If you're a follower of local entertainment, you might recognise the BYD Seal as the car that this year's Star Search champion Tiffany Ho received for winning the competition.
What's the car actually like though? And is it truly a worthy prize for a winner?
Tell me more about the BYD Seal
The Seal is an electric sedan from Chinese carmaker BYD, and was actually launched here in late 2023. While it sold in reasonable numbers at that time, it was somewhat overshadowed by its sibling, the BYD Atto 3 electric crossover, which has become the best-selling car in Singapore so far this year.
BYD offers the Seal in three different variants locally: base Dynamic, mid-tier Premium and flagship Performance. The differences between the three lie in the battery sizes, the power output from their electric motor (or motors, in the case of the Performance), and some variations in specs and features.
We're not sure which variant exactly did Tiffany walked away with, but let's assume that she got the most affordable Dynamic model, which retails for $183,888 with COE (as of December 2024). It's also the newest version, having been introduced here back in June, and thus will be the focus of this review.
The Dynamic's main selling point is that it is eligible for a Category A Certificate of Entitlement (COE), thanks to its 100kW/134hp power output. Just for comparison, the Premium has an output of 230kW/313hp, while the Performance has a colossal 390kW/530hp.
It means that the Dynamic isn't exactly fast off the line, with 0-100km/h coming in 10 seconds, but it does feel quicker than its numbers suggest. It packs in a pretty handy 310Nm of torque, however, and the power delivery comes in rather smoothly and effectively as you get up to speed.
If you really want a Seal that can go fast though, there's the Performance model which we also test drove, and can go from 0-100km/h in a supercar-slaying 3.8 seconds. BYD is understandably proud of this fact, to the point that it stuck a '3.8S' badge on the car just to announce its capabilities.
The Seal does have more talents than simply going fast in a straight line as well. The car offers a reasonably smooth and comfortable ride, with its well-damped suspension that soaks up road bumps easily and without fuss.
At the same time, the car goes through corners with plenty of poise and composure. It's not something that's always easy to achieve in a heavy electric car, but the Seal feels remarkably balanced in its setup, though leaning perhaps slightly towards the softer side of things.
The steering too could do with a bit more feel and feedback, but it's a common trait among many EVs anyway, so it's not something we can fault BYD too much for.
What about the inside?
BYD is known for its funkily-designed interiors, and while the Seal's cabin is a bit more subdued, there are still a few tricks up its sleeves that will surprise those who are still unfamiliar with the brand.
Probably the main highlight is the large 15.6-inch central touchscreen, which sits in landscape orientation by default like most cars, but can be rotated into portrait mode at the touch of a button. It's not unique to the Seal though, and BYD uses this function in several of its other models, but it does feel a bit gimmicky.
The real star feature though is probably the karaoke app hidden within the infotainment software, which lets you unleash your singing talents right in the car.
Hook up the system with a wireless Bluetooth mic and you can belt out your favourite songs to your heart's content. Again, this is not exclusive to the Seal and is available in most of BYD's other cars as well.
The rest of the interior is relatively straightforward. Like many EVs, most of the functions are only accessible via the touchscreen. It's not an ideal setup, but it's probably one that we all have to get used to in the EV age.
To its credit though, the Dynamic variant is fairly well-equipped despite being the base model of the lineup. Standard features include a panoramic glass sunroof, ventilated and heated front seats, wireless Android Auto connectivity (although strangely Apple CarPlay requires a wired connection), and a whole slew of driver assistance systems like adaptive cruise control, collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and lane keeping assist.
The main spec variation between the Dynamic and the more expensive versions is that the former lacks a head-up display and memory functions for the seats and mirrors. The Dynamic also uses what BYD calls 'vegan' leather upholstery instead of real leather which is used on the other variants. We're not quite sure what it means, but it doesn't seem like there's much of a difference.
So, is the BYD Seal a winner then?
If you're looking for an electric sedan that's generally pleasant to drive and live with every day, then the Seal is definitely one of the top choices currently available out there.
It does have a number of competitors out there trying to vie for your attention though. The Tesla Model 3 is likely to be the techie's favourite, but its brand image and complexity of use may not be quite to everyone's tastes.
The locally-made Hyundai Ioniq 6 meanwhile probably runs the Seal closest in terms of competitiveness. The Hyundai trumps the BYD somewhat in terms of interior design and quality, but it also retails with a slightly higher price tag.
Ultimately though, there's no denying that the BYD Seal offers great value for your money. Even in base model form, the Seal is well-equipped and packed with features, and whoever gets to drive one will certainly feel like a winner.
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