BYD Seagull 2026 review: International first drive

‘Seagull’ might not be the best name for a car. The sea bird is usually pretty annoying, loud, messy and it will bug you at the beach.

This Seagull is nothing of the sort. It’s quiet, adorable, quick and it will not try and steal your chips.

BYD is mulling whether it will bring the adorable Seagull electric hatchback to Australia, but there are some complications. Read all about that in this article.

But the long and the short of it is, there are actually two versions of the Seagull. Well, one Seagull and a Dolphin Surf. They look the same but the latter is longer, has more power and is geared to Europe and right-hand-drive markets like the UK. 

But the Seagull I drove in China in May is a Chinese domestic market model and doesn’t have the safety and other requirements needed for Australia. 

If either one of these models gets the green light for Australia, it would have to be more affordable than the BYD Dolphin, which starts at $29,990 before on-road costs. This is making it challenging for BYD to make a business case for either model.

A starting price of $25,000 would be the sweet spot, and that would make it Australia’s cheapest EV, undercutting everything including the MG4 and GWM Ora.

While we wait for the final word on the Australian fate of the Seagull/Dolphin Surf, here are all the details, including my take on what it’s like to drive.

First up, the Chinese-market Seagull I tested is noticeably smaller than its Dolphin stablemate. At 3780mm long, 1715mm wide and 1540mm tall it’s closer in dimensions to the Fiat 500e, which would be one of its competitors alongside the Mini Cooper Electric hatch and the larger GWM Ora and MG4.

Those dimensions and the sharp design make for adorable proportions. It looks like a tiny Japanese market ‘kei’ car in the metal. There are edges and a stepped tailgate with cool lights, as well as short overhangs and a short bonnet.

The sharp headlights give Lamborghini vibes, which is unsurprising given BYD’s head of design, Wolfgang Egger, was previously responsible for design at Lambo, as well as Audi.

The funky exterior is matched by an equally cool interior design. A car like this will appeal to younger buyers and BYD has wisely styled the cabin as such. BYD’s appropriately named ‘wing’ dashboard design is present, as is a dual-tone interior with lashes of black and either salmon pink or a rich blue.

It’s not all hard plastics, either. There’s an attention to detail that’s surprising. The front seats look as good as they feel to sit in, something that’s been consistent with all of the BYD models we tested on this trip. BYD is coming for Volvo’s ‘best seats in the business’ crown.

Tech-wise, there are minimal buttons aside from a small panel on the dash and a number of controls on the cute three-spoke steering wheel. There’s BYD’s rotatable 10.1-inch touchscreen and a 5.0-inch digital driver’s display.

It might be tiny, but it’s surprisingly spacious inside. A 2500mm wheelbase means plenty of legroom in the front and rear as well as ample headroom. Clever packaging, BYD.

However, in its current form it's only a four-seater, and the rear backrest requires two people to stow it. Not great.

The Seagull is underpinned by BYD’s e-Platform 3.0 and this version has a 55kW/135Nm permanent magnet synchronous motor driving the front wheels. 

There’s two battery options, a 30.1kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery for 305km of range (on China’s lenient CLTC protocol) and a 38.9kWh BYD ‘Blade’ battery with 405km.

The Segaull’s twin, the Dolphin Surf, increases power to 65kW or 116kW and the top grades have a 43kWh battery offering a 322km driving range on the more realistic WLTP protocol.

During this trip to China, I drove nine new BYD and Denza (BYD’s premium sister brand) models. 

I, along with the majority of the 14 or so other motoring journalists and content creators at the event, declared the Seagull the most fun car of all the impressive new metal.

Its size and light weight (it has a kerb weight of just 1160-1240kg) are the perfect ingredients for a darty, fun urban runabout. It’s as much fun to drive as the original and still excellent Mini Electric. High praise indeed.

@carsguide.com.au

2026 BYD SEAGULL This new electric car could be the most affordable EV in Australia, if it gets the green light. The 2026 BYD Seagull EV is smaller than the Dolphin and the MG4, but it has a spacious cabin and exciting performance. If BYD can get it at the right price, would you consider this tiny city-focused electric hatch? #BYD #Seagull #hatch #EV #car #carsguide #fyp

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BYD says the Seagull’s 0-100km/h dash time is a leisurely 14.9 seconds, but it doesn’t feel that slow on the test track. It’s quick off the mark without forcing your head back during acceleration.

Steering is ultra sharp and engaging, and the Seagull loves a tight bend. It feels planted to the tarmac, surprisingly grippy and there’s minimal body roll.

The ride was a little rough over the rumble strips but for a light, tiny, electric car it’s acceptable.

A number of journos, myself included, kept returning to the Seagull when there was a break in driving other models. There’s something addictive to how it drives. Light and chuckable, but still capable of urban duties.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.