2024 BYD Sealion 6 PHEV (Seal U): Toyota RAV4 Hybrid rival coming to Australia

Details of the new model are under embargo, but its Australian name was confirmed after updated government approval documents appeared online.

Oddly, while the SUV formerly known as the Seal U has likely been renamed here simply to avoid confusion with the existing Seal sedan, an unrelated Sea Lion 7 model (styled as two words rather than the local one word) was unveiled in November last year.

In Europe, the Seal U is sold alongside the Seal sedan as theSeal U DM-I – the DM stands for Dual Mode (petrol-electric), but the purpose of the I is unclear – while Chinese-market buyers know it as the Song Plus.

The front-wheel-drive 2024 BYD Sealion 6 Dynamic will deliver 160kW total system output from a 72kW 1.5-litre non-turbo four-cylinder petrol engine and a 145kW front-mounted electric motor.

The all-wheel-drive 2024 BYD Sealion 6 Premium will swap in a 98kW petrol engine, along with a 150kW front electric motor and a 120kW rear electric motor, for a 238kW total system output.

Under the skin, all versions have an 18.3kWh lithium-iron-phosphate 'blade' battery – compared to 20kWh in the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, 17.8kWh in the Mazda CX-60 PHEV and 16.6kWh in the MG HS PHEV – allowing for a 30 to 80 per cent top-up in 35 minutes on an 18kW DC fast-charger. It also has vehicle-to-load functionality.

An electric-only driving range or combined fuel consumption figures have not been confirmed for either Sealion 6 variant.

A pure battery-electric version of the Sealion 6 is currently limited to left-hand drive markets, including China and Europe, where it rivals the world’s best-selling EV, the Tesla Model Y.

Boot space is rated at 552 litres with the second-row in place or 1440L with the rear seats folded down.

Features available overseas include 19-inch alloy wheels, LED exterior lighting, leather-accented upholstery, a wireless phone charger, a 15.6-inch rotating infotainment system, over-the-air software updates, and an Infinity audio system.

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Australian details for the 2024 BYD Sealion 6 – including pricing and full specifications – are due to be confirmed