BYD Sealion 7 vs Kia EV5

The BYD Sealion 7 starts from $49,990 before on-road costs, while the Kia EV5 opens at $49,770. That makes the Kia EV5 the more affordable entry point by $220.

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 $54,747 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 7 and Kia EV5 hold a 5-star ANCAP safety rating. Adult occupant protection scored 89% for the BYD Sealion 7 and 88% for the Kia EV5.

Where the two diverge is in active safety technology. Both models are evenly matched with 6 out of 10 key ADAS systems.

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 7 in the Kia EV5.

The BYD Sealion 7 features a 15.6-inch touchscreen, while the Kia EV5 gets a 12.3-inch display. 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 Kia EV5. The Kia EV5 counters with wireless charging. 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 Kia EV5 counters with its electric setup making 160kW and 310Nm, paired to a automatic driving the front wheels. It gets to 100km/h in 7.2 seconds.

The BYD Sealion 7 has the clear power advantage at 230kW vs 160kW. In the real-world sprint, the BYD Sealion 7 is 2.7s quicker. For most buyers, the way each car feels day-to-day matters more than outright acceleration.

Battery: 82.6kWh (BYD Sealion 7) vs 64.2kWh (Kia EV5), giving WLTP ranges of 482km and 511km. DC fast charging peaks at 150kW (BYD Sealion 7) vs 150kW (Kia EV5).

The BYD Sealion 7 measures 4,830mm long on a 2,930mm wheelbase, 215mm longer than the Kia EV5 at 4,615mm (2,750mm wheelbase). The longer wheelbase on the BYD Sealion 7 generally means more rear legroom.

Boot space is 400L in the BYD Sealion 7 and 460L in the Kia EV5, giving the Kia EV5 a 60L advantage.

For towing, the Kia EV5 leads with a 1,500kg braked capacity vs 1,000kg. That 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 7 years (Kia EV5). The Kia EV5 has longer coverage.