BYD Seal News

For over a decade we’ve been told the sedan is dying. Sales have declined, the amount of options available has dwindled and buyers continue to gravitate to SUVs and utes. And yet, the sedan survives. But not just survive, new models are now arriving and sales for the total mid-size sedan market have been on the rise in 2026. Mid-size sedans, both mainstream and luxury, are up 18 per cent year-to-date to the end of September. Geely is the latest brand to believe there is a future for sedans, confirming the new Emgrand L plug-in hybrid will arrive in Australian showrooms next year to compete against the likes of the Tesla Model 3, BYD Seal and Mazda 6e. Despite the relatively-fresh competition and the recent sales growth, sedan sales are still amongst the smallest in the country. The best-selling sedan is the Toyota Camry, with 9471 sales to the end of September, which compares to 31,209 sales for the Toyota RAV4 mid-size SUV. Geely Australia’s Director of Product Planning and Marketing, Andrew Tuitahi, said the brand is confident there will be buyers looking for an SUV alternative. “When it comes to Emgrand L EM-i that's designed to target a slightly different market, but we think there is an opportunity for a more traditionally styled sedan with high technology and alternate fuel offerings,” Tuitahi said. “There's a lot of metrics and a lot of research that we've conducted,” he added. “Certainly the response from customers is positive. The response from dealers is positive. And there are absolutely buyers who don't want to drive an SUV. They want something that looks a little bit more conventional, and they like that style of sedan.”  “ I think we'll put together a package and share it when we launch Emgrand. But certainly there is a buyer profile demographic that is finding sedans appealing,” he said. Looking at the latest sales figures there is a growing market for electric and plug-in hybrid sedans, led by the likes of the Tesla Model 3, BYD Seal and Seal 6 as well as the new Mazda 6e. All of those models have grown in volume in the first three quarters of 2026, although the Seal 6 and Mazda and both all-new models, so any sales would be incremental volume. While they have grown, that is from a small base and overall sales remain relatively small. Tesla has sold 5775 examples of the Model 3, which is a seven per cent increase on 2025, but that figure is dwarfed by the combined 35,930 sales of the Model Y and Y L. BYD has sold a combined 4727 Seal EV and Seal 6 PHEV sedans (and wagons), which does mean that two of the three best-selling sedans are electric, suggesting there is a demand from customers for efficient vehicles outside of the SUV market. However, it isn’t a large demand with the rest of the market contributing a combined 27,805 total mid-size sales, which is less than the RAV4 has managed on its own - just to underscore the dominance of SUVs. Kia’s EV4 has managed just 361 sales, the Skoda Octavia 340 and the MG MG7 only 230. Even the once popular premium sedans, including the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Class are down significantly in 2026. So, while Geely is confident there are buyers for the Emgrand L, and Tesla, BYD and Mazda are managing to make sedans work for them, the cold, hard fact remains that the traditional ‘four-door’ is unlikely to become a mainstream choice again for Australians. Sedans aren’t dead yet, but anyone expecting a resurgence shouldn’t be.

BYD has made some of its favourite models even more affordable in Australia. The Chinese brand is offering a $4000 cashback deal on many of its models including the Sealion 7 electric mid-size SUV and the Shark 6 plug-in hybrid ute. The offer runs until December 21, 2026, and must be delivered by December 31, 2026. The very popular Sealion 7 is a size up on its smaller PHEV siblings, with its starting price reduced from $54,990 to $50,990 considering the cashback offer. It’s also the only EV eligible for BYD’s cashback offer. The Sealion 7 has become one of the best-selling electric cars in Australia, competing with the Tesla Model Y. The cashback offer means the Sealion 7 undercuts the Tesla Model Y's $58,900 starting price even more. The Sealion 5 PHEV mid-sizer starts from $33,990, but with $4000 cashback, that brings before on-road costs pricing down to $29,990. The top-grade Premium grade of the Sealion 5 with the $4000 cashback offer starts from $33,990 (before on-road costs). The Sealion 5 uses a 1.5-litre petrol engine and electric motor set-up, producing 156kW and 300Nm. The marginally bigger Sealion 6 is usually priced from $42,990. Taking into account the $4000 cashback, the price drops to $38,990, excluding on-road costs. It also employs a 1.5-litre petrol engine and electric motor, making 160kW and 300Nm, with more powerful models adding a turbo to boost performance to as much as 253kW and 550Nm. BYD Sealion 8 is the Chinese brand’s three-row SUV, and has a starting price of $56,990, but with $4000 cashback, that drops to $52,990 (before on-road costs). The Sealion 8's 1.5-litre engine and electric motor set-up, produces 359kW/675Nm. The cab-chassis Dynamic variant of the Shark 6 is only $51,990, before on-road costs, when including the $4000 cashback. Premium and Performance grades of the Shark 6 are also eligible for the deal, starting including the cashback offer from $53,900 and $62,900, respectively. This will give the Shark 6 a competitive edge against the incoming Chery Stockman diesel plug-in hybrid that's expected to be priced closely to BYD's ute. The BYD Seal 6 Touring launched in Australia as a wagon variant of the Seal 6 PHEV, usually starting from $39,990 - a $5000 increase on the sedan variant ($34,990). The Touring variant now starts from $35,990, which is only $1000 more than the Seal 6 sedan's original starting price. The cashback offer also applies to the standard Seal 6 sedan, available from $30,990 (before on-road costs). The Touring variant uses a more powerful 1.5-litre engine and electric motor set-up compared to the sedan variant, making up to 163kW and 260Nm.  

