Say hello to…
…the BYD Seal-U, a plug-in hybrid family SUV, not to be confused with the BYD Seal (no U) which is an all-electric family saloon. BYD is one of the growing number of Chinese new entrant brands and aims to sell 60,000 cars in the UK in 2025. The Seal-U is BYD’s first non-BEV to arrive here.
BYD is offering the Seal-U in two trim levels of the PHEV, but these use different engines (although both are 1.5-litre petrols) coupled to an 18.3kWh battery and motor.
The front-drive Boost has a combined power output of 218hp, while the four-wheel drive Design has a combined power output of 324hp.
- Boost
- Design
Standard equipment on the Boost includes metallic paint, 19-inch alloys, power fold door mirrors, rear privacy glass, vegan leather upholstery, powered driver’s seat with memory, powered passenger seat, 15.6-inch infotainment screen, head up display, 4x USB sockets, wireless phone charging, Android Auto, Applye CarPlay, drive modes, keyless entry and start, 360-degree camera, adaptive cruise control and parking sensors front and rear.
Design adds sand and mud drive modes and all-wheel drive.
Is The BYD Seal-U Suitable For My Fleet
On paper the BYD Seal looks like everything is working in its favour for a fleet sales win. The boot’s a healthy 425 litres, the EV range is an impressive 61 miles (and we found that over 50 in the real world was eminently possible). The equipment list is very extensive and the p11D price is below £40,000.
What’s more the fit and finish of the interior materials is good too.
However, our car suffered a few electrical gremlins including an alarm that went off at random when the car was locked (and on one occasion the driver’s window mysteriously lowered), the hazard warning lights activated at random when driving and the air-conditioning had a mind of its own when it came to the temperature and the recirculation.
BYD’s six-year/93,750 mile warranty would cover these things and our car may have been an exception, but it didn’t help our confidence.
Leasing A BYD Seal-U
Intelligent Car Leasing is offering the BYD Seal-U Design for £470 a month on a 3+36 contract with 10,000 miles a year. Forecast maintenance costs come in at a reasonable £47 per month, according to Gensen Reports.
Driving A BYD Seal-U
Every BYD that FleetandLeasing.com has driven has been better than the one before. The speed with which improvements are being made to the way the cars drive and the interior finish will shock traditional brands.
The Seal-U is no exception, yes, ours had a few random electrical problems, but the cabin felt well-made and the visible materials were good.
Out on the road the Seal-U is comfortable and relatively refined particularly over the UK’s typically potholed roads. Body control could be better, but softer suspension is better than harder in a family SUV like this.
With the large battery range of more than 50 miles, the engine only really cuts in on longer motorway trips, so a lot of the time you’re on electric-only power.
However, for those that do go further, the BYD has an exceptionally large petrol tank for a PHEV at 60 litres. Most rivals top out at 45 litres. This means that with a full battery and full fuel tank you can see a range reading in excess of 600 miles.
The 324hp Design trim level version we drove was also more than quick enough to handle longer motorway runs too.
Space inside is good too, with plenty of room in the rear for three adults, although the high boot floor can mean there’s not much under-thigh support for taller passengers.
FleetandLeasing.com Verdict On The BYD Seal-U
At this price point the BYD Seal-U is a compelling proposition.
BYD Seal-U
- Model: Seal-U Design
- Power: 324hp
- Torque: 550Nm
- Max speed: 112mph
- 0-62mph: 5.9s
- Official range: 61 miles
- Test range: 54 miles
- Official fuel efficiency: 235.4mpg
- Test fuel efficiency: 43.3mpg
- CO2 emissions: 26g/km
- BIK tax band 2024/25: 8%
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