BYD Sealion 5 DM-i goes on sale priced at £29,995

BYD has announced that its Sealion 5 DM-i SUV will be priced at £29,995 for the UK market.

Built to rival cars like the Hyundai Tucson and Kia Sportage, the Sealion 5 comes equipped with BYD’s ‘DM-i’ plug-in hybrid powertrain, boasting a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine which is paired with an electric motor and 12.96kWh battery pack found on the entry-level car.

This setup produces 209bhp and can take the car to 60mph in 7.5 seconds, while BYD claims an electric range of up to 38 miles. Meanwhile, top-spec cars gain a larger 18.3kWh unit, boosting its claimed electric range up to 53.4 miles.

The standard Comfort model features 18-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, rear parking sensors, a rear view camera and power folding door mirrors. The flagship Design model comes in at £32,995 and adds a powered tailgate, front parking sensors, a 360-degree camera, heated front seats and wireless smartphone charging.

Inside, all models gain an electrically rotating 12.8-inch infotainment screen, an 8.8-inch digital instrument cluster and vegan leather trimmed seats.

In the back, the Sealion 5 packs a boot capacity of 463 litres; however, BYD has not revealed how much space is offered with the rear seats folded down at this stage.

Order books for the Sealion 5 DM-i are open now, with deliveries expected to commence on February 7.