Mini Aceman vs BYD Sealion 7

What's the difference?

How much of a vehicle’s personality is determined by its tech? I’m pretty certain a Porsche 911 is still a 911 despite now being turbocharged, liquid-cooled and fitted with electric power-steering.

And surely a Toyota Corolla is still the spiritual equal of the original Corolla of the 1960s, despite the current car being front-drive, roughly the same size as an early Camry and fitted with a hybrid driveline and CVT transmission.

But what about our old friend the tiny, two-door Mini first seen in the late 1950s? Specifically, can the new Aceman variant still claim all (or, indeed, any of) its Mini-ness?

Okay, it’s still front-wheel drive and retains a few crucial visual clues. But let’s be clear here, it’s not only built in China as part of a joint venture between parent company BMW and Great Wall Motors, it’s also now a five-door hatchback and uses nothing but volts to get around. Can there be any Mini left in it?

Mini also claims the Aceman is part of a spearhead attack to take the brand towards an EV stance. Fitting in between the Mini Cooper two-door EV and the Countryman EV in both front and all-wheel-drive form, the Aceman theoretically broadens that range but, in reality, is more or less a replacement for the discontinued Clubman badge.

And despite the five-door layout, Mini is also happy to maintain that the original Mini’s genius in rewriting the book on interior-space-to-footprint ratio still shines through here. Maybe. At least it’s smaller than the hulking (by Mini standards) Countryman.

So here’s how it pans out: If you want a five-door, electric Mini that isn’t as big as a Countryman, the Aceman is your, er, man.

Looking across BYD's line-up, you'd think you were reading the attractions for the local aquarium! And now the Sealion 7 has entered the splash zone, or more accurately, the most popular car segment - the mid-size SUV.

It fights for pole position against the long-running electric favourite, the Tesla Model Y but newcomer Cupra Tavascan also offers some sporty competition.

For this review we're testing the flagship Performance grade to see whether or not it offers family-friendly fun.