Hyundai Palisade vs BYD Sealion 5

What's the difference?

If you’re in the market for an eight-seat family SUV, the Hyundai Palisade has probably already crossed your radar. But now there’s a twist. Hyundai has taken this well-established large SUV and given it a hybrid powertrain.

That puts it up against familiar rivals like the Toyota Kluger GXL Hybrid and Kia Sorento Sport+ Hybrid which are both strong players in the family-friendly space. The version we’re looking at for this review is the mid-spec Elite and we're family-testing it to see if the new hybrid powertrain makes for a winning combo.

This is the most affordable plug-in hybrid available in Australia – as this review is published – but it’s got a lot more going for it than just that.

The 2026 BYD Sealion 5 is a mid-size SUV wearing a BYD badge that has been thrust into the public’s awareness by the popular BYD Shark 6 – as well as by widespread criticism of brand's less popular aftersales shortcomings through much of 2025.

It’s also a plug-in hybrid that is showing up as the nation faces a fuel crisis, despite many remaining sceptical of going ‘full EV’.

The Sealion 5 has a long list of features, of course, plus a claimed four-figure driving range. Is this BYD too good to be true?

We grabbed the entry-level Essential to find out.