Lexus RX350 vs BYD Sealion 6

What's the difference?

The RX is a big SUV that doesn't always look, or drive, like one, and – in 500h guise especially – can put a smile on a driver's face, too.

Gone are the cabin quirks and the polarising design elements (well, mostly...), and in their place you'll find a solid, premium-feeling family offering without much in the way of drawbacks.

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

So, should Toyota, Tesla, Hyundai and others be worried about the arrival of the Sealion 6 and BYD’s new DMi powertrains? Yes, but not because it represents any major breakthrough in technology or dynamic prowess. 

Instead, the strength of the Sealion 6 is how average it is. It may not be the obvious class-leader in any particular area, but it does a good job in almost every measurable aspect and doesn’t possess any major flaws.

Yes, there are still questions about the long-term dependability of BYDs but that’s a risk any new owner will need to accept. But the very sharp pricing should tempt plenty of buyers to take that chance and continue BYD’s steady upwards trajectory in the Australian market.

Honestly, the Lexus RX looks far more powerful, and cohesive, in the metal than it does in some photos, and in the right colour (we're fond on the deep black or the copper-rose hues), it looks downright fetching.

That Predator-shaped front-end is massive, but the way the Spindle grille kind of bleeds in the body work at the nose of the vehicle is a neat trick, and the whole design ethos gives the RX a sportier, more modern, and more intimidating, energy from almost every angle.

Perhaps the most clever element though is the wave-like design piece that links the rear window with the boot, somehow managing to shrink almost-five-metre SUV (visually, at least), and leaving the RX looking more sporty than hulking.

The door handles are cool, too. They’re fixed, and you just touch them to open the door, with a similar system used once inside to get out again.

Inside, Lexus has gone for a clean, modern-feeling space, and, thankfully, there isn't a Remote Touch trackpad in sight. Instead, you can choose between two screen sizes – 9.8- or 14.0-inch – which kind of dominate the dash, while the air-con controls are digital and interactive, too.

It must be said, though, some interior treatments feel far more special than others, and while Lexus in Australia isn't spilling on specifics for our market just yet, the top-spec models will almost certainly feel more plush than the cheaper ones.

This is one area where BYD has a mixed record. Not to be unkind or create an international incident, but the Chinese car industry has a history of not being totally original with all of its automotive designs.

However, things are improving and the Sealion 6 is a good example of the Chinese industry learning to develop its own style. While there are some subtle hints from European models, overall it’s a smart-looking mid-size SUV with some character to it - rather than being a bland imitation of something else.

One area where the Sealion is a cut above its competition is its size, being longer than and wider than the RAV4, Mitsubishi Outlander and Nissan X-Trail.

The entire RX range now rides on Lexus' GA-K platform, which is lighter (-40kg), more rigid, and offers a lower centre of gravity (-15mm) than the model it replaces.

The RX is wider (+25mm to 1920mm), lower (-10mm to 1695mm), but no longer (still 4890mm) than the outgoing model. But Lexus has lengthened the wheelbase (+60mm to 2850mm) to earn some extra backseat space for rear riders.

And it must be said, there is lots of room for backseat riders. Sitting behind my own 175cm driving position I had more than enough knee room, and enough head room, and a general feeling of airy spaciousness.

Elsewhere you get the usual practicality perks, with two cupholders up front, two more in the pull-down seat divider that splits the rear seat, and there are two ISOFIX attachment points in the back seat, too.

Charging is handled by a four USB ports, and depending on the trim/spec balance Lexus in Australia shoots for, you should at least find vents with temp controls for backseat riders, too.

Lexus is yet to confirm the luggage space specs for the new RX, but given it’s only being offered with five seats, and that there’s been no change to the vehicle’s length, you can expect a fair bit of room for bags in its auto-opening boot.

That external size translates to a roomy cabin, which also has some flair to the design but thankfully a bit more restrained than the smaller Atto 3 - which is a bit over-the-top in this reviewer’s opinion. 

