BYD Sealion 6 takes the win in NRMA's mid-size SUV comparison against Toyota RAV4 and Mazda CX-5

An attributed verdict from the NRMA comparison

Australia's mid-size SUV segment has expanded sharply, and the NRMA's Open Road publication set three of its biggest names against each other on price, practicality, efficiency and driving dynamics: the Toyota RAV4 GX, the Mazda CX-5 Touring and the BYD Sealion 6 Dynamic Extended Range. After testing all three, the NRMA handed the win to the Sealion 6, calling it best value, with the most sophisticated drivetrain, a spacious cabin and a serene, no-fuss driving experience — a result the publication described as somewhat surprising, reflecting fast progress at BYD as much as legacy brands resting on their laurels. This is the NRMA's assessment from its own comparison drive, not a DriveAgent road test. ¹

The NRMA's verdict carried caveats for both legacy contenders. According to the publication, the Mazda no longer moves the game forward with its ageing drivetrain and platform, while the Toyota — remarkably efficient and pragmatic on resale, build quality and depreciation — feels like a modest facelift of the seven-year-old vehicle it replaces, and does so while charging customers more and offering minimal value. The publication's own analysis placed the BYD's combination of plug-in hybrid technology and price at the centre of that outcome. ¹

Price, variants and the $50,000 yardstick

The NRMA built its comparison around candidates priced below $50,000 before on-road costs. On the publication's figures, the Toyota RAV4 GX was cheapest at $45,990 plus on-road costs, the BYD Sealion 6 Dynamic Extended Range next at $46,990 plus on-road costs, and the Mazda CX-5 Touring the most expensive at $47,490 plus on-road costs. The NRMA noted the RAV4's higher GXL grade at $48,990 plus on-road costs remedies some equipment shortcomings of the base GX, but no GXL was available for the test and it would have exceeded the publication's $50,000 budget. ¹

Separately, CarExpert lists the Australian Sealion 6 range in drive-away terms from $47,182 for the Essential, $51,457 for the Dynamic Extended, and $57,642 for the Premium and Premium Extended, based on a Sydney location and including delivery, registration, plates and applicable road taxes. Those drive-away figures and the NRMA's list prices excluding on-road costs are on different bases and should not be read as a discrepancy between sources. ⁴

The Sealion 6 line-up spans three grades on BYD's Australian website. The Essential and Dynamic Extended are front-wheel drive with a 1.5-litre plug-in hybrid layout producing 160kW and 300Nm, while the Premium Extended is an all-wheel drive turbocharged 1.5-litre variant with 253kW, 550Nm and a 5.5-second claimed 0-100km/h time. The Dynamic Extended carries a claimed 0-100km/h time of 8.9 seconds. ²

Powertrain and efficiency claims versus test results

The Sealion 6 uses BYD's DM-i plug-in hybrid architecture, which the manufacturer describes as primarily electric-driven with the petrol engine assisting, switching between full-electric and ultra-low-consumption hybrid operation. BYD's Australian specification sheet quotes the Dynamic Extended at 0.8L/100km on ADR 81/02 test results, a 140km electric range on a 20-100 per cent state of charge, a 60-litre fuel tank and a maximum trunk capacity of 1,440 litres. The manufacturer notes such figures may not reflect real-world consumption. ²

In the NRMA's testing, the real-world picture was less dramatic but still the best of the trio. The publication recorded an average of 5.0L/100km running the Sealion 6 in default hybrid mode — ahead of the RAV4 hybrid's 5.4L/100km and the CX-5's 8.5L/100km on test — and found the 140km claimed electric range quite plausible based on its testing. The NRMA also noted the NEDC-derived claim translates closer to 100km in real-world terms, and that the Sealion 6's 1995kg mass makes it comfortably the heaviest of the three. ¹

