BYD's next Aussie-bound car? 2025 BYD Seal 06 DM-i confirmed for the UK as BMW 330e and Skoda Superb rival, suggesting potential local launch

BYD’s UK line-up is set to grow in the coming months with the Seal 06 DM-i, suggesting Australia could be in the pipeline for the new model as a fellow right-hand-drive market.

Not to be confused with the Tesla Model 3-rivalling Seal electric sedan or the Mitsubishi Outlander-rivalling Sealion 6 plug-in hybrid (PHEV) SUV, the Seal 06 DM-i is an amalgamation of the two, incorporating PHEV power and a sedan body.

In true European style, it will also be offered in the UK as a wagon, putting it on track to compete with the BMW 330e and Skoda Octavia.

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The Seal 06 DM-i would essentially be unrivalled if it came here, bar the returning Mercedes-Benz C350e, which it would be all but certain to undercut considerably in price.

CarsGuide has contacted BYD’s local distributor, EVDirect, for word on whether we can expect the Seal 06 DM-i locally. An update to the article will follow with a response.

The Seal 06 DM-i’s PHEV powertrain combines a 74kW/126Nm 1.5-litre petrol engine with either a 120kW/210Nm or a 160kW/260Nm electric motor mounted to the front axle, with power transferred through an electronic continuously-variable-transmission.

Both powertrains deliver a 0-100km/h sprint time in under 8.0 seconds, while optional 10kWh or 16kWh battery packs provide respective electric ranges of either 59km or 90km, both according to the WLTP cycle.

2025 BYD Seal 06 (Image: CarNewsChina)

The cabin is almost identical to that of the Seal, with an 8.8-inch digital driver’s display, a 15.6-inch rotating multimedia display and a smattering of physical buttons across the centre console and steering wheel.

Pricing remains unconfirmed in the UK, though in China it is priced at just 99,800 yuan (A$21,0000).

Like Australia, BYD currently has six models on sale: the Sealion 6, Sealion 7, Atto 2, Atto 3, Dolphin and Seal. Where the UK offers the Atto 2, however, Australia offers the Shark 6 PHEV ute.