Considering BYD Sealion 7 vs Tesla Model Y – Looking for Aussie Owners’ Opinions

There are many comparisons online, facebook and on the official byd reddit. I have the sl7, it's great but the customer service seems to be lacking (haven't had a problem yet) and there are few reports of delays of parts and warranty. This is due the fact that BYD was operating until recently under evdirect which couldn't managr the growth. They took full ownership in the last two months and it will take a couple more to get up to speed. Undoubtedly it will get better, as the size of the company is massive (1 million people) and the amount of cars that are selling here. On the other hand, the affiliation with nazi germany makes tesla a company that go fuck themselves. On top of that, people will definitely judge you, as your new model y (which is easily recognisable on the road), came out after elon musk became the new spoke person for nazism. So up to you if you want affiliate with something like that.

I’ve test driven the SL7, picking it up this Saturday. From what I can tell from the Oz FB group, the vast overwhelming majority of Oz owners are happy, though some have teething tech issues. A few ex Merc BMW Range Rover owners noting their satisfaction with interior comfort. I’ve sat in the updated Tesla, I absolutely hate the ergonomics of it. Haaaaated it. The seat shape, the rear cabin spacing etc. I also hate the lack of a HUD or driver console. Why do I have to look left and down for speedo? Cannot fathom this design choice. Both cars are roughly the same length; but BYD’s prioritised the rear cabin for family comfort, whereas Tesla prioritised the rear boot space, I guess for the more adventurous use case? Very different and deliberate design choices playing out here.

I got a Tesla Model Y for just over a year. Has been flawless. From charging tech through to comfort and software. These cars have a lot more in common with a mobile phone now - software, and tight hardware integration is king.

We have had our SL7 for about a month now, it’s a lovely car. Comfy interior and a comfy ride. The cabin feels cavernous. Manage to fit a pram in the boot and still have some room for groceries. I can chat via DMs if you want to know what dealership to avoid in Sydney as we had an extremely substandard experience when looking at the car and in regards to the communication about the car’s whereabouts whilst waiting for it.

Have you considered other comparable models coming out in the next few months? Zeeker 7X and MG IM6 to name a couple.

I’ve been driving the Sealion 7 for a few months now and honestly, I’m super happy with it. The ride is smooth, quiet, and spacious — the interior feels a notch above in terms of design and comfort compared to the Model Y (which I test drove too). For longer drives (like Sydney to Central Coast or even down to Canberra), it’s been surprisingly relaxing. **Pros:** • Interior quality and seat comfort are excellent for the price • The infotainment and 360 camera system are genuinely useful • Good real-world range — I’ve been averaging around 420–450km • BYD Brooklyn (in Melbourne) where I picked mine up were great, but I hear Sydney dealers are catching up **Cons:** • Software updates are still improving, but OTA is rolling out steadily • Some features like Apple CarPlay can still be a bit glitchy • Boot lip is high — not ideal for loading heavy stuff I’d say if you're after something stylish, well-built, and value-packed, the Sealion 7 is worth the leap. Plus, the BYD community is growing fast here in AU so support and resources are getting better by the week. Let me know if you’ve got specific questions — happy to help!

Honestly that’s a stretch re Elons politics. Have you driven a Tesla ?

Pros for BYD include price, most of the functionality for less, softer suspension. Pros for Tesla include access to every charger in Australia (not just a subset like BYD etc access), superior ADAS eg autopilot, more reliable app, more frequent feature updates. Both are promising full self driving but I’m skeptical either will get there on current gen cars.

It doesn't matter. It can fly and pay me $1000/day. It's a company that can't be considered. Buying a tesla now and in the future will just means: yeah I saw that and I see what this guy posts everyday and I fully endorse it.

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I take it you feel the same way towards VW, Mercedes, Audi, BMW and Porsche?

Its mind-boggling, there are so many other alternatives for a ”concerned” consumer.

Correct, I put nazi last

I know, it’s demented. It’s just more hip and socially acceptable to hate Elon than hate China and risk being called a racist.

Has the ID.7 made it to Australia?

Just to be clear, you put nazism above chinas 21st century "communism"?

