2024 BYD Song Plus Reviews

The 2027 BYD Seal 6 is a plug-in hybrid rival to the Toyota Camry with a competitive price and a long driving range available either as a sedan in Essential grade, or as a wagon (Touring) in Premium grade. The Touring Premium starts from $39,990 before on-road costs and comes with extra features and an upgraded drivetrain over the sedan.While the Essential comes with a decent amount of standard kit, including wireless phone mirroring, synthetic leather upholstery, power-adjustable front seats and a 12.8-inch multimedia touchscreen, the Touring Premium adds features like a panoramic sunroof and heated and vented front seats.It’s powered by a hybrid system consisting of a 1.5-litre, four-cylinder petrol engine that helps an electric motor drive the front wheels, drawing power from a 19kWh battery to deliver 163kW and 260Nm in total.The battery is good for 100km of electric driving under WLTP conditions, and when combined with a full 65L fuel tank means a driving range of well over 1000km overall. Consumption ranges from 0.8L/100km to 4.1L/100km with either a full or depleted battery.The BYD Seal 6 boasts a five-star ANCAP rating, with seven airbags and a safety suite including adaptive cruise control with forward collision warning and automatic braking intervention.BYD has a six-year/150,000km warranty, plus an eight-year/160,000km warranty for the battery.Servicing is every 20,000km or 12 months, with the first five services totalling $2775, an average of $555 a visit.

Australians are still buying cars in greater quantity than ever before, despite tough economic conditions.The new vehicle market recorded its strongest ever July result off the back of the same feat in June. Toyota has had a resurgent month up against its Chinese challengers BYD and Chery, led by its new-generation RAV4 SUV. Electric car sales are also showing no signs of slowing down in Australia, accounting for more than one-in-five cars sold. Chinese brands are becoming a staple high up the sales charts in Australia, with many budget-focused models continuing to drive sales. Toyota achieved 20,409 registrations for July, more than double what BYD managed.The Japanese juggernaut has taken out the top-two spots for July with its RAV4 family SUV and HiLux ute.The RAV4 has shot up the sale charts to take out pole position, with 5564 units, wrestling back against early supply issues plaguing the new version of the hugely popular family model. Plug-in hybrid variants of the RAV4 have received some serious attention from buyers, accounting for nearly 40 per cent of the SUV's total sales.Toyota's HiLux ute was not far behind, boasting 4721 units and overtaking the Ford Ranger (4042) in July. The brand also experienced its best month in 2026 for its Land Cruiser Prado and 300 Series 4WDs.Fully-electric cars represented more than one-fifth of all sales in July, with rising fuel prices continuing to influence buyer choices.The Tesla Model Y registered another month as the best-selling EV in Australia, with 4644 units in July between its five- (2215) and six-seater (2429) variants according to EV Council data. BYD’s Sealion 7 mid-size SUV was another strong performer, with 2548 examples sold last month, keeping its tag as the brand’s best-selling model for another month.The Geely EX5 (2034) made another appearance in the top 10 best sellers, followed by the Zeekr 7X (1892). The Chery Tiggo 4 (2156) small SUV has continued its run as one of the best-selling small SUVs, holding off competition from the Hyundai Kona (2096) and Mazda CX-5 (1836).BYD held onto second position in the overall sales standings for July (7857), despite a noticeable drop-off from June. In addition to the Sealion 7, its Shark 6 plug-in hybrid ute registered another confident registration figure, with 1216 units, along with the Atto 2 small SUV (1214).Chery, Geely, GWM and MG all made the top 10 best-selling brands for the month.

