The sleek and smooth BYD Seal is now even more accessible to buyers with this new Cat A COE-friendly variant.
The BYD Seal has always been a contender in the electric vehicle market, but with the latest updates, it’s bound to turn even more heads—particularly with the enticing Category A COE that makes the Seal Dynamic more attainable than ever.
Smooth Sailing on Rough Roads
The first thing that strikes you is its cushy and soft ride. It’s almost as if the car floats above the imperfections of our ever-evolving cityscape. “How smooth,” remarked my wife as we glided effortlessly through a road that was more patchwork than pavement along Upper Paya Lebar.
With its impressive suspension and swift acceleration, the Seal manages to transform everyday driving into a serene journey; it really is that good. Being a low-noise EV always helps too.
Look and Feel
It’s not just about how it feels but also how it looks. The Seal is a head-turner, drawing attention like pricier sports cars do. Porsche will hate me for saying this, but the ‘mini-Taycan’ boasts a low-slung stance with steeply-raked A-pillars and a design that manages to be muscular without being overtly aggressive.
Features like pop-out door handles and LED lights that round out its modern aesthetic definitely make it a nice car to look at. Perhaps they could have done without the fins at the bottom of the side skirts, and the rear diffusers seem a bit much too. Other than that, to me, it looks better than the Tesla Model 3.
Interior and Features: Where Comfort Meets Tech
Inside, the Seal Dynamic doesn’t skimp on luxuries. It retains the sports seats and large screens (a 10.25-inch instrument panel and a whopping 15.6-inch Intelligent Rotating Touchscreen Display) found in its higher-end siblings. This setup looks futuristic and is highly functional, allowing for both landscape and portrait orientations with a simple touch of a button.
For tech lovers, an integrated wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay make connectivity seamless and straightforward, and let’s not forget the Karaoke function—an absolute delight for those long drives where entertainment is key. We sang to quite a few tunes at our carpark, all with the guilt of polluting the air.
Performance That Fits
While it might not match a sportscar in raw power, the Seal Dynamic is no slouch. It’s equipped with 134bhp and a healthy 310Nm of torque, ensuring that it feels lively from a standstill.
The 0-100km/h in 10 seconds might not set your pulse racing, but it’s more than adequate for city driving and zippy enough for quick overtakes and getting you out of busy traffic when you need to slot into small gaps (yes, I’m one of those).
Drawbacks? Few, But Noteworthy
However, it’s not all sunshine and smooth rides. In its quest for comfort, the Seal may feel too pliant for those who prefer a firmer ride. You never feel racecar-confident when piloting it through a series of corners, especially since it also runs on comfort-based tyres.
Additionally, the steering could offer more feedback to satisfy driving enthusiasts who crave a more engaging experience. But then again, the car wasn’t made for that kind of driving.
Final Thoughts
If you’re still deciding whether to join the EV bandwagon with BYD, the Seal Dynamic might just sway you. It’s a well-rounded, rear-wheel-drive sedan that packs enough features, technology, and aesthetic appeal to justify its price tag of under $200,000.
[ Fun fact: did you know that the BYD logo upside down, spells “che” – which is hanyu pinyin for “car” in Mandarin? ]
Technical Specifications
BYD Seal Dynamic 61.4kWh
Powertrain: Single Electric Motor
Drivetrain: Rear-Wheel Drive
Power: 135 bhp
Torque: 310 Nm
Gearbox: Single-Speed (A)
0-100km/h: 10 seconds (claimed)
Top Speed: 180 km/h
Battery Capacity: 61.4 kWh
Drive Range: 460 km (claimed)
Energy Consumption: 6.5 km/kWh (claimed)
Price: S$196,888 (accurate and time of publishing)
Contact: BYD Singapore
Photo Credits: Joel Tam (@carboy_365)
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