BYD Seal U

BYD Seal U: which version to buy — specs comparison

The BYD Seal U has one generation (from 1 July 2023, still in production) as an SUV 5-doors with seven versions. The buying choice is not “which generation”: it is which power, drive, and fuel combination inside that single generation. Four versions share the name AT and must be split by horsepower: AT 204 hp, AT 218 hp, AT 313 hp, and AT 530 hp.

The BYD Seal U has one generation (from 1 July 2023, still in production) as an SUV 5-doors with seven versions. The buying choice is not “which generation”: it is which power, drive, and fuel combination inside that single generation. Four versions share the name AT and must be split by horsepower: AT 204 hp, AT 218 hp, AT 313 hp, and AT 530 hp. The plug-in trio is 1.5 AT 18.3 kWh, 1.5 AT 26.6 kWh, and 1.5 DM-i AT. Price, trunk space, UK/US fitment, and millimetre dimensions are not measured here — the ranking below uses only the numbers in this catalogue.

Generations: what changed (one generation)

1 generation (from 1 July 2023, stop not measured) is an SUV 5-doors with 7 versions. There is no earlier Seal U generation in this data, so there is no restyle-to-restyle arithmetic and no “old chassis vs new chassis” decision. Every spec difference below is a spec difference between versions sold in the same generation, not a generation jump.

Shared chassis language across all seven: Automatic gearbox with 1 speed; Independent, spring front suspension; Dependent, spring rear suspension; Ventilated disc front brakes; Disc rear brakes. Ground clearance is not measured on any version. Wheel sizes are listed only on three of the electric AT versions.

Specs: engine, horsepower, drive — version table

Use the English labels from the data. Displacement is cubic centimetres where given.

Engine manufacturer, engine oil grade, and engine noise are not measured. Engine capacity in cc is 1498 on the three Plug-in versions and not measured on the four Electro AT versions.

Electric horsepower ladder (same name AT): 218 − 204 = 14 hp between the two quieter FWD electrics; 313 − 218 = 95 hp; 530 − 313 = 217 hp; 530 − 204 = 326 hp (the 530 hp AT is 2.60 times the 204 hp AT). Torque: 310 Nm on AT 204 hp and AT 218 hp; +50 Nm to 360 on AT 313 hp; +310 Nm from 360 to 670 on AT 530 hp (670 is 2.16 times 310).

Plug-in horsepower: 1.5 AT 18.3 kWh and 1.5 AT 26.6 kWh are identical at 218 hp / 160 kW / 300 Nm. 1.5 DM-i AT is 324 − 218 = 106 hp and 550 − 300 = 250 Nm above those two, and it is the only Plug-in with AWD.

Power per litre (Plug-in only; displacement 1498 cc = 1.498 L): 218 / 1.498 ≈ 145.5 hp/L on 1.5 AT 18.3 kWh and 1.5 AT 26.6 kWh; 324 / 1.498 ≈ 216.3 hp/L on 1.5 DM-i AT. That is +70.8 hp/L for the DM-i badge, not a larger engine: capacity is the same 1498.

Hybrid vs electric at similar labels: AT 218 hp Electro and 1.5 AT 18.3 kWh / 1.5 AT 26.6 kWh all quote 218 hp / 160 kW. The electro AT 218 hp has 310 Nm vs 300 Nm on the two 1.5 AT plug-ins (+10 Nm). 1.5 DM-i AT 324 hp sits 11 hp above AT 313 hp Electro (324 − 313) but 120 Nm above it (550 vs 360). AT 530 hp remains the power and torque ceiling: 530 − 324 = 206 hp and 670 − 550 = 120 Nm over the strongest plug-in.

Performance, mpg and CO2 — what the extra power buys

0–100, top speed, mixed consumption, CO2:

City and highway consumption are not measured on every version. Eco class is not measured.