BYD is a serious sales threat to Toyota in Australia. The giant Chinese carmaker sold 243 fewer cars than Toyota, which has dominated the Aussie charts for decades. There is one particular segment BYD is chasing Toyota in that isn't getting the attention of the others. Sedans have generally been on the decline in Australia, with SUVs climbing the charts in their place. The Toyota Camry has owned the sedan segment for many years, and has recently seen a huge boost in sales. It has faced little competition from European rivals like the Skoda Octavia and Volkswagen Passat. BYD is now showing promise where those models haven't made an impression. The brand has introduced two sedans in Australia so far: the Seal EV and Seal 6 plug-in hybrid.  The Seal is one of few fully-electric sedans on sale in Australia, with the Kia EV4 and Mazda 6e providing further competition in recent months. It has proven to be one of the best-selling electric sedans since it launched in late 2023, trailing only the Tesla Model 3 on the sales charts this year. The Camry remains the outright leader of the sedan segment, but the Seal’s sales trump every competitor but the Camry and the Model 3.  It is also the sedan that has experienced the most growth in 2026, up nearly 65 per cent.  The Seal isn’t the only sedan providing a threat to the Camry from BYD, with the Seal 6 PHEV also now on sale. It has managed 249 registrations since it went on sale in April. BYD’s sedan push doesn’t stop there. The Seal 7 has recently been approved for sale in Australia. It will size up similarly to the Camry, compared to the smaller Seal and Seal 6. It could be an appealing alternative for fleets and ride share drivers, as it may be available in both plug-in and fully electric forms. Those sales remain an important component of the Camry’s success in Australia.

Driving range is the biggest talking point with electric cars.  Range anxiety remains a prevalent road block to potential EV buyers, despite ever-increasing claimed figures. Figures are measured using many different testing cycles, which all have varying degrees of perceived accuracy.   The Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicles Test Procedure (WLTP) is viewed as the most accurate standard available. Its testing figures often come in noticeably lower than the older New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) and the even more generous China Light-Duty Vehicle Test Cycle (CLTC).  As much as these systems do their best to mirror real-world driving, they can never be truly accurate because of the different ways people use their cars. The Australian Automobile Association’s Real-World Testing Program has done the ground work to see just how accurate these figures are when they are put to the test on the roads.  The testing was completed in Victoria, with each vehicle travelling a route of 93km. We’ve compiled the most- and least-accurate EV driving ranges, according to what is reported and what they actually did on the road. The figures used for this data are the quoted Australian Design Rules figures used for sales approval. Brands base these figures on the various testing standards, and this means the difference in accuracy between reported and actual figures may not be as dramatic as portrayed by the raw numbers.  This is particularly apparent for Chinese brands that register a more lenient testing method (NEDC) than other brands, which represents an exaggerated difference compared to real-world figures than what WLTP would show.  Topping the list for the most inaccurate figure is the 2023 MG4 all-wheel drive hatchback. The quoted figure for this car is 405km, but it was more than 100km off that calculated in the real world.  It only managed 281km, which was a 31 per cent difference. The MG4 has a WLTP range of 350km, making it a less egregious roughly 19 per cent inaccuracy.  The theme of Chinese brands continues down the list, with three of the other four cars in the top five all being made by BYD.  The BYD Seal sedan has a claimed driving range of 650km, but in the real world it only reached 488km, resulting in a 25 per cent decrease, but that dropped to 14 per cent based on WLTP figures.  BYD’s Dolphin hatchback had a 24 per cent drop-off on its ADR figure of 410km, only capable of travelling 313km, but that was only an eight per cent decrease based on WLTP.  The Kia EV6 mid-size SUV registered an eight per cent shortfall on its WLTP figure, travelling 484km instead of 528km. Kia's EV5, EV6 and EV9 SUVs also represent 11 per cent shortfalls on their WLTP range figures.  The BYD Atto 3 small SUV was also in the top five and had a 20 per cent shortfall on its ADR figure of 410km, only reaching 328km. That was only a 5 per cent decrease based on its WLTP figure.  Finally, the Tesla Model 3 had a 14 per cent drop off on what was expected based on WLTP numbers.  The Kia EV5 is joined by the Tesla Model Y, with ADR and WLTP figures only representing a three per cent difference at the other end of the scale. The BYD Sealion 7 is one of the more dramatic examples of the inaccuracy of the NEDC system. Its 17 per cent shortfall based on NEDC standards is reduced to just three per cent when based on WLTP.  While this data demonstrates how EVs perform in real life, it also provides important insight into how differing testing standards can dramatically alter driving range expectations.  WLTP figures remain the most accurate mainstream testing regime, with NEDC and CLTC testing exaggerating potential driving range.

