The BYD Sealion 6 is available in two grades.

The base Dynamic includes most of the expected safety gear like autonomous emergency braking, cross-traffic alert/braking and lane support systems, and adds goodies like a 360-degree camera, panoramic sunroof, powered tailgate, powered/heated/vented front seats, a rotating touchscreen, premium audio, two wireless phone chargers, rear privacy glass, vehicle-to-load (V2L) appliance-powering functionality and 19-inch alloys.

The Premium adds a head-up display, a turbo to the petrol engine and a second electric motor for all-wheel drive.

But no spare wheel is fitted, sadly, only a tyre-repair kit.

The Sealion 6 is big for a medium-sized SUV, offering plenty of space for five people up front as well in the second row.

Contemporary and stylish, the dash features an electronic display in front of the driver, as well as a responsive 15.6-inch central touchscreen, which rotates from landscape to portrait according to preference.

Most of the switchgear and controls are logical to use, even though many are accessed via the touchscreen. Yes, there are menus you need to dive into, but at least the climate and vehicle-control settings are easy to find. Familiarisation helps.

Storage, ventilation and driving-position aspects are within tolerances, vision out is fine and the general ambience is quite upmarket, even in the lower-grade model. The Sealion is an easy SUV to like inside.

Two DMi (Dual-Mode intelligence) powertrain options are available.

The Sealion 6 Dynamic is powered by a 78kW/135Nm 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, paired to a 145kW/300Nm motor that is charged by an 18.3kWh ‘Blade’ battery.

With drive sent to the front wheels via an electronic continuously variable transmission (e-CVT), maximum power and torque being 160kW and 300Nm respectively.

Meanwhile, the Sealion 6 Premium uses a 96kW/220Nm 1.5L turbo petrol engine version, a 150kW/300Nm motor up front and a 120kW/250Nm motor out back, for AWD. The result is 238kW of maximum power and 550Nm of maximum torque.

A trio of driving modes are included – ECO, Normal, Sport and Mud, while the AWD adds Snow/Sand settings.

The Sealion 6 is a five-seater SUV, with a comfy pair of bucket seats up front that are electrically adjustable as well as heated and ventilated.

The second row features a split/fold rear backrest for three people to sit across with reasonable space. It reclines for added comfort, while the backrests both drop to extend the cargo area.

The BYD Sealion 6 Dynamic sprints from zero to 100km/h in 8.5 seconds, while the BYD Sealion 6 Premium with the turbo and added electric motor slash that 0-100km/h time to 5.9s. Top speed is about 170km/h.

The Sealion 6 Dynamic averages 1.1 litres per 100km, which equates to 24 grams per kilometre of carbon dioxide emissions. The Premium with AWD ups these figures to 1.4L/100km and 32g/km respectively.

From its 60L fuel tank, BYD has worked out that up to 1100km between refills is possible, using 95 RON premium unleaded petrol. EV range is up to 92km in Dynamic FWD and 81km in Premium AWD. Both figures are NEDC and not WLTP.