2026 BYD Sealion 8 review: Australian first drive

BYD has come a long way in Australia, now firmly established as a top 10 player and outselling the likes of Volkswagen and Nissan, but the Chinese brand has bigger ambitions.

The brand has set its eyes on a top-three position by the end of 2026, thanks to a raft of new models that will add incremental volume, but none will be more crucial to its plans than the Sealion 8.

As a large, seven-seat SUV, the Sealion 8 will finally give BYD representation in one of the most popular segments in Australia, competing against big names like the Toyota Kluger and Hyundai Santa Fe.

But, unlike those hot-selling models, the Sealion 8 will apply BYD’s signature electric-first approach with a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powertrain that promises to outshine – or at least sip less fuel than – the hybrid set-ups of its rivals.

Three grades will be on offer when the Sealion 8 launches in early 2026, kicking off with the Dynamic FWD (front-wheel drive), moving to the Dynamic AWD (all-wheel drive), and topping out with the Premium AWD.

Pricing is still unconfirmed, as is specification, but the Sealion 8 range is expected to open at around $60,000.

While this won’t make it substantially better value than the base Toyota Kluger (from $62,410 before on-road costs) or Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid (from $57,650), remember that the Sealion 8 is a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) with a battery that can sustain it in all-electric mode for longer.

The base car will come with a 19kWh battery, while the AWD variants feature a bigger 35.6kWh battery.

This enables a claimed driving range of 103km and 152km respectively, both measured on the lab-tested NEDC standard, so expect closer to 80km and 120km in the real world.

All-wheel-drive variants not only have larger batteries, but the additional rear-drive electric motor also substantially improves performance.

All Sealion 8 vehicles are fitted with a 110kW/220Nm 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine and 200kW/315Nm front electric motor, but the AWD versions also score a 200kW/350Nm rear electric motor.

While combined outputs are still being worked through, the boosted performance means the claimed 0–100km/h acceleration time drops from 8.6 seconds in the Dynamic FWD to 4.9sec in the Dynamic AWD and Premium AWD.

At the preview drive event, only the top-spec Sealion 8 Premium AWD was available to sample at the Lang Lang proving ground, and while it feels spritely, dynamic performance is its biggest weakness.

The Sealion 8 feels peppy enough in a straight line, but turn the wheel and there’s no escaping the plug-in hybrid’s heft.

BYD has yet to reveal a weight figure for the model. Overseas figures indicate it will be at least 2240kg – the price to pay for a PHEV, unfortunately.

The suspension set-up, at least with the top-spec Premium, makes use of the adaptive dampers found in the Seal Performance, which means adjustability through the various drive modes.

Even on the firmest Sport setting, I found body control to still be too floaty, taking too long to settle after a bump and transmitting that wallowing sensation to the cabin and passengers.

The steering is also a touch too light for my preferences, not really giving drivers the confidence to tip the Sealion 8 into a bend.

But these shortcomings are not deal-breakers for buyers of a car in this class – dynamic performance and driving fun really come second or third on the list of considerations with a large SUV.

Paramount here is the space it affords, and whether you can comfortably seat seven passengers.

And the Sealion 8 excels in this regard.

The Sealion 8 is bigger in all aspects than a Toyota Kluger.

This affords the Sealion 8 large SUV a generous amount of interior space across all three rows.

Even in seats six and seven, my 186cm-tall frame fit comfortably, with enough head, leg, and shoulder room to be comfortable over extended journeys – which isn’t something that can be said for all large SUVs.

Aiding this is a second-row bench seat that not only has adjustability in the backrest, but can also slide its base forwards to liberate more room for third-row passengers.

Of note for families, there are also top tether points in all second- and third-row positions, so baby seats will go in any position.

Although passengers will be comfortable enough in seats six and seven, it can be an ordeal to clamber in and out of the third row because of two things.

Firstly, the rear door apertures feel narrow, so you have limited room to get in and out.

Secondly, the second-row seat bases are chunky, which eats away at the useable space to get your legs into position to thrust yourself into the third row.

If access to the rearmost seats is a regular occurrence for you, a people mover like the Kia Carnival still reigns supreme.

The larger footprint of the Sealion 8 also affords it generous boot space, at least for a car in this class.

With all seats in place, there is 270 litres of volume in the rear, which is expandable to 960L with the third row stowed and 1960L with the second-row seats folded. This will be more than enough for prams, bags, and anything else needed for families.

Overall, the Sealion 8 shows promise with its mix of a (likely) affordable price tag and high levels of practicality.

The plug-in hybrid powertrain, regardless of grade, will offer a usable all-electric driving range – granted owners are diligent with charging – but don’t go in expecting to be thrilled or wowed by the driving experience.

As a contender in the three-row large SUV space, the Sealion 8 ticks a lot of boxes for families, so if you’ve had enough of what the Toyota Kluger and Hyundai Santa Fe have to offer, this new BYD should be under consideration.

Tung Nguyen has been in the automotive journalism industry for over a decade, cutting his teeth at various publications before finding himself at Drive in 2024. With experience in news, feature, review, and advice writing, as well as video presentation skills, Tung is a do-it-all content creator. Tung’s love of cars first started as a child watching Transformers on Saturday mornings, as well as countless hours on PlayStation’s Gran Turismo, meaning his dream car is a Nissan GT-R, with a Liberty Walk widebody kit, of course.

Read more about Tung Nguyen