BYD Seal 6 (Premium) Review: The Sensible Sedan For Singapore

Once upon a time, and not even that long ago, the family-sedan shopping list in Singapore was basically a two-party system. If you wanted something dependable, affordable and capable of ferrying kids, in-laws and the weekly NTUC haul, you went Toyota Corolla Altis. If you were feeling sporty or perhaps had recently renewed your gym membership, you went Honda Civic. Case closed.

But as the winds of change blew (very silently, thanks to EVs), buyers turned their attention to a brand that once specialised in batteries rather than badge appeal. BYD has, in a few short years, become the new default for everyday, family-oriented motoring in Singapore. And let’s be honest - with compacts, SUVs, MPVs and sedans filling every niche at the showroom, BYD has done what every overachieving student does: Cover all possible exam topics. Familiarity achieved.

Most people are captivated by the stylish Seal, the do-it-all Sealion 7 SUV, or the extremely popular ATTO 3 that you now spot on our roads as often as tea shops in malls. But there remains a small, earnest group of buyers who want to join the EV revolution without drawing attention to themselves; they’re comfortable with sedans, prefer something that looks mature, and don’t need fireworks on wheels.

Practically Speaking

Enter the BYD Seal 6.

At first glance, the Seal 6 looks like the polite cousin of the Seal; still presentable, still modern. Its dimensions (4,720 mm long, 1,860 mm wide, 1,495 mm tall, with a wheelbase of 2,820 mm) make it noticeably larger than the trusty Corolla Altis (4,625 mm / 1,780 mm / 1,435 mm / 2,700 mm), which already tells you the Seal 6 wants to play in a bigger field.

It even sits on a proper EV architecture, so space is generous. Boot space is 460 litres - just a few kaya buns shy of the Altis’ 468 litres - but the Seal 6 fights back with a 65-litre frunk, perfect for groceries, baby bags or that one heavy-duty Mr. DIY haul that you swore was only supposed to be a five-minute trip…

The Inside Story

Step inside and you’ll notice something that BYD has consistently been getting right: comfort. The seats are spot-on - not too hard, not too soft - almost as if BYD surveyed thousands of Singaporeans and averaged out everyone’s preferred butt and back support rating.

The design, though, adds a touch of flair. The dual-tone seats are traced with a subtle blue piping, lifting the cabin’s vibe without screaming, “Look at me, I’m futuristic!”. Build quality is, frankly, class-leading; materials feel solid, switches operate with reassuring weight, and although some hard plastics remain, they’re located in sensible, out-of-sight places. Put it this way: I won’t be surprised if this thing still feels tight and rattle-free long after its COE has gone to heaven.

On the Road

Under the skin, the Seal 6 packs a 56.64 kWh battery powering a rear-wheel-drive layout - a layout that already makes the driving purist inside me tingle. With 95 kW (127 bhp) and 220 Nm of torque moving 1,780 kg of EV, it’s not built for bragging rights - but that’s missing the point. This is a family sedan first, plaything second.

BYD claims a WLTC driving range of 425 km and a consumption of 6.6 km/kWh - respectable numbers considering our climate, traffic-light drag races and the occasional jam at the CTE’s favourite bottleneck.

The Seal 6 also offers three driving modes: Normal, Sport and Eco. In Normal mode, the car feels… well, normal. Perfectly adequate for everyday commuting, school runs and the occasional detour to grab kopi. But when you’re running late and need the car to react with a bit more urgency, switching to Sport transforms the Seal 6 almost instantly - throttle response sharpens, the car lunges forward more eagerly, and you’ll notice the speedometer climbing with noticeably more enthusiasm.

At cruising speeds of 90–100 km/h on the ECP, the Seal 6 shows off its strongest trait: refinement. The cabin is hushed. Wind and road noise are barely present. Even when you transition from the smooth expressway surfaces of ECP to the pothole party of East Coast Road or the bumpy undulations of the KPE, the suspension simply shrugs it off.

Good job BYD, good job.

Now, I’m not saying the Seal 6 is secretly a sports sedan; but give it a fast corner or a tight bend and it responds with surprising composure. The steering is alert, the chassis feels confident, and the rear-wheel-drive layout gives the car a pleasant sense of balance. Braking power is adequate and predictable, just as it should be in a family-centric EV.

In A Nutshell

The BYD Seal 6 might not be the headline-grabber in BYD’s lineup, but perhaps that’s exactly why it works. It’s mature without being boring, stylish without trying too hard, and capable without demanding attention.

For buyers dipping their toes into the world of EVs, especially those who just want a straightforward, comfortable, refined sedan that does everything right and asks for very little in return, well, this is it. The Seal 6 is the dependable new family sedan for a new era, carrying all the values that made the Corolla and Civic household names, but wrapped in an EV package that’s future-ready.

It won’t shout for the limelight, but sometimes the best family cars are the ones that simply show up, do their job, and quietly make your life better. The BYD Seal 6 is exactly that.

Photos by Azfar Hashim

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