The promise of fully electric autonomy kept
The beautiful 18.3 kWh battery (13 kWh for the basic Comfort version) guarantees a pretty good range on purely electric drive. We managed to cross 60km on a mixed route and still had 20% to go.. The 88 km offered by BYD is not out of reach. I’m just sorry, but it’s to keep the price more affordable than Seal U (we’ll come back to that later), sold with a 3.3 kW charger (18 kW for Seal U). Suffice it to say charges will be made at home only because while traveling the wait will be too long: 6 hours to recover from 15 to 100%.
In this regard, it is a real shame, because when using it’s certainly one of the most enjoyable hybridizations on the market. After all, we tend to forget this, but BYD has experience in this area. The authorship of PHEV technology does not actually belong to Toyota or Chevrolet and Opel (it would seem that the Volt-Ampera duo was awarded the Car of the Year trophy in 2012), but rather to BYD. Yes! The Chinese manufacturer thus produced the first large plug-in hybrid car in history, it was called the F3DM and started its career in 2008.
Braking at altitude
If the mechanical and chassis modifications are successful, the braking ones are too. Can be configured in two modes, the highest will be preferred. The pedal feel is a bit firm, however, the response is immediate and the transition from regenerative braking to hydraulic braking is almost imperceptible. The same cannot be said for the spongy comfort level and lower efficiency.
A few words about management this is perhaps the least attractive driving point. Whichever configuration is chosen, both designs feel artificial. It does not faithfully convey what is happening on the road. Well, one is a little too loose, the other a little too tight.
Obtrusive driving aids
We finish with driving aids. It would be good to think about including a button or function that disables them all at once. Especially since then some are quite invasive on a daily basisa special mention every so often as an anti-drowsy alert to remind you to order as soon as you have the courage to take your eyes off the road… You’ll be happy to check your outside mirrors. Although the multimedia interface is generally well designed and fairly easy to use, not all are necessarily in the same place. Damage.
Unbeatable price
We come to one of the most important criteria, if not the most important one: price. It is clear that the first models sold by the brand in our territory did not necessarily excel at this point. Water flowed under the bridges, BYD’s latest productions are clearly better. to be honest impossible to find another plug-in hybrid SUV of this size at this price. A family SUV at the price of an urban model, that’s what BYD offers with this Sealion 5 (2026).
Price promotion until the end of 2025
The MG EHS, though reasonable, starts at €37,990 our top-of-the-line Design test model costs €33,990. And it starts in €31,990 in the basic version called Comfort with a 13 kWh battery. Please note that until the end of the year you will only pay €29,990 for the entry level and €31,990 for the top of the range. The Seal U, currently number 1 in sales at BYD, costs at least €38,600.
Dacia prices
His closest competitor? Dacia Bigster, hybrid but without plug-in, with prices ranging from €29,990 to €32,000. Yes, yes, we are at Dacia prices… but with a level of presentation and equipment usually reserved for mainstream manufacturers !
No panoramic sunroof unlike the Seal U to keep the price low, but everything else is included: vegan leather upholstery, 18” rims, electric and heated front seats, 360° camera, electric tailgate, inductive charger, etc. Two trim levels, no options, 5 colors, selection done quickly.
And sobriety in it all?
We noted this above. If you regularly charge it at home, you can easily make your daily trips purely on electricity. And despite the relatively high consumption at high speeds, in the order of 23 kWh/100 km at a speed of 110 km/h. Once the battery is discharged, we will be around 6 l/100 km and we can even easily descend under this bar with a light foot. That’s good, it invites you to flow.
