Time flies. It's creeping up on two years since 'the biggest car brand you've never heard of' took to the airwaves to tell us of its plans to take over the European car scene, with low-cost, high-quality electric vehicles.
First to these shores came the mid-size Atto 3 SUV (a hit ), then the small, sub-€30k Dolphin (another hit ), followed by the Tesla-killing Seal (a huge hit, and a real statement of intent ).
More BYD dealerships are popping up around the country, with rising sales figures leaving the traditional brands sweating. No longer unheard of, and a new tagline is certainly needed.
BYD – or Build Your Dreams – has shown us it can make quality, affordable EVs in all shapes and sizes. Now the brand is having a go at mixing it in the highly competitive hybrid segment, through the recent addition of the BYD Seal U Super Hybrid.
In a nutshell, this plug-in hybrid comes fully loaded, can do over 1,000km, and only costs just over €42k. It's serious bang for your buck.
The Seal U is equipped with BYD's self-developed 215bhp, 1.5-litre petrol engine, paired with an 18.3 kWh cobalt-free blade battery, which can do around 80km in EV mode. Its 0-100 km/h time is 8.9 seconds, while top speed is 170 km/h. It also comes with 18kW DC fast charging capability of 30 to 80 per cent in just 35 minutes, and 11kW AC charging for a wall box at home.
Sitting on 19-inch Continental tyres, the Seal U's driving dynamics is a mixed bag. Suspension is cushy while the car is adequately set up for cruising, but steering can be quite vague at times. Expect an average fuel consumption of around 7.0L/100km.
The entry-level 'Boost' model (tested here ) puts many other top-level trims to shame.
As standard in the BYD Seal U is an electric sliding sunroof, air conditioning and purification, heated seats front and rear, heated steering wheel, ambient lighting, keyless entry, noise and vibration reduction, advanced heads-up technology displaying critical data on the windscreen, and a cutting-edge sound system.
All versions come with a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster together with BYD's signature rotatable 15.6-inch centre touchscreen. The crystal gear selector is another nice touch. Standard safety features include Blind Spot Detection, Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Change Assist, and Rear Cross Traffic Alert.
Despite being combustion-powered, the BYD Seal U boasts a flat floor with generous legroom for up to five occupants. A 425-litre boot is far from segment-leading, but it does extend to a spacious 1,440-litres with the rear seats dropped. As standard also is vehicle-to-load (V2L ) technology which can be used to charge external devices. The overall quality of the interior is impressive for its price.
From €42,150, the BYD Seal U is a serious contender for those looking for a quality, cost-effective family SUV, but aren't ready to take the leap to full electric driving. BYD sold 236 units of the Seal U in January, so it's off to a good start.
Available in BYD Galway at Cunningham Autopoint, Carnmore, Galway, phone 091 383000 .