Im in the same boat as you and would like to change for an electric car I’ve driven them both a few times as well SeaLion feels like a upper end ice car. Tesla drives so much better though, but you’ve got the Nazi problem. If you can wait the Zeekr 7X is coming out shortly and it looks fantastic, I might have seen some confidential PDFs and price should be there

I’ll probably be in the minority since this post was made in BYDAU and I own a Tesla Model Y. 😅 The BYD may be incredible - I can’t talk to it since I don’t own one. I’ve had my Model Y AWD Long Range for about 10 months now. It’s the only car we have and we love it. We use it for the usual things that most people do on the daily but we’ve also been travelling around Australia a LOT this year. I’ve driven this car from Sydney to B Victoria, across to South Australia and back again and I’m currently in the middle of a 2 month road trip to Queensland. I’m writing this post from Winton in the outback. The car is incredible for long road trips. The range, given it’s open road highway speeds, is more than enough to get from town to town and charger to charger - even if outback Queensland doesn’t have many charging options. The accuracy of the range estimates is very reassuring and the car is genuinely comfortable for some really big driving days (8 hour plus days in the car sometimes). Camp mode and dog mode have made this trip doable with our dogs being able to chill in the car in 21 degrees while it’s 30 or more outside and we’re taking a quick break to eat at a cafe. The only gripe is suspension is firm to put it mildly and you’ll feel it on unsealed roads (we drove about 50km on unsealed roads between Richmond and Winton and the car handled it much better than I expected) but I believe that issue has been solved with the latest Juniper release. Again, I can’t speak to the performance or quality of the BYD and it might be even better, but I’m very happy with my Model Y.

Right but buying a car from a company supported by the Chinese government, which annexed Tibet and xin jiang, is imprisoning millions of xin Jiang locals as we speak, annexing South China Sea as we speak, threatening Taiwan monthly with military incursions, is the number one enemy of personal freedom and the west is just fine.  The cars are even banned in the US already. I mean if you don’t car about politics that’s fine, but don’t spout some Elon stuff and then buy a Chinese vehicle. That’s ridiculous.

Got to love a guy that claims one company is a Nazi company purely because he obviously disagrees with the CEO’s political views and thinks a hand wave is a Nazi salute, yet will happily drive around in a Chinese car brand that has had (and continues to get)an extreme amount of financial help from the Chinese government, and thinks his morals are aligned. Slow clap mate, slow clap…

You’ve missed the point entirely, it’s the 21st century genocide happening right now that is conveniently ignored by anti-Elon moral crusaders that is profoundly ironic. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persecution_of_Uyghurs_in_China

Nono, It's not ignored. It is still above nazism

Name one big car company not subsided by their own government

The majority of people don't understand this. Everything you mentioned is still better than nazism and elon's ideology.

The Chinese government is the fact in pointing out. Enjoy your slave labour.

Dude you just said a "hand wave", your ideas are the same of a 5 years old.

Yup, I just said hand wave. If you truly think Elon is a Nazi after his hand wave then you have some serious mental issues. Go drive your car and be happy.

Cool bro, join the afp

No, I’ll just continue to be a normal human, just like everyone else who is pointing out your hypocrisy.

I agree, but at the end of the day it's unlikely the byd car will be vandalised for political reasons. You run that risk buying a tesla.

Have you heard the man speak? Maybe just considered opinion! Anyway I hated him before it was cool

It was a nazi salute. He knows what he is doing, even if not a nazi. His government department was called doge for Petes sake! An obvious troll

Which ones of those are currently still endorsing Nazis?

Yes yes yes, Elon is a Nazi. You’ve made your point extremely clear.

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The parts issue is real. Delays of @3 months on many items. But if it doesn’t fall apart and you don’t crash it you will be fine. And all evs are depreciating at an insane speed so don’t try to sell it either.

AFAIK Tesla doesn't even have 360 camera...

Which one is worse in your opinion? China's treatment of Uyghurs or the Holocaust?

If it's just a hand wave, then do it to a cop in public.

All that is not even 10% of what the Nazis did...

Yes. As they're still better than the Nazis and Elmo.

It doesn't even come with LFP eww...

There are plenty of examples of people doing the same gesture who aren’t called nazi’s. Stop jerking yourself off.

This is one of the most moronic things I've ever read. And I use reddit daily.

Not sure which is worse - a clown who talks a lot (and mostly talks crazy rubbish) or government who has a proven track record of repressions (including but not limited to annexation of Tibet). I do not agree or support either but refuse to take in account any political associations/affiliations. Suspect one can easily find some unsavoury facts about any big business.

Citation? And don't screen grab.

Here’s a video just for you dopey. You can easily Google the rest. Now go drive a car. [https://youtu.be/55MtlRBXwU0?si=j25YGvwRJTxQMqze](https://youtu.be/55MtlRBXwU0?si=j25YGvwRJTxQMqze)

My feeling with Tesla not having console/HUD is that they were meant to have fsd by now. In that case even the driver is a passenger and doesn't need those things. The reality is obviously different and I found it infuriating to navigate through touchscreen menus for everything or to have to look at the screen for the speedo.

