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BYD Sealion 7 vs Tesla Model Y: Which should you buy?
[singapore] This fight was bound to happen. Once the world's single bestselling car, Tesla's Model Y has been the electric sport utility vehicle (SUV) to beat for years. So it's only natural that Chinese juggernaut BYD, now the world's leading electric vehicle (EV) maker, would come out swinging with the Sealion 7, a five-seat, battery-powered SUV designed to knock the crown clean off the Tesla's glass roof.
In top Performance spec, BYD's Sealion 7 serves up 530 horsepower, all-wheel drive, and a 0 to 100 kmh time of 4.5 seconds. PHOTO: BIG FISH PUBLISHING
BYD's Sealion 7 (above) is a five-seat, battery-powered SUV designed to knock the crown clean off the Tesla's glass roof. PHOTO: BIG FISH PUBLISHING
On paper, it's a close fight. In top Performance spec, the Sealion 7 serves up 530 horsepower, all-wheel drive, and a 0 to 100 kmh time of 4.5 seconds. You can get similar pace from the Model Y Long Range All-Wheel Drive, which has 507 horsepower and takes 4.8 seconds to hit 100.
Tesla's Model Y Long Range All-Wheel Drive has 507 horsepower and takes 4.8 seconds to hit 100. The new rear-wheel drive Juniper version sneaks under the Category A COE bar by offering just 150 horsepower. PHOTO: BIG FISH PUBLISHING
But for this test, I drove the new Juniper version of the Model Y in its most popular form, the rear-wheel drive (RWD) Singapore special that sneaks under the Category A Certificate Of Entitlement (COE) bar by offering just 150 horsepower.
It accounts for some 80 per cent of local Model Y sales, which reveals how smart it was of Tesla to cull a few horses. The RWD version costs S$205,977 with COE, while the Sealion 7 Performance tested here costs S$219,888 with a Category B COE.
The Tesla and BYD deliver nearly identical range (466 km and 460 km, respectively), and would make it to Kuala Lumpur on a single charge. Without leaving the country, most drivers here could comfortably go a week between plugging them in.
Testing the least powerful Model Y against the most powerful Sealion 7 sounds like an unfair comparison, but in our market, the BYD would be more competitive if it came in tamer Category A form, not less.
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Tesla has given the Model Y a raft of changes to keep it fresh for 2025, starting with clean new looks. PHOTO: BIG FISH PUBLISHING
Performance figures aside, what matters is what these cars are like to live with. Tesla has given the Model Y a raft of changes to keep it fresh for 2025, starting with clean new looks. The first Model Y's frog-like face is gone, replaced by sleeker, more angular lines and a full-width light bar at the front that gives it a faint whiff of Cybertruck. Interestingly, there's no Tesla badge on the nose anymore. Presumably, you're meant to just know.
If you don't, you could always tuck behind the Model Y. The rear now sports a tidy design with Tesla lettering that's nicely illuminated by indirect lighting. The aerodynamics have improved slightly, too, with drag slipping from 0.23 Cd to 0.22 Cd, which is one reason the car's range has inched up.
Next to it, the Sealion 7 looks overdesigned, with creases, curves and busy details like faux intakes and wheel arch cladding. But the panel gaps are tight and the bodywork lines up nicely, suggesting that quality is a priority at BYD. Unlike the Tesla, the Sealion 7 wears its brand's logo on its nose, but you could tell it's a BYD without it, with C-shaped LED headlights giving it a clear resemblance to the brand's latest cars.
The Sealion 7's (above) cabin feels traditional in comparison to the Tesla's, with quilted leather, soft padded surfaces and a bank of actual buttons. PHOTO: BIG FISH PUBLISHING
Inside, the differences are just as stark. The Sealion 7's cabin feels traditional in comparison to the Tesla's, but that's not a bad thing. There's quilted leather, soft padded surfaces and a bank of actual buttons. You get a full driver display and a head-up display that helpfully shows sat-nav directions, so you never need to take your eye off the road.
Both cars have huge, 15.6-inch touchscreens, but the Sealion's is easier to use, with more intuitive menus and a better navigation system. You can rotate it into portrait mode, a typical BTD move, unless you're using Apple CarPlay, which the Tesla doesn't support at all.
The Tesla Model Y's interior is, as ever, minimalist to the point of abstraction. PHOTO: BIG FISH PUBLISHING
The Tesla interior is, as ever, minimalist to the point of abstraction. It's like someone took a regular car and shaved off every single extraneous detail with a scalpel. You don't even see the air-con vents, which are hidden behind a panel. The turn signal is a stalk (unlike the confusing button setup on the Model 3), and storage is thoughtfully designed, with covered compartments to keep everything looking tidy. Materials have improved slightly, and there's now ambient lighting and a new steering wheel that feels better to hold.
But nearly everything still runs through that central screen. It handles drive modes, climate, media and your main driving info, all crammed into one space. There's no standalone display for a speedometer, to say nothing of a head-up display. It's clean, calming, even elegant, but if you want to see how fast you're going and look straight ahead at the same time, you're out of luck.