BYD’s latest model to go on pre-sale in the UK previews a model likely coming to Australia in the form of a large plug-in hybrid SUV.The 2027 BYD Ti7, also called the FangChengBao Ti7 in China, isn’t officially on the cards for Australia, but a right-hand drive version launching in the UK and the existence of trademark filings for the model name here in Australia point to a strong possibility.The BYD Ti7 is now available to order in the UK with a starting price of £47,995 drive-away (A$92,000). It would likely be significantly cheaper if it arrives in Australia, due to our proximity to China and generally lower prices compared to the UK.It's a large SUV with plug-in hybrid power and a boxy silhouette that, due to its FangChengBao origins, departs slightly from BYD’s established design language.BYD says the first deliveries will take place from January 2027. The large SUV is a seven-seater with a turbo-petrol 1.5-litre engine helping power three electric motors with one at each axle for all-wheel drive. There’s also an all-electric version, though that’s not available in the UK for now.A 35.6kWh lithium-iron-phosphate battery provides an electric driving range of 119km, and with its 300kW output, it can hit 100km/h in 4.8 seconds.Importantly, it’s the first BYD to launch in the UK with the brand’s DM-p powertrain. This means two electric motors at the front axle and one at the rear, though the brand says a balance of efficiency and performance rather than pure performance is the focus of the powertrain.In-cabin tech like a 15.6-inch touchscreen and a 10.25-inch digital driver display, as well as adjustable seats in the middle row and standard leather upholstery mean the Ti7 should be a convincing luxury SUV as far as the showroom impression is concerned.Despite the trademark, BYD Australia has told CarsGuide the Ti7 isn’t currently on its radar.If it does launch here, the Ti7 will likely come in a high-spec grade even at entry, though pricing is hard to predict.It would also likely be sold under the BYD brand, rather than as a Denza here even though it fits the more rugged design vibe.UK outlet Autocar was told it’s sold as a BYD because its underpinnings are more on-road focused than the Denza B5, which is a FangChengBao Bao 5 in China.

The 2026 BYD Seal 6, not to be confused with the electric Seal sedan launched earlier this decade, is a plug-in hybrid rival to the Toyota Camry with a competitive price and a long driving range.The Seal 6 comes either as a sedan in Essential grade, or as a wagon (Touring) in Premium grade. The Essential starts from $34,990, making it cheaper than its medium sedan rivals and most plug-in hybrids on the market.The base sedan comes with a decent amount of standard kit:Wireless phone mirroringSynthetic leather upholsteryPower-adjustable front seats12.8-inch multimedia touchscreenIt’s powered by a hybrid system consisting of a 1.5-litre, four-cylinder petrol engine that helps an electric motor drive the front wheels, drawing power from a 10kWh battery to deliver 130kW and 210Nm in total.The battery provides enough juice for 55km of electric driving under WLTP conditions, though with its 65L fuel tank and either 1.1L/100km fuel consumption with a charged battery or 3.6L/100km with a run-down battery, BYD says the Seal 6 can top 1000km on a single tank and full battery.The BYD Seal 6 boasts a five-star ANCAP rating, with seven airbags and a safety suite including adaptive cruise control with forward collision warning and automatic braking intervention.BYD has a six-year/150,000km warranty, plus an eight-year/160,000km warranty for the battery.Servicing is every 20,000km or 12 months, with the first five services totalling $2775, an average of $555 a visit.