Same 7.5 s, two electrics: AT 204 hp and AT 218 hp share 7.5 s and 180 top speed. The extra 14 hp does not change the quoted sprint. If the decision is “electric FWD, this 0–100,” those two are performance-equivalent in this table; the 14 hp is a paper gap.

The 1.6 s step: 7.5 − 5.9 = 1.6 s. That is AT 313 hp vs AT 204/218 hp, at the same 1885 kg kerb weight and the same FWD. 1.5 DM-i AT also posts 5.9 s, matching AT 313 hp, but it is AWD and 2100 kg.

The 2.1 s step to the ceiling: 5.9 − 3.8 = 2.1 s; from the slowest electric 7.5 − 3.8 = 3.7 s. Only AT 530 hp is in the 3.8 s cell. Top speed does not rise with that power: all four Electro AT versions and 1.5 DM-i AT are 180; the two FWD plug-ins are 10 lower at 170.

Slowest in the list: 1.5 AT 18.3 kWh and 1.5 AT 26.6 kWh at 8.9 s. Versus AT 218 hp Electro (same 218 hp): 8.9 − 7.5 = 1.4 s slower, and 10 km/h less top speed (170 vs 180). Versus 1.5 DM-i AT: 8.9 − 5.9 = 3.0 s. The 18.3 vs 26.6 kWh names do not change 0–100, top speed, mixed 0.9, or CO2 20 in this data — they are performance twins.

Mixed “mpg” as given: 0.9 on both FWD 1.5 AT plug-ins; 1.2 on 1.5 DM-i AT (1.2 − 0.9 = 0.3 higher mixed). Electro mixed is not measured. CO2: 0 on all Electro AT; 20 on the two 1.5 AT plug-ins; 26 on 1.5 DM-i AT (+6 vs the FWD plug-ins). If the buy is “lowest quoted CO2 with a 92 tank,” the 18.3 and 26.6 kWh versions tie; if it is “zero CO2 in this table,” any Electro AT.

Dimensions and weight — kg/hp and what mass you add

Wheelbase, length, width, height in mm/cm, and trunk space are not measured. Ground clearance is not measured.

Kerb deltas: Electro FWD cluster is 1885. Plug-in FWD 1.5 AT 18.3 kWh / 1.5 AT 26.6 kWh: 1940 − 1885 = +55 kg. 1.5 DM-i AT: 2100 − 1885 = +215 kg vs the FWD electrics; 2100 − 1940 = +160 kg vs the FWD plug-ins. AT 530 hp: 2150 − 1885 = +265 kg vs FWD electrics; 2150 − 2100 = +50 kg vs 1.5 DM-i AT. Gross: only the plug-ins are measured — 2510 − 2350 = 160 kg extra allowance on 1.5 DM-i AT, matching the 160 kg kerb gap.

Tank: 60 on all three Plug-in versions; not measured on Electro AT (fuel is Electro, CO2 0).

kg per horsepower (kerb / hp):

• AT 204 hp: 1885 / 204 ≈ 9.24 kg/hp
• AT 218 hp: 1885 / 218 ≈ 8.65 kg/hp
• AT 313 hp: 1885 / 313 ≈ 6.02 kg/hp
• AT 530 hp: 2150 / 530 ≈ 4.06 kg/hp (lightest per hp despite the heaviest kerb)
• 1.5 AT 18.3 kWh and 1.5 AT 26.6 kWh: 1940 / 218 ≈ 8.90 kg/hp
• 1.5 DM-i AT: 2100 / 324 ≈ 6.48 kg/hp

AT 313 hp is 6.02 kg/hp vs 1.5 DM-i AT 6.48 — the electric 313 hp FWD is 0.46 kg/hp lighter-feeling on paper, and it matches the DM-i’s 5.9 s without AWD mass. AT 530 hp at 4.06 kg/hp is in a different class from every other Seal U version.

Wheels: 225/55 R17 and 225/50 R18 on AT 204 hp, AT 218 hp, and AT 530 hp; not measured on AT 313 hp and all three plug-ins. Do not assume the 313 hp AT uses a different tyre — it is not measured.

