Following the announcement of the 2025 BYD Atto 3 and Dolphin Essential variants, the Chinese company is now announcing the Sealion 6 Essential. This is a new, more affordable entry level trim level that will eventually replace the current Dynamic trim.
Initially expected later in Q1, the new variant will now hit the market in March this year, with orders opening on Monday, January 20. It’s priced from $42,990 (excluding on-road costs), and comes with the same 1.5-litre petrol four-cylinder plug-in hybrid powertrain as other variants.
Specifically, the front-wheel drive setup from the Sealion Dynamic (review here). It uses an 18.3kWh battery that supports electric driving for a range of 80km, with an overall range of over 1000km. The system produces 160kW combined, with 0-100km/h coming up in a claimed 8.5 seconds (8.46s as tested by us).
According to EVDirect (official distributors of BYD in Australia) CEO David Smitherman, this new variant reflects the company’s focus on making advanced electric and hybrid technology accessible to more Australians. He said:
“This vehicle not only broadens our range but also underpins our mission to deliver premium features, advanced technology, and superior performance at a competitive price point.”
The Essential version retains key attributes of the other variants, including BYD’s Blade Battery technology, the same comprehensive five-star ANCAP-rated safety systems, and a rotating touch-screen (reduced from 15.6in to 12.8in), with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
At this price point it becomes the most affordable plug-in hybrid (PHEV) SUV on sale in Australia. It arrives in March. See below for the full price list (excluding on-road costs):
2025 BYD Sealion 6 Essential FWD PHEV: $42,990
2025 BYD Sealion 6 Dynamic FWD PHEV: $45,990
2025 BYD Sealion 6 Premium AWD PHEV: $52,990
