BYD Sealion 5 2026 News

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's new affordable SUV has fallen short of a five-star safety score in Australia. The BYD Sealion 5 plug-in hybrid SUV failed to achieve the maximum star rating under the Australiasian New Car Assessment Program's (ANCAP) protocols. ANCAP only awarded the Sealion 5 three stars, making it the first BYD model not to reach the five-star standard from the safety watchdog in Australia.  ANCAP Chief Executive Officer Carla Hoorweg said BYD has been proactive in bringing models forward for ANCAP testing, but opted not to with the Sealion 5.  “However, the Sealion 5 was a model the brand hadn’t actively pursued for testing, and was subsequently selected by ANCAP to ensure consumers have a clear picture of its safety performance," Hoorweg said. The Sealion 5 hit Aussie showrooms at the start of 2026 as a smaller and more affordable alternative to the Sealion 6 to rival the Toyota RAV4.  ANCAP described the Sealion 5’s crash protection as “respectable”. It achieved a 79 per cent Crash Protection rating, but ANCAP noted increased risk for the driver’s chest and lower legs, as well as the front passenger’s neck.  New ‘Virtual’ and ‘Sled’ predictive digital tests indicated reduced protection for larger occupants and at higher test severity.  The watchdog said the Sealion 5’s inability to detect the stature of occupants in the front seats as well as phone use or intervention for an unresponsive driver marked it down.  It also said central touchscreen control of the headlights and the climate control fan “did not meet its requirements.”  The Sealion 5’s speed sign recognition software “was not sufficiently accurate to earn full points”, and emergency lane keep assist did not intervene in road-edge scenarios. ANCAP stated the Sealion 5 does not have low-speed pedal-misapplication, which suppresses the engine when the accelerator is accidentally pressed with a pedestrian ahead.  The Sealion 5 launched in Australia this year, but it was already on sale overseas for several years and was designed to meet that standard. A spokesperson for BYD Australia said the brand would not make any retrospective safety updates to the Sealion 5. "ANCAP introduced an updated testing regime in 2026, with a strengthened assessment criteria compared to the 2023-2025 protocols, which were applicable to the Sealion 5 at the time of its global introduction," they said. "The current score reflects this new standard, not any change in BYD's commitment to safety." The Sealion 5 is one of the first vehicles to be tested under ANCAP's updated protocols, after ANCAP confirmed to CarsGuide in May 2026 the first vehicles rated under the new criteria were expected later in 2026. Toyota got caught out earlier this year by the changing standards after its new RAV4 was delayed from the initial 2025 launch. It wasn't crash tested this year, but it promised to update the vehicle to the 2026 standards and the vehicle will be tested once the changes were implemented. BYD’s incoming M9 plug-in hybrid people mover received a five-star rating from ANCAP, as the new Kia Carnival rival prepares to hit showrooms in late 2026.  The M9's driver monitoring system headlined the M9's 75 per cent Safe Driving rating, performing well in detecting common forms of distraction.  The people mover’s adaptive cruise control also performed well in detecting and responding to other vehicles and road users.  ANCAP said the M9’s post-crash features and capability “are of a high standard”, which is why it received a 100 per cent score for that category. 

