I was at a restroom in a gasoline station along NLEX, taking a bio break during an 800+km media drive for the BYD Seal 5, when a Top Gear reader greeted me while I was washing my hands. We chatted a bit as we headed back to our cars. I said we were test-driving the new BYD Seal 5. His eyes lit up, and he asked if the Chinese subcompact was okay. I said it packed a lot of features for its price.
Reader said he’s been considering several Chinese car models, including non-BYD brands, as they usually have features missing in Japanese models in the same category. I asked if he was worried about resale value and other concerns regarding cars from China. He didn’t seem bothered one bit.
That conversation stuck with me, especially in the context of the BYD Seal 5 DM-i I rode and drove for three days to Zambales and Bataan and back to Manila. Sales numbers say that even with all the features they pack, Chinese carmakers still account for a drop in the bucket in Philippine automotive car sales. The top Chinese brand in 2024, MG of SAIC Motors Philippines, sold 9,016 cars; that’s barely 2% of the market. BYDs account for about 1% of vehicles sold in the country last year.
But you can feel the momentum. A cousin here, an officemate there, that guy you play badminton with—we know someone who has purchased a BYD recently. The cars are catching on.
If our reader represents a growing shift in consumer trends, this can be seen as a warning to the dominant Japanese brands. They have led the market based on reliability, reputation, and strong resale value. But in terms of features, Japanese marques have been known to be very conservative, forcing buyers into buying the top-of-the-line variants to get all the tech.
The BYD Seal 5 PHEV doesn’t feel tinipid. All the cars driven by the media were P948,000 base models. But the only sign that this was the most affordable trim were the thick 16-inch tires. There was no black body cladding or even a badge to denote it wasn’t the top spec.
Inside, the features you get at that price are generous: cruise control, rotating 12.8-inch infotainment screen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, automatic headlights, rain-sensing wiper, and of course that PHEV drivetrain. The long route planned by ACMobility, BYD’s local distributor, was more than 800km to highlight the Seal 5’s amazing range.
The Seal 5 looks classy on the road. It’s smooth lines all around, with a grille that has the right mix of aggression and elegance. Given the sleek body, the chunky wheels do stand out to finicky eyes. Although I learned that there’s a real ride benefit to having thick tires. Besides, owners can easily change them.
Most of our drive was out of town, so we traveled over expressways and provincial roads. The road surfaces were decent, and the Seal 5 rode comfortably most of the time. The suspension setup is actually quite soft. I was looking at another Seal 5 in our convoy, and with a full load of adults and gear, the car visibly hunkered down with the weight; when the passengers got off, the ground clearance rose by a few inches.
Backseat room is on the generous side, and quite comfortable based on the quality of my sleep. My large 5’11” frame was able to stretch out in the back, although I have to say my car companions were of average Filipino build; the front seats weren’t pushed back by much. For three people and their bags and gear, the Seal 5 was more than enough.
Despite the pliant ride, the Seal 5 was exciting to drive when behind the wheel. Most of this was due to the athletic electric motor’s 177hp and 316Nm. The Seal 5 is a series-hybrid, you see, so it is motivated by an electric motor but it has a gasoline engine solely to charge the battery—like the Nissan Kicks.
The power is a bit intoxicating when you think of the segment the Seal 5 is in. A top-spec 1.5 Vios has 40% less hp and less than half the torque. So power is instantaneous, making it easy to maintain a fast pace. And the brakes easily scrubbed off speed as well. Also, despite the soft ride, body roll was manageable.
Our convoy was led by former racing driver Georges Ramirez, whose company Ramirez & Cutter organized the driving. What this means is that we were not in danger of exceeding the Seal 5’s limitations. But our convoy was still fast ( within legal speeds, of course), and drivers had to concentrate to not get left behind.
Steering feedback was honest. The Seal 5 will not give you any untoward surprises through the tiller. What you feel is what you get. And the suspension did a good job of filtering out our bad roads.
With wireless Apple CarPlay road trips are easy to navigate, and music is easily accessible. The speakers sounded okay, good enough to set the mood you want.
I don’t get the rotating screen though. It looks impressive the first few times you see it. But I fail to see the point. And once it rotates into a portrait position, for some reason CarPlay stops being displayed. Had CarPlay continued to operate, the portrait orientation could have given the driver a longer map view of the road ahead. And while it’s an impressive engineering feat at this price range, how much will this screen cost if it breaks down?
And you don’t want the screen to break down either; like many Chinese cars, the A/C controls are housed in the infotainment screen. There are basic A/C buttons in the center console beside the shift lever, but the more comprehensive controls can only be accessed on the screen.
We finished our drive to Pangasinan, Zambales and back to Manila without having to refuel even once. An impressive feat, and a showcase of what the Seal 5 can do.
BYD has a long road ahead before it can run with the big boys. But with technology like this and the backing of Ayala’s ACMobility behind it, the future looks promising.
