mPreview: BYD Sealion 6 PHEV – Cornering The Market

We tried out the BYD Sealion 6 DM-i, the first petrol-powered car available from the brand in Singapore, featuring a plug-in hybrid powertrain that provides both combustion and electric propulsion.

At long last, Chinese automaking giant BYD has brought one of its plug-in hybrid passenger cars to our shores to continue its pursuit of total domination of Singapore’s car market. Their newest offering comes in the shape of the Sealion 6 DM-i, essentially a plug-in hybrid version of the Sealion 7 EV.

To put its latest product to the test, BYD invited us and a bunch of other media on a 1,300km journey around Malaysia, showcasing the capabilities of the Sealion 6 in various driving scenarios. Our route would take us from the BYD flagship showroom up to Genting, across to Kuantan, and back to Melaka, before returning to Singapore. 

With a claimed range of over 1,000km and an electric-only range of 92km from its 18.3kWh battery, the Sealion 6 eliminates any fears of range anxiety while still being a more environmentally-friendly option than pure combustion. We averaged around 15km/L of fuel consumption over the course of our roadtrip, which included B-roads, highway cruising, city driving, and a romp up Genting Highlands. 

The first BYD passenger car in Singapore with a real engine bay.

The naturally aspirated 1.5-litre, 4-cylinder is paired with an electric motor on the front axle to provide 214hp and 300Nm of torque, enough to get the Sealion 6 from 0-100km/h in 8.5 seconds. That’s not especially quick but power is delivered smoothly and transitioned seamlessly between electric and petrol propulsion. 

The Sealion 6 was capable and comfortable even on the Genting mountain roads.

As an aside, the engine may be able to power the wheels directly but it usually serves as more of a range extender, letting the motor handle the bulk of the movement. The car won’t let the battery go to zero and the engine kicks in once the battery level is low to recharge it. 

However, as we found out during our run up to Genting Highlands, once the battery is depleted, the Sealion 6 will run on pure engine power, which isn’t all that much especially when compared to its direct competitor, the Jaecoo J7 PHEV. Ventilated seats in the front, very comfortable seats in the rear.

The J7 has more power and more range than the Sealion 6 (though the J7 is also using a BYD Blade battery) but I personally feel that the Sealion 6 dynamically works better than the J7 does, especially when it comes to brake feel. The Sealion 6 has a very natural feel on the pedal even when using the regenerative braking, and is therefore much more confidence-inspiring under braking than the J7 is. 

In terms of ride quality, the Sealion 6 comes with BYD's DiSUS suspension but in the Sealion 6, this is not an adaptive system. However, it still soaks up the bumps very well and provides its occupants with a supple and gentle ride, evidenced by my passengers constantly sleeping whenever I was at the wheel. 

Appearance-wise, the Sealion 6 looks largely similar to the Sealion 7, with some minor changes to the front and rear fascias to distinguish it from its electric sibling. It’s an inoffensive look and one that wouldn’t feel out of place in any carpark. It’s also a fairly large vehicle, offering gobs of space for both passengers and cargo. 

Many barang, much space, wow.

The Sealion 6’s interior is also as well-sorted as you might expect from BYDs these days. The boot is massive, managing to fit four people’s worth of luggage and camera gear with minimal Tetris-ing. Standard equipment is also plentiful and generous, with a panoramic sunroof, ventilated seats, Infinity by Harmon Kardon sound system, and many more goodies included in the price.

Speaking of price, the Sealion 6 is set to retail for a little above what the single-motor Sealion 7 EV costs, which means prices should start at around S$208k-S$210k including COE. We all know how aggressive and successful BYD has been so far with a solely EV product range so with the introduction of a new plug-in hybrid model that opens up an entirely new customer base, one has to feel like BYD is coming in guns blazing to scoop up even more market share.

We’ll find out more once the car launches officially on 16 July but for now, if you’ve been interested in the BYD buzz but can’t commit to the fully electric lifestyle, perhaps the Sealion 6 is the car you’ve been waiting for. 

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