Compare the BYD Seal vs Kia EV3

A stylish electric saloon, and genuinely fun to drive
Carwow’s own expert rating out of 10 - how our reviewers rate this car overall for value, comfort, kit and driving experience
wowscore
8/10
Not built for corners, but built for big range instead
2026
Family Values Award
Highly Commended
Carwow’s own expert rating out of 10 - how our reviewers rate this car overall for value, comfort, kit and driving experience
wowscore
9/10

AI generated from our expert reviews

If you are weighing up these two cars, the BYD Seal is longer, more powerful and has a bigger boot than the Kia EV3. Out on a twisty road, the Seal is agile and fun, whereas the EV3 is not much fun. In town, both vehicles deal well with bumps, proving comfortable over road imperfections. You also get a front boot in both models with space to fit a charging cable.

AI results may contain inaccuracies. Please check the details before making any financial decisions.

'From' prices stated are for the lowest priced version of the car. Price may vary based on the selected version.

'From' prices stated are for the lowest priced version of the car. Price may vary based on the selected version.

Compare the specs

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Design 230kW 83kWh Auto Electric Automatic

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Air 150kW 58.3kWh Auto Electric Automatic

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Standard kit

  • Android Auto
    Mirrors your Android phone's apps, like maps, music and messages, onto the car's touchscreen.
  • Apple CarPlay
    Mirrors your iPhone's apps, like maps, music and messages, onto the car's touchscreen.
  • Climate control
    Automatically keeps the cabin at a set temperature, rather than a manual heater dial.
  • Cruise control
    Holds a steady speed on the motorway without keeping your foot on the accelerator.
  • Heated seats
    Warms the seat itself on cold mornings.
  • Leather seats
    Leather (or leather-look) seat upholstery instead of cloth.
  • Navigation
    Built-in sat nav on the car's own screen, no phone needed.
  • Parking Camera
    A rear (sometimes 360°) camera that shows what's behind you while parking.
  • Touchscreen infotainment
    A touch-operated screen for media, settings and (often) navigation.
  • Android Auto
    Mirrors your Android phone's apps, like maps, music and messages, onto the car's touchscreen.
  • Apple CarPlay
    Mirrors your iPhone's apps, like maps, music and messages, onto the car's touchscreen.
  • Climate control
    Automatically keeps the cabin at a set temperature, rather than a manual heater dial.
  • Cruise control
    Holds a steady speed on the motorway without keeping your foot on the accelerator.
  • Heated seats
    Warms the seat itself on cold mornings.
  • Navigation
    Built-in sat nav on the car's own screen, no phone needed.
  • Parking Camera
    A rear (sometimes 360°) camera that shows what's behind you while parking.
  • Parking Sensors
    Beeps that get faster as you get closer to something while parking.
  • Touchscreen infotainment
    A touch-operated screen for media, settings and (often) navigation.

Key information

Body type Saloons Body type SUVs
Available fuel types Electric Available fuel types Electric
Number of seats 5 Number of seats 5
Boot space, seats up 485 litres (4 suitcases) Best Boot space, seats up 460 litres (3 suitcases)
Boot space, seats down 1,300 litres Boot space, seats down —
External dimensions (L x W x H) 4,800 mm x 1,875 mm x 1,460 mm External dimensions (L x W x H) 4,310 mm x 1,850 mm x 1,575 mm
Towing capacity 750 kg Best Towing capacity 500 kg
First year tax rate £10 First year tax rate £10
Efficiency
Efficiency refers to how far an electric car travels on a given amount of energy, based on official tests. It is measured in miles per kilowatt-hour (mi/kWh).
3.7 miles / kWh
Efficiency
Efficiency refers to how far an electric car travels on a given amount of energy, based on official tests. It is measured in miles per kilowatt-hour (mi/kWh).
4.1 miles / kWh Best
Battery range
This refers to how many miles an electric car can complete on a fully charged battery, according to official tests.
354 miles Best
Battery range
This refers to how many miles an electric car can complete on a fully charged battery, according to official tests.
270 miles
Battery size 82.5 kWh Best Battery size 58.3 kWh
Drive type Rear wheel drive Drive type Front wheel drive
Insurance
The insurance group the car sits in, from 1 to 50. The lower the group, the cheaper it usually is to insure.
Group 48 · very high
Insurance
The insurance group the car sits in, from 1 to 50. The lower the group, the cheaper it usually is to insure.
Group 33 · high Best
View full specs Hide full specs

Drivetrain & power

Engine name 230kW 83kWh Auto Engine name 150kW 58.3kWh Auto
Engine size Electric • 312 BHP Engine size Electric • 201 BHP
Body type Saloons Body type SUVs
Fuel type Electric Fuel type Electric
Transmission Automatic Transmission Automatic
Drive type Rear wheel drive Drive type Front wheel drive
Forward gears 1 Forward gears 1
Acceleration 5.9 s (0-60 mph) Best Acceleration 7.5 s (0-60 mph)
Battery size 82.5 kWh Best Battery size 58.3 kWh
Battery range
This refers to how many miles an electric car can complete on a fully charged battery, according to official tests.
354 miles Best
Battery range
This refers to how many miles an electric car can complete on a fully charged battery, according to official tests.
270 miles

