’s the Touring variant they reckon is going to be the key model (not the Saloon) and you can understand the thinking here.

Estates are something of a dying breed, so there’s a natural niche in the market. If you want to lease plug-in hybrid versions of the VW Passat Estate, Skoda Superb Estate, BMW 3 Series Touring or the Audi A5 Avant e-Hybrid, you might to have to fork out a heck of a lot more.

So, the BYD Seal 6 DM-i is taking on the German big guns while trying to keep costs down. We tested both the Saloon and Touring versions to see if it succeeds.

That ‘DM-i’, by the way, stands for intelligent ‘Dual Mode’ - as the PHEV system combines the refinement and responsiveness of EV driving with the flexibility of a petrol-electric powertrain.

BYD Seal 6 DM-i: At a Glance

With the Seal 6 DM-i, BYD hasn’t just taken the Seal EV and plonked an PHEV engine in it, as there are subtle style differences throughout.

The front face of the Seal 6 is toned-down, not as flamboyant as the Seal EV, with a nose that’s less sharp and which features side intakes in the front bumper that no longer feature the swirling, watery patterns that you see in the Seal EV.

The rear of the Seal 6 DM-i features a full-width LED lightbar that’s carried over from the electric Seal saloon and which bids to out-do Tesla at its own styling game.

Then there’s the so-called ‘double waistline’ crease (insert your own joke about over-eating at Christmas here…) and the range-topping models get eye-catching ‘Flying Axe’ alloy wheels.

The cabin is less flashy than you might expect from a BYD lease.

There’s no crystal gear shifter on any of the trim levels, as you’ll find with other BYD models, and you can tell the Seal 6 has been built on a budget.

It’s not unpleasant, it’s just not as plush as we’ve become accustomed to with the Seal EV, Seal U or Sealion 7.

BYD Seal 6 DM-i: Key Features

As we’re talking about a plug-in hybrid, the first you’ll want to know about is the powertrain.

We’ll go into full details below, but you can enjoy an EV driving range of up to 65 miles with the Saloon, or 62 miles with the Touring estate.

How does that compare with rivals…? The Seal 6 doesn’t lead the class, but that’s to be expected at the price point in which it sits.

Both the VW Passat PHEV and the Skoda Superb Estate PHEV have (at the time of writing) an EV range of around 80 miles on a single charge. So, the Seal 6 falls short, but it costs thousands of pounds less than those cars, so, fair enough.

What’s more, the Seal 6 actually has a similar EV driving range (if not more so in some cases) than the BMW 3 Series.

Other potential rivals have simply disappeared from manufacturer ranges, including the VW Golf Estate, Peugeot 508 SW and Kia Ceed Sportswagen.

As for the Seal 6 Saloon, there are actually very few competitors to even cross reference. You’re looking at Audi or BMW money before you find something comparable.

That’s why the Seal 6 Saloon is so unique - and why BYD is actually positioning the car as a rival to more mainstream, pure-petrol alternatives like the Skoda Octavia hatchback. It’s an affordable Saloon that just happens to come with a plug.

BYD Seal 6 DM-i: Range & Batteries

Underpinning each BYD Seal 6 DM-i is a 1.5-litre petrol engine. Then you’ve got a choice of two different battery sizes, which is consistent across the Saloon and Touring models.

The smallest battery (that comes with the entry-level Boost trim) is a 10.08 kWh unit that unlocks power of 184 PS and a range of up to 34 miles for the Seal 6 Saloon, or 31 miles for the Seal 6 Touring.

A larger 19 kWh battery increases the power to 212 PS while providing a range of either 62 miles for the Touring or 65 miles for the Saloon.

It’s a strictly front-wheel drive affair and fuel economy is very decent indeed with close to 60 mpg up for grabs in real-world driving conditions.

BYD Seal 6 DM-i: Performance & Drive

The Seal 6’s ‘DM-i’ powertrain is a modified version of the one you get with the Seal U DM-i.