The Ford Ranger, Toyota HiLux and RAV4 are typically Australia’s most popular cars in any given month. But what other cars are having a great 2026? We’ve scoured the latest new car sales data to reveal the cars that are off to a storming start in the first five months of this year. For our list we’ve tried to focus on cars that have shown at least double-digit sales growth and have sold at least four-digit volume, so we avoid niche models that are coming off a very low base. We also deliberately avoided focusing on electric vehicles, as we have previously written about the EVs that are enjoying a sales boom in 2026. This is by no means a comprehensive list, and there are several models that are enjoying huge growth from brands such as BYD and Chery, but we’ve limited it to one entry to highlight more brands. Chery Tiggo 7 Pro - up 200.2% Choosing a Chery to put on this list wasn’t an easy task, as the brand is enjoying a bumper year with total sales up more than 84 per cent. The compact Tiggo 4 Pro remains the brand’s sales leader, with more than 11k sold already, but the Tiggo 7 is the clear star performer in terms of growth. With sales tracking more than 200 per cent up, the Tiggo 7 Pro has moved from also-ran to serious contender in the intensely competitive mid-size SUV market. It’s still well-short of the class-leading Toyota RAV4, but only the related Jaecoo J7 (up 427%) and BYD Sealion 7 (up 297%) have experienced more growth so far this year. Kia K4 - up 103.5% Reports of the demise of the hatchback appear to be exaggerated. While small SUVs remain incredibly popular, Kia has demonstrated that the right small car (as the K4 is both a hatch and sedan now) still has plenty of appeal. The South Korean brand has sold 3850 examples of its Cerato-replacement so far in 2026, more than double what it managed this time last year, when the hatch was not available. BYD Seal - up 92% The Atto 3 and Sealion 7 EVs are also enjoying good years, and the new Sealion 5 and 8 plug-in hybrids are both off to a good start, but for this list we’re highlighting the under-rated Seal EV. Under-rated because, like the hatchback, sedans are supposed to be in terminal decline. And yet, BYD has managed to almost double the sales of its mid-size sedan in 2026, with 1885 sold year-to-date. This actually makes it one of the brand’s worst-performing models, only further highlighting just what a successful year BYD is having. For the record, sales of the Sealion 7 are up 297%, the Dolphin is up 115% and the Atto 3 is up 85% (despite being the brand’s longest tenured model). Everything is looking rosy for BYD so far in 2026. Toyota Camry - up 48.3% It’s not exactly the glory days for the Camry, 5221 sales in five months is small fry compared to its past, but it remains an under-rated sales performer for not just the brand. Combined with the Seal, these two very different sedans have almost single-handedly kept the family car segment afloat in recent years. Every other existing model in the mid-size sedan segment is down in 2026, but the Camry remains the automotive equivalent of a cockroach - impossible to ever count out. Hyundai Palisade - up 37.1% This was a borderline inclusion on the list, as Hyundai introduced a new generation Palisade in late 2025 so the comparison to last year’s sales is against the out-going model. But given the huge price jump from the old model, plus a small range, it suggests Hyundai’s biggest SUV is finding an audience. Aside from the Chery Tiggo 8 Pro and GWM Tank 300 (see below) the Palisade is the only other large SUV to meet our criteria, further underlining its strong sales performance so far this year. The addition of a more-affordable Elite trim grade, to go along with the initial flagship Calligraphy, plus the introduction of the more-rugged XRT Pro variant later this year may help the Palisade to continue its momentum. GWM Tank 300 - up 26.9% As mentioned above, the Tank 300 is another standout performer in the large SUV segment. The Chinese brand’s off-road capable offering has grown in recent times to include a diesel and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) alternative for buyers, which has clearly helped to expand its appeal. The relative struggles of the bigger Tank 500, which has only sold 529 units this year compared to 2228 Tank 300, is a clear demonstration that not all Chinese models sell in big numbers simply because they are cheaper than their rivals. The Tank 300 has therefore done enough to convince buyers to give it a chance and if this growth continues in the second half of the year it could become a key model for GWM.

