BYD Sealion 7 vs Subaru Uncharted

They are different sizes and different characters. The BYD Sealion 7 is a class larger, 295mm longer than the Subaru Uncharted, and pitches on space, power and value, with a rear-drive Premium and a 390kW dual-motor Performance grade. The Uncharted is smaller and dearer on a drive-away basis, but it is the sharper-handling, more efficient car, with all-wheel drive and X-Mode standard, a longer range and stronger towing. The Sealion is the more car for the money; the Uncharted is the better drive with Subaru's all-road hardware. Your choice hinges on size and power against handling and efficiency.

The BYD Sealion 7 is cheaper, but read the basis carefully. Its rear-drive Premium is listed at $54,990 and the 390kW Performance at $63,990 before on-road costs in September 2026, where the Subaru Uncharted's $65,420 is a drive-away figure that already includes them. Even once you add on-roads to the Sealion, the Premium still comes in under the Uncharted, so it is genuinely the cheaper way into this pair. The Performance grade lands nearer the Subaru's drive-away price once on-roads are counted. So the Sealion wins on price, most clearly in Premium form, but the gap is smaller than the list figures alone suggest.

The BYD Sealion 7 Performance is the quickest here, making 390kW and 690Nm for a claimed 4.5-second run to 100km/h, comfortably quicker than the Subaru Uncharted's 252kW and roughly five seconds. But the rear-drive Sealion Premium makes 230kW and is the slower car of the three at a claimed 6.7 seconds. So if outright pace matters, the Sealion Performance wins clearly, but you pay for it; against the base Sealion the Uncharted is the quicker car. Reviewers also rate the Subaru the sharper-handling of the two, where the Sealion is tuned more for comfort.

The BYD Sealion 7, and clearly, because it is a size larger. At 4,830mm long on a 2,930mm wheelbase it stretches 295mm further than the Subaru Uncharted, and its 500-litre boot beats the Subaru's 403 by nearly 100 litres. Both seat five, but the Sealion's extra length and wheelbase translate into more rear-seat room and cargo space. The Uncharted is the more compact, coupe-styled car, which costs it practicality but sharpens its looks and handling. If space is the priority the Sealion is the easy pick; the Uncharted trades room for drive and efficiency.

The Subaru Uncharted, on both counts that matter. It claims 522km WLTP, ahead of the BYD Sealion 7 Premium's 482km and the Performance's 456, and it does that from a smaller 74.7kWh battery than the Sealion's 82.56. The reason is efficiency: the Uncharted uses 160Wh/km against the Sealion's 170 to 179, so it stretches each kilowatt-hour further. The Sealion's larger battery does not turn into more range here. If maximum range and efficiency lead your decision, the Uncharted is the pick; the Sealion answers on space, power and price rather than distance.

The Subaru Uncharted, though it depends on the Sealion grade. The Uncharted is rated to tow 2,000kg braked. The BYD Sealion 7 splits by variant: the rear-drive Premium manages just 750kg, while the dual-motor Performance is rated to 1,500kg, much closer to the Subaru. So against the cheaper Premium the Uncharted has a wide advantage, but against the Performance the gap narrows to 500kg. Neither is a natural tow vehicle, and towing cuts range on either sharply, but for the highest ceiling the Uncharted still wins, and buyers who tow should note which Sealion grade they are pricing.

Both hold a five-star ANCAP rating, with mixed sub-scores. The BYD Sealion 7 scores higher for child occupant protection, 93 per cent to 86, while the Subaru Uncharted leads on vulnerable road user protection, 80 to 76, and safety assist, 82 to 78. Adult protection is line-ball. On warranty the Sealion offers six years but caps it at 150,000km, where the Uncharted's five years runs to unlimited kilometres, so high-mileage drivers may prefer the Subaru's cover. Both include a separate battery warranty. Neither is a weak link on safety, and the warranty choice comes down to years against distance.

It splits by priority. For buyers who want the most car, the most power and the lowest price, the BYD Sealion 7 is the stronger all-rounder: it is bigger, better-equipped, cheaper to buy and, in Performance form, far quicker. For buyers who value how a car drives, the Subaru Uncharted is the better pick, with its sharper tune, standard all-wheel drive, better efficiency, longer range and stronger towing. Most family buyers chasing space and value will lean Sealion; keen drivers and those who want Subaru's all-road hardware will prefer the Uncharted. Neither is a wrong answer, but they suit different people.