BYD has quietly given its compact plug-in hybrid SUV, the Sealion 06 DM-i, a meaningful mid-life upgrade for 2026 — and the headline is range. The updated car drops in noticeably bigger batteries on every trim, lifting pure-electric range to as much as 310 km (CLTC) and total combined range to 1,845 km, while fuel use in hybrid mode falls to 3.3 L/100 km. The clever part is the price: BYD has held the line at roughly CNY 129,900 (~$19,486) to start, so buyers get more battery and more range for the same money as before. With BYD's fifth-generation DM-i powertrain, an optional God's Eye B driver-assist suite and a 15.6-inch rotating screen, the Sealion 06 DM-i remains one of the most range-efficient family SUVs you can buy in China.
Performance & Specs
The Sealion 06 DM-i carries over BYD's fifth-generation DM-i plug-in hybrid system, pairing a 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine (around 74 kW) with a front-mounted electric drive motor for front-wheel drive. The electric motor is rated at up to 175 kW (about 235 hp), a small step up from the previous model, and the reviewer's in-showroom spec sheet quotes a 0–100 km/h of roughly 7.5 seconds and a top speed of 180 km/h. As a DM-i, this is a comfort-and-efficiency hybrid rather than a performance car: the engine mostly acts as a generator and direct-drive cruiser, while the motor handles everyday acceleration. The real story is how far it travels — up to 310 km on battery alone and 1,845 km combined, with hybrid-mode consumption of just 3.3 L/100 km, down from 3.5 L/100 km on the old car.
| Powertrain | Plug-in hybrid (5th-gen DM-i) |
|---|---|
| Engine | 1.5L four-cylinder (~74 kW) |
| E-motor | up to 175 kW (238 PS / 235 hp) |
| 0–100 km/h | ~7.5 s |
| Battery | 26.6 / 38 kWh Blade LFP |
| EV range | up to 310 km (CLTC) |
| POWERTRAIN TYPE | Plug-in hybrid (5th-gen DM-i) |
|---|---|
| ENGINE | 1.5L four-cylinder (~74 kW) |
| ELECTRIC MOTOR | up to 175 kW (238 PS / 235 hp) |
| ACCELERATION | 0–100 km/h ~7.5 s |
| TOP SPEED | 180 km/h |
| DRIVETRAIN | Front-wheel drive |
| BATTERY | 26.6 kWh / 38 kWh Blade LFP |
| ELECTRIC RANGE | 205 km / 310 km (CLTC) |
| COMBINED RANGE | up to 1,845 km (CLTC) |
| FUEL USE | 3.3 L/100 km (depleted) |
Dimensions & Practicality
| Length | 4,810 mm |
|---|---|
| Width | 1,920 mm |
| Height | 1,675 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,820 mm |
| Ground clearance | ~160–170 mm |
At 4,810 mm long with a 2,820 mm wheelbase, the Sealion 06 DM-i is a roomy five-seat family SUV. The boot holds a generous 695 litres with the rear seats up, expanding to around 1,600 litres when the second row is folded (manually), and there's extra hidden storage under the floor where the EV version's frunk-style tray sits. The DM-i also carries a 60-litre fuel tank, which is what allows that 1,845 km combined figure. It rides on 19-inch wheels wrapped in 235/50 R19 tyres, with ground clearance of roughly 160–170 mm — enough for rough roads without pretending to be an off-roader.
| LENGTH | 4,810 mm |
|---|---|
| WIDTH | 1,920 mm |
| HEIGHT | 1,675 mm |
| WHEELBASE | 2,820 mm |
| CARGO VOLUME | 695 L (1,600 L seats folded) |
| FUEL TANK | 60 L |
Charging & Battery
The upgrade's centrepiece is the battery. Where the previous Sealion 06 DM-i used an 18.3 kWh pack on its base trim and 26.6 kWh higher up, the 2026 car moves to 26.6 kWh on the 205 km trims and a much larger 38 kWh Blade LFP pack on the 310 km trims. Both use BYD's lithium-iron-phosphate Blade cells, which are durable and can be routinely charged to 100%. The car has two charging ports — AC and DC — with a full AC top-up taking around five hours; BYD has not published an official DC fast-charge time, but the larger pack supports DC fast charging for quick mid-journey boosts. As a plug-in hybrid, day-to-day running can be almost entirely electric for most commutes, with the engine reserved for longer trips.
| BATTERY | 26.6 kWh / 38 kWh Blade LFP |
|---|---|
| ELECTRIC RANGE | 205 km / 310 km (CLTC) |
| AC CHARGING | ~5 hours (full) |
| DC FAST CHARGING | Supported (time not published) |
Design & Interior
Visually the Sealion 06 DM-i is unchanged, which is no bad thing: it's a clean, modern crossover with a closed-off body-colour nose (the DM-i keeps a functional lower grille for engine cooling), slim LED headlights with separate high and low beams, and a full-width connected LED tail-light bar at the rear. There's a BYD logo up front, a 360-degree camera, and on the tailgate a subtle Sealion 06 badge. Inside, the cabin mixes light grey and dark trim with soft-touch surfaces, a two-spoke steering wheel and a large floating central screen. Higher trims add four-way electric seats, heating, ventilation and massage, a panoramic glass roof with sunshade, a 50W wireless charger and even a rear refrigerator on the flagship, while the base car keeps electric front seats. There's also an anti-motion-sickness mode and a 12-speaker Dynaudio system.
