Sealion 7

The rear-drive Sealion 7 Premium is priced from $54,990 before on-road costs, and the dual-motor Performance from $63,990. During BYD's August to September 2026 campaign the Premium is offered at $54,990 drive-away, with the on-road costs absorbed, a saving of roughly $4,000 to $5,000 depending on your state. Drive-away for the Performance runs closer to $69,000. Both qualify for the fringe benefits tax exemption on a novated lease, which sharpens the case further for salary-packaging buyers.

The Premium is the pick for the vast majority. It has the longer range at 482km against 456km, rides better on its 19-inch wheels, and already includes the panoramic roof, Dynaudio audio, heated and ventilated seats, head-up display and 360-degree camera. The Performance adds all-wheel drive, 390kW and a 4.5-second sprint, plus a heated steering wheel and heated rear seats, for about $9,000 more at 2026 prices. Unless outright acceleration is the priority, that money buys speed most owners rarely use while costing range and ride comfort.

The Premium claims 482km on the WLTP cycle; the Performance claims 456km. Both use the same 82.56kWh LFP Blade battery, but the lighter rear-drive Premium goes furthest, while the heavier all-wheel-drive Performance, on larger wheels, gives up 26km. Those are laboratory figures; independent Australian testing has seen closer to 400km in cold, wet conditions, because the Sealion 7 uses more energy than most rivals at 170 to 179Wh/km. Expect real-world range in the low-to-mid 400s for the Premium in typical driving.

On a DC fast charger the Sealion 7 peaks at 150kW, enough to go from 10 to 80 percent in around 32 minutes. That is competitive with the mainstream but trails newer rivals reaching far higher peaks, a point Australian reviewers consistently raise. On AC it accepts up to 11kW three-phase, a step up over cheaper BYDs limited to single-phase. It uses a CCS2 plug for DC and a Type 2 for AC, and adds vehicle-to-load so it can run appliances or tools away from home.

The Sealion 7 holds a five-star ANCAP safety rating awarded under the stricter 2025 criteria, valid to December 2031. It scored a strong 87 percent for adult occupant protection and an equal-best 93 percent for child occupants, with 76 percent for vulnerable road users and 78 percent for safety assist. Standard active safety includes autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring and a driver attention monitor. The one flagged weakness was rear-passenger chest protection in the full-width frontal test.

The Sealion 7 undercuts the Model Y on price and claims more range; the Model Y drives better and uses less energy. In detail, the Premium undercuts the Model Y rear-drive by several thousand dollars, claims a longer WLTP range on its larger battery, and adds standard vehicle-to-load plus wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto Tesla does not offer. The Model Y counters with a lighter body, sharper handling, markedly better efficiency and access to the Supercharger network. Sales tell the story: through 2026 the Model Y remains the segment leader, but the Sealion 7 has closed the gap fast and is now BYD's best seller in Australia.