New BYD Seal 6 2025 review: talented estate should have BMW worried

Hop into the back and passengers are treated to acres of kneeroom. That ability to stretch out in front offsets the fact that headroom is merely okay, and the low seat base relative to the floor means that under-thigh support isn’t the best I’ve come across. A 500-litre boot is competitive for an estate with a PHEV powertrain. 

Much like the rest of BYD’s family, standard equipment levels are far from meagre. The Boost gets metallic paint, LED headlights, 17-inch alloy wheels, electric front seats, rear parking sensors and a reversing camera. Touring versions also get a powered tailgate.

The Comfort ups the ante further, beginning with larger wheels and touchscreen – rising to 15.6 and 18 inches respectively, It also adds a heated steering wheel, puddle lights, rear privacy glass and 50kW wireless smartphone charging.

A host of safety systems are available, and the bonging from each of them is a constant reminder. Like other BYDs I’ve tried, the driver attention warning is the most irritating of the lot – even a deliberate look into the rear-view mirror can make the system throw a tantrum. Fortunately, it can be switched off.

So how does all of this compare to the competition? Well on paper, the most obvious rival to the Seal 6 DM-i is the Volkswagen Passat eHybrid. VW’s PHEV offering is very slightly longer and its boot is slightly larger at 510 litres. Its performance and EV range are also up at 201bhp (enough for an 8.1-second 0-62mph time – less for the 268bhp option) and there’s up to 82 miles of EV range. Of course, unlike the Passat, the BYD is available in both saloon and estate body styles. 

BYD is yet to confirm prices for the UK market, but it’s safe to say that it’s going to cost quite a bit more than the eyebrow-raising £14,000 or so that it costs in China, where reports suggest that a price war among local manufacturers is getting a little out of hand. Still, figures here are shaping up to be very competitive relative to the alternatives.  

The Boost is expected to start from around £33,000, with the top spec Comfort Touring (estate models are expected to cost around £2,000 more than the saloons) climbing towards £38,000. That looks promising beside the Volkswagen Passat, which starts from £43,800 and climbs beyond £50,000 in its top spec.