It is that time of the year again when car brands target a last flurry of sales before the end of the financial year.  These deals often tell a story of what stock brands need to move, and in a time when electric vehicle sales are more important than ever there are some strong deals on show.  Here is a look at some of the best ones going around in 2026. Kia is offering discounts across many of its models, with the most noticeable one being for its struggling Tasman ute.  The range-topping X-Pro Tasman now starts from $64,990 (drive-away), equating to a more than $10,000 discount on before on-road costs pricing. The deal is available until the 30 June 2026.  Kia’s strong-selling EV3 and EV5 have also picked up sizeable drive-away discounts ending 30 June 2026.  The EV3 is available from $46,990 (drive-away), which equates to free on-road costs, as well as a further small discount. The EV5 has received an even more substantial discount, starting from $49,990 (drive-away), with it previously available from $56,770, before on-road costs.  Hyundai has also put out some standout deals, especially on its electric range. But you'll need to move fast, with the offer ending on May 31, 2026. The brand’s Kona Electric range all have substantial discounts, with a starting price of $45,990 (drive-away). The recently-launched Elexio SUV is available from $57,990 (drive-away), with it previously on sale from $58,990, before on-road costs.  The Ioniq 5 is another of Hyundai’s models being offered with a noticeable discount, starting from $71,990 (drive-away) until 31 May 2026.  MG is currently offering discounts across its range to conclude the financial year, with all deals running until 30 June, 2026.  One of the biggest deals offered by the brand is a $6000 cashback offer on plug-in hybrid variants of its mid-size HS SUV. Petrol and plug-less hybrids examples are available with a $3000 cashback offer, which is also available on the QS large SUV and the U9 ute.  Additionally, these $3000 cashback deals include five years of free servicing on the vehicles.  There are also minor conditional discounts on the ZS small SUV and MG3 hatch currently.  BYD is offering $3000 cashback on several of its models in Australia for vehicles delivered by 30 June 2026.  The Premium variant of the popular Shark 6 plug-in hybrid ute gets the deal, and is now available from $54,900 (before on-road costs).  Both variants of the Sealion 5 PHEV mid-size SUV, are also eligible, meaning it starts from $30,990 (before on-road costs).  The Sealion 6 and Sealion 8 PHEV SUVs are available with the $3000 cashback offer.  Chery is another brand to get in on the end of financial year deals.  Its Tiggo 7 plug-in hybrid large SUV has discounts of $5000, now starting from $34,990 (drive-away).  The hugely popular Tiggo 4 small hybrid SUV and Tiggo 8 plug-in hybrid large SUV are being offered with a $2000 factory bonus discount.  Offers run until 30 June 2026. Ford has substantially reduced the price of its plug-in hybrid Ranger lineup, with it now starting from $62,000 (drive-away) down from $71,990 (before on-road costs) until 30 June 2026.  This price cut brings it closer to the price of the rival BYD Shark 6, which retails from $57,900 (before on-road costs). Some variants of the diesel Ranger are also being offered with sharp drive-away deals.  Toyota’s full-size Tundra hybrid ute has received a more than $10,000 discount for models from 2025 as part of a deal to remove on-road costs and add a cashback offer.  This means the ute is now available from $145,990 (drive-away). The offer lasts until June 30 2026. 

BYD is facing backlash in its home market of China over its semi-autonomous driver-assistance system. The system, called God’s Eye by BYD, is touted as self-driving in the same way Tesla advertises Full Self Driving (FSD), but anecdotal evidence suggests the system is similarly not yet up to scratch for widespread use on public roads. A report by Bloomberg has outlined complaints from both high-profile and a slew of other customers of BYD who have experienced recurring malfunctions in their cars. There are three variants of God’s Eye, one using cameras and radars, one adding LiDAR to the equation, and another with a full array of sensors. In one of BYD’s luxury brand’s flagships, the Yangwang U8 SUV, a Chinese “entrepreneur” reported “the vehicle suddenly accelerating to 93 kilometers per hour” in a 60 zone, or “abruptly jerking into an adjacent lane”. The Yangwang U8 costs the equivalent of A$230,000 in China, though buyers of many BYD models are reporting similar issues on Chinese social media site Xiaohongshu. The Bloomberg report lists “steering flaws, navigational screen malfunctions and delays in features such as memory navigation in urban roads” as complaints made by buyers of BYD’s mass-market models. It’s not the only assisted-driving or semi-autonomous driving technology under scrutiny, given Tesla’s FSD is involved in numerous crash investigations, and there have even been incidents involving Ford’s similar BlueCruise system. It’s not yet clear if BYD plans to implement God’s Eye tech in Australia, but CarsGuide has contacted the brand’s local arm for comment.

BYD has pulled the ever-popular Sealion 6 from its Chinese range, despite its ongoing global popularity. The mid-size SUV, which is known as the Song Plus in China, has sold more than 1.5 million units since it was introduced in 2020. Although the model has ended its run for the Chinese market and will be replaced by the Sealion 06, which syncs the mid-sizer up with the design cues seen on the incoming Sealion 8 three-row SUV. The new Sealion 06 replacement in China is available in both PHEV and fully electric forms, and introduces new tech like an 800-volt battery system for the EV variants, and larger batteries for the PHEV versions. The outgoing Sealion 6 will continue production for export markets, according to reports, and is built in BYD’s Thai facility that makes an array of models for fellow right-hand drive locations throughout Asia. It is unclear how local supply of the popular plug-in hybrid will be affected. CarsGuide has reached out to BYD’s local operation for more detail. The possibilities include continued production of the current car, a switch for Australian-sourcing to the Thai facility, or the model being replaced entirely with a right-hand drive export version of its successor in China. It is worth noting the incoming Sealion 5, which is a more affordable plug-in mid-sizer based on an older architecture, continues to be produced alongside the existing Sealion 6. The Sealion 5 will arrive in our market in the first half of 2026, with an aggressive starting price of just $33,990 before on-roads making it the most affordable new plug-in hybrid model on sale. The current Sealion 6 starts from $42,990 before on-roads. Locally, the mid-size plug-in hybrid amassed over 9000 sales during the course of 2025, finishing well ahead of once favourites like the Volkswagen Tiguan, Honda CR-V, and the MG HS. BYD is on a meteoric sales trajectory in Australia, having moved 52,415 units by the end of 2025, representing a volume increase of 156.2 per cent over 2024. It cements the brand’s place now in Australia’s top 10 favourite automakers, with more to come as sales of the Atto 1 small car, Atto 2 small SUV and Sealion 5 mid-sizer join the range. Stay tuned for more new or updated model activity for the brand as it targets a podium finish by the end of 2026. An update to the Sealion 6 could also be joined by a tweaked or expanded Shark 6 range with some of the well-received features (like differential locks) from its Denza B5 relation. To finish in the top three in Australia, BYD would need to again more than double its sales in 2026, and unseat well-entrenched favourites like Hyundai, or Kia, or Mazda.

