BYD has moved the dial again with this premium SUV...but is it worth it?

For the first time since the Chinese super brand landed on Irish shores in early 2023, the asking price was more than we expected.

In that short time, we had become accustomed to jaw-dropping price points without any compromise on style, finish, performance, comfort and safety.

It’s their USP — and it has the car market rattled.

So, there was surprise when the BYD Ireland bosses announced that this Sealion 7 was to be their most expensive car yet and that the entry-level model is €45,435. Top-spec versions come in at €56,490, by the way.

BYD has already changed the game so much that our default setting is to consider everything they make some sort of sub-€35k work of art.

So here we are now at the next phase of the company’s campaign…they’ve proven they can make great value electric cars, they’ve proven they can make amazing PHEV cars…so can they make EVs that require the kind of investment you would normally associate with a German or Korean brand? Spoiler alert: yes they can.

I was almost won over by them at the launch day earlier this year, but it was only after spending a week in this beauty that I fully appreciated what they have done here.

This coupe SUV is the company’s fifth car on sale here and is one of the best new cars to be released in 2025.

The sleek silhouette, large alloys, flush door handles and super-sexy lighting gives this a sporty look that is unique and will be a big hit with Irish car buyers.

First, let’s address the price and, more importantly, why it costs what it does. For starters, this is a big car — 4.83m long with a 293m wheelbase and a 520-litre boot (which increases to 1,789 litres with the seats folded flat).

Another big reason for the higher price compared with their previous models is that this comes with a 500-plus kilometre range on a full charge. And because it is a BYD-made battery, you know that the real-world driving range is going to be close to the company’s boast.

The Sealion 7 comes in three models starting with the single-motor RWD Comfort edition followed by two AWD trimlines called Design and Excellence.

No matter the car, they are all powered by their 82.5kWh cobalt-free Blade Battery. The lower two trims offer ranges of up to 482km (WLTP) and a DC superfast charging time (10-80 per cent battery) in 32 minutes.

The Excellence version (which I drove for a full week) has the larger 91.3kWh unit which increases the WLTP range to 502km.

If those numbers don’t float your boat, just sit inside and appreciate the premium level of finish on the various materials and controls. Think luxury on a budget.

Luxe touches include quilted faux leather sports seats to complement soft-touch materials and polished aluminium inserts in the upper dash and centre console.

The gigantic panoramic sunroof pours light into the spacious cabin and there is an electric blind to provide shade and comfort on warmer days.

Other premium level touches include ventilated and heated front seats, and rear seats padded, angled and optimised to minimise fatigue on long journeys.

Your attention will be instantly drawn to the car’s 15.6” infotainment screen, which obviously rotates between landscape and portrait mode because it is a BYD and sure why not?

It comes with a ‘Hi BYD’ voice control which allows you to control several features without lifting your hands off the steering wheel. Climate control, nav system and even the entertainment package can all be regulated and controlled by voice.

The system understood my voice every time, but the kids had to repeat the orders several times. Just FYI.

It is also full of safety tech, with the highlights including front and rear parking sensors, a really good 360-degree camera, adaptive cruise control, traffic-sign recognition and intelligent speed-limit control.

Myt test car for the week produced the equivalent of 523bhp and 690Nm of torque, which is more than enough for any family car. If you really want to test it you can try and achieve their boast of 0-100kph in just 4.5 seconds. Relatively sluggish compared the Seal’s claim of 3.8 seconds, but no one will be complaining here.

It is a dream to drive on any surface or road network as it weighs 2.5 tonnes, yet surprisingly nimble in corners.

It is smooth too and just loves motorway driving and I was pleasantly surprised by the lack of road noise.

This car did not take long to justify the asking price. It is still cheaper than most German and Korean alternatives and yet it comes with enough premium-level equipment and finishes to justify charging double.

BYD have somehow done it again.