The BYD Sealion 6 is a very enticing option in the market today. Great SUV space, plush cabin, modern tech, and the hybrid technology that is very fuel efficient is just so hard to pass up on. You’re certainly getting more than your money’s worth with it but the price point is still pretty steep. They have something more attainable but it’s a sedan. If you want the same Sealion 6 silhouette but more attainable, you’re in luck.
BYD could have given us a stripped-out Sealion 6 and called it a day. Instead, we have the all-new Sealion 5 DM-i. With an SRP of PHP 1,248,000 (and an introductory price of PHP 1,198,000), it certainly is a more attainable hybrid SUV from the brand. However, the features are a mix of ups and downs. Will it still be a hat trick for BYD’s DM-i technology in the Philippines?
We drove the all-new Sealion 5 DM-i from Ayala Malls Manila Bay to Subic. Once there, we went from place to place, indulging ourselves with Subic’s poorly maintained asphalt in the less glamorous roads.
Design-wise, the Sealion 5 is vastly different from the other DM-i cars. It doesn’t have the signature whiskers like in the Seal 5 sedan and Sealion 6. Instead, it utilized the look of EVs like the Atto 3 and eMAX 7. Only it looks dated unlike those 2. The front end isn’t as nice while the rear is bland. It’s not something I’ll look back on if I park it.
I’ll be drooling everytime I open the door though. Its cabin layout was taken straight out of the SL6, though modified. It has a different, sizable shifter and the center console layout is different. The materials in the cabin are nice. The seemingly hard plastic at the top of the dash is soft padded, the cloth like accent under the screen is fabric like, while most touch points are clad in soft touch or padded leather. There are gloss black trims but hey, at least they’re not as plentiful as in other cars.
The cabin also had surprises for me. First is the relatively small 10.1-inch rotating touchscreen compared to the 15 and 12 inches of the other DM-i cars. Once you use it, you’ll find that it’s also not as responsive as that in the others. Other misses are the manual driver’s seat, no sunroof even for the front section, and no 360-camera. In fact, there’s no Advanced Driver Assist System for the Sealion 5.
The rear seats are very comfortable. I just wish BYD took the effort to put the air vents on the ceiling since there’s no panoramic sunroof anymore. I hate moving my knee just so the air from the rear air vents can reach my upper body. But the combination of a cool dedicated air, the comfortable seats, center armrest, adjustable backrest, and the second row will put you to sleep in no time at all. Ask me how I know.
On the road, the passenger experience inside the Sealion 5 is almost sublime. The cabin is quiet, the rear air corresponds to the settings upfront so it also gets cooler and stronger, the seats are plush, and there’s just a lot of space for all the rooms. Legroom, headroom, elbowroom, footroom are all in abundance. In fact, me and my fellow wide body colleague both sat upfront and it was surprisingly comfortable. That’s how wide this Sealion 5 is.
The only challenge for the Sealion 5 on the road is ride comfort. The suspension is too firm for my liking that I can feel most bumps on the road. It doesn’t reach my head so it’s not dizzying, nor is it as rattling as a pickup, but I’ve seen better rides from this price point. On the upside, that made the car stable on corners even if taken at a bit of speed.
Once I’m on the driver’s seat, I realized all those misses weren’t really a big deal. I don’t adjust my seat every hour, the cars I’ve driven with a sunroof are almost always closed, and the car isn’t so big that I’ll need a 360-camera system for maneuvering even in tight spots.
The issue with the infotainment system only became a problem because there’s initially three drivers on this car so we have different settings for the seats, touchscreen, etc. Personally, I don’t fiddle with the temperature in the middle of the drive nor do I click the touchscreen for Apple CarPlay. The ones I use the most are the music buttons on the steering wheel which are no problem at all.
Best of all, the Sealion 5 isn’t that far behind the SL6 in terms of power and capability. While the SL6 has 197PS/325Nm, the Sealion 5 has 197PS/300Nm. You won’t feel that difference even on the steepest uphill road.
If you’re worried about range, the Sealion 5 can still easily go past 1,000 km with a full charge and full tank of gas. Our car, despite having 3 big guys (that equal the weight of five regular people) on the first day, was still able to get 20 km/l despite running at the speed limit. The winning car for the fuel efficiency challenge that also has 3 people inside and ran at the same speed was able to eke out 21.2 km/l.
BYD may have compromised a bit to make the price point, but it doesn’t make the Sealion 5 bland by any means. It still has a lot of creature comforts like Dual Zone Climate Control, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Keyless Entry System, Cruise Control, and Tire Pressure Monitoring among others. Ultimately, the Sealion 5 hits you where it matters most – in your pocket.
Objectively and personally, fuel efficiency matters a lot and the Sealion 5 aces that. 20 km/l with the weight of 5 people running at 100km/h, a combined range of over 1,000 km – these are not simple feats.
Its size, efficiency, and comfort makes for a compelling package. Combined with its taller nature, it may be the most practical car right now in BYD’s lineup. In fact, it could be a bigger hit than the Sealion 6.
