More than just a Seal with added ground clearance, this crossover has some key improvements.
With the BYD Sealion 7, the Chinese brand has truly cemented its position as a high-end EV maker in the Indian marketplace.
Its first two offerings, the e6 (now evolved into the eMax 7) and the Atto 3, took a while to gain traction for various reasons, while the Seal sedan was the first sign that this was a brand intent on upsetting the established order.
The Sealion 7 is the Seal’s crossover counterpart, and though the two share some similarities, there are tangible improvements in key areas that give the newer model a much broader appeal.
BYD Sealion 7 exterior design
170mm ground clearance
For one, it’s an SUV, and that fact in and of itself will endear it to many more buyers, but the more practical consideration is ground clearance, which is now up to 170mm from the Seal’s 145mm.
That aside, though, it’s not a traditional SUV in its proportions, which lean heavily towards the coupe SUV or crossover end of the spectrum.
2.9-metre wheelbase
At 4.8 metres long with a 2.9-metre wheelbase, it’s not a small car, but its sloping roof and tightly skinned curves make it appear a lot more compact than it actually is.
To these eyes, though it uses an evolved version of the Seal’s design language, dubbed ‘Ocean X’, the proportions aren’t quite as appealing as the sedan’s, particularly its taller nose, which carries a lot of visual bulk.
19- and 20-inch wheels
This is offset somewhat by the generous use of contrast black trim, particularly around the large wheel arches that house 19-inch wheels (20-inchers on the AWD version) and a huge diffuser that’s cut into the rear bumper.
BYD Sealion 7 interior space and comfort
The Sealion 7’s interior design is not as characterful as the Seal’s, with a conventional-looking rectangular central console and a horizontal and flat dashboard, which does at least integrate some interesting ambient lighting elements.
15.6-inch rotating touchscreen
The digital driver’s display is incorporated into that flat panel, and making a return is the signature rotating touchscreen, which stretches the tape at 15.6 inches across.
What impresses the most, once again, is the cabin quality and fit and finish, which are truly on par with the best luxury brands and, in certain areas, surpass them.
Quality as good as luxury cars
There’s soft-touch material on even the lower half of the dashboard, and you have to scratch around the footwell to find a rough plastic bit.
Panel fit is tight across the board, save for a few ill-fitting panels on the door, and though pretty straightforward in its design, the cabin is not without a few quirks, like the door ‘handles’, which are more like lift-up flaps.
Comfortable seats with generous cushioning
The front seats are supremely comfortable (and ventilated), with a nice mix of firm and soft cushioning in just the right places.
Big glass area gives a spacious feeling
You’re seated quite low relative to the window line, but there’s a large glass area that gives a good sense of airiness; window blinds would have helped, though.
BYD Sealion 7 features and safety
Large fixed glass roof with sunshade
Speaking of glass, a huge fixed glass panel stretches the length and width of the roof, but unlike in the Seal, you get a powered roller blind to block out the sun on really hot days. Another small but helpful change is that the AC vents are regular, manually controlled in the Sealion, and not electronically adjusted like in the Seal.
Driver’s display is cluttered
The screens, as before, are extremely slick with high-resolution graphics; however, the driver’s display features an extremely cluttered layout with far too much information thrown at you, which is distracting.
There is a heads-up display, too, and while it’s high in resolution, it, too, places far too much data in your field of view. The touchscreen, thankfully, has an improved UI, but we wish BYD hadn’t stuffed so many basic functions into it.
BYD Sealion 7 feature highlights
The Sealion 7 is very well-equipped, with the likes of wireless smartphone integration, a punchy 12-speaker Dynaudio music system, powered and ventilated front seats, automatic headlamps and wipers, a gesture-controlled powered tailgate, dynamic ambient lighting, dual-zone climate control, a ventilated wireless phone charger, and more.
11 airbags, Level 2 ADAS
On the safety front, there are 11 airbags, including one between the front seats and two for the rear side bolsters as well.
There’s also ADAS with Level 2 autonomous driving, one of the clearest 360-degree cameras around, and a driver attention monitor that’s way too sensitive, given the sheer number of distractions in the touchscreen alone.
BYD Sealion 7 battery, range and charging
Unlike the Seal, the Sealion 7 just gets a single battery option – the larger 82.56kWh pack that uses BYD’s standard-setting Blade Cell LFP technology.
