Mercedes A Class Limousine and BMW 2-Series Gran Coupe are the other two cars listed in this comparison.
BHPian Ripcord09 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.
Seal WORLD
What you’ll like:
⢠Good build quality coupled with very appealing styling
⢠Punchy motor offers fast performance. RWD variant’s 0-100 km/h time of 5.9 seconds is enjoyable; AWD variant’s performance is ballistic (0-100 in 3.8 seconds)
⢠Good high-speed stability coupled with sorted handling
⢠Spacious and well-built cabin with comfortable seats
⢠Useable 400-litre boot, along with a 50-litre frunk (in the front)
⢠Inherent EV advantages such as a green image, zero tailpipe emissions, low running costs (charge at home) & top-notch NVH
⢠We find the BYD Seal to be well-priced for what it offers
⢠Selectable regenerative braking and drive modes allow you to extract maximum performance or efficiency, as needed
⢠Sufficient driving range (approx 500 km) for urban commuting as well as the usual road-tripping with family
⢠6-year/150,000 km warranty on the car, 8-year battery & motor warranty, 6-year roadside assistance
⢠Features such as the vehicle-to-load function, soundproof glass, rotating 15.6-inch touchscreen, climate control with heat pump, panoramic sunroof, adaptive cruise control, electrically adjustable A/C vents, NFC key card, etc.
⢠5-star NCAP rating, top-notch safety kit & level 2 ADAS to keep you safe
What you won’t:
⢠145 mm ground clearance requires you to drive with care over large speed breakers & broken roads
⢠Firm low speed ride. Liveable, but not plush in the city. You feel bad roads
⢠Low slung body makes ingress & egress a challenge for the not-so-flexible and elderly
⢠No option of a lighter-coloured interior theme (cabin is full-black)
⢠Rear seat offers poor under-thigh support
⢠Most functions and settings are controlled through the touchscreen, which makes them difficult to access on the move
⢠Vertical movement over road joints can get annoying
⢠Missing features such as connected car tech, a spare wheel (in India!!!), wireless Apple CarPlay, etc.
⢠Poor rearward visibility due to the acutely-angled rear windscreen and large rear headrests
⢠BYD’s currently small dealership & service network. Even major cities like Mumbai & Delhi have just 1 dealer
Skoda Superb
What you’ll like:
⢠75% of the A6 / E-Class / 5-Series luxury at a much lower price
⢠Timeless, elegant styling with âbig carâ presence. Fit, finish & build quality are top class
⢠Awesome space and comfort, including at the rear. Beats luxury cars costing twice as much
⢠Classy dark-brown cabin is luxurious & practical. Cavernous 625 liter boot gobbles up big bags!
⢠Enjoyable 12-speaker Canton sound system includes a punchy subwoofer
⢠Insanely fun 2.0 turbo-petrol engine with 187 BHP & 320 Nm on tap
⢠Fast & improved wet-clutch 7-speed DSG (instead of the notorious DQ200 which Iâd never buy)
⢠Comfortable ride quality is just perfect for Indian roads
⢠Surprisingly easy to drive for such a large car. Driving experience makes us smile
⢠Loaded with features & technology. Equipment list runs pages longâ¦
⢠5 star safety rating & kit – 9 airbags, ESP, TC, ABS + EBD, EDL and lots more
⢠6-year extended warranty & 4-year all inclusive maintenance pack
⢠Attention to detail (THREE lights in the boot, felt-lined & illuminated door pockets, ticket holder on windscreen, boss button, triple-zone climate, rear headrests with outer support, request sensors even on the rear doors, umbrellas with a drainage systemâ¦)
What you won’t:
⢠DSG reliability woes
⢠Skodaâs notorious dealerships & after-sales horror stories
⢠Complex electronics & suspect long-term reliability
⢠Available in only one variant
⢠Single digit fuel economy of the turbo-petrol in the city
⢠The economical & practical 2.0 turbo-diesel is no longer available
⢠For the list price, Iâd prefer a RWD instead of a FWD layout
⢠No full-size spare wheel
⢠DSGs can get jerky in crawling traffic (between 1st – 3rd gears). Itâs an inherent DSG trait
⢠Sheer size means the car isnât really city-friendly. Good luck in tight lanes & parking spots
⢠156 mm of ground clearance, coupled with a long wheelbase and soft suspension
⢠Skodaâs sorry attempt at a (fake) panoramic sunroof & the excessive chrome treatment on the L&K
Toyota Camry
What you’ll like:
⢠An extremely well-rounded luxury sedan. Lots of road presence due to its sheer size too
⢠Spacious, comfortable & well-equipped cabin. Ideal for self-driven or chauffeured owners alike
⢠High-tech and environment-friendly hybrid powertrain mated to a butter-smooth CVT automatic
⢠Terrific fuel efficiency! 15 km/l or more in the city
⢠Compliant ride quality with sorted road manners
⢠Loaded with kit (amazing sound system, ventilated front seats, reclinable rear seats, head-up display)
⢠Top-notch safety ratings. Equipment includes 9 airbags, ESP & more
⢠Toyotaâs bullet-proof reliability and superb after-sales service. Camrys age very well
What you won’t:
⢠Weird front styling isn’t to everyone’s taste. You’ll either love it or hate it
⢠Not as much fun to drive as its German competitors (although it’s no longer boring either)
⢠A couple of missing essentials (rpm counter, Android Auto / Apple CarPlay, folding rear seat…)
⢠Back seat is better suited to 2 adults, rather than 3
⢠Just a single trim. No choice of variants at all
⢠Long waiting period. Over 3 months in some cities
Audi A4
Mercedes-Benz A-Class Limousine
BMW 2-Series Gran Coupe
Here’s what BHPian Sensible_Speed had to say about the matter:
I wouldn’t pick any of these cars in the segment. There’s a reason this segment is shrinking by the day. Cars like the Camry and Superb used to be bread & butter models for buyers looking for entry-level luxury back in the day. Today, they’re massively overpriced and don’t feel special enough for the money you pay.