Yeah you’re right… I was thinking about this yesterday night separately and came to pretty much the same conclusion… The design choices that Tesla made only make sense if they’re going for like full autonomous driving where you don’t really even need to interact. For the current reality, which I also found out last nightthat you have to access the touchscreen in order to put the car in reverse… The ergonomics of driving the Tesla does not make sense to me.

The infuriating thing for me was having to navigate through menus to adjust the wing mirrors or steering wheel. In the end I went with a Kia EV5 because it had a more traditional car layout. If the sealion 7 had been around when I ordered my car I would've loved to test drive it.

Judging by the FB comments in this post, its a pretty close line call between the EV5 vs SL7 (https://www.facebook.com/groups/1737462746527033/posts/3990600464546572/) so there's not much in it! You made the right choice for that moment, no regrets.

I have a Tesla, have been an investor and advocate for many years…I won’t be buying another one anytime soon because of Musk foray into X and politics. Really fuck him and the US.

Test drove both (plus many others) extensively (multiple drives) before I went with the Tesla. It's just a better car, much better to drive in terms of dynamics, more efficient (I got the Long Range), better use of space, and better built, and genuinely feels an entire generation of car ahead in terms of software integration. But - it's more expensive, has a bit of stigma thanks to Elon, is quirky in some places, and mild frustrating in others (Only able to play lossless on Tidal when connected to wifi!) But even with my decision - I can totally understand why someone might choose a SL7 as it's a competent car, at a sharp price point.

It doesn't - but it does have a 360 view (car icon + line markings of the space) when pulling into a space. I've found it 'good enough' to easily park the car - but certainly not as nice as a full 360 camera would be

No I don't think he is a nazi

Sure sure

As mentioned by a previous poster, CarPlay is glitchy, has a basically unusable echo for the caller plus Siri commands are cut off. ACC button doesn’t work to turn cruise off. Connectivity has issues, goes to sleep after an hour if plugged in so you can’t turn on heater A/C etc. No OTA updates yet, no idea why. I found the Liverpool dealer and service to be not great

All of them built their companies on the backs of forced labour, courtesy of the nazis

You seem to have missed the part where that was literally seventy years ago and not right now, and as such is a pathetic attempt at whataboutism. Answer my question or stop saying irrelevant things.

Regardless, without Nazism those companies won't be what they are today. On the other hand, a socially awkward autistic guy performs a gesture that many other people have done without it being beat up by the media and the left, just because they don't like the guy and his political opinions (none of which seem to centre around Nazism or fascism). Tesla certainly isn't benifitting from Nazism like the other companies but somehow is worse?

So what? All those companies had to be tried in the court of public opinion most of a century ago, and have completely moved on from those days. He's doing it now. Your argument remains idiotic and deflecting.

Just what is he doing now that is so bad?

If I wanted to have a bad-faith argument with a total idiot I would... Oh wait, you're already here.

How typical, resorting to abuse when a rational argument isn't within your reach. Says it all really...

Which dealership was good to work with (buy from)?

I’ve got BYD SL7 today, thanks for everyone’s comment!

OP already picked the SL7 but keen for feedback on my thoughts as I’m making a similar call (but leaning to SL7) I own a 22 Model 3 RWD and considering MY RWD (latest model with ventilated seats) but it carries over most annoyances I have with my current car which are: - no dash/hud - no gear selector (that’s a new one!) - no shade for roof (have kids and they nap in the car often) - very few manual controls (we will be sharing the new car more than my Tesla so changing mirrors and steering wheel quickly is important) I test drove the BYD (haven’t driven Tesla yet) and I was very impressed by the ride and interior. The driver aids also seemed non intrusive (also have a Kia which dings at you incessantly and is very often wrong about the speed limit). Does anyone who owns the SL7 have any complaints about the ADAS (driver safety systems)? I’m looking at a novated lease and between the MY RWD and the SL7 Premium there’s almost no price difference with the incentives going at the moment. Keen to hear feedback from SL7 owners! Thanks

its not a stretch at all

the BYD controls are almost the same setup as a Mazdas - the steering wheel buttons are swapped around and the indicator stalk does not lock in being the only things that annoyed me. (on the seal)

