Is the new BYD Sealion 7 better than the Tesla Model Y? I’m going find out

The Tesla Model Y was the UK’s best-selling electric car in 2024, and it’s just been given a major facelift to further boost its appeal.

However, there’s now a new contender from China which the Model Y needs to fend off – the BYD Sealion 7. The stats look promising; it has more range than the Tesla, more power and it comes with loads of tech as standard.

But does this new BYD have what it takes to beat the mighty Model Y? I’m going to find out in a series of tests.

Tesla Model Y vs BYD Sealion 7: design

There are so many electric SUVs on the market these days, so standing out from the crowd is important.

The Tesla Model Y has recently been given a major styling overhaul. Most mid-life facelifts focus on the lights and bumpers, but leave the metal bits alone. Tesla has gone one step further though, because this new Model Y has new wings and a new bonnet.

This is to make room for the new Cybertruck-style front light bar, which makes this car look much more sleek than the rather fish-like pre-facelift model. The side profile is identical though, it still looks like an inflated Model 3. There’s a cool-looking light bar at the rear as well, although I’m not sure I like the way they’ve relocated the number plate to the lower bumper.

The BYD Sealion 7 stands out because it has a much more intricate design. Up front you have lots of vents and big air intakes, and those headlights remind me of the Ferrari SF90. It does have a similar side profile to the Tesla, it looks a bit like a BYD Seal which has been inflated.

Moving to the rear you have some sporty-looking spoilers and a cool light bar, but there is a bit too much black plastic on the lower bumper. Despite this though, I do prefer the way the BYD looks. It just stands out more than the Tesla does.

Tesla Model Y vs BYD Sealion 7: motors and performance

Both of the cars I have here are the top-spec dual-motor versions, and both offer a good amount of power.

The BYD Sealion 7 has 530hp and 690Nm of torque, and it weighs in at 2,420kg. It’s also good for 0-60mph in 4.5 seconds.

The Tesla on the other hand has 507hp and 494Nm of torque. It may be down on power, but at just under two tonnes it’s a lot lighter than the Sealion. The Model Y can do 0-60mph in 4.6 seconds.

To find out which is fastest in the real world, of course I’m going to drag race these cars over the standing quarter mile. You’ll have to check out the video to see the results though, as well as the car’s true 0-60mph times.

Tesla Model Y vs BYD Sealion 7: interior and infotainment

Step inside the BYD and the first thing you’ll notice is that quality is really good. There’s loads of leather around the place, and it feels really premium as well. I also love the comfy seats, and the design is interesting with all the swoopy surfaces.

The infotainment system is also nice and easy to use, and it can even rotate from landscape to portrait if you’d prefer. You also get a big digital driver’s display which is clear and easy to read, something the Tesla does without.

Storage around the cabin is decent as well. You get big door bins and a good-sized glovebox, as well as a wireless charging pad which is cooled so your phone doesn’t overheat. I like the clever cupholders as well, which you can make deeper by pushing your drink down in case you have a particularly large cup of coffee.

Tesla has made some pretty major improvements to the Model Y’s cabin to make it look and feel more posh. The material quality is now much better, and everything feels well screwed together.

What I’m not so keen on is the overall layout, specifically how everything is controlled through the central touchscreen. It’s just a bit of a faff to have to adjust your mirrors and steering wheel through the infotainment system rather than having buttons, and I don’t like the lack of a wiper stalk either. At least Tesla has reinstated the indicator stalk for the Model Y.

Another gripe I have: why is there no driver’s display? I could forgive it if there was a head-up display in the windscreen, but without this you have to look over to the centre of the car for all of your driving information. It’s just irritating.

At least storage space is good, although I couldn’t open the glovebox on this car for some reason. That’s controlled through the screen as well, and it turns out it was just sticky. Some brute force off camera revealed a reasonable-sized storage area.

All-in-all I prefer the layout and design of the BYD’s interior. It’s much easier to use, and it looks more interesting than the Tesla’s cabin.

Tesla Model Y vs BYD Sealion 7: batteries and range

This top-spec BYD Sealion 7 has a 91kWh battery pack, whereas the Tesla has a smaller 75kWh unit. But how does this affect the range?

Well the BYD Sealion 7 has a claimed range of 312 miles, and during my time with the car it averaged 3.3 miles per kWh. That’s including the drag race, which is not too shabby. It also works out to a real-world range of around 301 miles.

The Tesla on the other hand should be able to do 353 miles on a charge, however at an average of 3.7 miles per kWh it works out to a real-world range of 278 miles. That’s some way off the claimed figure, but the Tesla will prove slightly cheaper to run as it’s more energy efficient.

Tesla Model Y vs BYD Sealion 7: prices

You might think that buying Chinese means buying cheap, however that’s not actually the case with the BYD Sealion.

It starts from £47,000, whereas the Tesla Model Y starts from £45,000. The range-topping Excellence version we have here will cost you £59,000, which is £7,000 more than the Model Y.

However, at the time of writing you can save an average of £2,000 on a Sealion 7 through Carwow, bringing the starting price down to be in line with the Tesla.

Tesla Model Y vs BYD Sealion 7: verdict

The new Tesla Model Y is much-improved over the old car. The interior is better, it’s really efficient and Tesla has also made some changes to the suspension which make it more comfortable to drive.

However, the BYD has an even nicer interior, it’s spacious and has better range. I also prefer the way it looks on the outside. It’s close between these two cars, but the BYD Sealion just edges ahead to win this test.

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