2025 BYD Seagull
2025 marks my 10th year as a journalist.
As I wrote in our anniversary issue last December, this was really not my plan – in 2015, I was a freshman at the University of the Philippines School of Law, destined to continue a generations-long legacy in the field.
But alas, it was my law-school side job as a newspaper reporter, before the age of TikTok and influencers, which became my trade and my craft. Over 5,000,000 minutes since I left Malcolm Hall for the last time, I am still here, having been forged by the toughest print, online and television newsrooms in the Philippines.
And something else that has grown up with me is the electric vehicle (EV). Back when my waistline started with a 2, hybrid EVs were a hugely expensive and niche product, while battery EVs were little oddities that were often part of government research projects.
But with the advent of the Electric Vehicle Industry Development Act, EVs are now the latest darling of the local car industry, with every brand scrambling to offer electrified models at every price point. Just where does the 2025 BYD Seagull fit in this burgeoning market?
What a looker
Whereas most small hatchbacks look uninspiring, the Seagull loses no excitement with its diminution.
Kids and adults alike pointed elatedly at its Sprout Green form – its short snout featuring aggressive styling like the powerful, Lamborghini-esque LED headlights and grimacing lower bumper. Its height is accentuated by the enormous windshield and the upward kinks on the window line and lower door trim.
Even the rear is stunning, with its pert posterior emphasized by the relatively wide rear doors. The huge tailgate spoiler, wide LED taillights and faux diffuser give this all-electric hatchback an attitude that nothing else can match.
My only gripes are the 16-inch alloy wheels wrapped in rather strange 175/55 series tires. Also, those big doors may aid greatly in entering and exiting the little BYD, but these extend so low that you could bash into a gutter when you open these.
Fun for 4
Unlike the bright-green Honda Brio RS that I also tested recently, the Seagull’s seats are relatively high because the BYD Blade Battery lives under the floor.
This not only means fantastic ingress and egress, especially for older passengers, but also a commanding driving position for such a tiny car. I just wish that BYD included adjustments for the seat height and steering reach to better accommodate taller drivers.
But the cabin itself is fabulous – the blue-and-black motif is refreshing, while the standard leather upholstery befits a car at this price point (something the slightly cheaper Brio RS would do well to imitate). However, the hard and scratchy plastics on the dashboard and door cards make the Seagull an outlier among other BYD models with their upmarket accommodation.
The dual-zone climate control and 10.1-inch rotating touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are nothing short of revelations – the former can turn you into an ice cube, while the latter provides a clear picture, especially from the standard rear-view camera. But as with all BYDs, the number of menus can be dizzying.
Equally recalcitrant is the toggle-style gear selector, a la BYD Dolphin. It may save space in the petite cabin, but a stalk or even dedicated buttons would allow for easier and safer operation.
Nonetheless, there is adequate room for only four passengers. I only wish that the rear seats split and folded flat to maximize practicality, while the fairly high loading sill could make taking out heavy items a chore.
But I applaud BYD for giving the Seagull the best safety features in its class, particularly the standard front and side airbags. It could further make waves in its segment by offering the DiPilot advanced-driver assist system with its life-saving features like adaptive cruise control and autonomous emergency braking.
Electric pep
Even though the Seagull weighs about 300 kilograms more than the Brio RS, the EV is still faster off the line.
Combine this with the truly class-leading refinement and you would amaze even yourself at the sort of speeds that this little car can go. This is courtesy of a 30-kWh, DC-charging capable battery pack mated to a front-mounted electric motor for a combined output of 73 horsepower and an instantaneous 135 Newton-meters of torque.
All of this is controlled by powerful disc brakes all around (the only one in its class) that are operated by a well-weighted pedal. And with the regenerative braking system set to High, you hardly need to use the brakes at low speeds.
What could use some work is the suspension – the low-speed ride may be supple for a car of its size, but the excessive stroke means this little BYD tends to wallow over bumps at higher speeds. The aforementioned narrow tires also result in darty handling above 80 km/h that can be resolved with some wider rubber.
Energy consumption also heavily favors the urban jungle. The Seagull does 9.6 to 10.2 kilometers per kilowatt-hour in the city (maximum range of 280 kilometers) and a rather strong 12.8 to 13.6 kilometers per kilowatt-hour on the expressway (maximum range of 200 kilometers).
Nonetheless, the Seagull also exhibits the sort of agility that rivals like the lackadaisical and ageing Mitsubishi Mirage could only dream of – a composed chassis combined with light and quick (albeit numb) steering make maneuvering even the tightest of streets and parking lots an absolute delight.
Perfect first car?
With its introductory price of P898,000 as of press time, the 2025 BYD Seagull is the priciest of the A-segment hatchbacks in the Philippines.
You do get a lot of performance, style and features for the money, but you must be prepared for the quirks of the EV lifestyle (something I wrote about recently on the Inquirer Mobility website). Until more charging stations are available, the equally spacious and fuel-efficient Brio remains the more flexible option, especially when you do a lot of long trips.
Nonetheless, the Seagull proves that BYD has truly leapfrogged into the pedestal of EV greatness, all within the last 5,000,000 minutes. In fact, this holds true for the entire Chinese car industry, which once wallowed in the pit of obscurity and mediocrity.
I am greatly excited what the next 5,000,000 minutes have in store, both for me and this ambitious Chinese car brand.
