Test BYD Seal U DM-i: Difficult name, good plug-in hybrid
BYD is really stepping on the gas in Europe and Switzerland. The Chinese are not only relying on an industry expert as head of Switzerland, but are also launching a diverse range of models - not "only" with electric, but also plug-in hybrid drive.
BYD Europe has just appointed Dimitris Chanazoglou, the former Swiss head of Polestar, as Country Manager Switzerland, and has also announced a partnership with Uber: As many Uber drivers as possible are to switch to electric or plug-in hybrid models from the Chinese car giant (which has now replaced Tesla as the largest electric manufacturer in the world). And the BYDs are certainly attractive and efficient, as our test with the BYD Seal U DM-i in Design trim shows: Behind the awkward name lies a plug-in hybrid with all-wheel drive.
The family SUV has one electric drive on the front axle and one on the rear axle (150 kW/204 hp and 120 kW/163 hp respectively). In the Seal U DM-i, these are combined with a 1.5-liter turbocharged petrol engine with 96 kW/130 hp. This results in a system output of a whopping 238 kW/324 hp, 550 Nm and astonishing liveliness and dynamics. Thanks to the 18 kWh battery, the plug-in hybrid can officially cover up to 70 kilometers on electric power alone, and around 60 kilometers in everyday use. If more electric range is required, the Comfort version is available instead of the Design version: a rear-wheel drive model with "only" 160 kW/218 hp, but a larger battery (27 kWh).
In the meantime, we are driving our all-wheel drive test car through Switzerland. Even though we don't charge the battery at every opportunity and therefore don't drive as often as possible using only electricity, it has a respectable test consumption of 6.2 l/100 km. Cheap cars from China? Nothing like that: The SUV handles well and offers the necessary comfort even on rough stretches of road. The only thing we can't get used to is the somewhat indifferent steering, which could be more precise.
The BYD interior is beautifully made and impeccably finished. Not a plastic desert, but with soft-touch surfaces and double contrast stitching: The Chinese car really makes a statement here. The highlight is not the practical wireless charging surface for two smartphones, but the rotating 15.6-inch touchscreen in the cockpit. It provides an aha effect for 100 percent of passengers. You can choose whether the display should be in portrait or landscape format in the center of the cockpit - really cool and, depending on the display, really practical!
The 4.78-metre-long and 1.89-metre-wide family SUV also shows its practical side in terms of space. There is even enough head and legroom in the rear, and the trunk has a capacity of 425 liters. As the rear seat can be folded down in two parts (60:40 percent), the storage space can be expanded to 1440 liters. That's impressive, as is the price for our 4×4 test vehicle. It is available from 49,900 francs. Not cheap, but certainly attractive and fair for what is on offer. And to dispel any doubts about the quality of the Chinese SUV among Swiss customers, there is also a six-year or 150,000 kilometer full warranty and an eight-year or 200,000 kilometer battery warranty. That gives peace of mind.
Expert opinion: BYD Seal U DM-i Design
The BYD is a beautifully designed family SUV with plug-in hybrid drive and an appealing electric range at a fair price.
Advantages
+ good workmanship
+ convincing drive
+ fair price
Disadvantages
- somewhat indifferent steering
- Reflections in windshield
