BYD Sealion 7 vs Kia EV5

Before on-road costs the Sealion 7 Premium starts at $54,990 in 2026, a touch under the Kia EV5 Air at $56,770, so on the sticker the BYD is the cheaper way into a well-equipped grade. Drive-away deals narrow it: the Sealion 7 Premium lands near $59,900, about the same as the long-range EV5 Air. The cheapest path of all is the entry EV5 Air Standard Range at $49,990 drive-away, but that grade carries the smaller battery and 400km of range. Read the Sealion 7 as the value all-rounder, the EV5 Air Standard Range as the budget entry.

The Kia EV5 holds the longest figure, but you have to choose the right grade. Its single-motor Air Long Range claims 555km on the WLTP cycle, comfortably past the Sealion 7 Premium's 482km. Drop to the entry EV5 Air Standard Range and its smaller battery falls to 400km, behind both Sealion 7 grades. The dual-motor EV5 Earth and GT-Line sit at 500km and 470km, while the Sealion 7 Performance claims 456km. Read the EV5 as the range champion at Long Range grade; read the Sealion 7 as the more consistent of the two across its range.

The Sealion 7 leads narrowly. It peaks at 150kW and claims a 10-to-80 per cent DC charge in about 32 minutes. The EV5 Long Range grades peak at 141kW for roughly 38 minutes, while the entry Air Standard Range tops out near 102kW. On AC both accept 11kW at their upper grades, so home top-ups run overnight either way. The bigger point is that both cars use a 400-volt architecture, which Australian reviewers flag as slower than 800-volt rivals such as the Zeekr 7X. If fast public charging is central to your week, neither of these is a class leader.

Both wear a five-star ANCAP rating, so the difference is in the detail. The Sealion 7 was tested under the stricter 2025 criteria and scores 93 per cent for child-occupant protection against the EV5's 86 per cent, and it also edges the EV5 for vulnerable road users. The EV5, tested to 2024 criteria, comes back ahead on adult-occupant protection at 88 per cent to 87 and on safety-assist systems at 82 to 78. Both fit autonomous emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keep assist and adaptive cruise as standard on every grade, so the active-safety net is strong on either.

The EV5 is the more practical of the two. Its upright body stands 1,715mm tall against the Sealion 7's 1,620mm, which helps rear headroom, and its 513-litre boot pips the Sealion 7's 500 litres. Under the bonnet the EV5's 67-litre front boot beats the Sealion 7's 58 litres, handy for charge cables. With the rear seats folded the two are close, the Sealion 7 at 1,769 litres and the EV5 at 1,714. The Sealion 7 is the longer car overall at 4,830mm, but the EV5 uses its footprint more efficiently for family duty.

They split it. Kia backs the EV5 with a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre vehicle warranty and eight years of roadside assistance, among the most generous cover in the segment. BYD warrants the Sealion 7 for six years or 150,000km, whichever comes first, with one year of roadside. Where the Sealion 7 hits back is the battery: BYD guarantees its Blade pack for eight years or 160,000km, a year longer than Kia's seven-year, 150,000km battery cover. Read the EV5 as the safer bet on the whole car; read the Sealion 7 as the stronger battery guarantee.

For a first EV bought on value, the Sealion 7 Premium makes the strongest case. It already includes genuine leather, a panoramic roof, a head-up display, a 360-degree camera and a 12-speaker Dynaudio system, kit the EV5 reserves for pricier grades, and it claims 482km of range. The EV5 Air Standard Range is the cheapest way into the segment at $49,990 drive-away, which suits town-based buyers, but its 400km range and smaller battery are the trade-off. Read the Sealion 7 as the most kit per dollar; read the EV5 Air as the lowest price of entry.

For family duty the EV5 Air Long Range is the natural choice. It has the longest range here at 555km, the roomier boot, a taller cabin for growing kids and the seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty that takes the worry out of ownership. The Sealion 7 is far from beaten: it scored a higher 93 per cent for child-occupant protection under the newer ANCAP regime, and its leather-lined cabin feels a step above. Read the EV5 as the space-and-warranty family pick; read the Sealion 7 as the plusher, higher-child-safety alternative.

If straight-line speed is the draw, the Sealion 7 is the only one of these two that answers. Its dual-motor Performance grade makes 390kW and 690Nm for a genuine 4.5-second 0-100km/h sprint, and even the rear-drive Premium's 230kW covers it in 6.7 seconds. The EV5 tops out with a 230kW dual-motor all-wheel-drive system in the Earth and GT-Line, good for around 6.1 seconds but no match for the Sealion 7 Performance. Neither is a corner-carver; both are tuned for comfort. Bear in mind the Sealion 7 Performance costs about $9,000 over the Premium for pace most owners rarely use.