Kia EV5 vs BYD Sealion 7

Compare these two on the same basis or the answer comes out wrong. BYD quotes drive-away, so the Sealion 7 Premium is $54,990 drive-away. Kia lists the EV5 Air Standard Range at $56,770 before on-road costs, which lands around $60,000 registered. Kia's earlier $49,990 national drive-away campaign has ended; the current September offer is a $2,000 cashback (or 1.88 per cent finance) on in-stock cars to 30 September. Even with the cashback, the BYD is roughly $3,000 cheaper on the road. Both still deliver a lot of mid-size electric SUV for the money.

Worth knowing if you are comparing sticker prices elsewhere: the EV5's list price sits above the Sealion 7's drive-away figure, so the Kia only wins on price when it is wearing a big campaign offer. It was, earlier this year; right now it is not. Check what is live when you go to buy, because this pairing swings on it.

Running costs are near-identical, roughly $700–$800 a year to charge at home over 15,000km. The EV5's ownership edge is its 7-year / unlimited-kilometre warranty (versus BYD's 6-year / 150,000km) and Kia's large, established Australian dealer network, which a newer brand is still building. Both have long 20,000–30,000km service intervals.

Both are 5-star ANCAP (2024) with the full active-safety suite, autonomous emergency braking, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, adaptive cruise and a 360-degree camera, standard. Both are well-built EVs with rigid, structural battery packs. There's nothing to separate them on everyday safety.

The EV5 is the practical, boxy family choice, upright styling that maximises interior space, a roomy cabin, vehicle-to-load power, and the reassurance of Kia's established presence. It rides a touch higher (175mm) and feels the more conventional, no-fuss SUV.

The Sealion 7 is the sleeker, sportier and slightly larger car at 4,830mm, with a more rakish profile, BYD's rotating central screen, and a plush, well-finished cabin. Both are five-seaters with usable space. The Sealion 7's lower stance suits its more performance-oriented character; the EV5's taller body is the more family-practical of the two.

The Sealion 7 is the clearly more potent car. Its rear motor makes 230kW and 380Nm for a brisk 6.7-second 0–100km/h, against the front-drive EV5's 160kW and 310Nm and 8.5 seconds. The Sealion also carries the bigger battery (82.6kWh vs 64.2kWh) and more range (482km vs 400km), and its rear-drive layout gives it a more balanced, planted feel.

Both charge at the same 150kW DC peak, so road-trip top-ups take similar time. The EV5 answers the Sealion's performance and range with a lower price, a longer warranty and Kia's support, and it offers longer-range and AWD variants higher up its range if you want more. The Sealion 7 also brings BYD's LFP Blade battery, which can be charged to 100% daily without degradation worries.