Seal 07 DM-i Review: Big EV-Style Range, Hybrid Freedom—What BYD Got Right

The 2026 BYD Seal 07 DM-i arrives as a confident plug in hybrid electric sedan that aims to make daily driving feel simple, quiet, and efficient. It keeps the smooth, coupe like profile you expect from the Seal family but adds meaningful hardware and software updates under the skin. If you have been waiting for a sedan that can run errands on electricity during the week and handle road trips without charging anxiety, this one deserves a close look.

At the heart of the car is BYD’s latest DM 5.0 hybrid platform, designed to keep the gasoline engine in its most efficient window while letting the electric motor do the heavy lifting in the city. Two powertrains are on the menu. One uses a 1.5 liter engine paired with a 160 kilowatt electric motor and a 17.6 kilowatt hour Blade battery. The other steps up to a 1.5 liter turbocharged engine with a 200 kilowatt motor and a 29.46 kilowatt hour battery. Electric only range is quoted at 135 kilometers for the smaller pack and 230 kilometers for the larger pack on the China Light Duty Vehicle Test Cycle, and fuel use is rated as low as 3.2 liters per 100 kilometers when the system is topped up regularly.

Performance is easy and effortless rather than shouty. The 1.5 liter version is quoted at 0 to 100 kilometers per hour in 8.0 seconds, while the turbocharged setup drops that to 6.9 seconds. Both are front wheel drive, so traction off the line is calm and predictable, and the long 2,900 millimeter wheelbase helps the car settle into a steady rhythm on the highway.

Ride quality gets help from BYD’s DiSus C active damping on most trims. It constantly reads the road and adjusts damper force to keep the body well controlled over rough pavement and speed humps—handy for urban commutes where potholes and speed tables ruin the mood. Steering is tuned light for easy parking, but there is enough weight at speed to feel secure.

Driver assistance takes a clear step forward. Mid trims bring BYD’s God’s Eye C package, a camera first highway and expressway assistant that manages lane centering and adaptive cruise in a natural way. The top trim adds a roof mounted light detection and ranging sensor and steps up to God’s Eye B, which unlocks more advanced city navigation assist features and better object recognition thanks to a powerful NVIDIA Orin X compute platform. The full sensor array includes cameras, millimeter wave radars, ultrasonic sensors, and that single light detection and ranging unit for redundancy.

Design wise, the Seal 07 DM-i leans into a cleaner, electric vehicle style nose with slimmer headlamps, larger side air guides, and a sealed center section that reduces visual clutter. Dimensions read 4,995 millimeters long, 1,900 millimeters wide, and 1,495 millimeters tall, with that 2,900 millimeter wheelbase giving the rear seats real legroom. It looks low and tidy in traffic without feeling cramped inside.

The cabin blends familiar BYD cues with practical touches. A 10.25 inch digital cluster sits ahead of the driver, while a 15.6 inch rotating central display runs the latest DiLink 100 infotainment with quick, app like responses. The column mounted shifter frees up space for a wide console with more usable storage and proper cupholders. Higher trims can be optioned with a compact refrigerator that both cools and heats, rated to operate between negative 6 degrees Celsius and 50 degrees Celsius—great for keeping water cold in summer or food warm on long drives.

China gets four variants at launch, priced from 149,800 to 186,800 yuan, and the naming differs slightly in export markets where it is often called the Seal 7 DM-i. However you badge it, the mission is the same: deliver electric miles for your weekday routine, keep gasoline convenience for weekends, and wrap it all in tech that feels welcoming rather than overwhelming.