BYD Seal Electric Sedan: First Drive Review

The BYD Seal might just be a bargain in the realm of luxury sedans this side of a crore

The BYD Seal is the newest electric sedan in the Indian market. Priced between Rs 41 lakh and 53 lakh (ex-showroom), it takes on the likes of established luxury carmakers like Mercedes, Audi and BMW, at a considerably lower price point.

So is there a caveat attached to the aggressive price or is the BYD Seal here to disrupt the luxury car market? Let’s find out:

Looks

The Seal’s styling is an amalgamation of form and function. The designers have managed to deliver a unique and premium look while also maintaining impressive aerodynamic efficiency (0.219Cd), which is crucial for an EV's range.

Although the car is a sedan, its sloping roofline gives it a fastback-like appearance,  which stands out from its contemporaries. The design isn't overly busy, but rather minimalistic with no unnecessary cuts and creases. Its low stance, 19-inch alloy wheels, and aggressive rear diffuser add a sporty touch to the design, enhancing the fastback demeanor.

One thing's clear: the Seal's design is undoubtedly unique and is bound to attract eyeballs, especially given the fact that people aren’t really aware about the BYD moniker and will be scratching their heads to figure out what this car is. The colour palette will certainly help it stand out: the Cosmos Black exterior hue looks ace, while the Arctic Blue looks dapper, and suits the elegant styling.

However, there are two potential downsides with this body style: ground clearance and ease of entry/exit. While we shall find out about the ground clearance later in the review, let’s talk about the ingress and egress.

Interior

Now the good thing is, despite the low roofline, your head will be safe when getting in and out of the car. However, the seat base is low, so it’ll take some additional effort for  the elderly. 

Now styling wise, the Seal’s cabin continues the exterior's elegance with a simple and clean dashboard design. The centerpiece is a large screen, which takes up even more real estate in horizontal mode. But personally, I found the gear knob to be the most premium aspect of the cabin.

It gets crystal elements inside – gives BMW iX-vibes – which is always GOOD! Even the surrounding buttons add to the overall aesthetic. In terms of quality, the Seal doesn't disappoint. You'll find some hard plastics lower down on the dashboard and around the central console, but elsewhere, there is a generous use of leatherette and soft-touch materials.

While the interior styling may not be quirky, the features and their experience certainly is. 

The large screen, for example, can rotate with the touch of a button. The AC controls are integrated within the screen and there are no physical vents for them. You have to control them via the screen itself and they also get an automatic swing option, so you don't have to constantly adjust them.

Some of these features may seem cool but tend to be slightly distracting while driving and aren’t the most practical to use on the go.

However, the comfort and space on offer is good enough for city as well as long distance journeys. The seats, while sporty, are comfortable with good cushioning and support and despite the all-black theme, the cabin feels airy and that is thanks to the fixed glass roof, which lets in plenty of natural light inside the cabin.

Rear Seat

Just like the front, the rear of the BYD Seal does not disappoint in terms of space. There’s good knee and head room on offer. The seat base, and even the back support is well cushioned, which adds to the comfort. However, it still isn’t perfect: the footroom is limited, and the elevated floor reduces under-thigh support, which means passengers can't stretch out to the fullest. 

BYD says it is a five-seater, and we’d agree, but only for short city runabouts. The rear will be best used to seat two to maximize comfort and convenience that the Seal has to offer. Because there’s plenty of the latter, thanks to rear AC vents, a central armrest, and two charging options (Type-A and Type-C).

Practicality

The Seal scores big on practicality. There are 1-litre bottle pockets on all four doors with an additional small space for your loose stuff. The central console provides two cup holders, one of which is height-adjustable. Ahead of this are two wireless charging spots, which can also be used for storing wallets or keys.

Perks of an EV – there’s ample space underneath the central panel as well and even the storage area beneath the central armrest is generous. The glovebox too is packing plenty of stowage room and even the rear passengers also have a few storage options, which comes in the form of multiple seatback pockets and a phone pocket below the AC vent. Of course, the central armrest gets two cup holders.

For charging, there is a 12V socket, a Type-A and a Type-C ports at the front as well as at the rear (no 12 V socket).

Boot Space

The BYD Seal provides ample space for a family weekend getaway with its 400-litre boot. It’ll be utilised to the fullest by using small or medium sized suitcases instead of full sized ones. If needed, you can fold the seats down as they get a 60:40 split.