Not sure if you've decided on what you're doing yet but I went from a 22 Model Y RWD to a SL7, delivered March. To answer your question regarding ADAS, a couple of complaints on the SL7 AU Fb group but I have no issues with the LKA or ICC. Now that I've had the SL7 now for over 6 months, here's my take on the main differences function wise between the 2: Pros: \* Manual air vents work so much better  \* V2L capability \* Auto wipers are better  \* 360 deg camera is fantastic  \* Automatic sunshade for the glass roof  \* HUD \* Apple CarPlay / Android auto \* BYD give you 2gb per month internet connectivity \* Stalks \* Initial purchase price is cheaper \* BYD warranty - vehicle 6 years / 150k kms. Battery warranty 8 years / 160k kms  \* Tesla warranty - vehicle 4 years / 80k kms. Battery warranty 8 years / 160k kms (premium), 192k kms (performance). \* Traditional door handles might suit some better \* Comes with 8a granny slow charger (no granny charger included with Tesla) \* Pedestrian warning system is softer compared to Tesla and there’s no UFO sound \* Seats and headrest position are much better Cons: \* No heated steering wheel & heated rear seats (if buying the premium SL7) \* No one pedal driving  \* CPD triggers for no reason  \* Staggered wheel sizes (premium SL7) \* No key driver profiles \* No walk away door lock  \* Floor mats not included \* Smaller frunk / trunk / subtrunk in the SL7 \* Manual frunk \* No OTA updates (so far), app and in car software is nothing to write home about. Apparently OTA is coming, but there has been some talk in the fb group that the original OTA slated for AU vehicles bricked them hence why BYD is cautious on rolling them out. AU vehicles are on 1.0, Europe and some of south east asia have received version 3.0 which addresses some software issues like ability to disable CPD permanently, turn off daytime running lights. \* No full tesla supercharger network access \* Servicing requirements & costs, though BYD have since updated their servicing guide to remove 3 month complimentary servicing (not that they did much to the vehicle) \* No true sentry, pet or camp mode \* Efficiency better in model Y \* Manual operation rear seats \* Service from sales, customer service and service centre has been ok. Wouldn’t say terrible as some others have experienced so I assume it will vary depending on dealer. \* Unable to set charge % (not really required for LFP battery) \* You can only set one charging schedule for the car - workaround is to install a smart charger \* Tbox (telecommunication) module issues - this controls app connectivity, inbuilt car navigation and OTA updates. I have been unable to connect to the car via the app since July waiting for the part to be delivered. Hope this helps. Happy to answer any other questions you may have.

Once you include servicing costs for the BYD, it's closer in price to the Tesla. Seems like people complain about servicing or things not working with the BYD. Doesn't happen as often with the tesla. I've had mine for 2 years and had no issues.

Hey u/GrouchyFlatworm1 , thanks for the detailed write up. We ended up getting the SL7 and pretty much agree with everything you put down. I can report first hand after driving the SL7 on roads I am very familiar with and comparing to my '22 Model 3 RWD and '22 Kia Seltos GT-Line: \- SL7 ride is soft (not sure if this is low spring rate or soft dampers) which is actually great for our driving (with a toddler sleeping when going over speed bumps and potholed roads), but I suspect if you were pushing it, it might feel a bit like it was floating and taking a while to settle \- SL7 speed sign detection is often wrong as it doesn't seem to use GPS data, only the camera BUT after coming from the Kia and having to turn stuff off EVERY time we start the car, we don't find any of the bings and bongs annoying enough to turn off in the SL7. In fact, I have only noticed the speed limit change ding which is really quiet \- SL7 confusingly has extremely loud assistant voice, which is already at its lowest volume setting of 5. For the life of me, I can't figure out how to get it any lower. I'm talking about BYD assistant and Google Assistant (via Android Auto) being excessively loud. All other audio levels are fine \- A lot of reviewers said the SL7 was very thirsty. After 30,000kms in my Tesla Model 3, I got \~13.2kwh/100km (90% urban/traffic). In the SL7 we're getting 14.5-15.5kwh/100km which is actually amazing considering the weight difference between my Tesla and the BYD. I can appreciate it might be close to 20kwh/100km on long highway drives but that isn't what we do regularly (not road tripping for the next couple of yrs and lucky to get AUD 8c kWh for EV charging so the efficiency/range isn't a concern for us) RE: "CPD triggers for no reason"  - haven't had that issue personally Overall, extremely happy with the car as it seems to carry over decades of what ICE cars have learned (e.g. normal mechanical door handles from inside for safety) but take the good bits of what EVs can offer (smooth acceleration w/o gear change jerks, air con with engine off for sleeping toddlers and parents!) I also really wanted to look at a Zeekr 7x too, but figured BYD might be a bit easier to live with (more service locations, possibly faster repairs if required, etc.)

