Australia's cheapest plug-in SUV is here!

BYD has revealed pricing and specifications for its Sealion 5 plug-in hybrid mid-size SUV.

The brand previously said the Sealion 5 was set to be a price-leader, but its starting price of just $33,990 before on-road costs now makes it by far the most affordable plug-in hybrid in the country.

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The Sealion 5’s aggressive pricing structure across its two grades makes it not just an affordable plug-in hybrid mid-size SUV, but it is just as affordable as many combustion or plugless hybrid SUVs a size bracket down, like the GWM Haval Jolion, MG ZS, Mitsubishi ASX and Mazda CX-30.

The new mid-size SUV, which sits below the Sealion 6 in the brand’s range, will serve to bolster BYD's chances of a top-three position in Australia, which it is plotting by the end of next year.

BYD Sealion 5 pricing

The Sealion 5 is available in just two variants, the Essential and Premium, see pricing before on-road costs in the table below.

BYD Sealion 5 engine/powertrain and efficiency

The Sealion 5 has a single plug-in hybrid powertrain, consisting of a 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine producing 72kW/122Nm, and an electric motor housed in a hybrid transaxle for a combined power output of 156kW/300Nm. Each grade has a different battery capacity and specifications, see those in the table below, although notably neither grade is equipped with fast DC charging unlike many of its contemporaries.

BYD Sealion 5 standard features

The Sealion 5 grades don’t just differ by battery capacity and driving range, they also have subtle differences in specifications.

The base Sealion 5 Essential is equipped with:

• 18-inch alloy wheels and Hankook tyres
• LED headlights and tail-lights
• 8.8-inch digital instrument cluster
• 10.1-inch central multimedia touchscreen
• Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity
• Built-in sat-nav and music streaming
• 4G over-the-air connectivity
• Six-speaker audio
• Voice assistant
• Manual adjust front seats
• Synthetic leather interior trim
• Reversing camera and sensors
• Keyless entry and start
• Smartphone app digital key

The top-spec Premium adds:

• 12.8-inch central multimedia touchscreen
• Nine-speaker audio system
• 15W wireless phone charger
• 360-degree parking camera
• Front parking sensors
• Panoramic sunroof
• Power tailgate
• Roof rails
• Heated and auto-folding wing mirrors
• Auto-dimming rear-vision mirror
• Four auto windows (with anti-trap feature)
• Six-way power adjust driver’s seat
• Four-way power adjust front passenger seat
• Heated and ventilated driver’s seat
• Rear side reading lights

BYD Sealion 5 optional features

The only optional features in the Sealion 5 are premium paint colours priced at $600.

In addition, the only accessory currently offered is a dash camera with two battery sizes, priced at either $1688 or $1888.

BYD Sealion 5 colours

There are four colours available on the Sealion 5.

• White (free)
• Blue ($600)
• Grey ($600)
• Black ($600)

The black colour scheme also includes gloss black alloys rather than the standard two-tone ones.

BYD Sealion 5 safety

Both Sealion 5 grades get the full safety suite available on the model. It is yet to be rated by ANCAP.

Both the Essential and Premium grades score:

• Dual frontal and side airbags
• Front and rear curtain airbags
• Far side driver’s airbag
• Pre-tensioning seatbelts
• Tyre pressure monitoring
• Auto emergency braking with front collision warning
• Lane keep assist with lane departure warning and lane change warning
• Blind spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert and brake
• Traffic sign recognition with speed alert and limit control
• Adaptive cruise control
• Adaptive high beams
• Hill hold with auto function

BYD Sealion 5 warranty

The Sealion 5 is offered with the same warranty terms as every BYD consisting of a six-year and 150,000km term, with a separate eight-year and 160,000km warranty for the high-voltage battery.

BYD Sealion 5 dimensions

The Sealion 5 is slightly smaller than the Sealion 6, but larger than the Atto 3 in BYD’s range. See the full dimensions by variant in the table below:

The Sealion 5 can be ordered now although deliveries aren't expected until 2026.

It adds to the brand’s rapidly expanding range which also recently saw the addition of the Atto 1 city hatch and Atto 2 small SUV both as fully electric options.