BYD Sealion 5 vs Toyota HiLux

The BYD Sealion 5 starts from $33,990 before on-road costs, while the Toyota HiLux opens at $33,990. Both land at the same RRP, so on-road costs and dealer deals become the real differentiator.

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 $37,389 respectively.

The BYD Sealion 5 qualifies for FBT exemption as an electric vehicle, which can dramatically reduce the effective cost for novated lease buyers. The Toyota HiLux, as a petrol model, does not qualify.

Over 5 years, the running costs favour the BYD Sealion 5 by roughly $9,325 in fuel alone.

ANCAP safety ratings have not been published for both models yet. We will update this section when crash test results are available.

How long each takes to charge, from a household power point to ultra-rapid DC, estimated from battery size and max charge rates.

The BYD Sealion 5 features a 10.1-inch touchscreen paired with a 8.8-inch digital dash, while the Toyota HiLux gets a 12.3-inch display and 7-inch instruments. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard across both.

Interior trim differs: the BYD Sealion 5 gets synthetic leather upholstery while the Toyota HiLux offers cloth.

The BYD Sealion 5 uses a Plug-in Hybrid producing 156kW and 300Nm of torque, sent through a auto to a FWD layout. It covers the 0-100km/h sprint in 7.7 seconds.

The Toyota HiLux responds with a 2.8L 4-cyl Turbo-Diesel making 150kW and 420Nm, paired to a manual driving the rear wheels. It gets to 100km/h in 10.2 seconds.

The BYD Sealion 5 has the clear power advantage at 156kW vs 150kW. In the real-world sprint, the BYD Sealion 5 is 2.5s quicker. For most buyers, the way each car feels day-to-day matters more than outright acceleration.

The BYD Sealion 5 measures 4,738mm long on a 2,712mm wheelbase, 642mm shorter than the Toyota HiLux at 5,380mm (3,085mm wheelbase). The longer wheelbase on the Toyota HiLux generally means more rear legroom.

For towing, the Toyota HiLux leads with a 2,900kg braked capacity vs 750kg. That 2,150kg difference matters if you regularly hitch up.

Based on 15,000km of annual driving, fuel costs roughly $216/year for the BYD Sealion 5 and $2,081/year for the Toyota HiLux. That is a $1,865 annual difference in favour of the BYD Sealion 5.

Estimated annual total: $216 (BYD Sealion 5) vs $2,081 (Toyota HiLux). The BYD Sealion 5 saves you roughly $1,865 per year in total ownership costs. Use our Fuel Cost Calculator to estimate based on your driving.

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