For the first time in Australia, electric cars are outselling diesel ones in what appears to be a major turning point for the Australian market. The latest data, compiled from both the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) and the Electric Vehicle Council, shows registrations of electric cars have more than doubled year-on-year, and now account for just under 20 per cent of Australia’s new car market. This is the culmination of multiple factors, including an influx of affordable Chinese models as the country’s behemoth manufacturers seek export markets to flee tough local conditions, and Australia’s new vehicle efficiency standards (NVES) heavily incentivise lower-emissions models, either to avoid fines or rack up credits. On top of this, skyrocketing fuel prices have clearly made many Australians think twice about committing to another combustion car, and the prospect of government incentives ending further down the track as outlined in the latest federal budget has no doubt only bolstered the latest figures. Digging into the data and one thing becomes obvious - amongst the 10 best-selling EVs, all of them were built in China.  In what should come as a warning to legacy automakers yet to embrace “China Speed” as part of their business model in our market, even the most successful models from Tesla and Kia are built in China. This trend looks to continue, with Mazda the next brand to introduce Chinese joint-venture models via the Mazda 6e sedan and CX-6e SUV, both of which use Changan platforms. The Japanese giant will no doubt be betting heavily on these two models to reduce its market-leading projected fine under the new NVES rules. Nissan will also begin to introduce its array of successful-in-China Dongfeng-based models in the coming years, with Suzuki, Toyota and Volkswagen potentially being left behind as they continue to source cars from more traditional manufacturing locations like Japan, Thailand and Europe. May in particular was a bumper one, not just for market leader Tesla, but also for keen newcomers Jaecoo and Geely. BYD dominates nearly half of the top-10 charts, including the Atto 2 and Atto 1, which both arrived in 2026. EV Sales May 2026 The year-to-date numbers paint a slightly different, but overall familiar story, with the Model Y managing to maintain its lead over the Sealion 7. Some year-to-date surprises include Geely’s EX5 rising to third place and Jaecoo’s aggressively-priced J5 has largely captured the entry-level EV space. Zeekr has had a huge year off the back of the launch of its 7X as it keeps up with its big order bank, and Kia has managed to hold onto 9th place with its relatively popular EV5. The Tesla Model 3 is in seventh place and is the only sedan on the list. EV sales year-to-date 2026 It is hard to say what this chart will look like by the end of 2026, although the complete and ongoing re-shuffle of Australia’s favourite cars looks to continue. One thing is for sure though, China has the market well and truly cornered on fully electric cars in Australia.

The electric vehicle revolution is in full swing after another standout month in Australia.  There were 21,303 EVs sold in May 2026, as they continue to take hold at the expense of petrol- and diesel-powered cars.  SUVs remain the dominant player in the electric segment, accounting for nine of the 10 best sellers. Tesla’s smashing May performance was headlined by 5605 sales for its Model Y SUV, cementing its position as the leading EV in Australia. The Model Y also claimed the title for the best-selling car in Australia last month.   The Jaecoo J5 EV had its best month on sale since it hit Aussie showrooms at the start of this year, selling 2126 units, up from less than 700 in April.  This makes the J5 the best-selling small SUV in the country currently, even outselling its closely related and cheaper petrol sibling, the Chery Tiggo 4.  The Geely EX5 also surged up the sales charts, achieving 1814 sales, while the BYD Sealion 7 experienced another bumper month, with 1538 sales.  The Zeekr 7X rounds out the top five following a continued solid performance since its introduction late last year.  BYD’s budget EV trio the Atto 3, Atto 2 and Atto 1 shifted more than 2000 units between them. The BYD Seal (580) is the only non-SUV on this list. Every car in the top 10 selling EVs for May is primarily built in China, with none coming from legacy brands.  Some of the other EVs to miss out on a top 10 spot include the MG4 as well as Kia's EV3 and EV5 duo. Top selling electric cars May 2026