However, the big difference between the Seal U (and the regular Seal EV) is that the Seal 6 gets much more modest amounts of power and therefore has less sprightly performance.

Where the Seal U SUV is available to lease with power of 324 PS, the Seal 6 DM-i makes do with a max of 212 PS, which represents a compromise between ‘fun’ and ‘efficiency’.

Both the Seal 6 Saloon and the Seal 6 Touring share the same acceleration figures; 0-62mph in 8.9 seconds for the smaller ‘Boost’ powertrain while the ‘Comfort’ trim reduces the 0-62mph sprint time down to 8.5 seconds.

Whichever powertrain you choose, it won’t feel particularly quick - though the Saloon felt appreciably faster to accelerate than the Touring estate.

Put your foot to the floor and there’s a noticeable shift between the ‘EV’ and ‘Hybrid’ drive modes - the electric motor steps in for the first few yards before the hybrid drive mode takes over with a familiar whine of the e-VCT gearbox to really push you up to speed.

That switch between the two modes can be slightly jarring at first but there’s a handy button on the centre console that lets you shift between ‘EV’ and ‘HEV’ whenever you feel like, which helps you to dial in the driving experience you really want.

There are various drive modes, including ‘Sport’, but that word is doing a lot of heavy lifting here.

In terms of handling, the Seal 6 felt utterly neutral for the most parts. Not particularly engaging but planted enough in tight corners. The ride quality did, however, feel slightly jittery over uneven surfaces.

If we had to choose between the two bodyshapes in terms of pure driving experience, we’d grab the keys to the Saloon, which felt a little more spirited and seemed to reduce the level of road noise in the cabin.

All in all, it’s a car that reminds you that it has been built with one job in mind - to be a faithful, long-distance companion and one that’s not designed to blow your socks off.

BYD Seal 6 DM-i Charging

The charging capacity of the BYD Seal 6 DM-i varies according to which powertrain you choose.

The entry-level Boost model gets a 3.3 kW on-board charger that lets you replenish the battery from 15-80% in around 3 hours.

The Comfort grade (with the larger battery) adds more powerful 6.6 kW AC charging and decreases that 15-80% charge time to 2.7 hours.

Comfort cars also support 26 kW DC rapid charging, which lets you top-up the battery from 30-80% in around 23 minutes.

None of those figures lead the class. With the entry-level PHEV VW Passat, for example, a more fulsome 5%-80% charge takes around 26 minutes.

But should be enough for you to live with.

BYD Seal 6 DM-i Interior & Technology

As you might expect from reading the rest of this review, the interior of the Seal 6 DM-i is functional rather than flamboyant.

But, again, that’s perhaps perfectly fine considering what the car is going to be used for.

There’s no crystal gear knob (like you get with other BYD cars) and you don’t get heated seats with the entry-level model.

But there’s still a LOT of kit fitted as standard on that base Boost trim. It includes a 12.8-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, power adjustable seats, rear parking sensors, a reversing camera, and a full suite of driver safety tech like adaptive cruise control and rear-cross traffic alert with braking.

The range-topping Comfort trim adds a larger 15.6-inch touchscreen, rear privacy glass, a panoramic glass roof, heated steering wheel, heated and ventilated front seats, a 360-degree camera, uprated sound system, and front parking sensors.

There’s also an in-between trim, called Comfort Lite, which gets all the bells and whistles of the Comfort grade but makes do with the smaller 12.8-inch touchscreen.

Overall, comfort in the cabin was decent. If we had to pick fault, we’d suggest the front seats - clad in vegan leather upholstery - were a tad too firm, but it’s a minor gripe and it might just be us.

We also enjoyed the intelligent voice control, which seemed to work seamlessly. Say ‘Hi BYD’ and you unlock the full array of commands, from winding down the window to turning on your heated seat.

BYD Seal 6 DM-i Practicality & Boot Space

It’s here where things get really interesting - because there’s not much between the Saloon and Touring models when it comes to boot capacity.

The Saloon gets 491-litres of luggage space while the Touring estate ups it to 500 litres.

