BYD Sealion 7 vs Jaecoo J8

The BYD Sealion 7 starts from $49,990 before on-road costs, while the Jaecoo J8 opens at $49,990. 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 $54,989 and $54,989 respectively.

The BYD Sealion 7 qualifies for FBT exemption as an electric vehicle, which can dramatically reduce the effective cost for novated lease buyers. The Jaecoo J8, as a petrol model, does not qualify.

Both the BYD Sealion 7 and Jaecoo J8 hold a 5-star ANCAP safety rating.

Where the two diverge is in active safety technology. The Jaecoo J8 packs more ADAS features with 9 out of 10 key systems fitted, compared to 6 in the BYD Sealion 7.

Both include the essentials: autonomous emergency braking, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, a reversing camera. Airbag count is 7 in the BYD Sealion 7 and 8 in the Jaecoo J8. The Jaecoo J8 adds a 360-degree camera that the BYD Sealion 7 misses.

The BYD Sealion 7 features a 15.6-inch touchscreen, while the Jaecoo J8 gets a 12.3-inch display and 12.3-inch instruments. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard across both.

The BYD Sealion 7 stands out with Dynaudio audio that you will not find on the Jaecoo J8. The Jaecoo J8 counters with head-up display, wireless charging and ambient lighting. Which feature set matters more depends on your daily routine and priorities.

The BYD Sealion 7 runs a pure electric powertrain producing 230kW and 380Nm of torque, sent through a auto to a RWD layout. It covers the 0-100km/h sprint in 4.5 seconds.

The Jaecoo J8 lines up making 165kW and 380Nm, paired to a automatic driving the front wheels. It gets to 100km/h in 8.5 seconds.

The BYD Sealion 7 has the clear power advantage at 230kW vs 165kW. In the real-world sprint, the BYD Sealion 7 is 4.0s quicker. For most buyers, the way each car feels day-to-day matters more than outright acceleration.

The BYD Sealion 7 measures 4,830mm long on a 2,930mm wheelbase, 10mm longer than the Jaecoo J8 at 4,820mm (2,820mm wheelbase). The longer wheelbase on the BYD Sealion 7 generally means more rear legroom.

Boot space is 400L in the BYD Sealion 7 and 520L in the Jaecoo J8, giving the Jaecoo J8 a 120L advantage.

For towing, the Jaecoo J8 leads with a 2,500kg braked capacity vs 1,000kg. That 1,500kg difference matters if you regularly hitch up.

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

Warranty: 6 years / 150,000km (BYD Sealion 7) vs 8 years (Jaecoo J8). The Jaecoo J8 has longer coverage.