BYD Sealion 6 vs Toyota BZ4X

What's the difference?

BYD has made a big impact in a short space of time in Australia and the arrival of this all-new mid-size SUV opens the door for an even bigger future.

BYD has taken the fight to Tesla in the electric vehicle contest, and while still some margin behind the American brand the Atto 3 and Seal remain amongst the most popular rivals to the Model 3 and Y, respectively.

At the same time it has out-sold established brands including Honda, Skoda and Renault, as well as fellow Chinese newcomers LDV and Chery. 

Now BYD has its sights set on upsetting the established order in one of the biggest segments in the Australian market - mid-size SUVs.

The Sealion 6 is not a name that rolls off the tongue but it does leave an impression, as does the car, as we discovered when we drove it.

Toyota finds itself in a very unusual position - playing catch-up.

Usually the Japanese brand dominates any market segment it is in - or at least has one of the more popular offerings. But when it comes to mid-size electric SUVs, Toyota finds its bZ4X trailing well behind several rivals including the BYD Sealion 7, Geely EX5, Kia EV5, Tesla Model Y and Zeekr 7X. 

There’s a very clear reason for this, too. Toyota was late to the party. The brand has taken a very slow approach to the electric vehicle (EV) market, launching its first battery-powered model, the bZ4X SUV, in early 2024.

Up until the start of 2026 and a price drop that coincided with surging petrol prices and a spike in EV demand, the bZ4X was something of a bit-player in the EV market. But with sales up more than 300 per cent in 2026 the time seems perfect to expand, with the bZ4X Touring reaching dealerships.

So is this the right SUV at the right time? Or is it too little too late?