With what BYD describe as ‘dragon face’ aesthetics, the Sealion 8 Premium is a modern and sophisticated machine, with a handsome front fascia. LED lighting helps with a transition to edgy side indents that add a point of difference.

Powered pop-out door handles feature, while the rear is minimalist but attractive, with ‘bamboo rhythm’ LED tail lights. Our test car, finished in Ridge Grey, together with rear privacy glass, adds to the premium vibe.

Other colours include Dark Aquamarine, Cosmos Black and Aurora White. On the inside, the Sealion 8 Premium feel contemporary, design-wise, with the headline act being the 15.6-inch infotainment/control screen.

As a proud millennial who is adept with technology, yours truly found it to be quite a cumbersome experience. The screen, while being crisp and responsive, contained all the necessary controls for entertainment, ventilation and vehicle settings.

That’s great, except that it requires a deep dive into a labyrinth of menus. It takes your attention from the road – so much so, the driver distraction monitor feature activated several times. Thankfully there is a solution.

2026 BYD Sealion 8 Premium AWD

Essential controls are available at your fingertips thanks to physical buttons for driving modes, auto hold, on/off, EV/HEV modes and volume. Despite needing a map to get around, the native infotainment software is decent.

In-built Google Maps feature, as does wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Audio is supported with a 21-speaker sound system that provides a great aural experience. A 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster and 26-inch head-up display make driving easy.

There is a definite bang-for-your-buck aspect to BYD vehicles, and that’s reflected in the safety tech too, including all the usual suspects, along with adaptive cruise control, adaptive headlights, drive modes for various off-road surfaces and cornering lights.

Intelligent voice assistance, a 50-watt phone charger with ventilation, customisable ambient lighting and a digital smartphone key all feature. Soft touch surfaces on the dash and doors uplift the perception of luxury.

The front row features 10-point massaging, electric front seats, which score heating and ventilation (along with the second row) as standard. The black tones of the interior maintains the modern appearance, while a full panoramic glass roof lets in loads of light.

2026 BYD Sealion 8 Premium AWD

Those who have young kids can take comfort that ISOFIX is available in both the second and third rows. While the latter isn’t a large space, and is mostly suitable for teens or kids, it does get its own vents and lighting.

Exiting the third row is difficult, thanks mostly to a mechanism that isn’t easy to operate. A powered tailgate opens to a 270-litre boot with all three rows in use, or 960-litres with the third set of pews folded. Drop the second row and that expands to 1960-litres.

Now for the important bit. This is a seven seat SUV that can steam its way to 100km/h in 4.9 seconds. It's impressive for a car running on a Super Hybrid platform, with BYD’s blade battery (Lithium Iron Phosphate) tech.

The setup pairs a 35.6kWh motor with a 1.5-litre turbocharged engine for a combined 359kW and 675Nm. These are serious numbers and with all-wheel drive, this is one smooth and powerful operator. 

It does it in an almost serene fashion too. The BYD offers 152km (NEDC) of EV-only range, with combined fuel consumption of 6.3-litres/100km in hybrid mode. Our driving experience on various peak hour Sydney roads proved the former was a great option.

2026 BYD Sealion 8 Premium AWD

Across a week of use, we managed to get under the brand’s claimed number, with 5.9-litres/100km reflecting the almost bottomless feeling of the 60-litre fuel tank, the battery setup, and regenerative braking.

The system supports 74kW DC and 11kW AC charging, as well as V2L vehicle to load. On the road, the Sealion 8 Premium provides for a syrupy smooth ride thanks to  DiSus-C suspension. It’s essentially adaptive technology to actively adjust damping for comfort and handling.

Large 265/45 R21 Goodyear Electric Drive tyres provide a solid, consistent pillowy soft feel on the road, on all surfaces. The combination isn’t perfect though, delivering an almost clinical feeling, with little to no feedback.

Some might see this as positive, given the composed ride, but it lacks the traditional bravado from the steering wheel and driver’s seat. It can be unsettling if not incongruent to its butter smooth ride. There’s no spare wheel, but you do get a repair kit with sealant and a compressor.

The Sealion 8 offers 190mm of ground clearance and provides good all-round visibility. Its large girth can often make you second guess your moves and reliance on the blind spot monitor and the 360-degree camera, while nifty, has its limitations.

2026 BYD Sealion 8 Premium AWD

We found ourselves having to gingerly manoeuvre the vehicle at a shiny new McDonald’s drive-thru. It’s priced at $76,340 drive away (in NSW), bringing with it a 6-year or 150,000km warranty, with 8-years or 160,000km for the battery and drive unit.

In an ever growing and competitive SUV space, the BYD Sealion 8 Premium doesn’t brand itself as a performance vehicle. That’s despite its credentials. Instead, it’s a genuine family SUV, which is honest in its execution and function.

With a strong equipment list, contemporary looks, fuel efficiency and modern tech, it’s time to change your perceptions and put this on your shopping list.

This article first published on Exhaust Notes Australia.


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