Technology & Features
The dashboard is dominated by a 15.6-inch rotating touchscreen running BYD's DiLink 150 smart cockpit, paired with a separate driver display behind the wheel. Connected navigation, voice control, app integration and over-the-air updates are all part of the package. The big news on the tech front is the optional God's Eye B (DiPilot 300) assisted-driving system, an optional CNY 12,000 (~$1,800) package that adds a roof-mounted LiDAR and enables city and highway navigation-on-autopilot (NOA), traffic-light recognition and roundabout handling — features that, until recently, were reserved for far more expensive cars.
Safety & ADAS
Every Sealion 06 DM-i comes with a surround-view camera system, parking sensors and BYD's standard active-safety package. Buyers who tick the God's Eye B box get the brand's most capable assisted-driving hardware, including LiDAR and the DiPilot 300 compute platform, for hands-on highway and city NOA. The Blade LFP battery also brings BYD's well-regarded thermal stability to the safety story.
| ADAS LEVEL | L2+ (God's Eye B / DiPilot 300, optional) |
|---|---|
| ADAS FEATURES | City & highway NOA, traffic-light recognition, 360° camera, parking sensors, LiDAR (optional) |
Available Versions
| VERSION | POWER | BATTERY | EV RANGE | COMBINED RANGE | PRICE | KEY DIFFERENCES |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 205 Pilot | up to 175 kW | 26.6 kWh | 205 km | ~1,705 km | CNY 129,900 (~$19,486) | Entry trim, electric front seats |
| 205 Pilot Pro | up to 175 kW | 26.6 kWh | 205 km | ~1,705 km | CNY 139,900 (~$20,986) | Added comfort/tech features |
| 310 Voyage | up to 175 kW | 38 kWh | 310 km | 1,845 km | CNY 149,900 (~$22,486) | Bigger battery, long EV range |
| 310 Flagship | up to 175 kW | 38 kWh | 310 km | 1,845 km | CNY 159,900 (~$23,986) | Refrigerator, HUD, full kit |
Pricing & Availability
The upgraded Sealion 06 DM-i launched in China in May 2026, priced from CNY 129,900 (~$19,486) for the 205 Pilot to CNY 159,900 (~$23,986) for the 310 Flagship — essentially flat versus the outgoing car despite the bigger batteries and longer range. The optional God's Eye B assisted-driving package adds around CNY 12,000 (~$1,800). For now it's a China-market model; export availability of this specific updated version is not yet confirmed. BYD offers a related model with the same fifth-generation DM-i powertrain and the same CNY 129,900–159,900 price range, the larger Dynasty-series Song Ultra DM-i, in five trims.
How It Compares
The Sealion 06 DM-i's pitch is simple: class-leading electric and combined range for the money. The Geely Galaxy Starship 7 (Starray EM-i) undercuts it sharply on price but tops out at 200 km of EV range and a shorter combined figure. The Haval H6 PHEV is a similarly sized, similarly priced family hybrid but can't match the Sealion's 310 km battery range, and the Leapmotor C10 uses a range-extender layout (its engine only charges the battery) with less EV range. For buyers who want maximum electric commuting plus genuine long-distance ability without range anxiety, the BYD is hard to beat from CNY 129,900 (~$19,486).
- Up to 310 km EV range and 1,845 km combined — class-leading
- Bigger batteries for the same price as the old car
- Optional God's Eye B with LiDAR at a bargain price
- Roomy 695 L boot and comfortable, well-equipped cabin
- Front-wheel drive only — no AWD option
- Rear seats fold manually, and DC charge time isn't published
- This updated version isn't yet confirmed for export
The 2026 Sealion 06 DM-i is a textbook example of why BYD is so hard to compete with: it took an already-efficient family SUV and simply gave it more — bigger batteries, up to 310 km of electric range, 1,845 km of combined range and the option of LiDAR-based assisted driving — all while holding the price from CNY 129,900 (~$19,486). It's not exciting to drive and it stays front-wheel-drive only, but as a no-compromise, do-everything family hauler that can commute on electricity and road-trip on petrol, it's outstanding value. If you can get one, it's one of the smartest plug-in hybrids on the market.
