BYD Sealion 7 vs smart #5
Verdict
The BYD Sealion 7 is the cheaper car at RM183,800 against RM199,800, yet it gets all-wheel drive, nine airbags and a six-year warranty. The smart #5 answers with the stronger numbers where EV buyers often look first: 358 hp versus 308 hp, a 100.0 kWh battery versus 82.5 kWh, 590 km range versus 567 km and a much larger 630-litre boot. The gap is not huge in acceleration, just 0.2 seconds to 100 km/h, so the choice is practicality and battery size versus price and safety count.
Pick the BYD Sealion 7 if you want the lower price, all-wheel drive, more airbags and a longer warranty.
Pick the smart #5 if you want the bigger battery, longer range, stronger motor and larger boot.
Key differences
- Price: BYD Sealion 7 RM183,800; smart #5 RM199,800
- Power: BYD Sealion 7 308 hp; smart #5 358 hp
- Battery and range: BYD Sealion 7 82.5 kWh, 567 km; smart #5 100.0 kWh, 590 km
- Driven wheels: BYD Sealion 7 All Wheel Drive; smart #5 Rear Wheel Drive
- Boot space: BYD Sealion 7 500 L; smart #5 630 L
- Warranty and road tax: BYD Sealion 7 6 years, RM335/year; smart #5 4 years, RM455/year
| Price & overview | ||
|---|---|---|
| Price | RM 183,800✓ | RM 199,800 |
| Body type | SUV | SUV |
| Segment | C-Segment | C-Segment |
| Seats | 5 | 5 |
| Assembly | CBU | CBU |
| Powertrain | ||
| Fuel | Electric | Electric |
| Motor | Single motor | Single motor |
| Power | 308 hp | 358 hp✓ |
| Transmission | Single Ratio Automatic | Single Ratio Automatic |
| Driven wheels | All Wheel Drive | Rear Wheel Drive |
| Performance | ||
| 0–100 km/h | 6.7 s | 6.5 s✓ |
| Top speed | 215 km/h✓ | 200 km/h |
| Efficiency | ||
| Battery | 82.5 kWh | 100.0 kWh✓ |
| EV range | 567 km | 590 km✓ |
| Dimensions | ||
| Length | 4,830 mm | 4,705 mm |
| Width | 1,925 mm | 1,920 mm |
| Height | 1,620 mm | 1,705 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,930 mm | 2,900 mm |
| Boot space | 500 L | 630 L✓ |
| Safety | ||
| Airbags | 9✓ | 6 |
| Auto emergency braking | Yes | Yes |
| Ownership | ||
| Warranty | 6✓ | 4 |
| Road tax / year | RM 335✓ | RM 455 |
Specs shown for the selected variant of each car. ✓ marks the better figure where lower/higher is objectively better. Road tax: West Malaysia, private registration.
Sealion 7
- RM16,000 cheaper
- All-wheel drive versus rear-wheel drive
- Nine airbags and a six-year warranty
- Lower output at 308 hp
- Smaller 82.5 kWh battery
- Less boot space at 500 litres
#5
- Stronger 358 hp motor
- Bigger 100.0 kWh battery with 590 km range
- Larger 630-litre boot
- RM16,000 more expensive
- Six airbags versus nine in the BYD
- Shorter four-year warranty and higher RM455 road tax
Sealion 7 vs #5 FAQ
Is the BYD Sealion 7 or smart #5 better?
The smart #5 is better for battery size, range, power and boot space. The BYD Sealion 7 is better for price, airbags, warranty, top speed and all-wheel drive.
What is the price difference?
The BYD Sealion 7 costs RM16,000 less than the smart #5, before looking at running costs. Its annual road tax is also lower at RM335 versus RM455.
Which one has the better EV range and boot space?
The smart #5 has the advantage here, with 590 km of range and a 630-litre boot. The BYD Sealion 7 does 567 km and has 500 litres of boot space.