Dimensions & space

Number of seats 5 Number of seats 5
Number of doors 4 Number of doors 5
Boot (seats up) 485 litres Best Boot (seats up) 460 litres
Boot (seats down) 1,300 litres Boot (seats down) —
Length 4,800 mm Length 4,310 mm
Width 1,875 mm Width 1,850 mm
Height 1,460 mm Height 1,575 mm
Wheelbase 2.92 m Wheelbase —
Turning circle 11.4 m Turning circle 10.4 m

Full features list

  • Additional Metallic paint
  • Nappa leather - Tahiti blue
  • Nappa leather - Black
  • 3x3 point rear seatbelts
  • Anti-lock brake system
  • Automatic emergency braking system
  • Direct Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems
  • Door open warning
  • Driver airbag
  • Electric parking brake with auto hold function
  • Electronic Stability Programme
  • Electronic child safety lock
  • Electronic parking brake
  • Front and rear curtain airbags
  • Front and rear seat belt warning
  • Front drilled ventilated disc
  • Front fixed calipers
  • Front passenger airbag
  • Front passenger airbag deactivation
  • Front side airbags
  • Height adjustable front seatbelts + pretensioners
  • Hill start assist control (HAC)
  • Rear seat belt pretensioners
  • Rear side airbags
  • Rear ventilated disc
  • Reflective vest
  • Traction control system (TCS)
  • Vehicle Dynamics Control System (VDC)
  • 2 x Smart keys
  • Alarm
  • Immobiliser
  • Smartphone bluetooth key and smartphone NFC key
  • 12V power outlet
  • 2 x front and 2 x rear cup holders
  • 3 seat rear bench
  • Auto air conditioning with dual air conditioning zone
  • Double layer foot mats
  • Driver and passenger visors with illuminated vanity mirrors
  • Driver seat 8 way electric adjustment with position memory/4 way electric lumbar support adjustment/ventilation and memorized adjustment
  • Foot and face rear air vent
  • Front and rear centre armrest
  • Front passenger seat 6 way electric adjustment and ventilation
  • Heat pump
  • Heated front seats
  • Heated steering wheel
  • Height and reach adjustable steering wheel
  • ISOFIX on front passenger and rear outer seats
  • Integrated headrest in front seats
  • Knitted fabric car roof lining
  • Leather multifunction steering wheel
  • Manual adjustment of rear headrests
  • Metal side sill plate
  • Multi-colour gradient ambient light in all doors, dashboard and front foot space
  • Nappa leather upholstery
  • Negative-ion generator
  • PM2.5 air filter
  • Single front passenger seat
  • Split folding rear seats - 40/60
  • Tailgate light, glove box light, LED front reading light/LED rear reading light and door lights
  • 10.25" LCD main dashboard display
  • 15.6" Horizontal touchscreen
  • 2 x front parking radar
  • 360 camera
  • 4 x Rear parking radar
  • Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) and Intelligent Cruise Control (ICC)
  • Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
  • Automatic vehicle hold
  • BYD voice control assistant "Hi, BYD"
  • Blind spot detection
  • Child Forgetting Detection
  • Cloud service - BYD APP
  • Comfort brake system
  • Drive mode select (Eco, normal, sport, snow)
  • Driver attention warning
  • Driver monitor system (DMS)
  • Electric tailgate release
  • Emergency Lane Keeping Assist (ELKA)
  • Forward collision warning
  • Front cross traffic alert and front cross traffic brake
  • Hydraulic boost brake system and brake assist
  • Intelligent Power Braking System
  • Intelligent Speed Limit Information (ISLI) and Intelligent Speed Limit Control (ISLC)
  • Internet access
  • Keyless system entry and start
  • Lane Departure Assistant (LDA) and Lane Departure Warning (LDW)
  • Navigation system
  • OTA Function
  • Parking brake deceleration control
  • Power assisted steering
  • Predictive collision warning
  • Rear collision warning
  • Rear cross traffic alert and rear cross traffic brake
  • Remote climate control and ignition
  • Traffic jam assist
  • Traffic sign recognition (TSR)
  • Wireless charging 15W (2 units)
  • e-Call (emergency call)
  • Automatic anti-glare interior rear-view mirror
  • Automatic headlights
  • Body colour bumpers
  • Cut-through and dynamic rear taillights
  • Electric adjustment and defrosting, reverse auto-tilt, electric automatic folding, position memory, side turn lamp, foot light/blind spot indicator
  • Electric heated defroster rear windshield
  • Electric hidden door handle
  • Follow me home headlights (The headlights turned on in advance and delayed off function)
  • Front and rear electric windows
  • Front boot
  • Front trunk (72L)
  • High beam assist
  • LED Headlights
  • LED daytime running lights
  • LED rear lights
  • LED third brake light
  • License plate light
  • Metallic paint
  • Panoramic roof
  • Rain sensor windscreen wipers
  • Rear boot
  • Rear foglight
  • Rear side wing doors
