Tag Archives: hybrid

Motoring

Sealion 5: A practical and efficient SUV

Leave a comment

BYD Sealion 5 Design PHEV

By Bill McCarthy

I first drove the BYD Sealion 5 DM-i at its UK launch back in January. A blast around Shropshire and into Wales delivered a favourable first impression of this sub-£30,000 challenger in the mid-size SUV market.

A longer, more immersive drive a couple of months later – this time tackling the twisting Cotswolds roads and the soul-destroying stop-start drudgery of a partially closed M40 – confirmed that view.

It was the perfect environment to reassess BYD’s. ninth model in the UK abd specifically the range-topping Design trim.

The compact family SUV features a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) system as standard, pairing a 1.5-litre petrol engine with an electric motor for a combined 212bhp (215PS).

Design and styling

Its generous exterior proportions deliver competitive cabin space, but let’s be honest: the ubiquitous SUV shape is hard to differentiate.

It won’t win design awards, but the signature ‘Dragon Face’ design – with full-LED headlights, slim daytime-running lights, and a full-width LED light bar at the rear – does at least give it presence.

The Design trim rides on striking 18-inch bi-colour alloy wheels, and an integrated spoiler for a more sporty look.

Priced at £32,995, the Sealion 5 Design undercuts many rivals while offering a wealth of standard equipment: smartphone integration, adaptive cruise control, lane keep assistance, automatic LED headlights, power-folding heated mirrors, parking sensors front and rear, a 360-degree camera and puddle lights.

It hits the sweet spot for those who love their bells and whistles – better equipped and with lower running costs than many rivals.

Interior and technology

The interior has a genuinely upmarket feel with vegan leather upholstery, plus powered and heated front seats. Head and legroom is good, accommodating a family of five in comfort. This model also adds ambient lighting and wireless smartphone charging.

The stylish centre console houses the gearshift and controls, with generous storage underneath. A 12.8-inch multi-touch touchscreen and a clear 8.8-inch full-LCD instrument cluster lead the tech. The touchscreen handles infotainment, navigation and connectivity via built-in 4G and BYD cloud services. Intelligent voice control (‘Hi, BYD’) adds safety while driving.

The bonus with EVs and many hybrids like this one is the Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) function – turning the car into a 3.3kW power bank for camping or or power tools

Practicality

A 463-litre boot easily swallows luggage, and the 40:60-split folding rear seats expand space to a generous 1,410 litres with a flat load floor. This model also features a powered tailgate as standard.

Powertrain and performance

The Design features an 18.3 kWh battery, extending electric-only range to 53.4 miles.That contributes to a WLTP fuel economy of 134.5 mpg and CO₂ emissions of just 48g/km.

Official figures claim 134.5 mpg, fine if you keep the battery topped up, but expect around 50-60 mpg in real-world driving once the battery is depleted.

Acceleration from 0-62 mph takes 8.1 seconds, with a top speed of 106 mph. BYD claims a total range of up to 631 miles on a full charge and tank.

The driving experience is generally smooth, with plenty of pace. Around town and at a cruise, it’s quiet and refined. But some Cotswolds’ steep gradients and the need for quick overtakes on the M40 revealed the powertrain’s character.

Floor the accelerator, and the engine emits a discernible, raucous drone under heavy acceleration. It’s not a deal-breaker, but push hard, and the 1.5-litre makes itself heard.

On twisting B-roads, the Sealion handles well. Stability and agility tackle sweeping and tight curves with aplomb – it always feels well-planted.

Safety

The interior is built around a comprehensive safety suite of active and passive measures.

That said, the lane-keep assist can be quite intrusive on narrow country lanes, and there are constant warnings to keep your eyes on the road.

For peace of mind, the warranty matches its BYD stablemates: 6 years or 93,750 miles.

Verdict

The Sealion 5 Design delivers a comfortable, efficient and usable package – ideal for families wanting one do-it-all vehicle without full EV commitment or hanging on to combustion engines. It’s competitively prices and look at that warranty.