In contrast, the Sealion 7 mixes tech with old-school convenience. There are physical toggles for the drive modes and regenerative braking levels, plus proper air-con vents that actually work. A clever shortcut lets you swipe three fingers across the screen to adjust temperature or fan speed instantly.
If you're new to EVs, you'll find the BYD more familiar, and probably nicer to live with. There's more to get used to in the Tesla.
That theme continues on the road. With its plush suspension, soft brake pedal and steering that's light to the point of vagueness, the BYD feels like a car tuned for comfort above all else. Yet, when you prod the accelerator it turns into a cannonball, flying down the road with an effortless whoosh, building speed rapidly and relentlessly.
The Model Y, despite its modest output, feels surprisingly lively at lower speeds. Tesla's engineers clearly calibrated the torque delivery to give you a strong initial shove before things taper off, which makes city driving feel brisk. Overtaking on the highway takes commitment, but the chassis oozes class. Where the previous Model Y felt crashy and brittle, the Juniper rides with far more compliance and comfort.
Despite being slower, it's the Tesla that is actually more engaging. There's more tautness to the way it turns and tracks through corners, it feels more composed, and it gives you more confidence.
That said, the Sealion 7 claws back points in usability. It has a tighter turning circle, a 360-degree camera (useful in tight car parks) and noticeably stronger air-conditioning.
When the weather turns infernal, as it seems to do so often these days, that alone might sway the vote, but the BYD does one better because its panoramic glass roof has a powered sunshade. The Model Y does without one, but Tesla claims its new coating rejects more heat than before. Your gently roasted scalp may disagree.
The BYD (above) wins on rear seat space, with slightly more room, but the Tesla counters with fun stuff like a small screen in the back so kids can stream YouTube or Netflix. PHOTO: BIG FISH PUBLISHING
Both rear benches of the BYD and Tesla recline, but the Model Y's (above) seats do so electrically. PHOTO: BIG FISH PUBLISHING
The BYD wins on rear seat space, with slightly more room, but the Tesla counters with fun stuff like a small screen in the back so kids can stream YouTube or Netflix. Both rear benches recline, but the Model Y's seats do so electrically. That's useful in either car, because you can make more boot space by sitting upright, or recline for comfort when luggage isn't a priority.
The Tesla's (above) boot is enormous for the car's size, with loads of underfloor storage and a front trunk that dwarfs the BYD's. PHOTO: BIG FISH PUBLISHING
The BYD Sealion 7's (above) boot is smaller than the Tesla's. PHOTO: BIG FISH PUBLISHING
And luggage is one area where the Tesla shines. Its boot is enormous for the car's size, with loads of underfloor storage and a front trunk that dwarfs the BYD's. Tesla's efficiency with packaging is genuinely impressive, and shows just how well they've nailed the art of arranging compact EV components to optimise space.
All of which points to why the Model Y has been the benchmark EV for so long. It feels pared down and smart in how it approaches the idea of what a car should be. But it's equally clear that BYD has caught up.
The Sealion 7 may not be as sleek or glamorous, but it's supremely usable. Features like the head-up display, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, physical switches, stronger climate control system, parking camera, sunshade and greater cabin space all make daily life more pleasant than in the Tesla.
It's a less daunting prospect in terms of ownership, too, with a 10-year warranty for the battery, 10 years' free servicing and a six-year mechanical warranty. For its part, Tesla guarantees the battery for eight years, and the rest of the car for four.
If the Performance version seems like overkill, the single-motor Sealion 7 Premium hits a sweet spot. It's less swift but nearly as well-equipped, and is the one that makes the most sense for day-to-day life.
The Model Y (left) has been the benchmark EV for so long, but it's clear that BYD has caught up. PHOTO: BIG FISH PUBLISHING
Either way, this is a punch-up with a clear outcome. In overall terms the Model Y feels better to drive, but the Sealion 7 feels like it would be better to live with.
BYD Sealion 7 Performance AWD Motor power/torque 530 hp/690 Nm Battery type/net capacity Lithium iron phosphate (LFP)/82.5 kWh Charging time/type Approx. 9 hours (11 kW AC), approx. 1 hour 10 to 80 per cent (150 kW DC) Range 460 km (WLTP) 0 to 100 kmh 4.5 seconds Top speed 215 kmh Efficiency 21.4 kWh/100 km Agent Vantage Automotive Price S$219,888 with COE Available Now
Tesla Model Y RWD 110 Motor power/torque 150 hp/350 Nm Battery type/net capacity Lithium iron phosphate (LFP)/60 kWh (estimated) Charging time/type Approx 7.5 hours (11 kW AC), approx 25 minutes 10 to 80 per cent (175 kW DC) Range 466 km (WLTP) 0 to 100 kmh 9.6 seconds Top speed 201 kmh Efficiency 15.3 kWh/100 km Agent Tesla Singapore Price S$205,977 with COE Available Now
