BYD's new-model onslaught continues as next-gen seven-seat hybrid SUV spotted! Big SUV will sit above the 2025 BYD Sealion 6 as part of a ten-strong model refresh, but what will the Australian market see next?

A next-gen version of BYD’s seven-seat Tang SUV has been spotted in the wild.

The Tang sits above the Sea Lion 6, which was just launched in Australia, in BYD’s international line-up serving as the Chinese brand's alternative to the Kia Sorento and Toyota Kluger.

Chinese media has long speculated the Tang is due to be replaced imminently. New spy shots suggest it is one of a slew of new models BYD will launch imminently as part of a 10-model renewal cycle.

For now, the pictures don’t show much. In familiar fashion to many Chinese spy pictures, it shows a heavily clad vehicle with many key panels missing, both on the exterior and interior. However, it confirms the Tang logo, which can be seen on its nose through the camouflage tape, and also confirms it will use the current-generation interior switchgear as seen in the models exported to Australia, thanks to a clear interior picture.

The spied car is also a luxury six-seat variant, with a re-designed dash layout and a large screen although little else can be told for now, as even the car’s insides are heavily clad in camouflage.

According to Chinese media, the new Tang is expected to merge onto the brand’s current drivetrain tech (dubbed e-platform 3.0) which it will share with the Sealion 6. Expect a plug-in (DM-i) hybrid drivetrain combining a 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine with electric motors driving either just the front or both the front and rear axles. Power comes in at a combined 160kW/300Nm for FWD versions, or 238kW/550Nm for AWD versions.

It also sports a large 18.3kWh battery using BYD’s signature "blade" format and LFP chemistry, good for up to a claimed 91km of EV-only driving range in the Sealion 6.

Will we see the hybrid seven-seat Tang in Australia? BYD currently has a lot on its plate, launching the Shark plug-in hybrid ute in the short term. The brand also said it has designs on its Fang Cheng Bao range of hybrid off-roaders (likely to be dubbed Leopard in overseas markets) in Australia, which could lead to overlap between models.

However, given it uses the same technology as the Sealion 6, it’s not a stretch to see the new-generation Tang in our market. If we do, expect it to carry a different name.

The Australian market sees mainly vehicles from the brand’s Ocean range, and not its Dynasty range, which is in the process of being upgraded in China.

The one member of the Dynasty range we currently have is the Atto 3, which in China is called the Yuan Plus.

BYD has trademarked the King name for our market, although this is expected to be for a hybrid mid-size sedan model from the Dynasty range, which in China is called the Qin. This could be a compelling rival to the Toyota Camry if it ends up landing in our market, but it will face competition from MG’s recently-confirmed MG7.

The Tang is also not the only people-moving option coming up from the brand, with another new model recently spotted, dubbed the M6. This is in a more traditional people-mover van format, which is likely to be an update or new version of the Song Max people mover currently sold in China.

BYD will have to keep its momentum up if it wants to secure a spot as a mainstream automaker in Australia. While its initial growth has been explosive off the back of its range of keenly priced electric vehicles, it now faces strong competition from other Chinese marques, both at the high end and the low-end of the pricing scale.

Australia is becoming a key battleground for Chinese automakers and their overseas expansion plans, as the EV and PHEV market in China becomes highly saturated.

BYD, MG, GWM and others which are making their mark here are also facing tariffs in larger volume markets like Europe and the US, which are moving to protect their domestic automakers from Chinese competitors, making Australia a key export market in the short-term.