Factfile

  • Model: BYD Sealion 5 Design PHEV
  • Price: £32,995
  • Mechanical: 215 PS, 1.5-litre petrol and electric motor, driving front wheels via single-speed auto transmission
  • Max speed: 106 mph
  • 0-62 mph: 8.1 sec
  • Combined mpg (WLTP): 134.5 mpg
  • Insurance group: 26D
  • CO₂ emissions: 48g/km
  • BiK rating: 9%
  • Warranty: 6 yrs/93,750 miles
Electric/hybrid, Motoring

Torres Hybrid a solid newcomer

Leave a comment

KGM Torres K40 Hybrid

By Bill McCarthy

In the crowded world of SUV rebrands, few have a story quite as intriguing as KGM. Formerly SsangYong, the Korean firm was bought out by KGM Global, which has spent the last 18 months launching a distinctive petrol and electric SUV, the Torres.

 Now, hot on the heels of the original comes the Torres Hybrid – and it might just be the one that makes people sit up and take notice.

It is not hard to see why. Inspired, say KGM, by the rugged, windswept landscapes of Patagonia’s Torres del Paine, this is an SUV designed to blend adventure-ready styling with genuinely clever engineering. Sitting neatly between the compact and mid-size classes, it offers bold looks, surprising practicality and a hybrid system that feels genuinely futuristic.

Clever hybrid powertrain

Both the petrol and hybrid versions have been developed with a clear focus on lifestyle appeal, but it’s the newcomer’s performance that really impresses. 

Under the bonnet, a 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine works in tandem with KGM’s Dual Tech Hybrid System to deliver 177hp and 300Nm of torque. 

That’s enough to feel quick off the mark, while a 130kW motor mounted near the driveshaft ensures response is instant when you need it.

While full electrification looms on the horizon, hybrids like this offer a sound alternative today, blending efficiency with the freedom of a combustion engine.

Rugged styling with quirky detailing

This latest Torres sports a bold, head-turning presence. Up front, vertical grille slats and slim LED headlights give a distinctly rugged, almost Jeep-like character, and its high stance drew plenty of attention.

On the downside – for me, anyway – the styling leans more decorative than functional: the rear tailgate mimics a side-hinged door with external spare wheel, but it is a standard top-hinged boot lid with the spare tyre stored underneath, while the bonnet features grab handles with no practical purpose. Still, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Interior styling and practicality

The cabin is packed with clever fixtures and soft-touch materials, with leather seats that are both comfortable and supportive. A long dashboard houses two joined screens – a central touchscreen for infotainment and a digital driver’s display delivering real-time information. The main screen, however, is not the quickest and some response times were frustrating.

Space is generous, with bags of headroom and legroom in both front and rear. Though it’s currently a five-seater, there’s so much room you could easily imagine a third row. Boot capacity is genuinely class-leading, offering between 703 and 1,662 litres with the seats folded – enough to swallow a kitchen sink with room to spare.

On the road performance

On the road, the e-DHT gearbox offers up to nine drive modes, and in town it runs in full EV mode around 94 per cent of the time, making it eerily quiet and refined. You can even drive on pure electricity up to 62mph without the range anxiety that comes with a full EV.

The 0-60mph time is a claimed 10.8 seconds, but it feels livelier than that in the real world, helped by the instant torque from the electric motor. That extra grunt also makes for confident overtaking.

Best of all, the hybrid’s ability to run silently around town, combined with efficient cruising on the motorway, makes it a genuinely appealing all-rounder – though official fuel economy of 33.2mpg and CO2 emissions of 194g/km are less than class-leading.

The suspension delivers a surprisingly composed ride. It certainly isn’t sporty and has some wallow on corners, which you would expect for a vehicle of this size. But it feels planted and predictable, while the responsive steering keeps the car firmly where you point it.

Extensive safety features

Safety features are comprehensive, with eight airbags, autonomous emergency braking, lane-keep assist, rear cross-traffic alert, and a full suite of driver assistance systems to keep you protected.

The petrol Torres is a solid, spacious, value-packed SUV with genuine character, but it’s the new hybrid that feels like the real game-changer – a clever, stylish and practical alternative that deserves a place on your shortlist.

Factfile

  • KGM Torres K40 Hybrid
  • Price: £35,995 
  • Mechanical: 177bhp, 1,498cc four-cylinder turbo petrol hybrid engine driving front wheels via six-speed e-DHT automatic gearbox 
  • Max speed: 112mph 
  • 0-62mph: 9.0 seconds 
  • Combined mpg: 46.1 
  • Insurance group: 37D 
  • CO₂ emissions: 139g/km 
  • BiK rating: 33% 
  • Warranty: 5yrs / 100,000 miles