The same sentiment applies to the interior. BYD used to offer unexpected upholstery colours, but in the Seal 6 you find a sea of synthetic-feeling faux black leather. There are a few neat touches, such as the ridged rubber material on the dash trim, and the way the door cards flow into the dash (just like on a Ferrari 550 Maranello, eh?). The steering rim is also nicely sculpted and mercifully there’s next to no gloss black plastic to attract scratches and generally look tired, but nothing in here is exactly memorable. But perhaps that’s as you would expect in an unambiguous value proposition.
Switchgear? BYD has a strange philosophy when it comes to buttons. There are a few sensibly chosen ones in the centre console, just ahead of the two large phone trays. There’s also plenty on the steering wheel, but you still have to dive deep into the touchscreen for certain essential functions, such as the headlights and the heated seats. At least the centre touchscreen works better than in previous BYD models we have driven. It’s the first one that can’t rotate – a gimmick that we can’t imagine many people will miss – and is sharp and low on latency. When you use Apple CarPlay, the main shortcut bars remain. There’s also a configurable pull-down menu that gives you quick access to certain settings and lets you quickly disable ADAS.
As for ergonomics, the Seal 6 is almost as big on the outside as the Superb, though it isn’t as accommodating inside. Apart from seats that lack lumbar support, there isn’t a lot wrong with the spacious front portion of the cabin. However, in the back, the BYD’s 720mm of rear leg room is well short of the Superb Estate’s 855mm. The same is true for head room. The Seal 6 is not cramped, but it is a little smaller than expected and the high floor in the back, on account of the battery, makes foot space tight. Particularly cheap-feeling floor mats also result in a taxi feel. Boot space is competitive, however, at 500 litres (compared with 510 in the Superb PHEV), and it has both a flat floor and a pair of handles to fold down the rear seats.
A quick word on specification. Both trims are well appointed at this price, but by opting for the cheaper Boost you will sacrifice the heated steering wheel, a heated and ventilated driver’s seat, colourful ambient lighting (this does a lot of heavy lifting in terms of cabin ambience) and an auto-dimming rear-view mirror, not to mention the panoramic sunroof.