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BYD Seal vs Toyota bZ4X
Selected trimDesignChange trim354 mi · 82.5 kWh · £45,730
Selected trimIcon FWD 57.7kWhChange trim276 mi · 57.7 kWh · £39,995
At a glance
In this comparison, BYD Seal leads on value for money, while the Toyota bZ4X leads on motorway range, charging speed and running costs.
Which should you choose?
Choose the BYD Seal if...
- you want the most for your money - best overall spec per pound
Choose the Toyota bZ4X if...
- you do long motorway journeys - it has the best estimated real-world range at speed
- you need the fastest charging of these options
- you want the lowest running costs - from just 1.8p per mile on off-peak electricity
- you need the best car for city driving and tight parking
How we reached the recommendation
Verdict
Our take
The Toyota bZ4X leads in the most categories, but each car here has its strengths.
ValueBYD
BYD
6.3
Toyota
5.5
Motorway RangeToyota
BYD
3.1
Toyota
4.9
Family
BYD
6.7
Toyota
6.9
Too close to call
ChargingToyota
BYD
2.4
Toyota
4.4
Cost Per MileToyota
BYD
3.4
Toyota
8.8
City DrivingToyota
BYD
3.6
Toyota
4.2
What each car does better
See the specification differences behind the verdict, with supporting figures for each advantage.
Key specifications
Compare the key specifications for your selected trims.
| Measure | BYD SealDesign | Toyota bZ4XIcon FWD 57.7kWh |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £45,730 | £39,995 (better) |
| Official range | 354 miles (better) | 276 miles |
| Boot space | 400 L | 452 L (better) |
| 10-80% rapid charge | 37 min | 30 min (better) |
| 0-62 mph | 5.9 sec (better) | 8.6 sec |
Size Comparison
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BYD Seal
Toyota bZ4X
Length
BYD Seal4,800mm
Toyota bZ4X4,690mm-110mm
Width
BYD Seal1,875mm
Toyota bZ4X1,860mm-15mm
Height
BYD Seal1,460mm-190mm
Toyota bZ4X1,650mm
Space, size & parking
Parking & manoeuvring
Compare exterior dimensions to assess how each car fits UK parking spaces.
| Measure | BYD SealDesign | Toyota bZ4XIcon FWD 57.7kWh |
|---|---|---|
| Length | 4,800 mm | 4,690 mm |
| Width (mirrors folded) | 1,875 mm | 1,860 mm (better) |
| Width with mirrors out | 2,150 mm | Not available |
| Height | 1,460 mm | 1,650 mm |
| Turning circle | 11.2 m | 11.2 m |
| Clearance in a standard bayA standard UK parking bay is 2,400 mm wide. | 525 mm spare | 540 mm spare (better) |
People & luggage
Compare seating, child-seat mounting points, boot space and towing capacity.
| Measure | BYD SealDesign | Toyota bZ4XIcon FWD 57.7kWh |
|---|---|---|
| Seats | 5 | 5 |
| ISOFIX child-seat points | 3 | Not available |
| Boot space (seats up) | 400 L | 452 L (better) |
| Frunk | 53 L | Not available |
| Towing capacity (braked) | 750 kg | 750 kg |
How each stacks up
Percentile ranks against UK EVs of the same body style.
BYD Seal
- One of 33 of 232 UK EVs in our catalogue with V2L (vehicle-to-load) support.
- 11.2 m turning circle, tighter than 85% of saloon EVs in our database.
Toyota bZ4X
Not enough peers to make confident percentile claims.
Full specifications
| Specification |  BYD Seal Design |  Toyota bZ4X Icon FWD 57.7kWh |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | ||
| Length | 4.80m | 4.69m-110mm |
| Width | 1.88m | 1.86m-15mm |
| Width (mirrors) | 2.15m | Not available |
| Height | 1.46m | 1.65m+190mm |
| Wheelbase | 2.92m | 2.85m-70mm |
| Ground Clearance | Not available | 177mm |
| Capacity | ||
| Boot (seats up) | 400L | 452L (better) |
| Frunk | 53L | Not available |
| Seats | 5 | 5 |
| Practicality | ||
| Turning Circle | 11.2m | 11.2m |
| Kerb Weight | 2,055kg | 1,870kg (better) |
| Towing Capacity | 750kg | 750kg |
| Electric | ||
| Battery | 82.5kWh (better) | 57.7kWh |
| Range (WLTP) | 354 mi (better) | 276 mi |
| Max DC Charge | 150kW | 150kW |
| Pricing | ||
| UK MSRP | £45,730 | £39,995 (better) |
| Details | ||
| Body Style | Saloon | SUV |
| Available | 2023+ | 2026+ |
Range & charging
Range, charging & battery
Check official and estimated driving range alongside charging speeds, efficiency and battery technology.