As we’ve pointed out above, that compares really well with rivals, including the Skoda Superb Estate PHEV and the VW Passat PHEV, which each get around 510 litres.

The Touring estate will also be easier to live with thanks to its large boot opening, and it’s the one you’ll need if you’re transporting pets or constantly lugging equipment to indulge in your hobbies.

But the Seal 6 Saloon beats the BMW 330e saloon when it comes to boot capacity and is well worth considering if you don’t need that estate-style rear opening at the back.

Passenger space in the back of both the Saloon and Touring is top notch. Your author here is around 5ft 11inches and you can see how much legroom there is even with the front passenger seat in an occupied position (see below).

BYD Seal 6 DM-i Safety

You’ve got no worries here, as the Seal 6 has achieved the full five stars with industry safety assessors Euro NCAP.

It notched a 92% score for adult occupant safety and a 90% rating for child occupant safety, and that’s clearly aided by the wealth of safety kit that comes as standard.

That includes adaptive cruise control, blind spot detection, child presence detection, lane departure assist, and a rear parking radar.

BYD Seal 6 DM-i Options

Besides the regular trim levels (which we explore above) there’s a limited number of options when it comes to leasing the Seal 6.

Metallic Polar White is the no cost paint colour while Sandstone, Atlantic Blue and Obsidian Black will command an added premium.

You can also spec the interior upholstery in either Black/Grey or Blue/Black shades at no extra cost.

Just hit the ‘Select colour, trim and options’ button when you see a lease deal that grabs your attention.

BYD Seal 6 DM-i Rivals

Let’s start with the Seal 6 Touring.

Long story short, virtually all plug-in hybrid estates have a higher asking price, and that includes the likes of the VW Passat, Skoda Superb Estate, BMW 3 Series Touring and Audi A5 Avant e-hybrid.

Those cars do, however, offer more poke and (in some cases) a greater EV range on a single charge.

Perhaps the most natural rival is actually the Toyota Corolla Estate, which is similarly priced but is a self-charging hybrid rather than a PHEV.

When it comes to the Seal 6 Saloon, it’s harder to find equivalent cars because they pretty much don’t exist - not with a PHEV powertrain, anyway.

The Skoda Octavia hatchback doesn’t come with the option of a plug-in hybrid engine, and neither does the Audi A3 Saloon, while the BMW 3 Series or Audi A5 are more expensive.

The Toyota Prius isn’t really a Saloon (it’s more of a hatchback) and has a lesser EV driving range than the Seal 6 Saloon, but might be worth considering.

BYD Seal 6 DM-i : Verdict

We reckon the BYD Seal 6 DM-i offers something pretty unique in the leasing market.

It’s a plug-in hybrid that either undercuts established German rivals or makes a brand-new niche for itself (in the case of the Saloon).

If you want soul-stirring performance, a plusher cabin, and a sportier ride quality, you might be tempted to stump-up the extra dosh and opt for alternatives from VW, Audi and BMW instead.

But, fair play to BYD, not just for bringing out a new estate when that particular body shape is currently out of favour, but for daring to think outside the box.

The Seal 6 isn't perfect and you’ll find more thrilling vehicles elsewhere. But as a tool for a job, to transport the dog after a muddy forest walk, or as a long-distance mile-muncher, it’s well up to the task.

BYD Seal 6 DM-i : Where to next?

View latest BYD Seal 6 DM-i lease deals. 

Call us on 0118 3048 688 or hit the green 'Enquire' button for more details.

Looking for a great leasing deal? Check out our incredible range of Special Offers and Lease Deals.

New family-sized Saloon or Estate? Read our latest Reviews and find the right model for you.

Want to know more about leasing? Take a look at our comprehensiveLeasing Guides.

Interested in everything motoring? Why not catch up on all the latest Car Leasing News.

**Score based on Select’s unique meta score analysis, taking into account the UK’s top leading independent car website reviews of the BYD Seal 6 DM-i.