The new BYD Sealion 6 has touched down as South Africa’s most affordable PHEV. We have pricing for this Chinese newcomer, which has a slated range of up to 1 092 km…
The new BYD Sealion 6 – known as the “Song Plus” or “Seal U” in some countries – has quietly arrived in South Africa, debuting as the local market’s most affordable plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV).
As we first reported in February 2025, the local Sealion 6 portfolio comprises a trio of derivatives at launch. According to our information, the line-up kicks off at R639 900, which makes this Chinese crossover Mzansi’s most affordable PHEV.
The Sealion 6 thus undercuts the 225 kW Toyota RAV4 2.5 PHEV – which is priced at R980 000, though Toyota SA Motors has yet to start actively marketing this model – by as much as R340 100. It’s also more attainable than the 342 kW Haval H6 GT PHEV that is scheduled to hit the local market towards the middle of 2025, priced at approximately R800 000.
But back to the Sealion 6, which arrives as BYD Auto SA’s 2nd PHEV after the likewise freshly launched Shark 6. The Sealion 6 is available in the Comfort, Dynamic and Premium grades. Comfort (starting at R639 900) and Dynamic (priced from R689 900) derivatives combine a naturally aspirated 1.5-litre, 4-cylinder petrol engine with a front-mounted electric motor drawing urge from an 18.3 kWh battery pack.
Peak outputs for this PHEV system come in at 160 kW and 300 Nm, facilitating a 0-100 kph sprint in a claimed 8.5 seconds. All-electric range is a listed 80 km, while the overall range is slated to be as high as 1 092 km.
Meanwhile, the flagship Premium variant upgrades to a turbocharged 1.5-litre petrol mill and adds a 2nd (rear-mounted) electric motor. This all-paw derivative’s maximum power and torque figures thus increase to 238 kW and 550 Nm, respectively, cutting the claimed 0-100 kph time to just 5.9 seconds (though the electric range dips to 70 km and the overall range falls to 961 km). The Premium AWD derivative is priced from R789 900.
All 3 variants ride on 19-inch alloy wheels as standard and ship with a panoramic sunroof, LED headlamps, sequential rear indicators, rain-sensing wipers, dual-zone climate control, faux-leather upholstery, an 8-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, a 4-way power-adjustable front-passenger seat, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 15.6-inch rotating touchscreen.
Safety features standard across the range include 7 airbags, adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, rear parking sensors, lane-departure warning, lane-departure prevention, emergency lane-keeping assist, front-collision warning, rear-collision warning, blind-spot detection, high-beam assist and a raft of other driver-assistance features.
The mid-tier Dynamic and top-spec Premium trim levels further boast a 360-degree camera system (as opposed to the Comfort derivative’s reverse-view camera), front parking sensors, 1-touch tailgate operation, a 10-speaker “Infinity” audio system (rather than the Comfort’s 6-speaker “Dirac” arrangement), dual wireless smartphone chargers and heated-and-ventilated front seats. Finally, the all-wheel-drive Premium variant additionally scores a head-up display.
Measuring 4 775 mm from nose to tail, the BYD Sealion 6 is by no means a small vehicle, coming in at just 20 mm shorter than the 7-seater Toyota Fortuner, for instance, and exactly the same length as the Omoda C9. For the record, BYD claims a luggage capacity of 425 litres.
In South Africa, the Sealion 6 is available in only 4 (muted) exterior colours: Time Grey, Arctic White, Delan Black and Smokey Grey. Interior colour schemes include plain black and a black-and-brown combination.
How much does the BYD Sealion 6 cost in South Africa?
BYD Sealion 6 Comfort FWD – R639 900
BYD Sealion 6 Dynamic FWD – R689 900
BYD Sealion 6 Premium AWD – R789 900
The prices above likely include BYD Auto SA’s 5-year/100 000 km warranty and a maintenance plan with the same parameters.
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