The element that sticks out immediately is the large central touchscreen which, like other models in the range, can rotate either vertical or horizontal, depending on your preference.

I don’t understand the point of this, because when rotated vertically it impacts your forward vision and can interfere with the air conditioning vents; and I can’t even see it with my polarised sunglasses.

It simply makes more sense horizontally, but I guess all carmakers are looking for catchy gimmicks these days. But while it may seem like a cool party trick it remains somewhat confusing to me, like one more thing to go wrong. But maybe I’m just getting old and grumpy.

What I do like and think is a great idea is double smartphone charging pads in the centre console. And overall the design of the cabin feels well thought out and has plenty of useful storage areas.

The seats are fine, a little flat and the fixed headrests are irritating, but overall they’re soft and supportive enough.

The key in the second row seating is the amount of space, with the extra length of the Sealion 6 compared to its rivals showing up with more knee room in the back for families with growing teenagers or those who need to carry their adult friends.

There’s also a pair of USB ports in the back too, so everyone can keep their electronics charged.

The boot is a good size, measuring 425 litres on paper, and has a nice long and wide floor. But some of that space is thanks to the lack of a spare - so that counts against it in my book.

Price is key to BYD’s success in Australia. Quite simply, the Chinese brand has undercut its rivals and consumers have responded to that, unsurprisingly in these tough economic times. The Sealion 6 follows the same path blazed by the Atto 3, Dolphin and Seal, offering plenty of vehicle for your money.

BYD Australia has kept it really simple, offering just two models - Dynamic and Premium - with very similar specification and separated primarily by powertrains.

The Dynamic is a less powerful, two-wheel drive option, while the Premium gets more grunt and all-wheel drive; but we’ll detail that later.

Both the Dynamic and Premium come with 19-inch alloy wheels, power-operated tailgate, a panoramic sunroof, powered front seats that are heated and cooled, a 15.6-inch touchscreen, Infinity premium audio, two wireless phone chargers and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The only non-powertrain difference between Dynamic and Premium is a head-up display on the latter model.

One noticeable absence from the Sealion though is a spare tyre. There’s not even a space-saver, just a tyre repair kit, which is disappointing and out of touch with the unique demands of the Australian market.

The Dynamic is priced from $48,990 (all prices exclude on-road costs), while the Premium starts at $51,990.

To put that into context with its competition, the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid range begins at $42,250 for the GX and stretches to $51,410 for the range-topping $51,410.

While, if you’re looking at an electric alternative, the Tesla Model Y currently starts at $55,900. The most direct rival, however, is the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV which is only available with all-wheel drive and stretches from $57,290 to $73,790 across five variants.

Let’s start with what we’re not getting at launch. Internationally, there's a new plug-in hybrid variant that pairs a 227kW hybrid system with a 18.1kWh lithium-ion battery for an EV driving range of more than 65kms, but fight though Lexus in Australia did, it couldn't secure the model for our market at launch. It wants it though, and badly. So watch this space. 

Instead we get three options, including the RX 350h, which pairs a 2.5-litre petrol engine with Lexus' existing hybrid system to produce a total 180kW and 316Nm. It's paired with a constantly variable transmission and will be offered in two- or all-wheel drive.

There’s also a turbocharged 2.4-litre petrol engine on offer in the RX 350, good for 205kW and 430Nm, and paired with an eight speed automatic and AWD.

But the powertrain I really, really like lives in the RX 500h F Performance, and pairs a 2.4-litre turbocharged petrol engine with an electric motor up front, and a second at the rear axle, for a total of 273kW and 551Nm.

The all-new hybrid system has been designed with turbocharged engines in mind, and features a single electric motor at the front, and a bigger rear motor, with the latter able to provide real driving power to the rear tyres - and contribute to a sprint to 100km/h of just 5.9secs.

Lexus calls it an 'eAxle' motor, and it can deliver some 76kW to the rear tyres. It pairs with a 'DIRECT4' all-wheel drive system which the brand says improves "handling, controllability, and feel."