| Measure | BYD SealDesign | Toyota bZ4XIcon FWD 57.7kWh |
|---|---|---|
| Official range (WLTP) | 354 miles (better) | 276 miles |
| Estimated motorway rangeEVcarsguide estimate at sustained motorway speed. | 244 miles (better) | 230 miles |
| 10-80% rapid charge time | 37 min | 30 min (better) |
| Max rapid charge rate | 150 kW | 150 kW |
| Home AC charging | 11 kW | 11 kW |
| Energy consumption | 166 Wh/km | Not available |
| Usable battery capacity | 82.5 kWh (better) | 54 kWh |
| Battery chemistry | LFP | NMC |
| Battery architecture | 400V | Not available |
| Heat pump | Standard | Not available |
Driving & everyday use
Performance & drivetrain
Compare acceleration, power and drivetrain specifications for the selected trims.
| Measure | BYD SealDesign | Toyota bZ4XIcon FWD 57.7kWh |
|---|---|---|
| 0-62 mph | 5.9 sec (better) | 8.6 sec |
| Power | 230 kW (better) | 125 kW |
| Torque | 360 Nm (better) | 269 Nm |
| Drivetrain | RWD | FWD |
What the critics say
See how UK motoring publications rate each car in their road tests.
BYD Seal
Design
Toyota bZ4X
Icon FWD 57.7kWh
7.1/10
average across 6 reviews
- DrivingElectric4/5
- Electrifying.com7/10
- Autocar3.5/5
Watch the reviews
Watch selected video reviews here, or visit each model page for the full collection.
Reviews and videos discuss each model overall; the specifications above apply to your selected trims.
Prices & deals
Calculate your real costs
For a useful running-cost comparison, factor in your mileage, charging access and current petrol or diesel car alongside the EV estimate.
Compare with petrol or diesel
Compare purchase price, energy, road tax and maintenance with a petrol or diesel alternative.
Calculate company-car tax
Work out monthly Benefit-in-Kind using current and future HMRC rates.
Cost per mile
Compare EV charging costs per mile with petrol and diesel using your charging options.
Check a lease quote
Assess the effective monthly cost alongside the list price and expected depreciation.
Safety & ownership confidence
Euro NCAP - BYD Seal Design
Tested 2023
Adult Occupant89%
Child Occupant87%
Vulnerable Road Users82%
Safety Assist76%
Full result on euroncap.com (opens in new tab)
Euro NCAP - Toyota bZ4X Icon FWD 57.7kWh
Tested 2025
Adult Occupant88%
Child Occupant85%
Vulnerable Road Users80%
Safety Assist79%
Full result on euroncap.com (opens in new tab)
Warranty
Check the published battery warranty cover for each selected trim.
| Measure | BYD SealDesign | Toyota bZ4XIcon FWD 57.7kWh |
|---|---|---|
| Battery warranty | 8 years | 8 years |
| Battery warranty distance | 250,000 km (better) | 160,934 km |
What owners say
Aggregated from UK owner forums and communities - the things you only learn after living with the car.
Shared watch-outs for both cars
Owners of every car here flag real-world range. Worth checking on a test drive whichever you choose.
BYD Seal
Design
Owners love
- Owners rate the Seal as excellent value: equipment and performance comparable with Mercedes or BMW for far less, with no option-pack creep.
- It is quick (the Excellence especially), quiet and comfortable on long journeys, with good rear seats and space.
- The exterior design and well-built interior impress, and owners prefer the interior to a Tesla Model 3's.
Watch out for
- Driver-assistance warnings and lane-keeping are intrusive and often need turning off at every start.
- Winter range falls to about 200-250 miles, and 150 kW peak charging is only average.
- Too many functions are in the touchscreen, which can be laggy.
Owner tips
- Charge to 100% when you need it: the LFP battery is designed for it.
- Turn down the safety-system alert volume and set your preferred assists at the start of each drive.
Toyota bZ4X
Icon FWD 57.7kWh
Owners love
- Strong sales performance in key markets (second-best selling EV in UK early 2024, #1 in Norway and Denmark) with excellent lease appeal
- Spacious, comfortable interior with excellent rear legroom and well-designed cabin features like storage and entertainment systems
- Responsive driving dynamics with good handling that belies its weight, plus car-like agility for an SUV
Watch out for
- Real-world range significantly underperforms WLTP claims (150-230 miles on motorways versus 315+ claimed; drops further with air conditioning)
- Poor efficiency compared to competitors; atrocious efficiency-to-battery-size ratio relative to rivals like Ioniq 5 and Model Y
- Rapid charging severely limited by thermal management issues requiring only 3-4 DC charges per 24 hours, and performance degrades significantly in cold weather
Owner tips
- Look for aggressive lease deals and consider salary sacrifice schemes, which offer better value than outright purchase; aim for 24-month terms where pricing appears cheaper
- Install a home charging unit (like Easee One) and plan charging around home charger for daily use; limit long trips to 3-4 rapid charges per 24 hours with proper spacing
Buying options
Get a quote
BYD Seal
Used on AutoTraderLease deals
Toyota bZ4X
Used on AutoTraderLease deals
Live used listings
Active inventory from independent UK dealers.