Up to 567km range
However, with two powertrain options, there are two sets of range figures as well – 567km (NEDC) for the single-motor version and 542km for the more powerful (and 100kg heavier) dual-motor variant.
BYD cars, in our experience, come close to their claimed range figures, and though we weren’t able to do a full range test on this short drive, our mixed driving conditions still yielded an equivalent range of close to 500km on the single-motor version.
7kW wallbox charger provided
On a DC fast charger, the battery can be charged at speeds up to an impressive 150kW, while on an AC fast charger, it can do 11kW. But disappointingly, the home wallbox charger BYD supplies maxes out at just 7kW, which is slow for such a large battery.
The Sealion 7, like other BYD models, features a vehicle-to-load (VTL) function that lets you charge other devices, such as speakers, electric stoves, lamps and camping gear, off the car’s battery.
BYD Sealion 7 driving impressions
We were able to spend some time with both versions of the Sealion 7, and there are some clear distinctions in the driving experience.
Dual-motor version makes 530hp
The AWD dual-motor version packs a substantial 530hp and 690Nm, allowing for a 0-100kph sprint in just 4.5 seconds, a figure we were able to achieve and verify on our VBOX testing gear.
You can feel that performance advantage instantly and in any drive mode, but as you drive it longer, what you appreciate more is how tidily the AWD version puts down its power.
The RWD has ‘only’ 310hp and 380Nm, but in everyday driving, these outputs feel more than ample for a luxury car of this size.
Smooth, progressive power delivery
At low and medium speeds, both versions serve up a smooth and progressive power delivery, much unlike the flat or spiky shot of acceleration we are used to from most electric cars, which is welcome.
However, once you get into triple-digit speeds, while the powertrain itself is silent (no artificially generated sound here), you start to hear more of the outside world, particularly at the rear, as while the front windows are double-glazed for better insulation, the rear ones are not.
| BYD Sealion 7: Acceleration from rest | |
|---|---|
| Speed (kph) | Time (seconds) |
| 20 | 0.81 |
| 40 | 1.60 |
| 60 | 2.38 |
| 80 | 3.29 |
| 100 | 4.50 |
Not as sporty as the Seal sedan
The Sealion 7 makes no pretence of being a sporty handler. Where the low-slung Seal sedan feels sharp and agile going around a corner at speed, the SUV rolls quite a bit, and you instantly feel the weight and higher centre of gravity.
This is not a bad thing, of course, as it only serves to elucidate the Sealion’s positioning as a comfortable luxury car and not a sports model, although its ultra-responsive and quick steering is somewhat at odds with this philosophy.
Composed and comfortable ride
The ride has a slight firmness to it, something we usually expect from a European car, but on balance, this is better suited to managing the 2.3-tonne mass than an outright soft suspension setup.
A slight spoilsport is the wheels, which tend to register a ‘thump’ as they go over bumps – something that’s more pronounced with the 20-inch set that comes on the dual-motor version.
2025 BYD Sealion 7 price and verdict
The BYD Sealion 7 is the perfect answer for those buyers who were intrigued by the prospect of the Seal but stayed away because of the ground clearance or sedan form factor.
Reasons to buy a BYD Sealion 7
It brings back what we loved – most notably the plush, well-put-together cabin, which genuinely feels right on par with a European luxury car.
BYD’s powertrain expertise shows in the smoothness and sophistication of the power delivery and how keenly the Blade Cell LFP battery clings on to every electron, maximising the range.
There’s a lot of tech in the Sealion 7, be it for infotainment, safety or everyday comfort and convenience, and while all of it is useful, we wish some of it was presented in a more user-friendly manner.
BYD Sealion 7 price and rivals
At an estimated price of Rs 55-60 lakh (ex-showroom), the BYD Sealion 7 confidently wades into the crowded space of electric cars in India, armed with the latest tech and know-how.
Similarly priced crossovers include the Kia EV6, Volvo C40 Recharge and Mercedes-Benz EQA, of which the Kia comes closest in size and specs.
BYD’s sales and service network is small compared to these established brands, but it is growing, as is the ready availability of cars.
As for the product itself, on first impressions at least, it’s one of the best of its kind at the price, and a premium electric car buyer should definitely have it on their shortlist.
Also see:
