Technology, practicality and personalisation are all part of the new improvements (BYD)
BYD has revealed a revised version of its Seal electric saloon for the 2026 model year, introducing a series of updates focused on technology, practicality and personalisation. All while retaining its existing starting price.
The Seal – a direct rival for the big-selling Tesla Model 3 and first launched in the UK in 2023 – has played a central role in BYD’s growing presence in the European EV market. The latest update brings incremental changes rather than a full redesign, with the Chinese car maker targeting improvements to storage, equipment and interior spec across the range.
Externally, only steadfast Seal spotters will notice the new 19-inch alloy wheels and three new paint colours: Ruby Red, Obsidian Black and Lavender Grey. These join existing colours including Polar White, Indigo Grey and Atlantis Grey, expanding the level of exterior customisation available.
The badges have moved on the back of the 2026 BYD Seal, with the 0-62mph time added for good measure (BYD)
At the rear, the eagle-eyed will spot some branding changes, with the BYD badge repositioned prominently above the full-width LED light bar and the model designation moved to the lower right of the boot lid with the car’s 0-62mph time added for good measure – a strange BYD tradition.
Inside, the Seal retains its Nappa leather upholstery but adopts a cleaner aesthetic. The headrests no longer carry stitched BYD logos and the previously visible NFC marking on the centre armrest has been removed, despite retaining its functionality.
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Practicality has been a key focus for the update. The boot capacity jumps from 400 litres to 485 litres, while the addition of tethering hooks means luggage sliding around the boot should be a thing of the past. Under the bonnet, the front storage compartment grows by 19 litres to 72 litres, offering space for charging cables or small bags.
Technology upgrades are led by the introduction of a Driver Monitoring System, designed to assess driver attention and align with evolving safety requirements – and, no doubt, a few beeps if your gaze strays from the road for too long. More useful is the Bluetooth key, which adds smartphone-based access for keyless entry.
The Seal continues to be offered in two trim levels, Design and Excellence, both maintaining a high level of standard equipment. The Design specification includes LED headlights with High Beam Assistant, a panoramic glass roof, a 12-speaker Dynaudio sound system, dual 15-watt wireless charging pads, heated and ventilated electrically adjustable front seats and a 15.6-inch central touchscreen. The Excellence builds on this with the addition of a head-up display.
The 2026 BYD Seal is now watching you with standard driver monitoring – and beeps if you look away from the road (BYD)
Battery and motor choices remain unchanged. The rear-wheel-drive Design variant uses a single motor producing 308bhp and 360Nm of torque, delivering a 0-62mph time of 5.9 seconds. The all-wheel-drive Excellence employs a dual-motor layout generating 523bhp and 670Nm, reducing the 0-62mph sprint to 3.8 seconds. Both versions have an electronically-limited top speed of 112mph.
BYD’s Blade Batteries are still in use, with the 82.5kWh pack delivers a maximum claimed range of up to 354 miles in Design form and 323 miles in the more powerful, four-wheel-drive Excellence model. Rapid charging capability remains unchanged and isn’t great by the latest standards – with a peak rate of 150kW allowing a 10 to 80 per cent recharge in 37 minutes.
Pricing for the revised Seal stays where it was with the outgoing model, starting at £45,730 for the Design, while the Excellence is priced from £48,730. As with other BYD vehicles sold in the UK, the Seal is covered by a six-year, 93,750-mile vehicle warranty alongside battery protection lasting up to eight years or 155,350 miles.
