Big BYD Seal 5 DM-i facelift launches in PH, now more affordable with new variant
The BYD Seal 5 DM-i is undoubtedly one of BYD Cars Philippines’ strongest sellers. Just look outside and you’re bound to see one on the road. It’s not surprising as well as it’s one of the most affordable ways to get into the BYD ecosystem.
Now, less than two years after its initial local debut in late 2024, the subcompact-priced compact sedan is getting a major update in our market, launched at the BYD Tech Tour in Ayala Malls Trinoma alongside the BYD Atto 2. It brings a whole slew of upgrades, an updated powertrain and, more importantly, a lower starting price.
The updated BYD Seal 5 DM-i comes in two variants. As we reported before, the lineup now stars with the new entry-level Essential variant which is priced at Php 948,000. The Dynamic remains and is now priced at Php 1,048,000 (+Php 90,000).
As we’ve seen before, the Seal 5 DM-i has been almost completely redone. While the greenhouse is essentially the same, it throws away the aggressive-looking front fascia for a more subdued and cohesive design with a more rounded-off and longer front end with softer lines and a cleaner overall look, while the taillights are made to be sleeker with a lighting pattern inspired by the Seal EV and Sealion 6 DM-i.
Standard on the new Essential variant are full LED exterior lighting, manual-folding side mirrors, 16-inch alloy wheels with a steel wheel-like design and matte black finish, fabric seat upholstery, urethane steering wheel, an 8.8-inch segmented LCD instrument cluster, a 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a four-speaker sound system.
Its interior has also been heavily redesigned with a largely minimalist and streamlined look. While it still maintains the basic overall look of every BYD interior, it gets more straight horizontal lines compared to before, along with a cleaner center console layout, more traditional front seats with adjustable headrests, and a few equipment updates.
As for the Dynamic, it interestingly also gets the same 10.1-inch infotainment screen as the Essential, downgraded from the previous version’s 12.8-inch screen. This does, however, add two-tone 16-inch alloy wheels, leather seat upholstery, power-folding side mirrors, and all one-touch up and down windows.
Available exterior colors for the new BYD Seal 5 DM-i are Arctic White, Cosmos Black, Deep Sea Blue, and Harbour Gray. These are all matched to a Black interior.
More than just its heavy redesign, the new BYD Seal 5 DM-i is also mechanically upgraded. It utilizes the new fifth-generation DM-i system that promises better power delivery and efficiency over the older model. It still uses a 1.5-liter naturally aspirated gasoline engine paired to a front-mounted electric motor, but with a slightly lower output than before at 163 horsepower (-16PS) and 210Nm of torque (-106Nm).
A new 7.42kWh LFP battery allows for up to 55km of pure electric range. A much larger 65L fuel tank (+17L) now allows it to drive up to 1,600km on combined fuel and electric power, an additional 425km compared to the pre-facelift Dynamic. Replenishing the battery is still done via Type 2 AC charging at a rate of 3.3kW, taking two hours and 30 minutes from 15 to 100%.
With the new BYD Seal 5 DM-i, BYD Cars Philippines is seemingly targeting both those looking for an affordable electrified option and fleet buyers in the subcompact sedan segment, but also want a larger package. With so many changes, what do you think of the updated compact sedan?
Photos by Sam Surla