Late to the thread but we evaluated both and ended with the SL7. I preferred the Model Y, but its a step to far for my wife who wanted a more tranditional driving style. She had to have normal indicators, normal forward/reverse shift etc. No regrets with the SL7, its a superb and comfortable modern car. My only issue is the front cross traffic alert is a bit too eager and has caused some unsettling and unwanted breaking when merging into traffic.

I test-drove the Juniper twice and the SL7 several times. In total, I researched 14 BEVs, and in the end the SL7 Premium came out on top for me. There’s a lot that could be said, but overall the SL7 feels like a superior package compared with the refreshed Model Y. In terms of technology, it simply offers more. The main area where the Model Y wins is the Supercharger network—apparently representing 17% of all fast-charging stalls in the country, making it the third-largest network, though limited to Tesla vehicles. When you dig into the details, I think the SL7 stands out with more advanced tech and a better overall design. That includes interior quality, genuinely useful tech features (instrument cluster, heads-up display, quad-zone voice commands, etc.), and certainly better value. As for resale value, my guess is they’ll end up similar (just a prediction), mainly because as a buyer I’d personally be more inclined to choose a used SL7 over a used Juniper. The German-influenced design language is obvious—the designer is a well-known former Audi designer now working in China—and as someone who has owned German cars for years, the familiar European styling immediately resonated with me. Even the Nappa leather alone is worth $5–8k, and there’s much more that makes the SL7 feel like a more expensive vehicle despite its lower price, thanks largely to BYD’s 70% vertical integration—yes, they even make their own Nappa leather. Tesla’s steering is a bit more refined, but it’s a minor difference for 99% of drivers. I also disagree with calling the Model Y a “driver’s car.” Anyone making that claim likely hasn’t owned a real driver’s car. The lack of proper driver-focused information (e.g., an instrument panel) alone disqualifies it. Meanwhile, the SL7 gets less praise for its cornering and dynamics—it’s pretty average—but some people treat “average” as “below average.” The Model Y has more boot space, but the SL7 has more generous rear seating, and I prefer that trade-off. SL7’s Vehicle-to-Load capability was even put to the test during the recent NSW blackout—you could power a lot of appliances for days. Tesla is rumoured to be considering V2L in the future, but even if they added it now, they’re four years behind. The Juniper’s minimalist design is essentially a nice label for cost-cutting. Buyers should think carefully about where their money goes. If Tesla removes equipment under the banner of a “clean interface,” then the price should be just as minimalist—right now, Tesla is charging a premium for less. FSD (Supervised) is one area where Tesla is ahead in terms of *release timing* (not necessarily the underlying tech). Other brands already have comparable or better systems in my opinion, but they’re being held back by Australian regulatory issues. Give it another two years and we’ll see more self-driving options. If you want supervised self-driving today, Tesla is your only choice. Just remember: the price should never be $10k. Mark my words, it’ll drop to $2k or less. BYD offers it for $0, and based on my research (though I haven’t tested it yet), their tech may actually be superior. There are definitely features the Juniper offers that the SL7 lacks, but I’d argue the reverse list is twice as long. The difference is simply public awareness—Tesla features are widely discussed, while BYD features are less known. Do your research. For example, Tesla’s Sentry Mode is great, and the SL7 doesn’t have that. But Tesla’s cameras are outdated, while the SL7 offers the best camera quality I’ve seen in a car so far, plus excellent software-driven features like 360° view, ghost mode, and real-time renderings of wheels, windows, and lights that accurately reflect the car’s condition. These features are genuinely useful in unexpected ways—for instance, parking somewhere and realizing via the camera view that you’re in a disabled spot because it shows the markings under the car. Overall, unless you’re a taxi driver who relies heavily on the Supercharger network, or you’re simply part of the Tesla fan club for emotional reasons, the SL7 is the better buy for less money—and honestly deserves to be priced about $5k higher than the Tesla.

US vs China as argument to choose SL7 vs Juniper?! To be honest, today's US appear to be more evil!! Threatening numerous countries of take-over (Canada, Greenland, Venezuela, etc) and extorting their allies including Australia. Being talked down every day, us and our politicians. I thought China was bad, but now I feel deceived. Thanks to Trump's honesty (can we call it that?) I can better see who's evil. With those views Tesla should be 100% banned. Perhaps only choices are european cars. BTW Japanese cars, they invaded many places in WW2 and attached countries inlcuding Australia and US yet 30 years later their cars became new phenomenon in the west, China is faaaar better world citizen compared to Japan. I have no affiliation simply being objective and tired of mass-spread hypocrisy.