BYD Seal might not look anything special but delivers a thrilling drive

Yes, I know you what you're thinking. "Oh Julian is such a hater. He doesn't like Tesla". Well, while that can be half true, I reckon it's fully justified. 

See, the BYD Seal that you see here on this very page has proven to be a capable and lovable car on the track — a thing I wouldn't know about Tesla since we didn't have the chance to drive the car much.

Please tell me more

The Chinese carmaker recently arranged a drive in Zhuhai, China, on the track, just so we can see how its cars behave. And if you put things into perspective, that's a testament of the brand's confidence.

On one hand, of course, I can't say much about how the car performs on public roads — that'll be something to find out once we have taken the car out on the roads in Singapore.

On the other, there's no denying the capabilities of the Seal. Around the 4.3km-long track in Zhuhai, the all-electric sedan handles with aplomb, with lateral movements in check even when thrown around all 14 corners with reckless abandon and careless conviction.

Track companion

This could be due to the fact that the Seal's battery is integrated into the vehicle body structure itself, which helps with weight distribution and torsional stiffness. Of course, having an accurate and well-weighted steering helps, too, but that's not without its flaws. With the Seal, communication can be a tad vague. 

That said, where the car lacks, it compensates with its ample power that can easily take on cars that are one notch above it.

The generous helping of 523bhp and 670Nm of torque on tap do their job in thrusting the Seal from corner to corner, and in the rain no less, which allowed me to really test the all-wheel drive capabilities of the electric car.

The rubbers bite hard on the bitumen and traction is tight, but brake too late around a corner and there'll be a hint of understeer. Once past that, squeeze the accelerator and the Seal will garner its immense power with every prod of your right foot as it guns towards the next corner. 

It's fast, this Performance variant. The century sprint timing is completed in just 3.8 seconds, which is similar to the powerful BMW i5 M60 xDrive that I tested in Lisbon, Portugal, just last month. The output cannot be compared, of course, but because the Seal just weighs under 2.2 tonnes, it feels agile and alive.

Rid off the competition

Speaking of feeling alive, truth be told, with the acceleration prowess of just 3.3 seconds from zero to 100km/h, the Tesla Model 3 could be equally quick and exciting around a track, but it would probably be lacking severely in everyday user convenience as compared to a proper car like the BYD Seal.

See, unlike the American carmaker, the Chinese car sports a proper setup, with an appropriate gear lever, proper switchgear and convenient cubby holes all around, which are important features for a driver to live with on a daily basis. Hell, even the door handles are a lot easier to work with in the Seal. 

On the inside, one of the obvious things that you'll obviously notice is the 15.6-inch rotating screen taking centre stage. It's not so much about it being crisp and clear, but more of the fact that you can choose to either have it in horizontal or vertical orientation with press of a button. 

The other feature you'll come to notice is the panoramic sunroof that doesn't come with a cover — a feature that's also available in a more premium make like the Polestar 2. According to the product specialist of the BYD Seal, this oversized sunroof that spans the entire top of the car is UV-resistant, which prevents the car from getting hot. Yet, it allows the cabin to take in all the natural light, making it an airy place to be.

Unfortunately, I can't confirm if the heat insulation is true, since the weather was cooling during my time spent with the car on the track on Zhuhai International Circuit, China. What I can confirm, though, is how airy and bright the cabin feels, despite the dark clouds and stormy weather. 

Other than the obvious, space is decent all around, with a luggage load of 400 litres. White it's not much to talk about, it's rather deep, which means slightly longer items should have no problems fitting in.

The only quibble I have about the Seal is the lack of paddle shifters to adjust the braking regeneration — something that would have made this car user-friendlier than it already is.

All eyes are on you

Less user-friendly but more appealing is the way the car looks. Sleek headlamps with curved daytime running lights, wavy light strips on the bumper and modern taillights with dotted design all make up to fulfil the car's good looks.

Personally, it doesn't look any special, but that's exactly what makes it so appealing. The ability to blend in on the roads nicely without coming across as trying too hard or not appearing to be something it's not makes the BYD Seal a car that's truly original and fresh. 

The car is already in Singapore as we speak. There are three different variants and prices start from $241,888 (as of Oct 9, 2023), with the middle Premium variant ($251,888) being the most sensible and popular one. Of course, if money isn't much of an issue for you, there's always the tried and tested top-of-the-line Performance variant ($283,888) that's readily available for you.

See, once you've spent sufficient time behind the wheel of the car, it's a lot easier to give a proper review of it — a thing I wouldn't know about Tesla since we didn't have the chance to drive its cars much.

What we like

• It's fast
• It handles corners with aplomb
• It's light on its feet
• Best of performance and functionality
• That lovely rotating infotainment screen

What we dislike

• The price, of course!

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This article was first published in sgCarMart.