BYD Sealion 6 DM-i: pros and cons

BYD Cars Philippines launched the Sealion 6 DM-i not too long ago.

It is built on the Chinese carmaker’s Super Dual Mode-intelligent (DM-i) platform and allows its would-be owners to enjoy the exciting drive offered by electric cars minus the range anxiety thanks to its “range extender.”

To learn more about the BYD Sealion 6 DM-i — and whether or not it would be a good choice for car buyers looking to switch to a more sustainable means of mobility — here’s a quick look at the compact sport utility vehicle’s (SUV) pros and cons, which is priced just a little over P1.5 million.

Pros:

Power to go further

As we briefly covered above, the BYD Sealion 6 DM-i is built on the carmaker’s intelligent hybrid platform. The said system is comprised of a permanent magnet synchronous motor, the marque’s Blade electric vehicle (EV) battery, and a 1.5-liter gasoline engine that acts as the battery’s generator aka the range extender.

Per BYD Philippines, the Sealion 6 DMI has an estimated all-electric range of 105 kilometers (km), which is decent enough for city driving. However, the numbers can go up to 1,100 km with the range extender involved.

This means that the BYD Sealion 6 DM-i can go further than most battery-electric vehicles or plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, which could make it an ideal ride for those in the market for a small SUV that they can use for daily commutes and spontaneous weekend getaways.

Decent design

Another thing to love about the BYD Sealion 6 DM-i is its decent design as the overall design is not too loud — nor will it make you stick out from the crowd — as modern EVs from China tend to look do.

It wears BYD’s Ocean X Face Design with double U-shaped suspension headlights with LED technology and a built-in crystal texture light belt, a set of surging waves-inspired 19-inch wheels, and a pair of Ocean Starlight full-width taillamps.

Typical compact SUV exterior features can still be spotted on the BYD Sealion 6 DM-i like a grille, standard door handles, blacked-out pillars, roof rails, and discreet claddings on the wheel arches, side sills, and its doors.

On that note, its overall looks will not easily go out of style and might even stand the test of time.

Tech-laden

As most Chinese electrified vehicles do, the BYD Sealion 6 DM-i is slapped with tons of tech.

Most notable are its 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and 15.6-inch infotainment screen with wireless Apple Carplay and Android Auto, with the latter offering a rotating function to suit the needs of various drivers.

Further, the BYD Sealion 6 DM-i gets — not just one but — two charging docks for compatible smartphones, dual-zone automatic air conditioning unit, a 10-speaker Infinity-made sound system, and a panoramic sunroof.

The small hybrid SUV also has a Near Field Communication feature, which allows its owners to unlock the vehicle simply by tapping a card on the side mirror.

Aside from that, it is also compatible with the BYD App, which unlocks a boatload of features like a vehicle locator and A/C controls.

Cons:

Only offered in a single variant

The BYD Sealion 6 DM-i is only offered in a single Advanced trim. This means that car buyers wanting to drive home the compact SUV will not have any options to choose from.

In Australia, for example, the BYD Sealion 6 is offered in Dynamic and Premium variants. The former has a front-wheel drive system (just like the Advanced grade sold in the Philippines) while the latter has an all-wheel drive drivetrain.

Further, the Australian-market BYD Sealion 6 Dynamic has a maximum range of 1,092 km while its all-wheel drive Premium stablemate can only go as far as 961 km but has a built-in head head-up display unit.

Also read:

BYD Cars PH ready for Sealion 6 pre-orders

ACMobility reveals BYD Sealion 6 DM-i

BYD Cars PH launches new app to boost ownership experience