BYD, the top New Energy Vehicle (NEV) manufacturer in the world, has been involved in a controversy with MITI which will affect its future presence in Malaysia. If there is no resolution, then Malaysians will be denied of its current range of models and pay high prices for a BYD.
Quite likely, BYD will offer some expensive models at or above the minimum price set by MITI and one of them could be an even more premium version of the Sealion 7. This is the flagship premium, high-performance electric SUV currently available in two guises: Premium RWD (RM184,835) and Performance AWD (RM201,465).
The Sealion 7 Performance AWD
Thanks to BYD Sime Motors, both were available for me to test and I’ll start with the Sealion 7 Performance AWD. This EV exudes a premium edgy look at the front, rounded at the rear, complemented with softer curves along with countless soft touch surfaces on the inside. It has definitely got road presence with its wide stance and wide tracks.
Also standard are huge 20-inch alloys shod with decidedly high performance 245/45/R20 Michelin Pilot Sport EV rubbers. Grippy donuts with chunky blocks of treads – though a bit noisy – with stiff sidewall flexing very little when cornering hard.
Along with an electronic torque-vectoring gadgetry named Intelligence Torque Adaptation Control activated, you will be hard pressed to find the Sealion 7 AWD flustered into and out of corners. The amount of sure-footed traction experienced is unbelievable for a heavy EV of about 2.3 tonnes. Meanwhile, ride comfort is good, with generous space both front and back in the cabin enhancing cruising comfort.
From the driver’s seat
In my opinion, the steering response could be a little quicker, for better agility. Also, the steering wheel design could be a little more sporty, less-limo like, of 3 spokes perhaps? The dashboard is less flamboyant (read: curvy and wavy) than the other Ocean series models like the ATTO 3 and Seal.
The 15.6-inch rotating screen is a little gimmicky but it is nicely hooked up to a 12-speakers DYNAUDIO sound system – delivering clear, immersive and reasonably punchy sound. Not the best in business but adequately pampering the soul and mood.
Highway manners
In my years of sampling Chinese vehicles, I have found that they all offer good highway cruising stability under 120 km/h. The Sealion 7 Performance is no exception. Only should you decide to push higher velocity, then you will experience the obvious lack of body control on choppy road surfaces versus legacy-branded Continental models. Definitely, its Frequency Selective Damping (FSD) suspension is tuned for softer ride comfort.
Standstill to 100 km/h can be done in just 4.5 seconds with a mature calibration of the throttle linearity. There was no violent or stomach-churning lurch, even when driven in Sports mode. The electric drivetrain generates 530 ps and 690 Nm which is managed reasonably to reach the road.
Find out more about the Sealion 7
The RWD Sealion 7 Premium
However, the RWD Sealion 7 Premium feels more agile, smoother and quieter on the run. It is also easier to drive with a more fluid, sweeter handling. Perhaps the original Continental EcoContact 6 staggered sizes of 235/50/R19 front and 255/45/R19 rear afford some wonderful road-holding trickery here.
Braking power is very commendable – I would say it’s the best among all the BYD vehicles sold in Malaysia. Despite being put in a HIGH regen braking setting, the ride is still calm and comfortable.
How far?
Now to the range. The Sealion 7 Performance AWD has claimed 532 kms per full battery but I had to ‘refuel’ twice to achieve that distance. What I noticed was that the it’s very high on electricity consumption at 19.9 kWh/100 kms at best, to a worst of 24.5 kWh/100kms. The Sealion Premium RWD is slightly better at 17.9 to 19.5 kWh/100 kms.
Both Sealion 7 RWD and AWD readily accept 11kW AC home charging, a rarity in all other BYD cars in Malaysia (7kW single-phase charging). For outstation trips, it is capable of 150 kW DC fast charging, completing 10% to 80% top-up in about 30 minutes.
Which one to buy?
In summary, the Sealion 7 Performance is quite compelling in Malaysia’s EV premium segment with its stomping performance at a competitive price (at this time). It is an attractive choice for those who love their ICE SUVs and are looking to make the switch to fully electric.
Logically though, the lower-priced Sealion 7 RWD is the one I would pick, since it isn’t daily that you’d want that 4.5-second sprint capability. The Sealion Premium’s 6.7 seconds is good enough and both SUVs come equipped with similar 82.56 kWh Blade battery packs.
Both Sealion 7 AWD and RWD are similarly specced to the brim, with the one with single-motor (RWD) being more forgiving (less range anxiety) more so should you decide to drive in a more spirited manner.
The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and are not necessarily shared by MotaAuto.com.
