The BYD Seal is a quick, generously equipped electric saloon from a Chinese manufacturer that makes its own batteries. Sold in the UK since late 2023, it costs £45,730 new, and used ones ask from about £28,000. More than 90% of advertised used Seals are 2025 and 2026 examples with under 10,000 miles, leaving most with years of BYD’s long warranty remaining. Here we explain the two versions, warranty, owner experiences and prices to expect. You’ll find a print-out checklist at the end.
- Nearly new for about a third off: a 2025 Seal with around 7,000 miles asks about £29,000–£31,000, against £45,730–£48,730 new.
- The Excellence is the bargain: four-wheel drive and 0–62 mph in 3.8 seconds for only about £1,750 more than a used Design.
- Long warranty: 6 years on the car and 8 years / 250,000 km on the battery, transferable with a full service history.
- No recalls on the government list for the Seal.
Which version of the Seal is it?
All UK Seals share an 82.5 kWh LFP “Blade” battery, 150 kW rapid charging and 11 kW AC charging, offered in two versions:
- Design (rear-wheel drive, 313PS): 0–62 mph in 5.9 seconds, up to 354 miles WLTP.
- Excellence (four-wheel drive, 530PS): 0–62 mph in 3.8 seconds, up to 323 miles WLTP.
The February 2026 update for the 2026 model year left batteries, motors and prices unchanged. It expanded the boot to 485 litres from 400, added a front boot, driver-monitoring camera and phone key, and gave the Excellence a head-up display. Full specifications appear on the Seal page.
Recalls
The government’s recall list (in October 2026) has no recalls for the BYD Seal. Check the specific car on GOV.UK’s recall checker anyway.
Warranty: one of the longest you can buy
BYD covers the car for 6 years or 150,000 km (around 93,000 miles), with 8 years or 150,000 km for the electric drive unit. Late in 2025, the battery warranty was extended to 8 years or 250,000 km (about 155,000 miles) at 70% health, including for existing cars. The cover transfers to the next owner as long as the car has a complete service history to BYD’s schedule, so check that before you buy.
- Registered 2023: car covered to 2029, battery to 2031.
- Registered 2024: car covered to 2030, battery to 2032.
- Registered 2025: car covered to 2031, battery to 2033.
- Registered 2026: car covered to 2032, battery to 2034.
Realistic range
Our estimate for a typical car of each age, from the same battery-ageing model as the rest of EVcarsguide:
| Car | Summer | Year-round | Winter |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Design | 296 miles | 260 miles | 219 miles |
| 2025 Excellence AWD | 270 miles | 237 miles | 199 miles |
The figures assume normal battery ageing for a typical car. Gentle driving exceeds them, while fast motorway trips deliver less.
Battery Health Estimator
Estimated condition if buying used
LFP chemistry - excellent longevity, safe to charge to 100%
Estimates based on battery chemistry and age. Chemistry-based estimate. Actual health varies with charging habits, climate, and usage.
What owners report
- Value and equipment attract the strongest praise: owners compare the performance and equipment with Mercedes or BMW at far lower prices, with almost everything standard.
- Quick, quiet and comfortable on longer trips, with good rear seating; owners rate the cabin above a Tesla Model 3’s.
- Range: around 280 miles in cool weather and 200–250 in winter. The LFP battery supports routine charging to 100%, and owners report no range or charging-speed loss so far.
- Gripes: owners report intrusive driver-assistance warnings, which many switch off each drive, an interface reliant on a sometimes slow touchscreen, average 150 kW charging and poor wet grip from the standard tyres. One thread described tests where the Excellence’s front motor did not help on very low-grip surfaces; BYD was reportedly investigating.
- Ownership worries: the limited dealer network in some areas, insurance quotes and availability of parts concern some buyers.
The owners’ own advice: charge to 100% when you need it, turn down the safety-alert volume, expect about a quarter less range in winter, and check insurance and the nearest BYD dealer before you buy.
What to pay
Used 2023–2024 Seals are scarce; most examples are 2025 cars that have covered well under 10,000 miles:
| Cars | Share of adverts | Median asking | Typical range | Median mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 Excellence AWD | 4% | £29,247 | £26,715–£30,250 | 12,631 |
| 2025 Design | 18% | £29,250 | £28,074–£30,056 | 7,115 |
| 2025 Excellence AWD | 45% | £30,999 | £29,593–£31,742 | 6,973 |
| 2026 Design | 12% | £31,449 | £30,677–£32,955 | 2,999 |
| 2026 Excellence AWD | 17% | £33,770 | £31,647–£35,850 | 3,921 |
Used or new? A new Seal is £45,730 (Design) or £48,730 (Excellence), with neither eligible for the government’s Electric Car Grant. A 2025 example with about 7,000 miles saves roughly £16,000–£18,000, retaining the warranty. For the larger boot of a 2026-update car, nearly new examples are advertised around £31,500–£34,000. Treat these as advertised asking prices rather than valuations.
Questions to ask the seller
- Is it a Design or an Excellence?
- Was it a demonstrator, rental or fleet car?
- Is the service history complete to BYD’s schedule (for the warranty)?
- Is it a 2026-update car (485-litre boot)?
- Are both card keys and the charging cable with it?
The print-out checklist
Bring this along. It covers checks specific to the Seal; our general used EV buyer’s guide covers the checks that apply to any used electric car.
Alternatives worth a look
- Tesla Model 3: the obvious rival saloon, with the Supercharger network. See our used Model 3 guide.
- Polestar 2: a premium fastback that is cheaper used. See our used Polestar 2 guide.
- VW ID.7: bigger and more comfortable, with more range. See our used ID.7 guide.
- Kia EV6: much faster charging. See our used EV6 guide.
Not sure it covers your driving? The EV Matchmaker checks a car against your own week, and the Used EV Finder shows what else your budget buys.
Sources & further reading
- BYD UK – Seal UK launch and prices (September 2023)
- Euro NCAP – BYD Seal (2023)
- GOV.UK – Check if a vehicle has been recalled
Founder of EVcarsguide. Web technologist and data specialist tracking the UK EV market.