Which version to choose

There is one generation, so “buy the new generation” is not a fork. The fork is Electro vs Plug-in, FWD vs AWD, and which AT horsepower.

If the job is commuting on Electro with FWD and the 7.5 s / 180 pack: AT 204 hp and AT 218 hp are the same 0–100, same top speed, same 1885 kg, same wheels (225/55 R17 and 225/50 R18), same 310 Nm. Spec comparison: +14 hp and better kg/hp (8.65 vs 9.24) on AT 218 hp, with no measured change in sprint. Choose AT 218 hp if the table’s extra 14 hp matters on the spec sheet; choose AT 204 hp if you treat 7.5 s as the real split and refuse to pay for unused horsepower (price itself is not measured).

If the job is the fastest FWD electric without AWD mass: AT 313 hp. Versus AT 218 hp: +95 hp, +50 Nm, 1.6 s quicker, zero extra kerb weight (still 1885). Versus AT 530 hp you give up 217 hp, 310 Nm, AWD, and 2.1 s, but you also avoid +265 kg. Wheels on this version are not measured. This is the strongest kg/hp FWD electric (6.02) in the list.

If the job is maximum horsepower and the 3.8 s figure: only AT 530 hp. It is the only Electro AWD, the only 670 Nm, the only 389 kW. You add 265 kg over the 1885 kg FWD electrics and still beat them on kg/hp (4.06). Top speed stays 180 — the extra 326 hp over AT 204 hp does not buy a higher limiter in this data. CO2 remains 0.

If the job is a 92 Plug-in with a 60 tank and 0.9 mixed / CO2 20: 1.5 AT 18.3 kWh and 1.5 AT 26.6 kWh are duplicates on every measured performance and weight line (218 hp, 300 Nm, 1498, 8.9 s, 170, 1940 / 2350, 0.9, 20). The names encode 18.3 kWh vs 26.6 kWh; battery energy beyond those labels is not expanded in the other columns. Spec difference that is actually measured: none on hp, Nm, 0–100, weight, tank, or CO2. Pick by the kWh in the version name itself, not by a hidden sprint or mass gap.

If the job is Plug-in AWD that still hits 5.9 s / 180: 1.5 DM-i AT. Versus the two 1.5 AT FWD plug-ins: +106 hp, +250 Nm, +160 kg kerb, +160 kg gross, mixed 1.2 instead of 0.9, CO2 26 instead of 20, 3.0 s faster, +10 top speed. Versus AT 313 hp Electro: same 5.9 s, +11 hp, +190 Nm, AWD vs FWD, +215 kg, 92 fuel and 60 tank vs Electro, CO2 26 vs 0. Versus AT 530 hp: −206 hp, −120 Nm, 2.1 s slower, −50 kg, and you gain the measured 60 tank and mixed 1.2.

Comfort vs Design horsepower (as people search those trims): this dataset does not name Comfort or Design. Map the search to the numbers: 204 and 218 hp Electro AT are the lower electric pair; 218 hp also appears on both FWD plug-ins; 313 hp Electro and 324 hp 1.5 DM-i AT share 5.9 s; 530 hp is the outlier.

Reliability / problems: not measured. Do not infer them from power or weight.

Short ranking by stated intent

1. Lowest 0–100: AT 530 hp (3.8 s). 2. Same 5.9 s, FWD, lightest kerb of that pair: AT 313 hp (1885 kg) over 1.5 DM-i AT (2100 kg). 3. Same 7.5 s electric FWD: AT 204 hp or AT 218 hp — split only by 14 hp. 4. Plug-in FWD, lowest mixed and CO2 in the plug-in group: 1.5 AT 18.3 kWh or 1.5 AT 26.6 kWh (tie on 0.9 / 20). 5. Plug-in that is not the slowest 8.9 s car in the line: 1.5 DM-i AT only.

That is the spec comparison: one generation, seven versions, four of them named AT and separated by 204 / 218 / 313 / 530 hp.