BYD Sealion 5 DM-i PHEV Debuts in the UK – Malaysia Next?

The UK becomes the second RHD market to welcome the new BYD Sealion 5 DM-i PHEV SUV. Is Malaysia next?

Following its arrival in Australia last year, the new BYD Sealion 5 DM-i has just made its debut in the second right-hand drive (RHD) market, as this plug-in hybrid (PHEV) SUV has officially arrived in the UK.

Priced under £30,000 (RM163,175), the Sealion 5 DM-i is positioned as the brand’s new midsize PHEV SUV, where it is set to compete against the likes of other popular larger C-SUVs in the UK, such as the Honda CR-V, Kia Sportage, and many more.

We’ll start with the powertrain setup, where the Sealion 5 DM-i, also known as the BYD Song Plus DM-i in China and many other markets, is powered by BYD’s proprietary Dual Mode Super Hybrid system. It uses a 1.5-litre 4–cyl petrol engine as its core, which is then mated to an electric motor to deliver a combined output of 209 hp (156 kW), allowing this PHEV SUV to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.7 seconds.

Energy is stored in either a 12.96-kWh or 18.3-kWh BYD Blade LFP battery pack, with BYD claiming the latter is good for up to 85 km of pure electric range. Combined with its sizable 52-litre petrol tank, the Sealion 5 DM-i can deliver a combined travel range of over 1,000 km while achieving a combined fuel economy of 18.76 km per litre.

Unlike many other modern PHEVs, however, the Sealion 5 DM-i only accepts AC 3.3 kW charging, which sees a 15–100% charge completed in 4.5 hours for the smaller 12.96 kWh pack and up to six hours for the larger 18.3 kWh unit.

On the visual front, the UK-spec Sealion 5 DM-i looks similar to both its Aussie and Philippines twins, featuring a simplistic SUV design with some of BYD’s familiar design cues. Key highlights include a large front grille flanked by full LED headlights, prominent shoulder lines with plastic underbody cladding, slim full-width LED taillights, silver accents on the D-pillar a la BYD Atto 3 EV, a roof-mounted spoiler, 18-inch two-tone alloy wheels, and aluminium roof rails.

Dimension-wise, the Sealion 5 DM-i spans 4,738 mm long, 1,860 mm wide, and 1,710 mm tall with a wheelbase of 2,712 mm.

On board, the UK-spec Sealion 5 DM-i gets a pretty minimalist yet well-equipped cabin, featuring a similar layout seen on many other BYD models. Some key tech amenities primed here include a 12.8-inch central infotainment screen with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, a smaller 8.8-inch digital metre cluster, powered front seats with heating function, a rearview camera, six speakers, USB-C ports, a 15-watt wireless charger, dedicated rear A/C vents, a powered tailgate, and a 463-litre boot space.

With the Sealion 5 DM-i already debuted in two key RHD markets like Australia and the UK, there’s a high chance that this PHEV SUV is heading to Malaysia next. Should it debut here, the Sealion 5 DM-i will face stiff competition against other more high-tech PHEV SUVs available here, including the new Chery Tiggo 7 PHEV CSH and the upcoming Proton e.MAS 7 PHEV.