BYD Sealion 5 vs Chery E5

The BYD Sealion 5 starts from $33,990 before on-road costs, while the Chery E5 opens at $37,990. That makes the BYD Sealion 5 the more affordable entry point by $4,000.

Once you factor in stamp duty, registration, CTP insurance, and dealer delivery, expect to add roughly 8-12% on top of the RRP depending on your state. That puts estimated driveaway prices in the ballpark of $37,389 and $41,789 respectively.

Both models qualify for Fringe Benefit Tax (FBT) exemption, which is a significant advantage for salary-sacrificed novated leases. Depending on your tax bracket, this can save $5,000-$15,000+ per year compared to an equivalent ICE vehicle.

Both the BYD Sealion 5 and Chery E5 hold a 5-star ANCAP safety rating.

Where the two diverge is in active safety technology. The BYD Sealion 5 packs more ADAS features with 6 out of 10 key systems fitted, compared to 5 in the Chery E5.

Both include the essentials: autonomous emergency braking, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, a reversing camera. Airbag count is 7 in the BYD Sealion 5 and 7 in the Chery E5.

The BYD Sealion 5 features a 10.1-inch touchscreen, while the Chery E5 gets a 12.3-inch display. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard across both.

The Chery E5 counters with heated front seats, power tailgate and Sony audio that the BYD Sealion 5 does not offer. Which feature set matters more depends on your daily routine and priorities.

The BYD Sealion 5 uses a Plug-in Hybrid producing 156kW and 310Nm of torque, sent through a auto to a FWD layout. It covers the 0-100km/h sprint in 7.3 seconds.

The Chery E5 responds with a Electric making 155kW and 288Nm, paired to a auto driving the front wheels. It gets to 100km/h in 7.9 seconds.

The BYD Sealion 5 has the clear power advantage at 156kW vs 155kW. In the real-world sprint, the BYD Sealion 5 is 0.6s quicker. For most buyers, the way each car feels day-to-day matters more than outright acceleration.

Battery: 12.9kWh (BYD Sealion 5) vs 58.9kWh (Chery E5), giving WLTP ranges of 80km and 430km. DC fast charging peaks at 150kW (BYD Sealion 5) vs 60kW (Chery E5).

The BYD Sealion 5 measures 4,738mm long on a 2,765mm wheelbase, 314mm longer than the Chery E5 at 4,424mm (2,610mm wheelbase). The longer wheelbase on the BYD Sealion 5 generally means more rear legroom.

Boot space is 400L in the BYD Sealion 5 and 400L in the Chery E5.

Running cost data is not yet available for both models. We will update when figures are confirmed.

Warranty: 6 years / 150,000km (BYD Sealion 5) vs 7 years / 999,999km (Chery E5). The Chery E5 has longer coverage.