Additionally, there’s also a 50-litre frunk up front, which can store a small duffle bag or a couple of laptop bags. There’s a dedicated space underneath the boot floor for storing your charger so it doesn’t eat up into the rest of the boot.

Features

The BYD Seal offers you all the features, if not more, that you'd expect of a car costing between 50+ lakh.

15.6-inch infotainment system: The 15.6-inch touchscreen system certainly is impressive, not just because it can rotate, but also because it actually is user-friendly. The resolution is sharp and there’s no delay or lag whatsoever. The AC controls are embedded within this screen, and thankfully, you don’t have to navigate through several menus to access them, as they're always present on the screen somewhere or the other. Still, nothing replaces physical dials and buttons.

10.25-inch digital driver’s display: While not the biggest in size, the Seal’s driver’s display is very nice to use. It has crisp graphics, offers multiple layouts, and despite relaying a host of information at once, it isn’t hard to read. It can also act as the interface for climate control - displaying the AC temperature - which can be changed through the steering mounted controls. Avoids the need to use the main screen, which is inconvenient while driving.

360-degree camera: Accurate, crisp, and good frame rate. The surround view camera on the BYD Seal makes parking the car, or driving it in tight spaces really easy. It offers multiple views, and can even show you what’s underneath the car! Best part is that you can access it while driving, just by the tap of a button on the steering wheel. Convenience 101.

Safety

Standard safety features in the BYD Seal include nine airbags, traction control, hill hold assist, front and rear parking sensors, 360-degree camera and level-2 ADAS features. While the safety kit is extensive and even the ADAS kit packs quite the features, we didn’t really get time to test the potential of those autonomous driving features. 

But irrespective of the ADAS features being India-friendly or not, the Seal had received a full five-star safety rating for Euro NCAP back in 2023. 

Performance

The BYD Seal is easy to drive and, being an EV, the experience is refined too. We tested the most powerful performance variant, and the numbers don't lie – this car doesn't lack performance in any scenario.

With 530PS and 670Nm on tap, instantly, city and highway overtakes happen effortlessly. The car accelerates quickly, often without you realizing that you've reached 100-120 kmph. It indeed is a quick car, no doubt. Yet, the acceleration doesn’t feel jerky, doesn’t feel scary – even in sports mode.

It gets three driving modes - Eco, City and Sports. These modes not only adjust the throttle response but also the level of regenerative braking. In eco mode, you get maximum regeneration, and in normal mode, the regen feels natural for city use. Although, you can also tweak the level of regen as per your requirement, irrespective of the mode you are in.

This performance variant offers a claimed range of 580 km, and with fast charging capabilities, you can use this car for road trips and long-distance journeys with some planning. 

Ride & Handling

Road trips are genuinely doable with this car and that is also a result of its balanced ride quality. The ride is comfortable at all speeds, and it absorbs small bumps or speed breakers with ease. It’s only the bigger and sharper speed breakers and bumps that you have to be careful of due to its lower ground clearance. 

At high speeds, the car can scrape underneath, and its low-profile tires could sustain cuts. So it is best to go a little extra slow over the occasional missized speed breaker.

Handling wise, we didn’t really get to carve any corners with the Seal. Most of our driving was done on straight roads, where the Seal impressed us with how planted and stable it was. On the few corners we encountered, the Seal maintained its composure and felt safe even at higher speeds. It may not be sports car-exciting, but it is predictable nonetheless.

So the ride and handling of the BYD Seal is well balanced and won’t leave you complaining, provided that you’re extra careful on those extra potholes or speed breakers.

Verdict

It is safe to say, the BYD Seal offers a highly attractive package, and its appeal becomes even stronger due to its price ballpark. The car not only looks and feels premium, but also drives premium – like a car that’s above its price point. It certainly excels when it comes to space, comfort, the convenience features on offer and of course the addictive performance.  

Yes, rear seat comfort could have been better, and you will be stressing about its ground clearance from time to time. But if your usage of rear seats and travel on really bad roads is limited, then the Seal won’t give you much to complain about.

So does it ‘Seal the deal’? Well, picking it over an established luxury carmaker won’t mean you’re compromising on anything – that is, if you can keep the sentiments aside and look beyond its country of origin. Because not only will you get a unique car in your garage, but also one that can destroy cars (in terms of performance) twice or thrice its price.