BYD Sealion 7 vs Gac Aion V

What's the difference?

The BYD Sealion 7 Performance is well-priced and well-equipped. It more than holds its own against its mid-size electric SUV rivals. It has great motor outputs and it handles comfortably on the road. There's a lot to like here but some of the technology needs to be tweaked.

Candidly, I questioned the logic behind GAC entering the Australian market, especially now given the seemingly non-stop influx of other brands. How could it really hope to stand a chance against so many similarly priced and similarly equipped rivals?

Well, the answer is by providing a better product. The Aion V is simply a better package than many of its rivals, Chinese and otherwise, at least based on our initial impressions.

It combines value and practicality but also adds a level of driving comfort and manners its Chinese rivals can’t match.

Is that enough to guarantee success? Not at all, but it’s a strong foundation to start with and at least gives GAC a fighting chance to not get lost in the crowd.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with accommodation and meals provided.

It may be named after a sea lion but it doesn’t resemble the blubbery cuteness of the creature itself. However, its sleek dynamic styling and performance outputs do call forth some of the creature's water prowess. 

This prowess is hinted at by the 20-inch alloys which are fitted with Michelin tyres and red brake calipers. There’s some Porsche-like design notes in the wide swoopy nose and LED headlights. The rear is also quite handsome with its long LED band strip and narrow window giving it a sporty silhouette.

Head inside and the Performance showcases the best BYD cabin I've sampled. There are no strange accents or panelling like there are in the Atto 3. This proves that BYD can do premium well.

The quilted leather upholstery feels supple underhand and the sports seats with integrated headrests reminds you what it can achieve in a sprint.

The swoopy design is carried over inside with the door panels. The dashboard is simply styled but headlined by an enormous 15.6-inch display that can rotate between landscape or portrait mode. Some may liken it to an iPad but it works.

The panoramic sunroof keeps things bright and cheerful but there are some simplistic elements that are hard to ignore. Like the lack of buttons, minimalist mirror cover design on the sunvisors and a rather plain-looking centre console.

Everything else flows and my favourite feature inside is surprisingly the lever door handles! They're functional but cute.

One of the most notable elements of the Aion V design is the absence of a ‘GAC’ badge on the front. That’s because, while all GAC models in Australia will be sold under the one name, in its native China there are several different sub-brands. GAC Aion is the ‘new energy vehicles’ brand, focused on electric vehicles (EVs), while the smaller Emzoom SUV is part of the more mainstream Trumpchi brand that offers internal combustion engine models.

It means the three cars sold initially, and even as the brand moves forward with its expansion plans, there will likely be stark visual differences between models because they are effectively different brands. In the same way Holden ended up with a mixture of Opel, Chevrolet and GMC products in its final years.

Having said all that, the Aion V itself is an inoffensive design. It’s not as generic as some of its rivals, with some design character around the headlights and silhouette, so overall it cuts a likeable figure without being particularly memorable.

Like so many modern cars, the Aion V has a very simplistic layout inside, with more screens and less physical buttons and switches to reduce cost and complexity. There’s an 8.8-inch digital instrument display and a 14.6-inch multimedia touchscreen in the centre on the dashboard.

The cabin has space, space and then more space. Passenger comfort is all but guaranteed with the available leg- and headroom in each row.

The functions for the electric front seats means it's easy to find a comfortable position. Door apertures are wide for each row and despite a relatively low 140mm ground clearance, it's still an easy SUV to slide in and out of.

Technology looks great and the large 15.6-inch multimedia display is what catches your eye first. Graphics are sharply rendered and the touchscreen responsive. There's a lot of information and menus embedded into the display which means it's a system that will take you a beat to get used to.

It's not unique but the in-built voice assistant rarely works as it should and needs some work. Also, because of the lack of buttons and dials, all functions are accessed via the screen. I don't like this because it tends to draw your eyes from the road far more often than it should and some functions - like the heat and ventilation for the front seats - are buried in a few menus.