Charging flexibility is part of the package. The NRMA reported roughly 12 hours from a household power point, about seven hours on a 7kW AC charger, and a claimed one hour on an 18kW DC charger, and highlighted the Sealion 6's Vehicle to Load capability for powering small appliances. CarExpert's specification data lists maximum AC charging at 6.6kW and DC fast charging at 18kW across the range. ¹⁴

Cabin, boot and practicality findings

On interior execution, the NRMA ranked the Mazda's cabin first for the balance of space across both rows and the boot, with the BYD a close second despite busier styling, matching the Mazda closely for comfort. The publication found the Sealion 6's second-row space the clear winner of the three, served by large door apertures and seats with reasonable recline adjustment, and praised its large open front cubby in the transmission tunnel. counted against it were a high-set window line, a marginally smaller 425-litre boot and the absence of a spare tyre of any kind — unique among the three test cars. ¹

BYD's own Australian page corroborates the 425-litre boot figure with a large opening, and lists premium cabin equipment including heated and ventilated front seats, dual-zone climate control with rear vents, a 15.6-inch (Premium) or 12.8-inch (Essential) rotating touchscreen, a 12.3-inch LCD instrument display, wireless charging pads on some grades, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, NFC card key access, a one-touch power tailgate on some grades, and over-the-air updates. The manufacturer also states finishes described as leather may include polyurethane or man-made materials. ²

How it drives: attributed road-test findings

Driving dynamics were the NRMA's main criticism of the BYD. In the established company of the Mazda and Toyota, the publication found the Sealion 6 comparatively floaty in ride, disconnected in body control — attributed to its heavier kerb mass — slower to regather composure over big undulations on rougher roads, and lethargic in changes of direction, with inert steering and an inconsistent, spongy brake pedal. However, the NRMA observed that in isolation these traits are far less noticeable, and by the end of its circa 900km loan the testers were enamoured with the sereneness of the cabin and the car's ease of use around town. ¹

CarExpert's independent review of the 2026 Sealion 6 Essential reached similar conclusions, rating the car Good and praising the plug-in hybrid at hybrid money, the upmarket interior presentation and the roomy second row, while criticising an unsettled ride, soggy handling, poor rear visibility, a grainy reversing camera and a small-ish boot. The two outlets' findings are consistent on ride and boot size, which strengthens the signal even though they are separate tests of different grades. ⁴

Ownership, safety and running-cost context

On ownership, BYD covers the Sealion 6 with a six-year/150,000km vehicle warranty and an eight-year/160,000km warranty on its Blade battery, with 12-month/20,000km servicing intervals and capped servicing set at $4549 across 11 years, or about $413 annually, according to the NRMA's comparison. The Toyota and Mazda both offer five-year unlimited-kilometre warranties with 12-month/15,000km servicing; the NRMA lists annual Toyota servicing at $325 and Mazda's first-five-years average at $435 annually. ¹²

Safety credentials differ across the trio. The NRMA notes the Mazda and BYD both hold five-star ANCAP ratings, while the new RAV4 remains unrated until at least the end of the year while Toyota makes enhancements to its passive and active safety systems. CarExpert's data records the Sealion 6's five-star ANCAP result from a September 2024 test, expiring 31 December 2029, with adult occupant, child occupant and safety assist scores of 88, 86 and 75 per cent respectively. ¹⁵

In broader running-cost terms, the NRMA's 2026 Best Value Medium SUVs awards placed the BYD Sealion 6 Essential PHEV sixth of nearly 30 contenders on a five-year total ownership cost of $42,654, with a notably small fuel and electricity bill of $1261. The publication attributed the Sealion 5 and 6 finishing further down the list than expected to higher comprehensive insurance premiums rather than running costs. ³

Dimensions

CarExpert's Australian specification data for the BYD Sealion 6 lists an overall length of 4775mm, overall width of 1890mm, overall height of 1670mm and a 2765mm wheelbase, with a 12-metre turning circle and 173mm unladen ground clearance. These figures are shown for the base model and cover the Sealion 6 range as sold in Australia; no mirror-inclusion basis for the width measurement is stated in the source, so none is inferred here. ⁴⁵