mReview: BYD Sealion 7 Premium – Hello, Goldilocks

The BYD Sealion 7 Premium is the mid-range, Goldilocks model in the Sealion range, combining the best of performance, features, and affordability. 

We covered the new Sealion 7 electric SUV a little while ago and were rather impressed by it. The variant we tested then was the top-flight, Performance model with dual motors and a heap of power. 

We covered all the main bits of the Sealion 7 in that story, which you can read here, but what if you don’t need all that power, and of course, the hefty road tax bill that comes with it?                                

Well, BYD has an alternative option for you, and it comes in the shape of the Sealion 7 Premium, the mid-range model with a single motor on the rear axle, outputting 308hp and 380Nm compared to the Performance’s 523hp and 690Nm. 

Ventilated front seats wrapped in Nappa leather to keep your tushy cool and comfy.

In fact, the only thing the Performance variant of the Sealion 7 has that the Premium doesn’t are the additional motor and 20-inch rims (you get 19-inch ones on the Premium). The rest of the car, inside and out, is identical. 

This means that you get the larger 82.5kWh battery for up to 480km of range on a full charge, a must-have feature in my book. Just as they are on the Performance trim, also included as standard are the 12-speaker DYNAUDIO sound system, Nappa leather seats with memory function for the driver, and heads-up display. 

A fully flat floor means nobody has to straddle or clamber over a tunnel in the back.

All other features like the 360° camera, panoramic roof, double-glazed glass, ventilated front seats, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and the entire suite of driver safety and assistance features, are all standard equipment regardless of trim level.

Loads of boot space with an electric tailgate, of course.

The Premium is truly the Goldilocks variant for the Sealion 7, as it features all the best features that the model range has to offer at a much friendlier price than the top-spec variant. Don’t forget, at $2,264, the Premium’s annual road tax is less than half of what you’d have to pay for the Performance. 

Check out our original story for a more detailed look at the Sealion 7 platform, but if you’ve already decided that you want one, then perhaps now you know which variant to pull the trigger on. I know which one I’d pick. 

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