BMW M240I vs BYD Sealion 5

What's the difference?

When BMW is on a roll, the world needs to watch out.

And, as our Thundernight metallic-hued M240i so literally demonstrates, its purple patch continues after a string of modern marvels like the latest 4 Series and iX, distilling the essence of compact sports coupe and luxury cruiser with dizzying confidence.

Joining the pantheon of back-catalogue greats like the 2002ti and 330Ci, we're missing it already now that the keys have been returned. Isn't that the true sign of the quintessential BMW experience?

Cars that don’t always appeal to enthusiast buyers are often seen by manufacturers as a way of not bothering with the dynamics. Good enough is, apparently, good enough. Thankfully, BYD hasn’t taken that path here and the local suspension tweaks have turned what could have been a me-too product into a bit of a dynamic class leader. And even if buyers can’t verbalise the benefits of that, they will still be subliminally enjoying them with every kilometre.

The other stand-out feature is the price-tag which represents an awful lot of car for the money. And, in such a price-sensitive market as this one, that will get the BYD over the line for a lot of families. That it also offers a vastly better driving experience simply makes the value equation – and the purchasing proposition – even stronger.

What is happening with BMW design? It's as if the Germans have run out of ideas.

Though we're eternally grateful it exists, the G42 is the least pretty of the three 1 and 2 Series coupe generations, as well as the most aggressively styled. All the usual macho tropes are present – cab-backward long-bonnet/short boot silhouette with an exaggerated dash-to-axle ratio, huge front air intakes, bulging bonnet and diffuser-heavy rear end.

There's also a beady eyed look to this M240i, with its squinty headlights and angry tail-light shapes further piling on the attitude. It's a far cry from the simple elegance of the E82 original, let alone the classic E30 of the Eighties. We wonder how much extra the M2 version will be when it surfaces later on.

That said, the G42's design is in keeping with something wearing an M-something-something prefix. In the optional purple of our press car, it certainly turns heads. That said, in the Bangle era, BMWs didn't have to rely on paint to do that.

Bangle, by the way, refers to BMW's late '90s/early '00s head designer Chris Bangle, an American with a bold aesthetic, scant regard for tradition and a taste for the controversial. His effect on vehicle styling, starting with the 2001 7 Series, is still felt today.

Dimensionally speaking, comparing the length/width/height/wheelbase measurements of the M240i (4548mm/1838mm/1404mm/2741mm) with a 2000 E46 330Ci (4488mm/1757mm/1369mm/2725mm) shows how today's coupe is palpably larger.

Over the previous (F22) 2 Series, the newcomer is 105mm longer, 64mm wider and 28mm lower; the wheelbase has been stretched by 51mm, while the front and rear tracks are 63mm and 35mm further out, respectively. Result? More space inside for today's lucky occupants.

The interior of the Sealion 5 feels pretty well-made and there are soft-touch surfaces on most of the touch-points. The steering wheel, too, is thick and chunky and nice to hang on to. But there’s a lot going on in terms of different colours, textures and surfaces, and it can all look a bit busy, despite the high-tech boardroom overall flavour. It’s also worth mentioning the trim material is synthetic but does a great job of looking and feeling like real leather.

Externally, there’s not a lot to grab the eye. Sure, it’s not an unpleasant looking vehicle, but neither does it stand out from the mid-size SUV pack. At least BYD decided against those cheap-looking plastic tack-ons on each wheel-arch.

Interior dimensions may not be paramount to most coupe purchasers, but a stylish one with quality fittings and generous equipment levels certainly is, and here the M240i is bang-on brand.

For a compact two door, the M240i is pleasingly accessible. Long doors and a tallish roof help entry/egress, into a 2+2 cabin that obviously prioritises front-seat occupants. And it does that exceedingly well.

There's space to stretch – even if you're two metres tall – up front, as long as the rear seats aren't occupied, as a result of generous leg and shoulder room, while headroom should also be sufficient, even with the sunroof fitted. We're talking about a small coupe, remember, so that's impressive.