Fitting, then, that it features on the RX 500h F Performance, which also introduces a new go-fast tier for the Lexus brand (though one you can expect to see more frequently in the near future), and which sits between the existing F Sport and the top-tier, full-fat F models.

The brand says things like bigger brakes, performance components and the highest power outputs will be reserved for the F Performance models. And so it is with the RX 500h F Performance, which welcomes six-piston front brakes, adaptive variable suspension, dynamic rear steering and 21-inch wheels.

While BYD has made its name in Australia as an all-electric brand it has always referred to itself as a 'new energy' company, and the Sealion 6 (and upcoming Shark ute) are why.

That’s because these feature BYD’s new 'Dual-Mode Intelligence' (DMi) powetrain - a hybrid system to you and me.

As mentioned above, the biggest difference between the Dynamic and Premium models is the powertrain, with two reasonably different systems.

The Dynamic is powered by a 78kW/135Nm 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, paired with a 145kW/300Nm electric motor - making for a combined system output of 160kW/300Nm. Notably, this powertrain only drives the front wheels.

In contrast, the Premium has an all-wheel drive set-up, combining a turbocharged version of the petrol engine (good for 96kW/220Nm) with a pair of electric motors, one on the front axle and one on the rear to produce a combined output of 238kW and 550Nm.

Both models get the same 18.3kWh ‘Blade’ battery, which is BYD’s proprietary technology underpinning all of its models and is attracting attention from other brands.

For reference, the Outlander PHEV has a 20kWh battery, Nissan’s X-Trail e-Power has a 2.1kWh battery, while the more conventional RAV4 Hybrid has just a 6.5Ah battery.

Let’s start with the pure-petrol RX 350, which will sip a claimed 8.8 litres per hundred kilometres on the combined cycle, and will demand premium petrol. The RX 350h is more fuel efficient, demanding 6.4 to 6.7 litres per hundred kilometres on the combined cycle.

But the most impressive is the RX 500h, which Lexus says will need 8.2 to 8.5 litres per hundred kilometres — making it more efficient than the petrol-powered RX 350, despite producing an extra 68 kilowatts of power and 121 newton metres of torque.

There are multiple modes to drive it in, including electric only, with the Dynamic able to go up to 92km on a single charge, while the Premium manages a claimed 81km.

However, it's important to note these are the NEDC standards and not the more real-world like WLTP,  so you may not achieve those in practice.

The claimed fuel consumption is an impressive 1.1L/100km for the Dynamic and 1.4L/100km for the Premium although again achieving those in the real world will take some effort.

With a 60-litre fuel tank BYD claims the Dynamic has a driving range of just over 1000km, while the Premium can manage around 960km.

It's also worth noting the Sealion 6 comes equipped with vehicle-to-load charging which means you can draw power from the batteries to run small electronic devices if you need to.

It’s a bonus feature that may or may not be of use, but is one of those things that may come in handy one day to get you through a camping trip or a BBQ at the park.

Right, let’s cut to the chase here. I like the way the all-new RX family drives, pretty much across the board. If that’s all the information you want or need, feel free to check out here and move on to the next sub-heading.

Still here? Ok, then let’s go a little deeper.

None of the powertrains on offer feel under-powered in the RX range, which is a good start, but they all do their jobs a little differently. 

The RX 350 is probably the most familiar, with a traditional automatic and that well-known petrol-powered punch. It’s not the most powerful engine on offer here, but it’s more than enough to get the RX up and moving — but, for mine, it can feel a little thrashy (or like it’s straining a little too hard), when you really start to push it, but such is the price you pay for a four-cylinder engine pushing a large SUV.

Next up is the RX 350h, which Lexus reckons will be the best-selling model in Australia. Lexus and Toyota have been doing hybrid powertrains for some time now, and the system fitted to the new RX is predictably solid-feeling, though it too has its drawbacks – namely that the constantly variable transmission can drone on and on under constant acceleration, and even the commendably insulated cabin can’t block it out completely.

