Is the 2026 BYD Sealion 7 still the smartest buy in the Aussie market, or is it a $70,000 mistake? Is this mid size electric SUV still the smartest buy in the BYD Australia lineup, or is it a $70,000 mistake? In this BYD Sealion 7 review, we go beyond the 745% sales spike to see how this Tesla Model Y rival actually holds up once the dust has settled. Known globally as the BYD Sea Lion 07 EV and BYD Song L EV in China, or the BYD Shīraion 7 and Ssiraion 7 in North Asia, we look at BYD Sealion 7 reliability issues surfacing on Reddit, from air conditioning compressor failures to spare parts delays. We tackle the big questions: Is the BYD Sealion 7 price of $55k (Premium) or $64k (BYD Sealion 7 Performance) still better value than a Tesla Model Y, Xpeng G6, or Kia EV5? We dive into BYD Sealion 7 specs, the 82kWh Blade battery range, and the fishy servicing gap between Australia and Europe. Whether you’re looking at the BYD Sealion 7 interior, its 4.5-second 0-100km/h launch, or its real-world BYD Sealion 7 range, this is the EV review Australia needs to see. Before you buy any Chinese electric car in 2026, watch our verdict on what might be the best electric SUV 2026 has to offer. 0:00 Is the 2026 BYD Sealion 7 still worth buying? 0:17 What are the common BYD Sealion 7 reliability issues? 1:19 Does the BYD Sealion 7 have good resale value? 3:20 What is the real BYD Sealion 7 price on-road? 5:01 Why is BYD servicing in Australia different to Europe? 6:49 How fast is the BYD Sealion 7 Performance 0-100? 8:05 Is the BYD Sealion 7 interior better than a Tesla? 11:48 Does the BYD Sealion 7 have physical buttons? 17:04 How much legroom is in the BYD Sealion 7 back seat? 19:51 How does the BYD Sealion 7 drive on Australian roads? 26:52 Should I buy a BYD Sealion 7 or Tesla Model Y? 📰 Read the full written 2026 BYD Sealion 7 review on carsales.com.au. #bydsealion7 #BYDSealion7Review #TeslaModelY #ElectricSUV #BYDAustralia #EVReview #CarsalesReview Subscribe for the latest advice, reviews and comparison tests 👍 https://www.youtube.com/user/carsaleschannel?sub_confirmation=1 STAY UP TO DATE AND CONNECT WITH US https://www.carsales.com.au/ https://www.facebook.com/carsales.com.au https://www.instagram.com/carsalescomau/ https://www.tiktok.com/@carsalescomau carsales. Buy it. Sell it. Love it.® For over 25 years, carsales has been Australia’s go-to place for buying and selling vehicles - connecting people across the country with confidence and ease. So for expert reviews, comparison tests helpful advice and everything cars, Like and Subscribe to the official carsales YouTube channel today. https://www.youtube.com/user/carsaleschannel?sub_confirmation=1 #carsaleschannel #carsales
ADVERTISEMENT
Let this sink in - BYD has over 110,000 engineers. Experts have pulled apart a Seal and a Shark and said they are extremely well built. Regular drivers (not race drivers) can see, hear and feel the value.
Most people don’t realize BYDs use CTC architecture with 45,000 Nm/degree body torsional rigidity, over twice the ~20,000 Nm/degree seen in many Audi, BMW, and Mercedes Benz models.
Bought one, it's awesome
Fantastic car
Chery E5 EV comes with a full spare tyre..... Do I get a prize? :)
Gotta remember that this is competing with Rav 4 price wise with Audi or Merc finish and top end Porsche power... What an interesting time we are living in! China is being on the huge disruption
One thing to mention, the HUD is very useful and comes standard on all SL7 models in Aus.
BYD will be snapping at Toyota's heels in the next couple of months. This is a huge moment.
Yes there are to be at least two major warehouses with parts in Australia this year
people complaining about chinese cars are the same as those who complained about korean cars and japanese before that. evolve or disappear.....looking at you local holden and ford manufacturing.
100% Agree. RWD version makes so much more sense. More efficient, cheaper and still plenty fast.
Just put down my deposit 2 weeks ago and eagerly waiting for the delivery while watching reviews in the meantime like crazy :D
Sealion7 is so beautiful
Preferred the Zeekr 7x LR RWD, but was impressed with how solidly built the SL7 was. With the recent offer, the cost differential for us was around 15k, but as much as I wanted the 7x, it wasn’t a 15k better car (or the SL7 premium a 15k worse car) particularly given our driving patterns and usage.
Unless it's absolutely neccessary, I would wait a little bit longer. The market is simply changing too fast for the past 2 or 3 years. Depraciation could be significant for current offerings.
I dont know why either. Its not efficient. Specs are just ok such as charging speeds. Now if they put the blade 2 in it....
we're going to be seeing a lot more of these on Australian roads in the coming months - its a cracking car, way ahead of the rest in this price bracket and offers exceptional value for money, despite the fact the G6 is a great comparison I wouldn't want a Xpeng at the moment with all the legal issues they're going through. BYD is now an established brand and here to stay. it says something that these cars are still being reviewed when it has been available in Aus for over a year now. great review
I bought the car last night, and today I went to the showroom with my family for the big unveiling. As I pulled the black cloth off the car, I suddenly felt freezing cold — that’s when I realised I had actually removed my blanket! My mistake… but it was all just a dream.”😅😅😅😅😅
Novated lease made the most sense for me and would for probably most buyers. Give the EV industry a few years to mature before you settle on something long term. Just make sure you are aware of where you are sitting on the concessional cap to make it worthwhile.
If only it had the new BYD blade battery 2.0, the range, space, charging speed, battery life would be better.