There is wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto but there are some gremlins that need to be ironed out. The connectivity is easy enough but the steering wheel mounted phone control didn't access Apple CarPlay. So, I couldn't hang up my phone call properly, it would instead access the Bluetooth phone menu and dial my last call. I had a few 'butt' dials this week because of it.

Storage is on par with the Performance rivals and up front the burden falls across the large glovebox and middle console but there is also a shelf underneath the centre console for bigger items, like a handbag. There are two phone cradles, although only one offers wireless charging, and two height-adjustable cupholders two drink bottle holders and small storage bins.

In the rear, you get two device pockets and a map pocket on the back of each front seat. There is a fold-down armrest with retractable cupholders and a small storage pocket (think Kindle-size) and there are storage bins in each door.

The boot capacity is a decent 500L and the floor can be adjusted to two heights, one offering a level loading space. There is also a frunk storage of 58L for any cables or random bits you don't use often. Under the boot floor there is also enough room for cables and the tyre repair kit. The powered tailgate can be access via your keyfob as well.

For a flagship grade, I would have expected a few extra amenities in the rear, like climate control and sunshades but it does have directional air vents, reading lights and a USB-A and C port.

In terms of practicality there’s a handy space for a wireless smartphone charging pad, and that previously mentioned heated or cooled centre console box. Oddly, though, there is no traditional glove box. Instead there are just a pair of bag hooks ahead of the front seat passenger.

Space is good for a mid-size SUV, with a roomy front and respectable space in the second row. It would comfortably accommodate four adults, so would be a good option for families with older children.

As for the boot, it’s a generous 427 litres and has multiple adjustable floor heights available. Disappointingly, even though it has space for a spare, potentially even a full-size one, it only has a tyre repair kit. That might be fine in some markets around the world, but in the vastness of Australia, that is not the best option. Even a space-saver spare would be a better bet.

Starting with the basics, the Aion V is a five-seat electric SUV priced from just $42,590, before on-road costs, for the entry-level model.

Now, not too long ago an all-electric SUV for under $45K would be a revelation and would have made an impact on this market. But there are plenty of alternatives to choose from these days at similar money, including the Geely, Leapmotor and the BYD Atto 3.

Even so, at $42,590 for the entry-level Premium and $44,590 BOC for the more-premium-than-Premium Luxury variant, that’s still very competitive pricing.

For that money you get a well-appointed mid-size SUV, with even the base model equipped with LED headlights and tail-lights, 19-inch alloy wheels, a panoramic sunroof, heated and ventilated front seats, dual-zone climate control and a nine-speaker stereo.

Stepping up to the Luxury adds partial genuine leather seats, massaging front seats and a box in the centre console that can act as a fridge and a warmer, depending on your needs.

While neither the cheapest EV nor the best-appointed, the Aion V does a nice job of offering a compelling value proposition in its competitive set.

The Performance is all-wheel drive and is fully electric with dual motors, a squirrel cage induction motor located at the front and a permanent magnet synchronous motor at the rear. Together they produce up to 390kW of power and 690Nm of torque.

This gives the flagship grade a 0-100km/h sprint time of just 4.5 seconds. There’s obviously ample power to be had here which will delight EV fans who like that tummy-falling sensation when accelerating.

Both the Aion V Premium and Luxury are powered by a 150kW/210Nm electric motor, which drives the front wheels. 

Aion doesn’t claim a 0-100km/h time, but it wouldn’t be quick, at least not in EV terms. If you’re looking for a ludicrously powerful electric car - this ain’t it. It’s a perfectly fine powertrain for the job at hand, but it won’t blow your socks off with its performance and will take more than eight seconds to run 0-100km/h.

The Sealion 7 Performance has a blade battery with a large 82.56kWh capacity which supports a 456km WLTP driving range. This isn’t terrible for city drivers but a regional driver will likely want a longer range. BYD includes a portable charging cable with the model.

Charging is sorted via a Type 2 CCS charging port which accepts up to 11kW on an AC charger and up to 150kW on a DC charger. On a 150kW DC charger, you can go from 10 to 80 per cent in as little as 32 minutes and that increases to more than eight hours on an 11kW AC charger. All of the figures are quite good and help with the general day-to-day convenience.

