Following its 2025 pricing cull, BYD has chopped the entry price to its Sealion 6 plug-in hybrid range.
The family SUV now starts in Essential trim, with the old Dynamic grade dropped entirely, from $42,990 before on-road costs. This cements its position as Australia’s cheapest plug-in hybrid — the price battle is getting bloody.
Compared to rivals, it is very sharply priced. The most popular vehicle in the segment, the Toyota RAV4, starts at $42,260 before on-road costs in plugless hybrid guise while the most affordable Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV is the ES at $57,290, before on-road costs.
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BYD says the new Essential is targeting fleet customers mainly and it does lose some equipment.
Inside, there’s no 360-degree camera, auto-dimming mirror, insulated front door glass, seat heating and ventilation, metal sill protectors, mood lighting or wireless phone charging.
The touchscreen is smaller (but still generous) at 12.8 inches and the speaker count falls from 10 to six. The driver’s seat is still power adjustable but only six ways, not eight.
The Sealion 6 Essential still features two-tone brown synthetic leather upholstery, 19-inch alloy wheels, LED lighting and keyless entry.
Under the bonnet is the same plug-in hybrid system based around a 1.5-litre petrol engine. It drives the front wheels only with a total power output of 160kW, for a 0-100km/h sprint in 8.5 seconds.
The 18.3kWh ‘Blade’ battery remains, giving around 80km of electric-only driving range and total full-empty distance of 1000km plus, says BYD, if you can achieve the 1.1L/100km rating. A five-star ANCAP safety rating covers all Sealion 6 trims.
It is currently advantageous to purchase a plug-in hybrid as it is considered a low-emissions vehicle, making them much more affordable to finance thanks to the FBT exemption. This will change on 1 April 2025 and may impact PHEV sales.
Since its release in May 2024, though, the Sealion 6 has proven popular, with 6198 finding homes. BYD is on a product offensive in 2025, rolling out a new Sealion 7 electric model and introducing Australia’s first plug-in hybrid ute, the Shark 6.
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