Vision out isn't as bad as you might imagine, either, due to the airiness that the elongated side windows provide. There are blind spots, though, with the B-pillar being the worst, but at least the extensive camera and sensor network surrounding the car provide reassuring back-up.

The handsome M Sport front seat option ($2000 extra) look like they mean business, providing all the comfort, support and adjustment most occupants will ever need. They're firm enough when you need them yet restfully supple all the time. Backed up by a multitude of electronics, both buckets will brace people of pretty much all sizes, while the driver has the luxury of two memory settings that also take in mirror positions.

Remember how the new 2 Series comes via Mexico? You'd never know it wasn't built in Germany, from the solid build quality and expensive materials to the extremely welcome absence of squeaks and rattles. No area exposed to the occupants looks or feels cheap.

Also meeting expectations is the dashboard itself, which is essentially a scaled-down replica of every recently released BMW – futuristic and fabulous iX aside – since the current (G20) 3 Series in 2018 broke the Bangle-era curse of disappointing new-millennial models.

If you're hoping for a return to classic analogue instrument dials, forget it. The M240i's instruments are modish electronic items, providing plenty of vehicle and driving data, and supported by an excellent head-up display. Like the switches and buttons, they're easy to fathom, with little familiarisation required.

As we've said repeatedly in other BMW reviews, the iDrive multimedia controller is amongst the best in the business, responding instantly to inputs. The other basics – ventilation, storage, driving position – are also first class. Nothing to complain about here. The company is on a good thing and it's sticking with it.

Accessing the rear seats is aided by electrified front seats that slowly whir forward, to provide a big-enough aperture for your medium-build 178cm tall tester to squeeze in.

Once sat, with legs splayed apart, there's just enough space for another person of similar height and proportions, as well as surprisingly decent levels of vision thanks to the narrow front bucket seats and extended rear glass area, to offset any feelings of claustrophobia.

BMW has also provided several welcome amenities, including face-pointed rear vents with full single-zone temperature control to serve two occupants back there, armrests (with the centre fold-down item also packing in a pair of cupholders), reading lights and coat hooks.

Sadly, however, the rear windows do not retract, and the thick door pillars are fixed, so you cannot enjoy a pillarless hardtop experience. That's what the M4 coupe (and convertible too) is for.

While rear-seat space is adequate, with enough room for shoulders, thighs and feet if the front-seat occupants don't mind raising the cushion a little, the backrest is too upright to be considered comfortable on longer journeys. At least the low cushion is scalloped enough to provide some support, though, again, not over extended periods.

That rear backrest folds, by the way, to a 40/20/40 split, providing access into the 390-litre boot while still able to accommodate a single passenger. The lid opens up and wide, offering up a long, flat and wide space for storage. Along with a 12V outlet and tie-down hooks, you'll find a tyre-repair kit, since no spare wheel is carried.

Here’s the other big shock relative to the price-tag of the Sealion 5: This is not a small car. Based on the price, you might have been thinking the vehicle would be a compact SUV. And you’d have been wrong. This is a proper mid-sized SUV with room for five and luggage and an overall length of 4.7 metres and change. And to put that into some kind of perspective, that’s just 30mm shorter than the Sealion 6 which costs about $9000 more at its starting point.

The wheelbase is long, too, and the 2712mm between the axles helps make the interior even more spacious. That means there’s lots of stretching room in the front, but also that a grown adult can comfortably sit in the back seat behind another grown adult at the wheel and still have enough room in every direction. The window sills are commendably low in the rear seat, too, ensuring even littlies can see out.

The biggest problem in the back is that the seat cushion is a bit flat, but, like the front chairs, it’s still pretty plush.

With all five seats in place, the Sealion 5 boasts 463 litres of luggage space and the cargo area is well done with storage pockets at each side, a light and an under-floor tray designed to transport charging cables and a tyre repair kit. Yep, that’s right, there’s no spare tyre of any sort here. No surprise, really.

