2024 BYD Sealion 6 PHEV (Seal U): Toyota RAV4 Hybrid rival coming to Australia

BYD Seal U becomes Sealion 6

The newly named 2024 BYD Sealion 6 midsize plug-in hybrid SUV has moved closer to its Australian launch.

Details of the new model are under embargo, but its Australian name was confirmed after updated government approval documents appeared online.

Oddly, while the SUV formerly known as the Seal U has likely been renamed here simply to avoid confusion with the existing Seal sedan, an unrelated Sea Lion 7 model (styled as two words rather than the local one word) was unveiled in November last year.

In Europe, the Seal U is sold alongside the Seal sedan as the Seal U DM-I – the DM stands for Dual Mode (petrol-electric), but the purpose of the I is unclear – while Chinese-market buyers know it as the Song Plus.

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The Australian government documents confirm two grades of the Sealion 6 will be available at launch: Dynamic and Premium.

The front-wheel-drive 2024 BYD Sealion 6 Dynamic will deliver 160kW total system output from a 72kW 1.5-litre non-turbo four-cylinder petrol engine and a 145kW front-mounted electric motor.

The all-wheel-drive 2024 BYD Sealion 6 Premium will swap in a 98kW petrol engine, along with a 150kW front electric motor and a 120kW rear electric motor, for a 238kW total system output.

Under the skin, all versions have an 18.3kWh lithium-iron-phosphate 'blade' battery – compared to 20kWh in the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, 17.8kWh in the Mazda CX-60 PHEV and 16.6kWh in the MG HS PHEV – allowing for a 30 to 80 per cent top-up in 35 minutes on an 18kW DC fast-charger. It also has vehicle-to-load functionality.

An electric-only driving range or combined fuel consumption figures have not been confirmed for either Sealion 6 variant.

A pure battery-electric version of the Sealion 6 is currently limited to left-hand drive markets, including China and Europe, where it rivals the world’s best-selling EV, the Tesla Model Y.

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Positioned as a five-seat midsize SUV, the Sealion 6 is similar in size to a plug-in hybrid Mitsubishi Outlander or Mazda CX-60 – and slightly larger than Australia’s top-selling hybrid car, the Toyota RAV4 – at 4775mm long, 1890mm wide and 1670mm tall, with a 2765mm wheelbase.

Boot space is rated at 552 litres with the second-row in place or 1440L with the rear seats folded down.

Features available overseas include 19-inch alloy wheels, LED exterior lighting, leather-accented upholstery, a wireless phone charger, a 15.6-inch rotating infotainment system, over-the-air software updates, and an Infinity audio system.

The Sealion 6 also includes ambient lighting, a 360-degree camera system, and key active safety features such as autonomous emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, safe exit assist, and adaptive cruise control.

Australian details for the 2024 BYD Sealion 6 – including pricing and full specifications – are due to be confirmed on Thursday, May 16.

How much will the Sealion 6 cost in Australia?

The Sealion 6 is likely to be priced above the $43,690 drive-away MG HS PHEV (marketed cheekily as the HS Plus EV), but below the cheapest Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, which costs around $62,000 drive-away.