The official energy consumption figure is 20.4 kWh per 100km but after doing a healthy mix of open-road driving and city stuff, my average has popped out at 19.1kWh. I reckon it's a solid result for a ‘performance’ grade but I didn’t find the regenerative braking to be particularly strong on this model.

The battery is 75.2kWh lithium-phosphate type, which provides a claimed range of 510km. Importantly, that figure is on the WLTP cycle, not the more lenient Chinese (CLTC) test protocol, so you could reasonably expect close to that target in the real world.

GAC claims it can accept up to 180kW charging speeds, which will get the battery from 10-80 per cent in just 24 minutes. 

It also has vehicle-to-load functionality, so you can draw power from the battery for tools or appliances if you need it.

The Performance grade offers plenty of power that is delivered wickedly quick without feeling overwhelming when you have to accelerate. You still feel in control, which is very important when you have outputs like this does.

The steering is responsive and light enough for quick lane changes. The general on-road handling is quite refined but there is more roll in corners than you’d expect and this is the only time the power can make the handling feel a tad wobbly.

Surprisingly, there isn't a one-pedal function and the regen braking isn’t particularly strong. It’s difficult to ‘creep’ forward in this in stop/start traffic where it can feel a bit jerky at times, so it handles best on the open road.

Visibility is mostly good but the rear window is narrow and a digital rear-view mirror would have been welcomed in this model. Suspension is sports-firm but forgiving over bigger bumps. 

The 360-degree view camera and surrounding sensors makes this super easy to park and honestly, you shouldn’t have any trouble manoeuvring the Sealion 7.

This is perhaps the area where the Aion V surprised the most. One of the most consistent qualities of these new Chinese-developed models is their incompatibility with Australia’s unique road conditions. They have a tendency to lack comfortable, controlled suspension and well-weighted and consistent steering.

That’s not the case with the Aion V, with GAC clearly taking the benefits from the partnerships it has with Toyota and Honda to learn what international markets prefer. Is this a clear standout, class-leading SUV dynamically? No. But it is above-average in the way it rides and handles.

The suspension is well resolved and feels comfortable to live with, while the steering is nice and direct, which will make navigating the cities, suburbs and open roads more easy and enjoyable. 

There is still some fine-tuning that could make it better, but overall the Aion V leaves a positive first impression. 

GAC is offering the same safety equipment across both models, which is a nice touch to avoid any need to compromise.

This includes full airbag protection for all occupants, front and rear parking sensors and a 360-degree camera system. 

There’s also a lengthy list of driver assistance features, including adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, forward collision warning, traffic sign recognition, emergency lane keeping assist, rear cross-traffic alert and door opening warning.

These systems could benefit from some real-world testing and calibration, because while better than some, they were still intrusive and annoying at times - most notably the driver attention monitoring.

ANCAP has not yet tested the Aion V, but it has received a maximum five-star rating from Euro NCAP, which typically carries over to the local body.

The Sealion 7 is covered by a six-year/150,000km warranty which is good for the class. The battery is covered by an eight-year/160,000km warranty which is a normal term.

The Sealion 7 gets a 10-year capped price servicing but it’s expensive compared to some of its peers at $4157.

Servicing intervals are spaced at every 12 months or 20,000km, whichever occurs first.

The Aion V is covered by an eight-year, unlimited kilometre warranty which is well ahead of the mainstream pack, typically sitting at five years, unlimited km. The drive battery is also covered for eight years, 200,000km and roadside assist is included for five years. Recommended service interval and costs are still to be confirmed.

But one of the biggest challenges for all these new car brands is finding space in the Australian market - literally. If you want to sell a lot of new cars you need a lot of new car showrooms and if you want to keep customers happy, you’ll need enough service centres to keep cars on the road as much as possible.

GAC has plans to have as many as 100 dealerships in the next five years, but right now it has reportedly less than a dozen. That will make servicing problematic if you do not live in close proximity to a service centre. This isn’t the work of a moment either, with so many new brands fighting for dealership real estate and staff there are only so many places GAC can set up shop.