BYD Sealion 7 vs Subaru Solterra

As of 2026, on the same before-on-road basis the Sealion 7 Premium at $54,990 undercuts the Solterra AWD at $63,990 by about $9,000. On the road the gap holds in dollar terms: expect the BYD near $57,000 drive-away in NSW against the Subaru's $67,520 drive-away, and BYD frequently runs a drive-away offer on the Premium that narrows it further. Both qualify for the fringe benefits tax exemption on a novated lease. Read the Sealion 7 as the value buy if the purchase price leads your brief. Read the Solterra as the one whose running costs claw some of that gap back through lower energy use.

The base Solterra AWD claims 566km WLTP; the rear-drive Sealion 7 Premium claims 482km, an 84km gap in the Subaru's favour despite the BYD carrying the larger battery. The Solterra manages it by being more efficient, using 146 watt-hours per kilometre against the BYD's 170. Step up a grade and both give ground: the Solterra Touring drops to 517km on its 20-inch wheels, the dual-motor Sealion 7 Performance to 456km. If range is the deciding factor, the base Solterra AWD takes it, and it is the reason the earlier car's range anxiety is largely gone.

On a DC fast-charger both peak at 150kW, so highway top-ups are close. Expect roughly 30 minutes for the Subaru and 32 for the BYD from 10 to 80 per cent. The real difference is AC: the Solterra accepts 22kW on three-phase power, double the Sealion 7's 11kW, so it refills much faster at home or a destination charger if you have three-phase supply. Neither is class-leading against newer 800-volt rivals on DC. Read the Solterra as the easier car to keep topped up at home. Read the Sealion 7 as its equal once you are plugged into a public DC charger.

The Solterra is the thriftier car. The base AWD uses 146 watt-hours per kilometre, rising to 160 on the Touring's larger wheels, while the Sealion 7 draws 170 in the Premium and 179 in the Performance. Over a year of average driving that difference adds up on the power bill, and independent testing has the Subaru returning figures close to its claim. Servicing is line-ball: both run 12-month intervals, the BYD at 20,000km and the Subaru at 15,000km, both with capped-price plans. On energy alone the Solterra takes it, which softens its higher purchase price over time.

The Sealion 7 holds 500 litres behind the rear seats and adds a 58-litre front boot, 558 litres in total. The Solterra offers 421 litres in the base AWD and no frunk. That makes the BYD the more practical hauler despite being the cheaper car, and the frunk is genuinely useful for charging cables. The Subaru's boot is the one real packaging miss on an otherwise sensible car, trailing a class where 500 litres-plus is normal. If weekly cargo space matters, the Sealion 7 takes it clearly, both on the main boot and the bonus storage up front.

Both carry a five-star ANCAP rating tested to the stricter 2025 criteria, so neither gives ground on the headline. The sub-scores trade: the Sealion 7 leads on child occupant protection at 93 per cent against 86, while the Solterra edges ahead on vulnerable road user protection, 80 per cent against 76, and on safety assist, 82 against 78. Adult occupant protection is line-ball at 87 and 88 per cent. Both come with autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist and blind-spot monitoring as standard. On safety this one is a genuine tie, so let the other factors decide it.

For a family the choice comes down to what you value most. The Solterra brings the longer real-world range, standard all-wheel drive for wet-weather security, and the lower running costs, which suit households that travel and want charging stress gone. The Sealion 7 counters with the bigger boot and frunk, a longer warranty, more screen and a head-up display, all for thousands less up front. Both seat five and both hold a five-star rating. Read the Solterra as the family pick if range and traction lead. Read the Sealion 7 as the pick if space and budget do.

On value the Sealion 7 leads. It is thousands cheaper before on-road costs, holds more cargo, and adds a head-up display and genuine leather, with screens larger than the Subaru's, then backs it with a six-year warranty against the Subaru's five. The Solterra's answer is efficiency: it uses less energy, so some of the price gap returns over years of ownership, and its resale rests on the Subaru badge. Read the Sealion 7 as the value buy for most, and the Solterra as the one that argues its case slowly, through the running costs rather than the sticker.

The Solterra is the clear pick away from the blacktop. Every grade runs standard dual-motor all-wheel drive, 212mm of ground clearance and X-Mode terrain settings, so gravel roads, boat ramps and grassy campsites are within its remit. The Sealion 7 is rear-wheel drive in the Premium and only gains all-wheel drive in the flagship Performance, which is tuned for speed rather than surfaces and has no clearance advantage. Neither is a genuine off-roader, but the Subaru's traction hardware is real. If your driveway turns to dirt, the Solterra takes it, and it is the reason to choose it over a front-drive rival.