Fold the rear seat down and you’re suddenly looking at 1410 litres of cargo space and your SUV is now a panel van.

As well as the dual-zone climate control, the Sealion 5 also offers a single USB -C and a USB-A charging port in the front and rear compartments.

The Sealion 5 also offers a V2L (Vehicle to Load) function, meaning it can power camping or on-site work equipment and even act as your home’s battery.

The plug-in hybrid in question is the BYD Sealion 5. It has a claimed EV-only range of better than 100km, relatively quick charging, a decent sized battery, adequate performance, enough interior space for a family, good safety and lots of equipment. Oh, and it costs just $33,990, before on-road costs, in its entry-level Essential form. Incoming!

Equipment-wise, that sub-34K sticker gets you a 10.1-inch central info-screen, an 8.8-inch driver display, digital radio, a six-speaker stereo, wireless connectivity for Android Auto and Apple CarPlay and dual-zone climate control.

Throw another four grand on the table and you move up to the Premium version which adds plenty of kit for the $37,990 ask. That includes a panoramic sunroof, automatic tailgate, roof rails, heated and electrically folding mirrors, one-touch power windows, a six-way powered drivers seat and four-way powered co-pilot’s chair, a heated and ventilated driver’s seat and wireless charging.

The step up from Essential to Premium also includes a battery upgrade, and we’ll cover that off in the Under the Bonnet section below.

As with all of our current favourite BMWs that aren't electric on full-fledged M cars, the M240i is fitted with a variation of the divine B58 engine – a 2998cc 3.0-litre double overhead cam direct-injection turbo I6. It delivers 285kW at a heady 6500rpm, and 500Nm of torque between a low 1900rpm and 5000rpm.

A kerb weight of 1690kg (200kg more than the 220i equivalent) means the M240i's power to weight ratio is about 169kW/tonne, which may explain why it can manage the 0-100km/h time in 4.3 seconds. V-max is 250km/h.

Power is channelled to all four wheels continuously via an eight-speed M Steptronic transmission, while the AWD system features a differential to help transmit torque to all four wheels more cleanly.

Controlling all those outputs, the M240i's suspension consists of a two-joint spring strut front and a five‑link rear axle arrangement, with M Sport suspension including variable sport steering, additional front axle struts, M Sport brakes, M Sport differential at the rear axle and adaptive M suspension with electronically controlled dampers.

Both variants of the Sealion 5 have the same driveline – mostly. They each use a 1.5-litre petrol engine teamed with a single electric motor, both driving the front wheels. Unlike the bigger Sealions, there’s no all-wheel drive version. Power peaks at 156kW and torque at 300Nm.

Why a non-turbocharged engine? BYD tells us the non-turbo engine helps keep cost out of the vehicle and, since the engine really only runs to power the electric motor and charge the batteries, it does so at a relatively constant engine speed, negating the need for a wide spread of petrol power.

The only major difference is that the Essential version has a 12.9kWh battery-pack, while the Premium gets a bigger, 18.3kWh pack for longer range, but precisely the same output and, therefore, performance.

A single-speed transmission is part of the BYD driveline package, also made possible by the fact that the vast majority of the driving of wheels is done by the electric motor.

Over exactly 503km of city, suburban, freeway and performance testing, we managed a credible 9.6 litres per 100km – and that was with the air-con on  constantly and regular visits to the 7000rpm rev limiter. No horses were spared in our quest to properly assess this vehicle.

BMW's official combined-average claim for the Euro 6d-rated M240 is 8.0L/100km flat – and 6.6L and 10.3L in the Extra Urban and Urban runs – for a carbon dioxide emissions average of 185 grams/km.

The small fuel tank swallows just 52 litres of E10, 95 or 98 RON (as tested) premium unleaded petrol, meaning an average of 650km between refills is possible.

