The Byd Sealion 8 has been confirmed for Australian showrooms with a choice of two plug-in hybrid powertrains, and the first three rows of the brand of the brand arrive here in the first quarter of 2026 (January-March).
The Sealion 8 agrees with the BYD Atto 2 Small SUV – also confirmed for Australia today – as the first new models confirmed for this market, because the Chinese automaker announced that it will take over the local distribution of the brand on 1 July.
Price and equipment levels must still be announced for the first BYD with seven seats that are sold here, where it will match in existing large plug-in hybrid SUVs, including the Kia Sorento PHEV and Mazda CX-80 PHEV.
The Sealion 8 will also compete with the Chery Tiggo 9, which must be fell here in September, and MG QS SUV with seven seats-and MG decides to import the PHEV version alongside Pure gasoline power.
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Despite its size and the number of seats, the Sealion 8 is not expected to take over from the five-sitting BYD Sealion 7 medium-sized electrical SUV (priced from $ 63,990 Plus on-road costs) as the most expensive BYD offered in Australia.
Sitting on the new 5.0 platform of the brand, the exterior design of the Sealion 8 introduces the newer ‘Loong Face’ of the brand [sic] Front-End Styling for Australians, to replace the theme ‘Dragon Face’ seen on the groundbreaking BYD ATD Atto 3 Medium SUV and the BYD Seal Midgage Sedan.
The BYD Sealion 8 – sold as the BYD Tang L in China – Competition with the Toyota Kluger in terms of size, measuring 5040 mm long, 1996 mm wide and 1760 mm high.
The wheelbase is 2950 mm – 100 mm longer than a kluger’s and 244 mm longer than the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEVs.
There is also more boat space, with specifications of Chinese market that claim 675 liters of freight capacity, which extend to 960L with the seats in the third row folded and 1960L behind the front seats.
It is offered in configurations of six and seven seats in China, but BYD Australia has confirmed that the Sealion 8 will be sold here as a seven-seater a traditional 2+3+2 layout.
Two PHEV drivers will be offered from the launch in Australia, with the standard Sealion 8 using a ‘DM-I’ setup, which produces a 110 kW/220N 1.5-liter turbo engine with four-cylinder turbo engine and a single electric motor for the front axle that produces 200 kW/315 Nm.
The Sealion 8 is the first BYD to be launched here with its ‘DM-P’ die stands for ‘Dual Mode Performance’-plug-in Hybrid powertrain, which uses the same petrol engine, but adds a second 141 kW/360 Nm rear axle engine for a dual-wheel Drive Drive Drive Capital of the Koppel van de Koppel van de Koppel van de Koppel van destoetste. Adds.
Although it is a family-oriented SUV, the Sealion 8 PHEV is supplied with an official claim of 0-100 km/h acceleration of only 4.9 seconds.
The official fuel consumption of the Chinese market is 5.6 l/100 km, while a battery of 35.6 kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) offers a battery of the electrically 150 km only under the smooth CLTC (China Light vehicle test cycle) test standard.
The entry difference Sealion 8 will use a 19 kW battery, with DC fast charging with a maximum of 71 kW that makes a battery of 30 to 80 percent possible in 30 minutes, according to BYD.
The Sealion 8 also contains BYD’s Dipilot 300 Autonomous Driving Suite, with one Lidar, five radars, 12 ultrasonic sensors and 12 cameras to operate its adaptive cruise control, lane retention and lane-center systems, in addition to other drivers’ help functions.
The cabin comprises a touchscreen of 15.6 inches that, just like in other BYDs that are sold in Australia, can be played between landscape and portrait orientations, plus a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and head-up display.
Leather in reverse seats are standard in Chinese versions, and Australian vehicles are also expected but not fixed to come as standard with leather upholstery.
China-market versions also offer a panoramic glass roof of 2.39 m-with regard to all three rows-anxes 11 airbags and a sidter-staro with 21 speakers in tops versions.
While the Plug-in Hybrid Shark 6 Dual-Cab UTE is responsible for the lion’s share of BYD’s revenue growth so far in Australia, important contributions from the Sealion 6 PHEV and Sealion 7 EV Five Seat SUVs have the current sales momentum of the brand.
All three models have been launched here in the last 11 months, with a lower sale of the battery-electric BYD-Dolphin hatchback, sealing medium-sized sedan and Atto 3 medium SUV that do not stop the brand from posting an near-95 percent year-to-date sales increase.
