BYD Seal 5 DM-i is the newest hybrid on the block, and it’s starting price is a cool PHP 948,000
BYD has been making a lot of headway in the Philippines. In keeping up its momentum, a new hybrid sedan, the Seal 5 DM-i has just been unveiled to add another model to their current lineup. Judging by the sheer number of models they’ve already introduced, are offering, and how many of them we see on the road, it seems they have something good going on. But does the new Seal have something(s) up its sleeve? Let’s see.
Hybrid Sedan Seal 5 DM-i makes its PH debut
Looking at the exterior of the Seal 5 DM-i, specifically the front end, it’s unmistakably a BYD. The familiar design language of the grill carries over into their sedan models, but it’s never a bad thing. The headlights nearly tuck into the what “grill” they placed dead center of the front fascia and they taper off into thin corners tha make for a very sleek long.
The side isn’t something to write home about, but looking at how all the lines (character, belt, greenhouse) all “bulge” in all the right places, looking at something as flat as a side isn’t unattractive with the Seal 5. If anything, it looks pretty big and higher off the ground than it really is. The rear, however, is attractive. As striking as the front is, BYD has something of a working formula for their vehicles’ rears that makes them look strong, muscular, futuristic, and the Seal 5 DM-i captures this very well.
As we’ve come to expect from BYD, the Seal 5 DM-i’s interior is simply laid out; nothing fancy, nothing complicated, nothing outlandish. Okay, perhaps a rotating infotainment screen is an absolute novelty for some, but we digress. You get yourself a conservative-but-not-small-at-all full-color screen that serves as your gauge cluster, and to its right, a healthily-sized infotainment screen which controls a lot (if not all) of the car’s features and creature comforts. Such as it is with the current “trend”, but it’s not bad, of course.
You get yourself a simple steering wheels with the standard toggles for audio and cruise control, a rotary gear selector, a very modern-design dashboard, two-tone leather upholstery, and space enough from what you’d expect in a small sedan. That, and even the cargo space is more than decent, but we’ll get to those details further in our Review.
Also, before we get too ahead of ourselves, there are actually two different variants of the Seal 5 DM-i. Most of what’s been described here so far are found in the higher-spec Premium variant. Again, we’ll be differentiating both in a separate article. But we can’t leave out what powers this new offering, can we?
The two varianta are the Dynamic, the “base” model, and the “top-of-the-line” Premium. The Dynamic variant produces 179 HP and 316 Nm of torque, and it can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in just 7.9 seconds. It’s range? A declared 1,175 kilometers.
The Premium, on the other hand, pumps out 197 PS and 325 Nm of torque, reaching 100 km/h in a quick 7.3 seconds. It’s range: 1,240 kilometers.
The new BYD Seal 5 DM-i is available in four stylish colors: Quartz Blue, Arctic White, Cosmos Black, and Harbour Gray, offering various options for customers. It is also available in two variants: the Dynamic and the Premium.
Like other models in the local lineup, the new BYD DM-i sedan carries an extensive warranty: an 8-year or 160,000 km (whichever comes first) warranty for the BYD Blade battery, an 8-year or 150,000 km (whichever comes first) warranty for its drive unit, and a 6-year or 150,000 km (whichever comes first) vehicle warranty.
The Dynamic Seal 5 DM-i Dynamic is priced at PHP 948,000USD 16,097INR 1,370,144EUR 15,500CNY 117,552 and and the higher-end Premium at PHP 1,198,000USD 20,342INR 1,731,469EUR 19,587CNY 148,552. Both model variants are already available at all BYD dealerships nationwide.