The Premium’s bigger battery claims to up the official NEDC range from the Essential’s 71km to 100km. BYD reckons with the 52-litre fuel tank brimmed and the car operating at its claimed 1.2 litres per 100km efficiency, the range of either version is just on 1000km. In the real world, that’s likely to be closer to 800km (especially with some highway running thrown in) but it’s still one heck of a solution to range anxiety.

There’s no DC charging function for the Sealion 5, so forget about commercial fast chargers. But on a 3.3kW AC power outlet, the maker claims the Essential can reach full charge in under four hours, while the Premium’s bigger battery will take under six hours to fully charge. A Type 1 charge cable is included.

In a word, invigorating.

Stuffing a big old engine in a little-ish car is always an exciting recipe for thrills, and the M240i Coupe does not disappoint.

Press the start button, and the sublime B58 3.0-litre turbo I6 growls into life, setting a rich tone for the level of performance as well as sophistication that's coming.

Even in Eco mode, off-the-line acceleration is stirring, with a hefty shove if you're in a hurry, or a brisk pace if you just long to just take it easy, defined by smooth upshifts from what remains one of the world's greatest-ever automatic transmissions.

That said, Normal is the default operating setting, and here the M240i can take on a Jekyll and Hyde split-personality, that goes well beyond simply possessing a strong throttle response accompanied by a soaring exhaust note. The engine sings sweetly even right up to 7000rpm, while the gearbox is uncanny in its ability to always be in the correct gear, yet will simultaneously hold each ratio in manual mode (via the shifter or paddles) if the driver needs to go hell-for-leather.

Speaking of which, in Sport mode, the 3.0-litre turbo goes into red alert, taking on a louder and more muscular mood, as it roars along with frenetic yet effortless speed. What seems like 90km/h can, in fact, be very much more, and with plenty of extra oomph in reserve.

It's so typical BMW that purists affronted by some of the brand's other niche offerings of late will cry with joy that the art of making a sports coupe has not been lost in Bavaria after all.

And that's before the first turn of that fat little steering wheel. Here the 2 Series Coupe's 3 Series-derived CLAR architecture's DNA is immediately obvious, providing subtle balance and an immersive connection to go with all that bolshy brawn.

The M240i will glide along precisely where pointed, sticking steadfast to the tarmac while cornering at speed without breaking a sweat. That mechanical rear diff helps provide both alacrity and reassuring control. Yes, it remains weighty and planted when punted relentlessly through tight corners, but it's also not as heavy-feeling as before.

Being AWD, there's grip galore to rely on for security, yet the M240i still seems deliberately rear-drive biased in its set-up, so the driver can hang the tail out if wanted with gradual ease in Normal, or with a little more of a sideways flick in Sport. The modes are configurable so the level of engine, steering and suspension responses can be tailored as desired, meaning that in the racy Sport Plus setting, with stability and traction controls on hold, the full oversteer experience is possible if you're game/brave/silly enough.

This car's brilliant performance is also down to incredibly dependable and nuanced braking, adding another layer of driver enjoyment, since it can pull up hard and fast if need be without drama or fuss.

So, it's no surprise to learn that an M-Sport-enhanced BMW can be a deliciously fast and limber along a mountain road.

But the real progress over the old F22 is just how suave and polished the G42 is if you're tired and stressed, isolating its occupants from the rigours of rubbish road surfaces. Kudos to the 'Adaptive M Suspension' and its adaptive dampers for this, for they're standard M240i fare. The resulting cushy ride completely broadens the dynamic bandwidth of this compact sports coupe, making it an everyday commuting proposition.

Ultimately, it's a bit of a struggle to find fault in the 2 Series' drivability and dynamic make-up. The usual Euro luxury car bugbear of too much coarse-chip tyre noise applies, but as this is a sports coupe, that's not such a big deal here. Even wind noise levels are subdued – all the better to drink in that glorious turbo engine wail.

BMW, you got the M240i delightfully right.

You don’t have to drive very far to realise that the local input into the Sealion 5’s suspension and steering have been worth the effort. BYD Australia has a local engineering team on call these days, and it shows here.

