BYD Sealion 5 touches down in South Africa: pricing and features
The new BYD Sealion 5 is South Africa's most affordable plug-in hybrid.
Image: Supplied
Plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) are seen as an ideal bridge between internal combustion and electric motoring, particularly for countries such as South Africa, where long-distance driving is the norm and range anxiety is a real concern.
Although they do have smaller and cheaper batteries than traditional electric vehicles, the cost of incorporating electric and petrol engines means they aren’t necessarily cheap to produce, and until now, all PHEVs have cost more than R600,000 in South Africa.
That changes with the BYD Sealion 5, which is launching in South Africa this week. Pricing starts at R499,900 for the Comfort version, rising to R569,900 for the Dynamic variant, in both cases significantly undercutting the larger Sealion 6, which costs from R639,900.
The Sealion 5 is expected to cost less than R600,000.
Image: Supplied
The Sealion 5 also undercuts the newly introduced Geely E5 EM-A, which costs R599,999, and the Chery Tiggo 7 CSH PHEV, which retails at R619,900.
The catch is that its pure-electric driving range is not as generous as most rivals, with the 12.96 kWh battery covering around 52km between charges on the WLTP cycle. The 18.3 kWh battery that's offered on some overseas variants is not part of the specification in South Africa.
Unlike other PHEVs, it's not a performance model, with the hybrid drivetrain pairing a normally aspirated 1.5-litre petrol engine, which produces 72kW, with a 145kW electric motor. Then again, for a vehicle that's priced to compete with the Toyota Corolla Cross HEV, this drivetrain package is perfectly acceptable.
Performance is average at best, as we found out on a short launch route in the Muldersdrift area of Gauteng. However, it is in line with what you might expect for the price. The CVT gearbox was a little droney on the hills, if we have to nitpick. The ride quality is a touch firm, but still comfortable, and there was little to fault its overall on-road refinement.
The interior features a 12.8-inch floating touchscreen.
Image: Supplied
The interior looks modern and high-tech, with a 12.8-inch touchscreen taking centre stage, and there's also an 8.8-inch digital drive display perched in front of the driver.
In terms of standard features, the Comfort comes with the aforementioned six-speaker touchscreen system, with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay integration, reverse camera, adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, emergency lane keeping assist, blind spot detection and six airbags, among other features.
The Dynamic variant adds an electrically operated tailgate, sunroof with electric sunshade, 360-view camera, electric adjustment as well as heating and ventilation for the front seats, and electric-folding exterior mirrors.
We were impressed with the quality of the interior materials, as well as the amount of space on offer. There is plenty of leg-stretching space for rear occupants, and the 463 litre boot seems even bigger than those figures suggest, albeit it is a little shallow due to the batteries and other associated paraphernalia. Worryingly, there is no spare wheel, however.
In real-world terms, the boot is capable of swallowing 2.5 Alans, as you'll see in the video below:
“BYD is not just a car manufacturer. We’re a technology company focused on creating a cleaner, smarter future. The Sealion 5 represents how innovation can meet real South African needs, combining energy efficiency, advanced safety, and everyday utility,” says Nomonde Kweyi, Marketing Director, BYD Auto South Africa.
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