Slightly Shambolic SMMT Reviews: 2024 BYD Seal U 1.5 DM-i Boost PHEV - Lloyd Vehicle Consulting

[@DarkSphinxx]

I have seen a few BYDs out on the road now and i think they all look really good. I remember Clarkson saying we will all be driving Chinese cars soon and he was right. Definitely better than the lifeless VW and Mercedes EVs. Im betting BYD will become huge in the UK and im all for it - *almost* or very close to German quality at a reasonable price. We can get into the politics of how they can produce such a great product at a low price (government subsidies and what not) but at the end of the day we the consumers benefit hugely

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

It's too early on to really know what is going to happen in this particular area, I think.

[@DarkSphinxx]

@jasejj I don't understand the anti-chinese rhetoric. If you look around the room you are in now, a large proportion of it will be made in China and of great quality. You will have to agree that you have benefited hugely from cheap Chinese labour and subsidies. The legacy car makers have been getting away with giving us sub par products for years, so if they get out competed then it is somewhat their fault. China's car industry is very young and for them to be at this level already, it shows other car makers have been sloppy and just relying on brand loyalty to get them sales instead of a good car. Let me know your thoughts.

[@jasejj]

@@DarkSphinxx I don't agree with that at all. I look at the state of modern electronics in particular and all I see is utter, unreliable garbage, across the board. Badly made, borderline unsafe in many cases, and designed to just about last out the warranty and no more. And absolutely no way to avoid it because China pushed the better companies out of the picture. I have plenty of old Japanese and Euroean stuff from the 1980s and '90s, and it's still going. I am able to repair much of it, and you only have to pull the modern stuff apart to see how appallingly bad it all is. You buy your Chinese auto garbage if you want, I'm not stopping you. Anyway you're making my point for me. "Look around you, everything is Chinese". Yup - and soon enough that will be the case for your cars as well. Exactly my original statement.

[@TsLeng]

​@@jasejjso you are just saying you are biased against the Chinese. Or for a better word, racist. And it's fine because I sympathise with watching a nation you used to laugh at come at you hard, and you have no way to defend. A nation that was once humiliated by Britain. That 20 years ago, made absolute jokes of 'cars'.

[@jasejj]

@@TsLeng Oh dear. "No way to defend" - guess what - that ship sailed decades ago. Britain hasn't been a manufacturing force for generations. As for "racist" - why is it then that I absolutely welcome Taiwanese companies eating the West's lunch in far more effective ways than the "world's factory"? If it was superior Taiwanese, Japanese or Korean technology I'd be absolutely fine with it - they play the game with straight dice. I just don't like sub-par, predatory trash dumped everywhere This is politics. Race doesn't come into it.

[@shuttayerface503]

Cant argue shambolic review it is

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

Don't let it be said that you didn't have fair warning.

[@emrekara7587]

@lloydvehicleconsulting You drove both models, which one do you prefer, MG HS PHEV or BYD?

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

Have you seen the MG HS PHEV video? If so, you might be able to work it out.

[@mwheatley2365]

An interesting and well equipped option for the money but I think it may struggle for sales against the MG HS…im also not a fan of huge screens that aren’t integrated into the dashboard design. It will be interesting to see what the residual values will be on these in a few years time…

[@matthewwebb8206]

Having driven one of these yesterday and the New HS Trophy last weekend this is head and shoulders better to drive, more spec per £ for sure, the HS has No ambient lighting anymore, no sunroof, no HUD, inferior sound system, totally unacceptable DAS I won't keep going on but we have had 4 modern MGs but probably no more.

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

I found the opposite in terms of the driving experience. I drove a brand new HS PHEV a couple of hours after it, and the ride and handling of the new MG seemed much better resolved, whereas this seemed like a first attempt (much like the previous generation HS). I do agree, however, that the specification is absolutely vast, and the sunroof, ambient lighting, physical drive mode selector, HUD and many more things are some very nice features this Seal U offers for a very reasonable price.

[@ashb8572]

Can it preheat via app or schedule through infotainment system? Also does it have a heat pump to avoid the engine coming up whilst AC or heating is on

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

Gosh, I wouldn't know, I am afraid! I filmed the whole video in under half an hour, and barely scratched the surface of what this car can do....

[@badboy250984]

All BYD car's have heat pump and yes you can use the app to pre-heat the car.

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

@@badboy250984 , thank you ever so much indeed for watching and commenting!

[@wayneheyes4934]

I can see this selling very well in the uk and BYD could easily repeat what MG have done 2009-2024 given time

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

Yes, it could well do, actually. MG's sales success over the last five years has been extraordinary, and this Seal U is very competitive as well, in my opinion.

[@scottishcarenthusiastsandtrain]

Looks a lot better without the Build Your Dreams badge on the back. Does not look a bad looking car, again the huge Touch Screen Ruins it for me, but I do agree looks better in the horizontal mode. I have a BYD Dealer down near me which is part of the Big Scottish Dealer Chain with the Yellow Sticker. I may have to pop in for a look. An excellent review as always Sir, may catch you tomorrow at Rustival or give you a wave.

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

Yes, the central touchscreen is one of the biggest I have seen. I think it is a bit less domineering when it is in the portrait mode. Most manufacturers seem to be competing to fit the biggest touchscreen possible at present. I saw the Smart, sir, which is the very first car to appear in the entire series of the seven Slightly Shambolic Shuffle videos!

[@uhn100]

BYD not allowed in America as seen as unfair in pricing against American EV Hybrids Joseph looked nice though glad to say we survived the Hurricane it was downgraded to a tropical storm as it was passing over us so 70-80 mph and lots of rain power was lost for 6 hours which was good for us thank you for this video I though I saw some suspension settings on the display best regards Andy Allen.

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

Yes, I had so little time with the car that I simply didn't have time to play with all the settings! I heard that companies like BYD are not allowed to sell cars in the USA... Glad to hear that you survived OK!

[@pizzalover3]

Sir, it does seem rather well put together but she's hardly a looker! Thank you for the video.

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

No problem at all, sir! I barely scratched the surface in terms of all the features this car has, apparently...

[@yslee1401]

These PRC vehicles are also known as Temu Teslas and they have no resale value at all

[@KaisiirFlynn]

Tumanda ka na sa pagiging troll. Hahaha yan ba hanap buhay mo? Maghate comment sa anything chinese? Hahaha kawawa walang buhay

[@lloydvehicleconsulting]

Are you an industry expert?

[@dellas1986]

@@lloydvehicleconsulting anti-China expert

[@ensteffo]

See you are still dedicating your life to anti Chinese racism. What a sad life.

[@markus6664]

Are they? I've got one and the build quality is outstanding (and I've been driving Japanese SUVs the last 25 years) - I think as the reputation grows resale will be fine