BYD Seal 6 Touring Premium review: low rising

Cool-looking station wagons are making a comeback, partly due to the extra flexibility offered by electrified platforms and technology. When so much is shared underneath between different cars, it's easier to spin new shapes around the same basic ingredients.

A lot of new plug-in wagons are pretty high-end. The Toyota bZ4X Touring and Subaru Trailseeker are dual-motor performance monsters, the forthcoming Zeekr 7GT and Denza Z9GT are premium shooting-brake-type things and even Polestar has turned the 4 into a wagon.

All excellent stuff, but perhaps not a lot there for the electrified-wagon enthusiast on more of a budget. Which might be where the BYD Seal 6 Touring comes in. It's not a showcase for outrageous style, but it's low and undeniably handsome. It certainly looks pretty sleek next to BYD's SUVs.

It's also just $55,990 in the single (top-end) Premium specification available in New Zealand, with BYD's DM-i super hybrid technology giving 125km EV range and an impressive 1300km total (WLTP) as a hybrid.

It's not claiming to be an exotic addition to the local market, but the Seal 6 Touring sits in a nice little niche of its own.

Despite the name and look, this model has very little to do with the Seal sedan, which is pure-electric. The Seal 6 Touring (there's also a Seal 6 sedan in other markets to make things even more confusing) is closer in mechanical terms to BYD's other DM-i models, like the Sealion 5 and Sealion 6. But lower, much lower.

On the outside: what are the BYD Seal 6 Touring Premium's main design features?

The Seal 6 Touring's sporty shape is a combination of length (it's 240mm longer than a Toyota RAV4, for example) and that low roof height (since we're talking RAV4, Seal 6 is 175mm lower).

It wears completely black alloys in some other markets, and they look great. Just some style suggestions from us. You're welcome.

If you thought it still looked a bit BYD-blobby at the front we wouldn't disagree, but it's pretty sharp-looking in profile and the "pinched" tail light/light bar arrangement works really well with the tiny rear window.

It's a colour-sensitive thing. Which is largely a matter of taste of course, but we're not convinced this Atlantis Grey, a $990 option, is the best choice (weirdly, it looks really good on the Sealion 5 SUV).

We reckon the Seal 6 Touring looks great in black or white; it also wears completely black alloys in some other markets, and they really emphasise the low body profile. Just some style suggestions from the Driven Car Guide team. You're welcome.

OVERVIEW

On the inside: what's the BYD Seal 6 Touring Premium cabin like?

It's familiar BYD design and cabin architecture here, and that's no bad thing. The company has its blend of digital controls and physical switchgear pretty well sorted. The infotainment screen is a decent but not overbearing size (12.8 inches) and the OS is intuitive, with a permanent dock along the bottom for climate and other often-used functions.

It has a 360-degree camera system... which you need, because the view out of the letterbox-sized rear window is not brilliant. That's the price of style.

In addition, you always have BYD's excellent voice assistant to draw on if you don't want to push or click for cabin functions.

Being Premium specification (BYD NZ didn't follow through on its initial idea of a basic Essential version for fleets), the Seal 6 Touring is pretty well kitted-up, with heated/ventilated front seats, panoramic glass roof, power tailgate and 360-degree camera system... which you need, because the view out of the letterbox-sized rear window is not brilliant. That's the price of style.

Being front-drive and on an electrified platform also means the generous rear seat space is complemented by a flat floor, so it's a genuinely welcoming environment... as long as your passengers are not addicted to the higher view out of SUVs.

The 670-litre boot is very generous for this segment and the rear seat is split 60/40, but with a separate ski hatch in the centre.

INTERIOR

On the road: what's the BYD Seal 6 Touring Premium like to drive?

The low-slung look and, let's face it, Kiwi love of performance-oriented wagons (looking at you, Subaru) might lead you to believe the Seal 6 Touring is some kind of load-carrying road warrior.

It's a super hybrid, which means the 1.5-litre petrol engine is mainly there to generate electricity (although it can drive the wheels if needed). EV-drive is always prioritised.

It's definitely not that. But it is an acceptably brisk (0-100km/h in 8.1 seconds) family car with decent steering, good body control and a compliant ride. So it's a nice thing to drive in a broad range of scenarios. The ride in particular is vastly more comfortable than the Sealion 5 Premium SUV we reviewed recently, which was weirdly lumpy at urban speeds.

The Seal 6 Touring is a super hybrid, which means the 1.5-litre petrol engine is mainly there to generate electricity (although it can drive the wheels if needed). EV-drive is always prioritised.

There's enough capacity in the battery for at least 100km in real-world driving (the WLTP range is 125km) and unlike the sister Sealion 5 DM-i, you can DC fast-charge this car if desired - although only to a 27kW maximum rate. So it really is best to simply charge at home overnight, where you'll go from flat to full in under three hours on a wallbox (or more like 9 hours on a domestic socket). 

There's not a lot of extra performance to be gained with both power sources driving the wheels. The electric motor is rated at 160kW and that's what doing the work most of the time, but even with the petrol engine joining in the combined power rating is still only 163kW (the engine alone is 70kW/120Nm). These things are complicated.

Better to think of the Seal 6 Touring as an EV with the bonus ability to cover a WLTP-rated 1300km range on a full tank/charge when required.

SPECIFICATIONS

On ownership: what's the BYD Seal 6 Touring Premium warranty and servicing situation?

BYD NZ's warranty covers the complete vehicle for 6 years/150,000km. The traction battery is covered for 8 years/160,000km.

The Sealion 8 requires an initial service check at 6 months/5000km, then every 12 months or 20,000km.

On the whole: what do we think of the BYD Seal 6 Touring Premium?

It's not claiming to be an exotic addition to the local market, but the Seal 6 Touring sits in a nice little niche of its own and it's certainly an affordable way to tap into wagon style/space with BYD's excellent DM-i technology.

It's also a tempting alternative to the Sealion 5 Premium SUV, which has a similar equipment level and powertrain. The Seal 6 Touring is $6k more, but it's bigger and seems like a whole lot more car in so many ways. It certainly looks cooler to the car-literate Kiwi observer.

BYD Seal 6 Touring Premium FAQs

What kind of car is the BYD Seal 6 Touring Premium?

A 5-door station wagon.

Does the BYD Seal 6 Touring Premium have hybrid or EV technology?

It's a plug-in super hybrid with 125km EV range (WLTP).

What’s the fuel economy of the BYD Seal 6 Touring Premium?

The official Kiwi 3P-WLTP figure is 1.0l/100km, but real-world depends entirely on how often you charge it.

Is the BYD Seal 6 Touring Premium safe?

It gets 5 stars from ANCAP. The rating is valid until December 2031.

What safety and assistance features does the BYD Seal 6 Touring Premium have?

What are the BYD Seal 6 Touring Premium's main rivals?

• Cupra Leon V Sportstourer ($56,990): Mild hybrid, not plug-in, and slower to 100km/h, but wagon style and truly sporty handling.
• Skoda Octavia wagon ($59,500): Another mild hybrid, but Skoda wagons are classically cool.
• Mazda 6e Takami ($58,990): Pure-electric and a liftback rather than wagon, but really good-looking and good to drive.
• Toyota Corolla GX wagon ($38,990): Very much a fleet model, but super-efficient petrol-electric technology.
• BYD Sealion 5 Premium ($49,990): Shorter but taller, less cargo space... and similar DM-i super hybrid technology.