What's the difference?
The Toyota Camry might be in a spot of trouble here.
The 2026 BYD Seal 6 has arrived, and not just at a lower starting price with a more electrified plug-in hybrid drivetrain, but with a wagon option, too.
In fact, the Seal 6 Touring Premium wagon is the halo variant of the Seal 6 range and its price matches the Camry’s entry grade.
The mid-size sedan and wagon duo from China, not to be confused with the already-launched BYD Seal electric car, make up what’s probably BYD’s strongest jab at Toyota yet. A true threat to the iconic Camry.
BYD’s biggest selling point for the Seal 6 is its range, more than 1000km in the real world, tested on just one tank and one charge from Sydney to Melbourne.
One day of pure highway driving and a day of winding country roads put that to the test on its Australian launch so you hopefully never have to.
The Hyundai i30 sees an update for the 2025 model line and the base N Line variant gets the best of the new stuff, including a new mild-hybrid powertrain.
This might mean trouble for its nearest rivals, the Toyota Corolla, Mazda3 and Kia Cerato, because the update makes the N Line one of the better base-model hatches to come out in recent years for its segment.
In this review, we see how it also handles urban life!
The 2026 BYD Seal 6 proves a compelling offering at a time when cost and efficiency should be nearer the top of your new car consideration list. Not just for its long range, but its clever use of electrons and fuel to keep costs down even after the initial humble outlay.
It helps that the Touring Premium remains sub-$40,000, before on-roads, and offers plenty of features, a spacious interior and the right kind of drivetrain for everyday use in Australia.
While rivals like the Toyota Camry or Skoda Octavia are more polished and can almost compete on price, the BYD’s features and efficient PHEV powertrain will outweigh the brand names and more refined on-road behaviour of established rivals for, we would guess, a significant number of buyers.
Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.
The updated Hyundai i30 N Line doesn’t look like or perform like a base model.
You really do get bang for your buck here with its features. It’s a good-looking hatch that’s fun to drive in the city or open road and while the multimedia system is basic and occupants will be squished in the rear row, everything else is a big plus.