BYD showed the interior of the Sealion 08 before its debut on September 2. There is also a 5-seater version with rear footrests.
BYD unveiled the cabin of the 5-seater Sealion 08, which will make its debut on September 2. The vehicle will be available as a BEV and PHEV, with orders already being accepted in China starting at 230,000 yuan for the plug-in hybrid version and 250,000 yuan for the electric version.
The most interesting aspect is that BYD isn’t going with a typical 5 or 6-seater layout here. In the 5-seater version, the outer rear seats come equipped with footrests, and there’s a storage compartment under the middle seat. This setup is more focused on passenger comfort rather than fitting five adults tightly together.
What BYD showed inside
The Sealion 08 measures 5115 mm in length, 1999 mm in width, 1800 mm in height, and has a wheelbase of 3030 mm. It’s a large vehicle, and the numbers show that BYD is aiming higher than at a typical D-class family SUV.
The interior features light beige upholstery, ambient lighting across the entire width, and oval air vents with chrome finishes. The cockpit is typical of Chinese brands: a floating central screen, digital dashboards, and a three-spoke steering wheel. A few physical buttons are also included for the most frequently used functions. This is good, as a screen alone can’t handle everything.
BYD offers two interior layouts. The 5-seater version has the mentioned footrests in the outer rear seats. The 6-seater 2+2+2 layout features two separate seats in the second row, complete with armrests, electric adjustment, and footrests. It’s the classic setup for Chinese family-business vehicles.
A LiDAR is also visible on the roof, indicating the presence of the God’s Eye 5.0 driving assistance system.
Powertrains, Batteries, and Numbers
The PHEV version uses the fifth-generation DM system. The 1.5T engine has 115 kW of power, and customers will have two configurations:
one electric motor with 200 kW of power
two electric motors, each with 200 kW of power
BYD claims an electric range of up to 400 km in the CLTC cycle for the PHEV. This sounds impressive on paper, but the CLTC figure should be viewed with caution.
The BEV variant will also be available as a single-motor or dual-motor version. Single-motor versions have 320 kW or 370 kW of power. The dual-motor version gets 215 kW at the front and 370 kW at the rear.
In addition, there are two battery pack options: 92.093 kWh and 115.072 kWh. The claimed ranges are 710 km, 800 km, and 900 km in the CLTC cycle. Again, this refers to the Chinese standard, not actual highway performance.
BYD also adds plenty of technology: the second generation Blade Battery, Flash Charging, the DiSus-A system, a two-chamber pneumatic suspension with road view display, and a flexible rear axle. On paper, it seems like an attempt to create a luxury model similar to the Ocean, but under the BYD brand rather than Denza or Yangwang.
Converting the starting prices from China, we’re talking around 123,000–134,000 zł before taxes and import costs into Europe. If the Sealion 08 ever makes it to the EU, it won’t be cheap anymore.
BYD packs almost everything it has today into the Sealion 08, so the question is simple: would you prefer such a 5-seater layout with footrests, or a traditional 6-seater arrangement of 2+2+2?
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