  • Thermal insulation privacy glass rear door windows
  • Thermal insulation, sound proofing and double glazed front door windows
  • Towing hook
  • 19" Twin colour aluminium alloy wheel with 235/45 R19 tyres
  • Tyre repair kit
  • 11kW on board charger
  • Mode 2 charging cable - Type G
  • Mode 3 Type 2 charging cable (3 phase)
  • V2L (Vehicle to load)
  • Slush-molding plastic dashboard
  • 12 speaker Dynaudio Sound System
  • FM/DAB+ radio
  • USB 1 x Type-A (18W) + 1 x Type-C (60W) front
  • USB 1 x Type-A (18W) + 1 x Type-C (60W) rear
  • Cloth - Grey
  • Premium paint
  • 1 x Front 12V socket
  • 2 Spoke artificial leather steering wheel
  • 3 bench rear seats in 2nd row
  • 3 rear headrests
  • 60:40 Split folding rear seats
  • Air styling with blue accents
  • All-round height adjustable headrests
  • Automatic air conditioning
  • Centre console with underneath storage
  • Cloth upholstery
  • Driver and passenger sunvisors with vanity mirrors
  • E-Shift Column Gear Selector
  • Front and rear door storage
  • Front cabin LED light
  • Glovebox
  • Grey headlining
  • Heated front seats
  • Heated steering wheel
  • ISOFIX rear child seat top tethers and anchor fixings
  • LED luggage area lights
  • Luggage board
  • Luggage compartment load cover
  • Luggage compartment parcel shelf
  • Luggage net with hooks
  • Manual adjustable driver and front passenger seat
  • Manual tilt/height adjustable steering wheel
  • Rear cabin LED light
  • Rear centre armrest with cupholder
  • Single front passenger seat
  • Under floor storage in luggage area
  • Customisable automatic door locking
  • Customisable automatic door unlocking
  • Engine Start/Stop Button with Smart Entry System
  • Locking wheel nuts
  • Manual child locks
  • Rear occupant alert
  • Smart key with motion sensor
  • Thatcham category 1 security alarm and immobiliser with interior protection
  • Visible vehicle identification number
  • Automatic defog system
  • Automatic headlight control system
  • Black side sills
  • Black wheel arches
  • Black window surrounds
  • Body coloured bumpers
  • Body coloured door mirrors
  • Electric front windows/one touch facility
  • Electrically folding/adjustable/heated door mirrors with LED indicators
  • Flush door handles
  • Frunk
  • Gloss black roof rails
  • Heated rear window
  • LED Headlights
  • LED daytime running lights
  • LED high mounted brake lights
  • LED rear fog lights
  • LED rear lights
  • Rain sensing front wipers
  • Rear side wing doors
  • Rear spoiler
  • Rear wiper
  • Solar glass windscreen
  • Solid paint
  • All round 3-point seatbelts
  • Anti-Lock braking system with emergency stop signalling
  • Curtain airbags
  • Downhill brake control
  • Electric parking brake with auto hold function
  • Electronic stability control
  • Front airbags
  • Front passenger airbag cut-off switch
  • Height adjustable front seatbelts
  • Hill start assist control (HAC)
  • Multi collision brake assist
  • Rear airbags
  • Regenerative braking paddle shifter with iPedal functionality
  • Seatbelt reminder warning
  • Side airbags
  • Tyre pressure monitoring system
  • Vehicle stability management
  • 17" Alloy wheels
  • Tyre mobility kit
  • 12.3" Driver display screen
  • 12.3" Touchscreen navigation system
  • 5.3" Climate control touchscreen
  • Blind spot collision avoidance assist (BCA)
  • Bluetooth connectivity
  • Drive mode select (Eco, normal, sport, snow and Mydrive)
  • Driver attention warning
  • E-call
  • Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (FCA) 2.0 - City/Pedestrian/Cyclist/Junction turning and junction crossing
  • Front parking sensors
  • Highway Driving Assist 2 with hand-on detection (HDA2 w HOD)
  • Intelligent speed limit assist (ISLA)
  • Lane Follow assist 2.0 with hands-On detection
  • Lane keep assist
  • Over air updates (OTA)
  • Power assist steering
  • Rear parking sensors
  • Rear-Cross traffic collision avoidance assist
  • Reversing camera system
  • Safe exit warning (SEW)
  • Smart cruise control 2.0 with stop and go functionality
  • Speed limiter
  • Wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto
  • 1x USB-C port in front
  • 2 USB-C charge ports in rear
  • 6 speaker audio system
  • USB-C port for connection of a media device
  • Type 2 charging cable

'From' prices stated are for the lowest priced version of the car. Price may vary based on the selected version.

'From' prices stated are for the lowest priced version of the car. Price may vary based on the selected version.

*Please contact the dealer for a personalised quote, including terms and conditions. Quote is subject to dealer requirements, including status and availability. Illustrations are based on personal contract hire, 9 month upfront fee, 48 month term and 8000 miles annually, VAT included.