BYD Sealion 5 vs Chery Tiggo 7 vs Geely Starray: which is the right Chinese PHEV for you?

The explosion of new Chinese cars — most of them SUVs — on British roads has created an opportunity for some serious bargain hunting. While we’d rarely, if ever, describe any of these newcomers as much fun to drive, they can be exceptionally well-priced, well-equipped, and come with lengthy warranties.

Telling them apart can be the hard part. Not just in terms of style — although in fairness, you’d not quite describe these three as being identical triplets — but in terms of what they can do and how much they cost. BYD, Geely, and Chery are three very definitely separate companies, and in fact in their home Chinese market they’re fighting like cats for market supremacy, but here in the UK they’ve priced their new plug-in hybrid Sealion 5, Tiggo 7, and Starray within a £5 sliver of one another.

So, which one of them is actually better? Clearly, if we can’t separate them on price — and surely you could ask any of the three dealers to price match when the gap is only £5 — then we’ll have to try and find some definitive gap between the three in qualitative terms. But which one — BYD Sealion 5, Chery Tiggo 7, or Geely Starray — is actually the best?

Remember, you can buy a brand new or used car right here on Carwow. And you can sell your car, too. We’re here to help you through every step of your car-changing journey.

BYD Sealion 5 vs Chery Tiggo 7 vs Geely Starray: design

None of these three SUVs are breaking any new styling ground — in fact, they’re mostly borrowing from others, but equally none of them is what you’d call ugly. They’re just a bit tricky to remember.

BYD’s aquatically-named model lineup is getting more confusing by the day, and the Sealion 5 doesn’t help matters by looking nothing at all like the larger, sleeker, all-electric Sealion 7. In fact, the Sealion 5 doesn’t look like anything much at all, which is to say that it also looks like almost anything else. There’s a bit of Suzuki in the styling from some angles, a touch of Toyota here and there, maybe a tiny bit of Audi on a good day. It’s staggeringly unmemorable, so good luck if you ever forget which space you’ve parked in — you’ll be days looking for the BYD.

The Chery Tiggo 7 fares a little better in the looks department, although it’s still a little bit generic, looking slightly like the previous-generation Toyota Corolla popped out and bought itself some stilts. At the front, at least, you get a big, toothy grille and some sleek looking headlights, as well as the massive Chery badge which no-one will recognise (at least not yet). At the rear, it’s less good — in fact, you’d be hard-pressed to tell the BYD and the Chery apart from behind, even if you’re up close and work for one of the two companies.

Does that leave the Geely Starray as the looker of the trio? Pretty much, yes. Again, it’s hardly distinctive. It looks very much like a Ford Kuga from the side, and there’s a touch of Porsche (a very, very light touch) at the rear, but you’re not going to mistake it for the other two SUVs here, and the blanked-off face with its slim, high-set headlights gives the Starray a slightly more futuristic look than the big grilles of the other two.

It’s a decision as narrow as that £5 price gap, but for looks alone, we’ll take the Geely.

BYD Sealion 5 vs Chery Tiggo 7 vs Geely Starray: interior and practicality

All three have plenty of space inside, especially in the back seats, but boot space isn’t a strong point except for one particular version.

BYD has a habit of making cabins that feel a cut above their price point, and the Sealion 5 is no different. It’s not what you’d call the most distinctive interior around, and it’s a shame that there’s no colour option other than plain black, but while there are plenty of cheap plastics, everything is put together really nicely and the big touchscreen is becoming easier to use as BYD keeps updating its software. Boot space isn’t brilliant, although you do get a little more capacity than the bigger Seal U SUV can manage. The back seat is genuinely impressive, with lots of legroom, a flat floor, and just enough space for three people to fit side by side.

The Chery Tiggo 7 steals an early lead in this section by having a cabin that looks and feels genuinely classy. Most of the materials used are actually pretty high in quality, and the twin 12.3-inch display screens look slick. It’s a shame that they’re not as slick in use — the driver’s instruments in particular are irritating in how they push major information off to the sides — but at least Chery has the sense to fit separate climate control buttons rather than putting everything on the touchscreen. There’s decent space in the back, but it’s not quite as roomy as that of the BYD. The boot can be big — up to 565 litres — but only if you go for the disappointing basic petrol engine. Step up to the vastly better plug-in hybrid, and you lose almost 100 litres of that.

