CONS ›› Not quite as plush as other BYDs, dead steering feel, somewhat bland
In my last review of a BYD, I touched on the brand’s confusing nomenclature. And with the Seal 6, I’m afraid I’m going to have to do that again. Of course, the automotive world is littered with such examples, and while it’s no worse than Honda using the HR-V name for two different cars depending on whether they’re sold in North America or Europe, it’s still pointlessly confusing in the age of interconnected markets and the interwebs
Nevertheless, with BYD offering multiple models in multiple markets these days, let’s get our ducks in a row. So, there exists a BYD Seal (non-6), a sedan available in China and elsewhere, which is aimed at the more premium end of the scale — think 5-Series competitor. This is marketed under BYD’s Ocean Aesthetics line, which is where the name comes from. However, the Seal 6 EV we tested in Malaysia, is marketed as a cheaper, less premium option.
QUICK FACTS
Within China, this Seal 6 EV is actually known as the Qin L EV. It is from their Dynasty line of cars, which is why the styling doesn’t quite match the rest of BYD’s ocean-inspired models. I wish the confusion ended there, but it doesn’t, because in China and elsewhere there’s also another Seal 6, which is available in EV and DM-i (aka plug-in hybrid) variants, the latter with a wagon option as well, which is being rolled out to the world.
Now that you’re likely more confused than you were before, we can begin.
So This Is Less Premium? So Bargain Basement Then?
On the contrary, no. We read the comments we get on these articles, and we know it’s hard for many to believe that Chinese manufacturers have turned a corner in terms of perceived quality (granted, we can’t judge longevity until we get a long-term tester), but they really have. It’s one of the reasons why Chinese cars are being actively kept out of the U.S.
So, when BYD says it’s positioning this as a less premium model, but in my time with this car, it, by no means, feels cheap. There’s plenty of soft-touch materials all over the car. Just that it’s a slight step down from what you’d find in the, erm, full fat (?) Seal, and some of the other Sealion models.
Read: Elon Once Called BYD A Joke. The 2026 Sealion 8 PHEV Disagrees
But it’s screwed together solidly, there are no squeaks or rattles, and the Seal 6 doesn’t really ask you to sacrifice anything either. You get an eight-way power driver’s seat with ventilation, a four-way powered passenger seat, a panoramic sunroof with electric sliding function, wireless charging, ambient lighting, and an eight-speaker audio system. There’s also a full ADAS suite as standard across both variants — adaptive cruise which can deal with traffic jams, lane centering, blind spot monitoring, automatic emergency braking, and rear cross-traffic alert.
The screen setup follows the now-familiar BYD formula: an 8.8-inch digital instrument cluster ahead of you and a 12.8-inch central infotainment display with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto baked in. Unlike some of BYD’s other offerings, this one doesn’t rotate, which is fine — the landscape orientation works well enough, and the swiveling is more of a conversation starter to show off to someone who hasn’t experienced a BYD before. Bluetooth and NFC digital key functionality is also standard, and boot space is a genuinely impressive 460 liters (16.2 cubic feet); there’s also a 65-liter (2.3 cubic feet) frunk which is waterproof and large enough to swallow a 20-inch carry-on suitcase.
Is It As Quick As Some Of The Other BYDs I’ve Tested?
Ah, no, not really. Perhaps this is the most notable element of how less premium the Seal 6 feels. In Malaysia, the Seal 6 is offered in two variants. The premium is the highest spec on test here, with a 160-kW motor (218 PS/214 HP) and 330 Nm of torque from a single rear-mounted motor.
Not bad numbers, especially on the torque front, and it dispatches the 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) sprint in a claimed 7.5 seconds. Now the Seal 6 isn’t quite setting the world alight in this day and age for an EV, especially when you consider the Sealion 8 we tested is a lardy SUV that seats seven and can still get to 62 mph (100 km/h) in 5.4 seconds. Still, the Premium is a meaningful step up from the base Dynamic’s 94 kW (129 PS/127 HP) and 10.9-second sprint.
See Also: BYD’s Flagship Sedan Is Coming For The Rolls-Royce Phantom
The rear-wheel drive layout is worth pausing on, because it’s something of a rarity at this price point. Most C-segment EVs default to front-wheel drive for packaging simplicity. But as a result, you get that useful frunk, and the faintest whiff of some kind of driving engagement.
Yes, there is a natural balance to it that you feel when powering out of a corner, but the Seal 6 can feel disconnected from the outside world as well. Now, for 90% of its target audience, i.e. those who want a cheapish sedan and are happy to dabble with the newfangled EV tech, that’s perfectly fine. But for those of you who were hoping the car’s rear-wheel drive layout would lend itself to an unlikely EV handling hero, you’ll want to look elsewhere. The steering wheel may as well be connected via Bluetooth to the front end (we did check, and it isn’t a drive-by-wire system), but this does result in extremely light steering feedback making the car easy maneuver at low speeds. Bottom line, though, the cheapo tires and the numb steering feel almost negate the pluses gained from going rear-wheel drive.
The ride has supposedly been tuned for Malaysian roads, and there’s good reason for this. Chinese cars often ride poorly when tested outside of their confines, not just because the road surfaces are different, but we find that consumer preferences are different, too. BYD has apparently opted to retune the damping and rebound, making the Seal 6 stiffer and less “floaty.” It’s still a bit too stiff over harsher sections, but the car at least doesn’t wallow on the door handles when pushed.
It’s also pretty quiet inside, with road and wind noise suppressed to acceptable levels, if not quite as well as what you’d experience in the proper Seal.
But Would I Actually Want To Own One?
Maybe. In Malaysia, it starts at a compelling price for the market, at RM100,000 for the Dynamic. That equates to $24,500 USD, which is cheaper than just about any brand-new EV in the U.S. right now. Looking at how the Seal 6 is positioned, though, it’s aiming to tempt customers away from the ICE narrative by offering a genuinely compelling alternative.
And that sums up BYD’s strategy in emerging markets. The scale means that BYD is able to undercut legacy manufacturers, while many of the entry-level products it offers doesn’t just toe the line between some kind of borderline acceptable product. BYD is making cars that the everyday car buyers are more than happy to drive and be seen in.
Photos Sam D. Smith/Carscoops
