The BYD Sealion 5 is a five-seat plug-in hybrid family SUV offered in one body style, with a single 209 bhp 1.5-litre petrol-electric powertrain and two trims, Comfort and Design. This guide explains what the car offers, what each trim adds and how to pick between them before you choose a lease.
The BYD Sealion 5 is a five-seat plug-in hybrid family SUV, 4.74 metres long, with a 463-litre boot and a six-year / 93,750-mile manufacturer warranty. It's aimed squarely at families who want electric running for the daily miles without giving up a petrol tank for the long ones.
Within BYD's UK line-up it sits as the brand's accessible petrol-electric family SUV, below the larger models, and it's sold in one body style only. Front-wheel drive, automatic, no all-wheel-drive option.
The choice is simple: one SUV body, one plug-in hybrid powertrain, and two trims - Comfort and Design. That makes this an easy range to shortlist, and most of the decision comes down to how much convenience kit you want.
BYD Sealion 5 key facts
| Body style | SUV |
|---|---|
| Powertrains | Plug-in hybrid (209 bhp) |
| Seats | 5 |
| Boot | 463 litres, 1,410 litres seats folded |
| Manufacturer warranty | 6 years / 93,750 miles |
Manufacturer data for the versions we currently offer. Last updated 5 October 2026.
The Sealion 5 is a compact family SUV built around BYD's plug-in hybrid system, where the electric motor does most of the driving and the 1.5-litre petrol engine steps in as backup. Five seats, 463 litres of boot space, 1,410 litres with the rear bench folded.
Reviewers consistently praise the cabin space - rear legroom in particular - along with the quiet, electric-feeling power delivery and the level of standard equipment. The common criticisms are a firm ride on poor surfaces, a screen-heavy interior and driver-assistance alerts that take a little learning to tame.
BYD arrived in the UK recently but has expanded quickly, and the six-year / 93,750-mile warranty outlasts most lease terms, which is reassurance worth having on a brand you may not have driven before.
Because the standard specification is generous on both trims, so you're not forced up the range to get the safety and comfort kit that matters. Every Sealion 5 has adaptive cruise control, an electrically adjustable driver's seat, keyless entry and start and a digital instrument cluster.
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, as are DAB radio, rain-sensing wipers, automatic LED headlights, power-folding mirrors, roof rails and an electric parking brake. On the safety side you get autonomous emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keep assist, traffic sign recognition, automatic high beam and rear parking sensors across the range.
Practically, it's an easy car to live with: a 6.0-metre turning circle, a 75 kg roof load limit and servicing every 12 months or 10,000 miles. Insurance falls in group 26-27 depending on version, and a tyre repair kit takes the place of a spare wheel.
There's only one, so the powertrain decision is really a question of whether a plug-in hybrid suits your driving. If you can charge at home or at work most days, it will. If you can never plug in, this plug-in hybrid may not suit your circumstances as well.
A 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine works with an electric motor for 209 bhp and 300 Nm, driving the front wheels through a single-speed automatic. Battery capacity is 13.0-18.3 kWh depending on version, and 0-62 mph takes 7.7-8.1 seconds, with a 106 mph top speed.
Charging is AC only, at up to 3 kW, with a 15-100% top-up quoted at 4.5 hours at 3.3 kW on the best version - comfortably an overnight job on a home charger. The 52-litre petrol tank covers the longer runs, and if you're new to plugging in, our electric and hybrid leasing guides are a sensible starting point.
| Plug-in hybrid | |
|---|---|
| Boot | 463 litres |
| Power | 209 bhp |
| Seats | 5 |
| Battery | 13–18.3 kWh |
| 0–62 mph | 7.7–8.1 s |
Two trims, Comfort and Design, both with the same 209 bhp front-wheel-drive powertrain, 18-inch alloy wheels and artificial leather upholstery. Design is the one to pick if parking aids and heated seats matter to you.
The entry trim, and far from a stripped-out one. It brings 18-inch alloys, LED headlights, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a vegan leather multifunction steering wheel, artificial leather upholstery and both adaptive and intelligent cruise control, plus rear parking sensors.
The Comfort is currently available from £285.26 a month.
Design keeps the same mechanical package and adds the everyday conveniences: heated front seats, a 360-degree camera, front parking sensors, a powered tailgate and wireless smartphone charging. If you park in tight city bays or load the boot with your hands full, that list earns its place.
The Design is currently available from £307.90 a month. Against the Comfort, that is currently £22.63/mo more expensive.
Which one suits you usually comes down to how you use the car rather than how it's priced, and our guide to choosing your car walks through spec, term and mileage together. Four paint colours are offered across the range, including Atlantis blue, Obsidian black, Polar white and Time grey.
If you're weighing up the Sealion 5 against other value-led family SUVs, the Leapmotor C10, Chery Tiggo 7, LEPAS L8 and Geely Starray are worth a look, alongside the rest of the BYD range.
Specifications from BYD's UK model data; equipment, battery size and availability vary by version, so check the individual deal before you order. FVL has arranged vehicle leases for over 25 years.
Page updated 5 October 2026 by First Vehicle Leasing. Prices and availability shown on this page are live and change as deals are refreshed.
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