Sharply-priced deals can be the best way for buyers to get into a new car in Australia. Car sales are surging, with June 2026 an all-time monthly Australian record. Brands continue to put enticing deals on the table, even for their most popular models.From SUVs to utes and hybrid to electric, there are plenty of cars on offer at a cut price. Here are some of the best ones we’ve found. Ford is currently offering $3000 off and five free general services on select Ranger ute and Everest SUV models until the 30th of September. The 2.0-litre diesel Ranger XLT 2WD top-spec dual-cab model is now available from $49,990, before on-road costs. The V6-powered Wildtrak grade of the 4WD dual-cab pick-up is available from $72,090.The 4WD XLS and XLT cab-chassis grades start from $55,450 and $63,590, respectively, as part of the offer. Two grades of the V6 Everest SUV are also eligible for the $3000 discount, with the Sport starting from $73,990, while the Tremor starts from $76,990. These deals are only available on the Blue Oval’s MY26.5 stock.Peugeot is offering some serious discounts on its hybrid SUVs as it parts ways with its local distributor Inchcape. The 2008 compact SUV is available on a drive-away offer of $39,990, with it previously on sale from $42,990, before on-road costs. The mid-sized 3008 starts from $48,990, drive-away, down from $52,990 (before on-road costs). Peugeot’s 5008 large SUV has a drive-away price of $48,990, contrasting its $52,990, before on-road costs, price tag. Leapmotor has put a series of sharp deals on the table for its electrified SUV range until September 30. The mid-sizer C10 range-extender hybrid has a $42,990 drive-away offer, with a $3000 cash-back offer reducing that price to $38,990. The car normally retails from $43,888, before on-road costs. EV versions of the C10 are also available on a drive-away deal of $47,990, with an additional $3000 cash back decreasing the price to $44,990. This is a sizeable discount on the $45,888 before on-road costs starting price. The smaller B10 EV is available from $38,990, drive-away, down from $43,888 (before on-road costs).BYD continues to add competitive deals across its line-up in Australia. Shark 6 cab-chassis and Premium examples are available with a $2500 cash-back until July 31. This reduces before on-road costs pricing on the cab-chassis price to $52,500, and $60,500 on the Premium. The cash-back offer extends to its Sealion 5, Sealion 6 and Sealion 7 SUV range, with the Atto 3 electric SUV eligible for a $2000 cash back. Chery similarly has $2000 cash-back offers on most of its range including the Tiggo 4, Tiggo 7, Tiggo 8 and Tiggo 9 SUVs. This deal is only available until 31 August on cars built in 2025.Nissan has slashed the price of its Navara ute range until August 31. There are heavy discounts on lower grade Navara units, with the base car available from $49,990 (drive-away), down from $53,348, before on-road costs. The range-topping Navara Pro-4X ute is just $63,990, drive-away, compared to its original $68,418, before on-road costs pricing. Existing Nissan customers are also eligible for a $2000 loyalty bonus. 

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. Should Toyota be worried? We attend the Australian launch of the Seal 6 Touring to find out.

BYD is taking the fight right into the heart of its fiercest rivals' territory as it launches a cheap new EV in Japan.The BYD Racco launches in Japan as a city car with its sights set on the country's ultra-affordable kei car segment. It is available in two variants, both starting from less than 2.5 million yen, which is roughly the equivalent of $20,000. The BYD Racco targets Japan’s very popular kei car market, suitable for busy streets and strict emissions regulations. Kei cars miss out on hefty vehicle taxes in Japan if they meet stringent design rules, making them a very affordable and practical transport option.The Racco is substantially bigger than BYD’s Atto 1 compact SUV on sale in Australia, measuring up at 3395mm long and 1475mm wide.BYD is introducing the Racco to tackle the otherwise Japanese-dominated city car segment, with a view to gaining a foothold in another global market. The Racco is the first kei car in Japan to boast a driving range exceeding 300km, with its 36kWh lithium-iron-phosphate battery offering a quoted 320km.The front-wheel drive only Racco’s single electric motor is limited to produce 47kW and 160Nm in line with Japanese rules. It has electric sliding doors on both sides to improve accessibility in narrow streets, and can also power external devices through vehicle-to-load capacity. The Racco’s platform enables DC charging at 100kW, meaning a 10-80 per cent charge should take around 20 minutes. Features inside the cabin include a 10.1-inch central touchscreen, heated front seats and a heated steering wheel. There is expected to be an even cheaper variant of the Racco coming later, with a 20kWh battery and a 200km driving range. BYD executives have previously poured cold water on the prospect of the Racco joining its Australian lineup as it is solely built for the Japanese market. Kei cars like the Racco face challenges to comply with Australian Design Rules, including inadequate side impact crash protection. Honda recently put its Super-One electric city car on sale Down Under, which is based on its N-One Kei car.It underwent significant changes, including a bigger frame, to ensure it complied.