The German trio have their own problems. BMW and Merc are too cramped and expensive for what they are. Audi feels like a badge-engineered Superb with higher maintenance costs. BYD Seal is limited by its powertrain for highway usage.
If I were offered a Superb or Camry at a reasonable price, used (sub 25 L), I would consider buying. Otherwise, a big NOPE for me.
Here’s what BHPian vattyboy had to say about the matter:
I recently had a disappointing experience with A Class and 2 Series, finding them overpriced for what they offer.
Specifically, if considering the Superb or Camry, but if I’m going to spend around 50 lakhs, I want a car with more badge value than just value for money.
Right now, my choice is between the Seal and A4. It’s a tough choice because the Seal has great range but could give me charging headaches on long drives, while the A4 is in serious need of an update.
Here’s what BHPian lamborghini had to say about the matter:
Living in Mumbai, with a family – the BYD is a hard sell.
Yes – it’s quick, which is good because I’ll have to floor it between speed breakers so I can tackle them sideways before the rest of the traffic catches up.
But if you aren’t able to do that – I can see this car scraping half the speed breakers regularly which coupled with its not-so-friendly rear seats becomes difficult to justify the car at home.
It would work if there were multiple cars at home, where I would daily it on good roads, etc. but after living with a lowered 3 series that required me to stick to known roads, and a generally low seating C Class in which my parents sit only when needed: it’s not for our house. If it were a daily with multiple cars available for family use – I’d probably be exploring some loud pre-worshipped options instead because I will be forced to convert to electric in the future anyways so may as well try and get the largest petrol engine I can find before then.
Here’s what BHPian abaliga had to say about the matter:
We own a 2023 Octavia and I would buy the Octavia again even if the BYD Seal was priced at par for the following reasons:
- Petrol engines have a character that can never be replaced by an EV.
- I cannot convince myself to buy a car from a company that is funded by an administration that has bullied my country and the world for long.
- As nice as the Seal is, there is a lot of uncertainty around it, long-term service, reliability, depth of engineering in terms of materials withstanding our harsh weather etc.
- EVs are not there yet in terms of doing 1000 kms per day trips, there is nothing like the convenience of filling up the car in 5 minutes vs a minimum 30-minute charge time (Not even considering the time spent on locating a convenient charger)
- Service back up for the Octavia exists throughout the country as of today whereas BYD hardly has a presence outside metros.
- If I had to buy an EV at this price, I would definitely pick the Ionic 5 over the BYD Seal, There is no comparison when it comes to service backup and peace of mind that Hyundai offers.
- Brand image is a big factor for cars that sell upwards of 40 lakhs and BYD is at a significant disadvantage here, until recently the general population was not prepared to shell out that kind of money for even a Toyota/VW/Skoda, However, Fortuner has single-handedly changed this mindset in the last 2-3 years!
On a side note, the brutal acceleration offered by EVs is nauseating and uncomfortable for many. While they may offer supercars/hypercars rivalling 0-100 times, I feel this should not be a huge factor in consideration while buying a luxury car (Sports car maybe), as an example, when I was in the States, I took a test drive on a Tesla Model 3 Dual Motor with my wife on the passenger seat, I had a brief drive of 7-8 miles and by the end of it my wife was car sick as I was trying out its acceleration for one or two quick bursts (I had a similar experience when I drove the XUV4OO in the fearless mode recently and I generally do not get car sick!)
Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.
