Key Points
- The BYD Seal 6 Touring Premium PHEV is priced from $39,990 plus on-road costs and comes in a single grade.
- Real-world testing over a 1,000km Sydney to Melbourne road trip returned fuel use close to BYD's official claim, and the group convoy covered the full distance on one tank and one charge.
- The Touring's 19kWh Blade Battery gives 100km of WLTP electric-only range, and the DM-i Super Hybrid system drives on electric power first, even without ever being plugged in.
The BYD Seal 6 Touring is a plug-in hybrid wagon, and one of the few on sale in Australia. It is offered in a single Premium grade priced from $39,990 plus on-road costs. We tested it over a 1,000km drive from Sydney to Albury, through Victoria's Alpine Country, and down into Melbourne.
There is no direct wagon rival at this price. The closest competitors are plug-in hybrid SUVs, including the Chery Tiggo 7 Super Hybrid, which starts at the same $39,990 price point, and the larger Jaecoo J7 Super Hybrid from $47,990. Families cross-shopping this segment are choosing between wagon practicality and SUV ride height.
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Good points
- Exceptional real-world fuel efficiency across a 1,000km road trip
- Composed, well-tuned suspension for the price
- Genuine wagon practicality with a low, adjustable boot floor
- Affordable running costs, including 18-inch tyres and a strong warranty
- EV-first hybrid system that still delivers strong efficiency without ever being plugged in
Could be better
- 0-100km/h time and AC/DC charging speeds not yet confirmed by BYD
- Driver attention monitor is overly sensitive
- Sound system is decent but not premium
- No frunk
Price and Key Features
The Seal 6 Touring is offered in one grade, so there is no trim ladder to navigate. Here is what stands out at this price.
- Single Premium grade priced from $39,990 plus on-road costs, the only Seal 6 Touring available.
- 19kWh Blade Battery gives 100km of WLTP electric-only range, ahead of the related Seal 6 Sedan's 55km.
- Real-world testing over 1,000km returned fuel use close to BYD's official 0.8L/100km combined claim.
- Five-star ANCAP safety rating with seven airbags standard.
- 18-inch Continental-branded tyres fitted from the factory, rather than budget alternatives, keeping replacement costs down.
- 6-year/150,000km vehicle warranty, 8-year/160,000km battery warranty and 8-year/150,000km drive unit warranty.
- Heated and ventilated synthetic leather front seats with driver's memory function, standard on the only available grade.
- Panoramic sunroof with an opening front section.
Exterior Design
The Seal 6 Touring shares its front-end design with the Seal 6 Sedan but adds a taller roofline, roof rails and a power-operated tailgate. Despite the added height, BYD says the Touring achieves a drag coefficient of 0.284, not far behind the Sedan's 0.255.
The wagon body is unusual in a market where most PHEVs are SUVs. It gives the Seal 6 Touring a lower loading floor and a lower centre of gravity than an equivalent SUV, without giving up on outright load space.
Specification | Seal 6 Touring |
Length | 4,840mm |
Width | 1,875mm |
Height | 1,505mm |
Wheelbase | 2,790mm |
Boot capacity | 670 litres (1,535 litres, seats folded) |
Interior, Space and Technology
The cabin uses a wraparound cockpit layout with an 8.8-inch digital instrument cluster and a 12.8-inch central touchscreen. Both variants get wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. In Premium grade, the Touring adds heated and ventilated synthetic leather front seats, six-way power adjustment with memory for the driver, four-way power adjustment for the passenger, and a panoramic sunroof with an opening front section.
The steering wheel has more reach adjustment than many rivals in this class, which made it easier to find a comfortable driving position over long stretches. I have a lower back condition from a rugby injury, and I didn't feel any back pain across almost 800km of driving in one sitting.
Voice commands worked reliably in testing, correctly handling requests to open and close the sunshade, adjust windows, and change climate control settings.
In the back, there is a USB-A and USB-C outlet, adjustable air vents, ISOFIX mounts on the outer two seats, and top tether points behind all three rear seating positions. The boot has an adjustable floor that adds roughly 2 to 3cm of extra depth, and a low loading lip that makes it easier to lift prams or heavy items in and out.
On the Road
Suspension tuning is a genuine strength. The Seal 6 Touring stayed composed over undulating and poorly maintained regional roads, including an unsealed, muddy gravel section, settling back down after a single movement rather than wallowing through multiple bounces. It is not tuned like a performance wagon, but it is one of the better-sorted suspension setups we have driven in a Chinese-made vehicle sold in Australia.
Wet-weather handling through Victoria's Alpine Country twisties was composed, with no drama on slippery surfaces. Steering is well weighted and gives direct feedback, a contrast to the light, artificial-feeling steering common in other Chinese-made models.
At highway speed, adaptive cruise control and lane-centring held the car steady through a mix of highway and regional Victorian roads at 100 to 110km/h. The driver attention monitor was overly sensitive in testing and I turned it off, which I'd count as the one real criticism of the drive experience. The sound system is decent for the price but not a standout.
Specification | Seal 6 Touring |
Power | 163kW |
Torque | 260Nm |
Drive type | FWD |
0-100km/h | Not yet confirmed by BYD |
Battery, Range and Charging
The 19kWh Blade Battery gives the Touring 100km of WLTP electric-only range, enough for most daily commutes without touching the petrol engine. BYD's combined fuel figure of 0.8L/100km uses the NEDC test cycle at a minimum 25 per cent state of charge, not WLTP.
In city driving, starting from a full charge, we recorded around 0.8L/100km, matching BYD's official claim. On the highway, with the battery held at the minimum 20 per cent state of charge, fuel use came in at 4.7 to 5.2L/100km over more than 800km.
Over the full 1,000km convoy drive from Sydney to Melbourne, seven of eight test cars arrived with more than 300km of range remaining, on a single tank and a single charge. We recommend leaving the car in BYD's recommended Smart Auto setting rather than manually holding the battery at 50 per cent state of charge, which depleted fuel range faster on the first day of testing.
Specification | Seal 6 Touring |
Battery size | 19kWh Blade Battery |
WLTP electric range | 100km |
Warranty and Running Costs
BYD's standard Australian warranty applies to the Seal 6 Touring. Alongside the vehicle and battery warranty below, the drive unit is separately covered for 8 years or 150,000km. The factory-fitted 18-inch Continental tyres are also a running-cost advantage over the 19-inch and 20-inch wheels fitted to some competing SUVs, since smaller tyres are generally cheaper to replace.
Item | Coverage |
Vehicle warranty | 6 years / 150,000km |
Battery warranty | 8 years / 160,000km |
Should You Buy the BYD Seal 6 Touring?
The Seal 6 Touring suits families who want wagon practicality without giving up the fuel efficiency of a plug-in hybrid, and it held up well over a genuine 1,000km road trip. Its standout strengths are real-world efficiency that tracks close to BYD's claims, a well-sorted ride, and pricing that undercuts most PHEV rivals.
About the author
Daniel Romero is an automotive expert and travel writer with over 20 years in the Australian automotive industry, including a background in sales and product training with Toyota’s head office. He oversees content across DriveWise and Road Trip Reviews. To date, he has driven over 250,000km in EV testing in Australia, with a deep understanding of emerging Chinese new energy brands. A qualified pilot with a genuine passion for technology and cars, Daniel’s dream car will forever be the Lamborghini Miura.