Buyers still love 4WDs in Australia. It remains a big-selling segment, but some of its biggest hitters are suffering losses.China is starting to get a foothold in the market with budget offerings posing a serious threat to established regulars.Emissions-heavy vehicles such as 4WDs are also coming under fire from increasingly stringent rules in Australia.Here is the rundown of the best-selling 4WDs up to June 2026. The Ford Everest large SUV is up front with more than 11,000 sales in 2026 so far, despite a near 10 per cent year-on-year drop. It is based on the Ford Ranger, which is the best-selling ute in Australia.The Toyota Prado takes second place with more than 9000 sales so far this year, but it has experienced an even sharper drop of nearly 42 per cent year-on-year.The Prado is a scaled down version of the LandCruiser 300 Series, using a 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine, as opposed to the more powerful V6. Isuzu’s MU-X is third, making 7564 sales up to June, but it too experienced a more minor slump of 3.2 per cent. The LandCruiser 300 Series is currently fourth on the standings, and is the only car in the top five to have experienced a substantial growth in sales. Its 6451 sales constitutes a 26.3 per cent rise compared to first six months of 2025.Toyota also released a performance petrol hybrid V6 variant earlier this year.The Suzuki Jimny rounds out the top five as a much smaller and cheaper competitor to those above it. Priced from $31,990, before on-road costs, the Jimny is down 11.1 per cent compared to this time last year, while still amassing 3882 sales. The Nissan Patrol is down nearly 25 per cent compared to its sales result up to June 2025, with 2843 sales so far in 2026. The current Y62 petrol V8 Patrol will cease production next month, and order books for a new twin-turbo V6 will open later. GWM’s Tank 300 mid-size SUV off-roader has continued to surge up the sales charts in 2026, with 2759 sales so far.The Tank 300 is available in petrol, diesel, plug-less hybrid and plug-in hybrid set-ups - more varied than any of its competitors. BYD’s Denza sub-brand is another Chinese rival experiencing a solid sales return in Australia.Its B5 plug-in hybrid SUV has already accumulated 1445 sales this year, having only gone on sale in December 2025.Its bigger sibling the B8 is also approaching the 1000-unit mark midway through this year. The ultra-luxury GMC Yukon Denali from the United States is starting to pick up momentum in Australia. The V8-powered eight-seater Yukon Denali went on sale in the middle of last year, but 2026 has seen sales explode by nearly 190 per cent. It remains a low-volume model with only 202 sales, as it carries a $174,990 price tag. The 4WD segment is about undergo some serious changes in the next few months, including an influx of new models.The Mitsubishi Pajero will return to Australia, along with several new Chinese competitors likely to join it over the next 18 months.The anticipated Geely Galaxy Cruiser is slated for a UK launch, meaning Australia could its next step, while the GAC Yue 7 also seems to be on the way. 

