How Comfortable Is Riding In The BYD Sealion 7? See How Our Experts Felt…

BYD India has expanded its portfolio with the premium electric SUV, the Sealion 7. This family SUV, drawing features and elements from the international model, promises good convenience and comfort. But do the claims on paper hold up in the real world? Well, our experts have experienced both the front and rear seats firsthand, and based on their observations, here’s a detailed overview.

BYD Sealion 7 Ride Comfort: What We Liked

The BYD Sealion 7 really excels in ride comfort, especially for the driving enthusiast who loves a well-thought-out cabin. With the first step in, the quality of the materials used inside, immediately makes you feel like you're cruising in a luxury car. The soft-touch padding of door panels, lower dashboard, and more all give you a premium environment that you'd only usually associate with much more expensive cars.

Comfort is however not all about appearance. The seating space within the Sealion 7 is a major advantage. The leatherette interior features a quilted finish, and the crystal-finish gear selector adds to the premium feel of the cabin. Its spacious size is well utilized, providing enough room for passengers. Even passengers taller than 6 feet will have no problem sitting one behind the other in comfort. The rear seats are broad enough to accommodate three passengers comfortably, and despite the sloping roofline, headroom is ample, so taller occupants won't feel cramped.

The driver's seat is highly adjustable, with 8-way powered adjustments and 4-way adjustable lumbar, plus an adjustable extendable thigh support for more comfort. In addition, it has two memory settings, not only adjusting the seat positions but also connecting the rear-view mirror positions. Even the front passenger seat receives a 6-way powered adjustment for everyone's comfort.

As for features, dual-zone climate control with rear AC vents is standard, making both front and rear occupants stay comfortable irrespective of the weather conditions outside. Another feature that stands out in the Sealion 7 is its noise insulation. Although one drives on concrete roads, road noise is adequately controlled such that one gets a quieter and more comfortable ride. On smooth roads, the ride is particularly comfortable, with the SUV feeling planted even at higher speeds, providing confidence and stability. 

Finally, the Sealion 7 is easy to get into and get out of. Even elderly passengers will find it comfortable thanks to its well-designed entry and exit points.

BYD Sealion 7 Ride Comfort: What We Didn’t Like

While the BYD Sealion 7 is largely comfortable, it does have a few drawbacks when it comes to ride comfort, especially over rougher roads. The suspension is slightly firm when driven over poor roads. This implies that bump absorption could be better, as the ride becomes a little uncomfortable on uneven or poorly maintained city streets.

The height of the driver seat can be a downside for a few. Even at the lowest setting, the driver seat does feel tall. This could be an issue for those who prefer a low-seating position where they’re more lapped by the dashboard. The raised seat height means you don’t quite get that feeling quite as much, something perhaps not everyone would prefer.

In the back, the somewhat elevated floor can cause some unease for taller passengers by impacting under-thigh support, especially on longer rides. Now that the Sealion 7 brings so much of German comfort, it misses out on the rear sunshades, which could have added to the comfort, especially on sunny summer days.

Finally, the Sealion 7’s suspension performs admirably on smoother roads but the ride becomes somewhat jerky on concrete tarmacs. The rear seat occupants, in particular, are likely to notice this more, as the rigidity of the suspension renders the ride less comfortable over such a surface.

BYD Sealion 7: Price And Rivals

The BYD Sealion 7 is priced from Rs 48.9 lakh to Rs 54.9 lakh (ex-showroom). At this price point, it will rival the likes of the Hyundai Ioniq 5, Volvo EX40, Kia EV6 and the BMW iX1 LWB.

Well, for that ask around Rs 50 lakh, the Sealion 7 does have the package for value. But what it lacks big time is a strong brand value. Furthermore, with Indian sentiments in play, it has one more barrier to tackle. So, would you love to have a ride on the Sealion 7? Tell us in the comments.