BYD Seal
- £28,5822025Car360View
- £30,6992025Car360View
- £29,6822025Car360View
Toyota bZ4X
No active listings.
Frequently asked questions
Is the BYD Seal worth the extra £5,735 over the Toyota bZ4X?
The BYD Seal costs £5,735 more than the Toyota bZ4X. For that premium it adds 78 miles more WLTP range, 105 kW more power and a 2.7s quicker 0-62mph time. The Toyota bZ4X is not just cheaper - it also offers 52 litres more boot space. On EVcarsguide's combined category scores, the Toyota bZ4X comes out ahead overall.
Which is cheaper to own over 5 years, the BYD Seal or the Toyota bZ4X?
The Toyota bZ4X is £5,735 cheaper to buy. The Toyota bZ4X is cheaper to charge, roughly £144 a year versus £184 for the BYD Seal, at 8,000 miles on an off-peak home tariff. Add 5 years of charging and the Toyota bZ4X comes out roughly £5,935 cheaper overall. These figures cover list price and home charging only - insurance, servicing, tyres and depreciation will move the real total.
What are the BYD Seal and Toyota bZ4X like on a long motorway trip?
EVcarsguide estimates a real-world motorway range of about 244 miles for the BYD Seal and 230 miles for the Toyota bZ4X - effectively matched, and both well below their WLTP figures because sustained high speed is the hardest case for an EV. Both rapid-charge to 80% in a similar time, around 30-37 minutes.
Which is easier to park and drive in town, the BYD Seal or the Toyota bZ4X?
The two are within 15 mm on width, so neither is meaningfully easier to thread into a tight space. In a standard 2,400 mm bay that leaves about 540 mm of total clearance for the Toyota bZ4X and about 525 mm of total clearance for the BYD Seal.
Which battery will hold up better as a used buy, the BYD Seal or the Toyota bZ4X?
Over a 8-year ownership window EVcarsguide's degradation model projects roughly 90% battery health for the BYD Seal and 84% for the Toyota bZ4X. That gives the BYD Seal a modest edge in retained real-world range. The BYD Seal's LFP-type pack tolerates daily 100% charging, while the Toyota bZ4X's NMC-type pack lasts longest kept to about 80% for everyday use. Both batteries carry a 8-year manufacturer warranty.
Go deeper on each car
Visit the full model pages for owner feedback, expert reviews, used prices and battery-health information.
Compare against other rivals
Compare similarly sized and priced electric cars before finalising your shortlist.
More BYD Seal comparisons
More Toyota bZ4X comparisons
See both cars in our rankings
EVcarsguide scores every verified EV on price, range, family use and running costs. Here is where this pair appears.
Where the BYD Seal and Toyota bZ4X rank among the best family EVsWhere the BYD Seal and Toyota bZ4X rank among the best motorway EVsWhere the BYD Seal and Toyota bZ4X rank among the best city EVsWhere the BYD Seal and Toyota bZ4X rank among the cheapest EVs to runWhere the BYD Seal and Toyota bZ4X rank among EVs with the biggest bootsWhere the BYD Seal and Toyota bZ4X rank among Best Used Electric Cars Under £10,000 (UK)
If neither is quite right
Explore other verified electric cars that may better suit the priorities this pair does not meet.
Further reading
Explore buying and ownership guides to help you choose between these electric cars.
GuideBuying a Used BYD Seal (2023 on): Design vs Excellence, the Long Warranty & What to Pay
A used BYD Seal buyer’s guide: Design RWD vs Excellence AWD, the 2026 update, BYD’s 6-year warranty and 8-year / 250,000 km battery cover, real-world range, what owners report, what to pay (nearly-new ones are about a third off) and a printable checklist.
GuideBuying a Used Toyota bZ4X (2022 on): Which Version, Recalls, the 10-Year Warranty & What to Pay
A used Toyota bZ4X buyer’s guide: the 2022-2025 car vs the 2026 update, FWD vs AWD, 6.6 or 11 kW charging, recalls, Toyota’s service-activated warranty, real-world range, what owners report, what to pay and a printable checklist.
Data accuracy
Specs are sourced from manufacturer websites and manually reviewed. These figures were last verified .