BYD is phasing out one of its key features that sets it apart from the crowd.

BYD expects its hybrid seven-seat Sealion 8 will be its next segment-dominating offering.

BYD’s aggressive growth strategy is set to ramp up considerably before the end of the year with confirmation of four new models to launch. The four new models are no huge surprise with CarsGuide reporting earlier this year the likely arrival of each of them. The biggest news in BYD’s confirmation is the Atto 1, which is better known as the Seagull in China and the Dolphin Surf in the UK. This fully electric light hatchback will be the cheapest EV in Australia, according to BYD Australia COO Stephen Collins. “When it comes to the Atto range, start believing the hype,” he said. “The Atto 1 will be Australia’s most affordable EV by some margin, opening the door for even more Australians to get behind the wheel of their own new energy vehicle. “As we’ve seen with those incredible sales numbers overseas, we expect really strong pre-order interest locally.” BYD already has bragging rights as offering the cheapest EV on sale in Australia with the entry grade Dolphin Essential from $29,990 before on-road costs. The GWM Ora is the second cheapest at $35,990 drive-away. That means the Atto 1 will likely come in at around $25,000 before on-roads. BYD is yet to confirm full specification, powertrain details or pricing, but expect that information to be revealed closer to each model’s respective launch. The version of the Atto 1 that's coming to Australia is expected to be more closely related to the European and UK-spec Dolphin Surf as it more closely aligns with Australian Design Rules (ADR) compared with the China-market Seagull. The Atto 1 will launch in November alongside the larger Atto 2 electric small SUV. The Atto 2 model will compete directly with the MG S5, Chery E5, Kia EV3 and Hyundai Kona Electric, but it is expected to undercut the price of the Kia and Hyundai. Further up the model range, BYD will add to its family SUV stable that already includes the Sealion 6 plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and the Sealion 7 EV, with the Sealion 5 and 8 PHEVs. The Sealion 5 is a five-seat mid-size SUV and at 4735mm long, 1860mm wide and 1710mm tall, it’s longer, has a longer wheelbase, but is shorter and lower than a Mitsubishi Outlander. In China, the Sealion 5 is powered by BYD’s 'DM-i' (dual mode - intelligent) plug-in hybrid set-up which combines a 74kW 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and a 120kW permanent magnet synchronous electric motor. It uses an electronic continuously variable transmission (e-CVT) driving the front wheels. Depending on the battery size it offers up to 115km of electric driving range. The Sealion 8 is larger than the 5 and it comes standard with seven seats, making it BYD’s first three-row model in Australia. This is also a plug-in hybrid model and it will sit above the Sealion 6 and 7 in the expanding line-up. It will likely compete with other seven-seaters like the Chery Tiggo 8, Kia Sorento and Mazda CX-80 PHEVs. Timing for the Sealion 5 and 8 is not locked in but if it's not before the end of 2025 it will be early 2026. The BYD new model bonanza follows last week’s official confirmation that BYD’s premium Denza brand will launch before the end of the year. Denza - a Lexus and Genesis rival - will launch with the B5 and B8 premium plug-in hybrid off-roaders. In China these models fall under the Fanchengbao brand. Denza will eventually source models for Australia like the D9 people mover, N9 upper-large SUV and Z9 GT four-door coupe from the Denza stable, but it will also cherry pick from Fanchengbao and BYD’s upper premium brand, Yangwang. The latter includes the wild U8 off-roader and the potent U9 electric supercar, known for its ‘jump’ function.