Actually, the steering is not the highlight; it has some weight but not a whole lot of feel, or, indeed, feedback for the driver. The ride and handling combination is what stars. Obviously well-damped, the suspension allows for a ride that is both complaint and quiet, without causing the car to wallow around like some jacked-up designs can with their higher centre of gravity.

In fact, the BYD is athletic to the point where keener drivers will find it an entertaining drive; hardly something that can be said for the majority of medium SUVs.

Performance is strong without being overwhelming and even though the Sealion 5 has that signature electric-drive feeling of effortlessness, the accelerator pedal has been calibrated to avoid the neck-snapping surge of grunt off the line. As such, it emerges with a fairly flat acceleration curve, and no hint that the petrol motor is cutting in or out.

Until, that is, you bury the throttle all the way at which point the petrol engine takes a few second to join in. And when it does, it’s pretty vocal – shrill, almost – as it catches up with the rest of the car and starts directly driving the wheels. To be fair, though, this is not going to be a common occurrence in everyday life thanks to the flexibility of the petrol-electric system for 99 per cent of circumstances.

On the move, the cabin is perhaps most notable for its soft, plush seats that are a nice change from the church pews of some manufacturers. And although the driving position is about right, taller drivers might prefer a steering column that extends out another few millimetres.

The driver display screen is another source of annoyance. It’s pretty small and contains lots and lots of information, to the point where the typeface is too small to be read on the run by anybody who relies on reading glasses.

Passive safety in the Sealion 5 starts with no fewer than seven airbags including full-length side-curtain bags. 

There’s also a front-centre airbag, something we’d like to see in more cars, particularly at this price-point. Child restraint points in the rear seat are the ISOFIX type.

The BYD gets pretty much the full suite of driver aids, including autonomous emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear-cross traffic alert with active assistance, stability control, active cruise-control, traffic-sign recognition, front and rear collision warning and tyre pressure monitoring.

The Sealion 5 also incorporates a driver-attention monitor which seems better calibrated than some earlier efforts from some of the Chinese carmakers. Also improved in calibration terms is the lane-keeping assistance which is still too violent for our tastes, but more subtle than some of the competition’s systems. But while the savagery of this system has been toned down, it appears to have been at the expense of sensitivity and, time and time again, the cameras missed road markings that were faded or dirty.

The major safety benefit in paying more for the Premium variant is the addition of front parking sensors and a 360-degree camera instead of the Essential’s simple reversing camera.

The Sealion 5 has not been ANCAP tested as yet, although BYD says this is largely down to ANCAP’s scheduling rather than any hesitance on BYD’s part.

Trailing all of its main luxury car rivals (except Porsche) by two years, BMW only offers a three-year/unlimited kilometre warranty, as well as three years of roadside assistance.

BMW says its vehicles' servicing is condition-based, depending on how they're driven and other factors, with a dash warning appearing to let the driver/owner know when it's time. We advise servicing your M4 annually or at every 10,000km

No capped-price servicing system is offered. However, as long as the first one is paid for before the first service on a new vehicle, the 'BMW Service Inclusive Basic packages' is available at extra cost, covering scheduled servicing for three years/40,000km or five years/80,000km. A 2 Series should cost from $1700 for the five-year/80.000km package.

Like other BYDs, the Sealion 5 comes with a six-year/150,000km warranty. Some of the competition have unlimited kilometre warranties, but to be honest, 150,000km in six years is going to be beyond the need and aspirations of most owners.

The EV battery is covered by an eight-year/160,000km warranty, and let’s not forget, BYD was a battery manufacturer before it started making whole cars. Certainly, the company is very bullish about the quality and safety of its 'Blade' battery technology, claiming it easily passes the technically-daunting 'nail-puncture' test.

BYD plans to have capped-price servicing for the Sealion 5, but no pricing announcements have been made yet.

Servicing also falls into line with other BYD models, so that means 12 months or 20,000km intervals.