The boss of the largest auto parts business in Thailand is on the frontline of Chinese expansion, and he has explained why Chinese companies are beating Japan and Europe at an alarming rate.Speaking to Nikkei Asia, Yeah Swee Chuan, CEO of Aapico Hitech, predicted the rise of Chinese automakers will lead to a rapid re-ordering of the industry, with the market share of combustion-engined (ICE) vehicles falling by about a third in the coming years.“They will win the war for sure” he told Nikkei, “You know why? All the people in the world, whether it’s European or anybody, they think of ICE and ICE and ICE. They are all ICE brain.”“The Chinese started up from EV. Their brain is EV, EV, EV.”China is now the dominant country of origin for new vehicles in Australia thanks to a massive array of new brands offering affordable and desirable products, with BYD, GWM, MG and Chery storming the top-10 vehicle charts.A big part of this rise is not just cheap cars like the small SUV segment-dominating Chery Tiggo 4, but also the rise of electric vehicles. As of July, EVs are now at a 16.4 per cent market share overall, with July alone seeing electric vehicles accounting for 36 per cent of sales.A similar story is playing out across our South East Asian neighbours, with EV market share reaching 15 per cent in Indonesia, 23 per cent in Thailand. The advance of electric vehicles has been less of a slam-dunk in Malaysia where market share is at 6.8 per cent (H1 2026), and the dominant market player is still Toyota-aligned Perodua, which has a 38.7 per cent market share.Even there EV market share has more than doubled year-on-year with Geely-aligned Proton holding second place in the market, and Jaecoo also leaping up the charts.Yeap predicts legacy automakers will need to increase their collaboration with Chinese automakers in order to survive.Yeap told Nikkei he thinks this explosive growth is because the perception of Chinese cars is turning in many of the markets his company operates in.“Three years ago when the Chinese cars came to Thailand everybody said they were junk but today, it’s not junk anymore. Their cars, the electronics, their systems and all that. Very advanced and the kids and young people love it,” he said.Yeap was of the opinion that the only market able to resist the surge of electrified vehicles from China would be the US as it increasingly uses trade barriers to isolate itself from the global auto market.Chinese automakers are storming the charts both here and overseas, it’s not necessarily good news for everyone, with the boss of Bartons Motor Group in Queensland, Mark Beitz, telling CarsGuide recently all is not well in the Australian market behind the glossy sales figures.He warned EV market share figures in July, which boosted market share to historic highs was largely due to artificial inflation thanks to deliveries being fulfilled that month from orders placed when fuel prices temporarily skyrocketed during the opening weeks of the Iran war.He also said profitability in the industry was hitting unprecedented lows due to huge amounts of inventory being dumped into the market by automakers and intense competition by “way too many brands”.While he alluded to the idea that some might not work in the long term, he was more positive about the chances of so-called legacy automakers like Nissan, who he predicted would adjust with new Chinese-built products, or Mitsubishi which would play to its strengths with the incoming and highly-anticipated Pajero 4WD and tactical adjustments to the Triton ute range. Both models are built in Thailand.Beitz agreed that the surge of Chinese automakers was changing buyer preferences, and ultimately once-giants from Japan would shrink in dealer footprint alongside their market share.Globally, Japanese giants are aware of the existential crisis facing them. Nissan has chosen to re-structure its business and orient its manufacturing footprint more towards its successful Chinese joint-ventures. Even bosses from Toyota are shaken, with Japan Automobile Association Chairman and Toyota Chief Industry Officer Koji Saito telling Automotive News “unless things change, we will not survive”.2026 is a year of a car industry in flux in Australia, with a major re-shuffling of the top-10 underway. It will be unsurprising to see four or five Chinese automakers supplant once-favourites from the list before the end of the year.

Aussies are going to be buying more Chinese cars than ever as exports boom.Our market is proving to be the perfect place for under-fire Chinese brands to move on from their oversaturated domestic market.Meanwhile, new Chinese government rules mean smaller Chinese automakers will have a better chance of becoming true competitors to bigger brands like BYD.Legislative changes have diminished the advantages of mass-production, reducing the profit on a single car sold for 200,000 yuan ($42,000) to just 3000 yuan (or $633) according to Auto Home.Brands now must look more closely at overseas markets, and Australia is standing out.Australia does not have a domestic car industry to protect so it does not impose the same expensive tariffs or rules as other markets, making it more attractive to some importers.Europe has had a series of up to 35 per cent tariffs in place on Chinese manufacturers importing EVs since late 2024 to encourage or protect local production.Thailand, one of the biggest car manufacturers in the world, has also introduced rules requiring two cars to be locally produced for every car imported.Chinese car exports surged by 65 per cent in the first half of 2026, with a whopping 5.1 million cars sold, via Auto Home.BYD and Chery have contributed nearly 2 million overseas sales between them so far this year.Virtually three-quarters of Chery’s total sales came from overseas in the first half of 2026.Many of these cars are coming to Australia as our market now sources more cars from China than it does from Japan.Nothing says this more than the current top 10 best-selling electric cars all being built in China. The BYD Sealion 7 electric mid-size SUV (from $54,000, before on-road costs) has been a raging success for the brand in Australia.Chery’s budget-friendly small SUVs the Tiggo 4 petrol/plugless hybrid (from $23,990, drive-away) and Jaecoo J5 EV ($36,990, drive-away) are some of the most popular cars on the roads today.The BYD Atto 1 hatchback is the cheapest new electric car in Australia, starting from $23,990 (before on-road costs). The larger Dolphin is also available from under $30,000.Chinese brands will continue to place further emphasis on Australia as they look to expand their local line-ups.Geely has already seen success with its EX5 electric mid-size SUV, but its methodical approach will see plenty more models hit showrooms in the next year.Brands like GAC and XPeng are also accelerating their launch plans as they feel the squeeze back home.