China's BYD, which is showing explosive growth in Korea's electric vehicle market, has unveiled a new weapon: the plug-in hybrid (PHEV) midsize sport utility vehicle (SUV) "Sea Lion 6 DM-i." Unlike typical PHEVs in which the engine does most of the work and the electric motor assists, this model puts the electric motor up front and center. I test-drove the Sea Lion 6 DM-i, armed with a value-for-money price of 37.5 million won, around the greater Seoul area.
From the front, the design concept of "the aesthetics of the sea" comes across intuitively. The long, slashed headlights on both sides evoke the fierce gaze of a sea creature. Thin horizontal lines run even through the central area with the air intake and license plate, giving the impression of slicing swiftly through the current. Past the sharply raised shoulder line along the side, the horizontally stretched rear lamps make the back look full-bodied.
Opening the driver's door revealed synthetic leather seats with integrated headrests like a sports car. The dashboard surrounding the 12.3-inch digital cluster and 15.6-inch center display was leather; it wasn't top-tier material, but it didn't look cheap either. Chrome accents on the center console and doors added a clean impression. Physical buttons handled the hazard lights, climate, and driving modes, and basic conveniences like wireless charging and USB ports were included.
The sense of interior space was satisfying. The wheelbase, the distance between the front and rear axle centers, is 2,765 mm, shorter than Hyundai Motor's same-segment "Santa Fe" (2,815 mm), but the second-row floor is flat and wide, so even an adult 170 cm tall didn't feel cramped. The panoramic glass roof of 1.085㎡ covers most of the ceiling, enhancing the sense of openness. All seats have heating and only the first row has standard ventilation, but it didn't feel exceptionally cooling.
The car lets you choose between "EV (electric vehicle)" mode and "HEV (hybrid)" mode. I set it to EV mode first and started city driving. Even when pressing harder on the pedal or suddenly lifting off, it neither lurched to a stop nor jumped forward, operating very smoothly. In EVs, pedal input is transmitted to the wheels instantly, so clumsy operation can cause judder, but it was hard to find that in the Sea Lion 6 DM-i. Switching to HEV mode didn't change the driving feel much.
Even though its curb weight is 1,960 kg—heavier than same-segment internal combustion SUVs—the vehicle overall felt light. It appears the suspension was tuned softly to suit Korean preferences. Even over uneven pavement, very little shock was transmitted to the body. A "surround view" button on the steering wheel, which shows the car from above, made it easy to get through tight spots. The lack of a head-up display was disappointing.
On the highway, with EV mode and sport mode engaged, the feel was distinctly more taut than in normal mode. The speed didn't build to an exceptionally fast degree, but it was respectable. BYD says the electric motor's maximum rotational speed is 15,000 rpm (revolutions per minute), comparable to a typical EV.
Once the speed reaches a certain level, the engine starts to deliver power in earnest and it shifts into HEV mode. The driving feel doesn't change much, but you can hear the engine, which is different from EV mode. The engine sound is not intrusive.
The Sea Lion 6 DM-i is equipped with a 1.5-liter gasoline turbo engine and two electric motors. The engine delivers a maximum output of 130 horsepower and peak torque of 220 Nm. The electric motors produce a maximum output of 204 horsepower and peak torque of 300 Nm. However, at certain higher speeds, the body shook and felt somewhat unstable. Wind noise from outside was also quite noticeable.
As a PHEV, its combined fuel economy is a high 15.2 km per liter. Under the Ministry of Environment certification standard, it can run 70 km in EV mode on a single charge. With the battery at 88% and the gasoline tank full that day, the total available driving range reached 990 km. By European standards, the range can be up to 1,080 km. It supports 18 kW fast charging, taking 30 minutes to raise the battery from 30% to 80%.
When using the driving assistance feature Intelligent Cruise Control (ICC), it was impressive that the car handled a fairly curved highway exit well. You need to keep your hands on the steering wheel, but ICC disengages easily with even slight movement, which was disappointing. Also, when using the built-in navigation (Kakao), the speed limits for each road were not applied, so there is a risk of speeding unless you adjust it yourself.
It also supports V2L, useful for outdoor activities like camping, allowing power stored in the battery to be supplied to external devices. In addition, over-the-air (OTA) updates are available, so you can keep vehicle functions up to date without visiting a service center. Trunk capacity is 425 L, and folding the rear seats split 60:40 allows up to 1,440 L of cargo.