Sedans used to be the staple of many brands in Australia, from the Holden Commodore to the Toyota Camry, but the SUV boom has seen numbers drop off significantly. Ten years ago, in 2016, the Toyota Camry was the fifth best-selling car in Australia, followed by the Commodore sedan in sixth. Fast forward to 2025, Toyota's sedan was the 35th best-selling car in the country, and the Commodore was nowhere to be seen. In 2026 there have been less than 10,000 mid-size sedan sales in Australia so far compared to mid-size SUVs, where almost 100,000 have already been sold.  The Camry is still the dominant player in the sedan-only segment, owning nearly 70 per cent, but it looks like China’s next battleground in Australia will be a shot at shaking its dominance. BYD has led the way in this respect and it already has a fully-electric Seal and the just-launched plug-in hybrid Seal 6 on the market. The Seal in particular made some successful inroads into the sedan space. It accounts for the majority of sales outside of the Camry and the Tesla Model 3. The brand is not stopping there, with a larger Seal 7 plug-in hybrid sedan now approved for sale in Australia. MG is another brand focussing on sedans, having already brought in its MG5 a few years ago and the MG7 in 2026, both to middling levels of success so far. It’s not just BYD and MG that are getting in on the sedan act, however, with Geely confirming its Emgrand sedan next year initially in plug-in hybrid form, but possibly also plugless at a later date. Additionally the China-built Tesla Model 3 remains one of the best-selling EVs in the country. There are also 'legacy' brands pinning their hopes on a strong-selling sedan.  Mazda recently launched its fully-electric 6e sedan, which is based on the Deepal L07 (not yet sold in Australia) - another China-made model.  The 6e is a crucial model for Mazda as it looks to turn around extensive fines incurred under the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) due to its predominantly petrol-powered range. The electric 6e saw its initiative pre-order allocation run out very quickly, starting from $49,990 (before on-road costs), highlighting early signs of it achieving its potential. Korean brands Kia and Hyundai have also seen solid sales from its hatch/sedan models, with the K4 and i30 plugging along with a decent amount of registrations, which will be bolstered thanks to the arrival of desirable plugless hybrid versions of both. As usual, price is a key factor where Chinese sedans are providing an enticing alternative, bucking the trend of sedans becoming more expensive as buyers focus on SUVs. While the Mazda 2 is the most affordable sedan on sale at just $28,490, it is the sought-after hybrid tech luring buyers to newer options. The plug-in hybrid Seal 6, for example, starts from $34,990, which is $5000 more affordable than the plug-less hybrid-only Camry, and it is both larger and offers genuine EV range over the barely more affordable Hyundai i30 plugless hybrid (from $33,250). It will no doubt be a similar story for Geely's Emgrand EM-i which is set to launch in 2027. While SUVs remain the biggest seller in Australia, this new wave of affordable and electrified sedans could see the once bustling segment reignited. The question remains whether this array of new options will just fragment a shrinking part of the market, or whether buyers are now looking for something different from the SUV trend.

Electric vehicle sales are booming in a way they never have before in Australia.  Buyer options have increased significantly in 2026, with more affordable choices also appearing more regularly.  There were 15839 electric vehicle sales for March in 2026, up from 8385 compared to this time last year, representing a near 89 per cent year-on-year growth.  Established SUV players such as the Tesla Model Y lead the way with 2818 sales, along with the BYD Sealion 7 (1970).  There are also some new competitors climbing up the sales charts, such as the Zeekr 7X performance SUV, which managed 679 registrations for March, having launched late last year. The Tesla Model 3 sedan (667) continues to be present among the top sellers despite its prolonged downturn. The SUV trend continues as Geely’s EX5 (606) and the Kia EV5 (587) are next on the list, before BYD’s presence resumes with the Atto 2 small SUV (572).  Another new EV making an early impression is the Jaecoo J5, which launched at the start of this year and achieved 569 sales last month.  The BYD Atto 1 (488) and Atto 2 (466) also make the list along with the Kia EV3 (461).  Hatchbacks are proving popular amongst EV buyers as well. The MG4 (451) remains among the strongest selling EVs, as does the BYD Dolphin (373).  The Toyota bZ4X is also experiencing an upturn to 447 sales for March and BYD is represented again with its Seal sedan (337) to round out the top 15.  Top selling electric cars Australia March 2026

A new hope emerges for once-favourite car body styles in Australia.