So if this is a Goldilocks’ scenario, then the just right has to be the RX 500h, which blends its powerful powertrain with a traditional-feeling automatic to deliver plenty of performance and a tight, engaging drive experience that makes it feel as though the big SUV is somehow shrinking around you from behind the wheel, courtesy of the best performance kit (brakes, adaptive suspension, etc).

But to be honest, no matter the RX, the thing that really stands out here is its on-road dynamics. The car doesn’t really wobble about, there’s not much in the way of body roll, and it feels tight and confidence inspiring, no matter the model - but especially the rear-wheel-steering equipped 500h.

The RX also does a commendable job of locking the outside world outside of the cabin. Where you want it to be a calm and sedate family hauler, it can be that. But it can also put a smile on your face on the right road, too.

And that, I think, is something to be celebrated. And also not something we’ve come to associate with Lexus over the years. But that’s now beginning to change. Long live F Sport Performance, then.

We drove the Sealion 6 Dynamic and despite having the less powerful powertrain it feels good on the road. The DMi system offers good performance, with quiet acceleration off the mark and a good integration between the petrol engine and electric motors. We haven’t driven the Premium yet, so we can’t make any comment on how different it feels.

It’s hard to make a definitive call on the Sealion PHEV powertrain because, like every plug-in hybrid, its greatest strength relies on how the owner operates it.

If you don’t charge the battery every day or so, you’ll just end up lugging around a battery and electric motor for little benefit. However, if you do keep the battery topped up, you can do most of your urban commuting without needing to turn the petrol engine on, which should result in some very low fuel consumption figures.

The company clearly knows this, which is why BYD Australia is offering a complimentary home charger to the first 3000 customers who order a Sealion 6.

Not only will that encourage sales but it will also help owners become evangelists for PHEVs in the future, because they’ll have the best possible experience.

So, a large part of its strength or weakness rests on the owner’s behaviour and that’s something we can’t assess.

As for the rest of the driving experience, the ride comfort is fine. It can’t match the class-leaders for compliance or dynamics, but the Sealion feels pleasant to drive around the urban environment and on the freeway at speed.

Biggest criticism is the steering is very, very light. While that makes parking easier, it feels so light you get very little feedback from the front wheels so it can feel vague at times.

Overall the driving experience is best described as fine. It doesn’t have any major vices but neither does it set any new benchmarks. 

Both Sealion 6 variants come equipped with autonomous emergency braking, front and rear cross-traffic alert/braking, 'Forward Collision Warning', 'Rear Collision Warning', lane departure warning/prevention, blind-spot detection, traffic-sign recognition, door-opening warning, trailer stability control, auto high beam, a 360-degree monitor, adaptive cruise control as well as front and rear parking sensors. Plus, it can even detect if you’ve left a child or pet inside the car.

ANCAP had not crash-tested the Sealion 6 at the time of publication, but with its comprehensive list of safety items it should tick most of the boxes when it comes to protecting its occupants and pedestrians.

The Lexus family is covered by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, which is about bang-on in the premium-vehicle space. 

While servicing details are yet to be confirmed, the previous RX required a trip to the service centre every 12 months or 15,000kms, and it will fall under the brand’s capped-price servicing program, and the Lexus Encore program, which offers all sorts of perks to owners.

BYD is a small company but has partnered with mycar service centres to make maintaining your Sealion 6 easier. The Sealion is covered by BYD's six-year/150,000km warranty as well as its 10-year capped price servicing plan.

Service intervals are every 12 months/20,000km and prices range from $265 up to $1184 for the major eight year/160,000km tune up. Over the first five years, in keeping with most of its rivals, you’ll be paying $1648.

As I’ve written in previous BYD reviews, the biggest question mark hanging over the brand is arguably its long-term prospects. Quite simply, the brand is still too new to know how well it will perform on the used car market.

We also can’t tell you how it will hold up from a reliability point-of-view. We’re not suggesting there’s any doubt over its quality, but each car brand must prove itself reliable and dependable over time, and BYD hasn’t had that time yet.