The Geely Starray almost matches the Chery’s cabin for overall classiness, and it’s seriously roomy in the back seats too (although we miss the pull-out storage drawer that’s found in the Geely EX5). You can also have it in a lighter colour, but only on the top-grade model. The Geely’s a let-down when it comes to the touchscreen though, which is maddeningly difficult to use and has far too many sub-menus. The Starray also suffers from the smallest boot of the three, with just 428 litres of luggage space.

It’s a clear win for the Chery, which has the best-looking cabin with the easiest to use touchscreen.

BYD Sealion 5 vs Chery Tiggo 7 vs Geely Starray: performance and driver appeal

Both BYD and Geely give you a choice of bigger or smaller batteries, and the Chery can be had with a basic petrol-only engine (but you should avoid that one).

The Sealion 5’s plug-in hybrid system (based around a 1.5-litre petrol engine, as are the other two) is as impressive as you’d expect from BYD. It’s efficient, with as much as 50 miles of electric range depending on the model, and not too thirsty when you take it on a longer drive. It’s also very refined, as is the whole car — there’s little wind nor tyre noise. However, the Sealion 5 is also a bit rubbish to drive, with slack steering, wooden brake feel, and suspension that’s just too stiff to cope with broken-up UK tarmac.

The Chery Tiggo 7 fares a bit better at low speeds, where its soft suspension dials out the worst bumps and lumps, especially around town. At motorway speeds, it’s also comfortable and quiet, although the soft springs can cause a bit of a floaty sensation, which can make some people feel car sick. Performance from the plug-in hybrid setup is strong (and so much better than the noisy and thirsty petrol-only 1.6-litre basic engine) and you get up to 56 miles of electric range. On a twisty road, though, the Tiggo 7 is let down by over-light steering and suspension that fidgets too much. A Dacia Bigster is far more enjoyable to drive.

Can the Geely Starray beat the other two in driver appeal terms? Well, it’s potentially much more efficient as if you pick the big-battery model you get a potential electric range of up to 84 miles which trounces the BYD and the Chery. It’s a bit thirsty on longer runs though, which is a pity, and the engine is noisy and unrefined when you want full power. The Starray is soft and comfy around town and along the motorway, and on a twisty road it feels a bit more enjoyable than either the BYD or the Chery, thanks to suspension that has been apparently tweaked by none other than Lotus. It’s still not great, but it’s better than the other two.

There’s no clear-cut winner here. The Geely is best on twisty roads, while the Chery is better around town and more efficient overall. The BYD is somewhere in the middle.

BYD Sealion 5 vs Chery Tiggo 7 vs Geely Starray: price and standard equipment

All three are priced within £5 of each other in basic form, but why buy basic at this price level? You’d do quite well to spend a little extra to get more equipment, at which point you’ll still be thousands cheaper than the closest Kia Sportage or Volkswagen Tiguan equivalent.

The BYD and the Chery are the most closely matched here, with the top-spec models — Design for the BYD and Summit for the Chery — priced within £5 of each other at £33,000 and £32,995 respectively. In mid-spec Max form, the Geely Starray is a little cheaper, at £32,690, or you could spend a bit extra and go for the range-topping Ultra model, with the biggest battery, for £34,990.

All are well-equipped as standard, with the Sealion 5 getting vegan leather upholstery, electrically-adjustable seats, 18-inch alloys, an electric tailgate, all-round parking sensors, a 360-degree camera, heated front seats and a wireless smartphone charging pad in Design spec.

The Tiggo 7 comes with 19-inch alloys in Summit spec, as well as two 12.3-inch displays, dual-zone climate control, artificial leather upholstery, wireless smartphone connectivity, a powered passenger seat, Sony audio system, heated and ventilated front seats and an all-round camera system.

The Starray, in Max trim, comes with heated and electrically adjustable front seats, keyless entry and artificial leather upholstery, a head-up display, panoramic sunroof and electric tailgate. If you go for Ultra spec, you get the largest 28.9kWh battery and the option of lighter colours for the cabin.

The Chery seems like the winner here. In plug-in hybrid form, it’s the same price as the BYD, and better-equipped overall, even if the Geely has an overall price advantage in plug-in hybrid form.

BYD Sealion 5 vs Chery Tiggo 7 vs Geely Starray: The verdict

Picking a winner from these three is as difficult as the £5 price gap would have you believe. They’re incredibly closely matched across almost all aspects. The Geely is, subjectively, the best to drive even if a humble Dacia Bigster is better than all three when the road becomes twisty. The BYD has the most disappointing driving experience overall, but buyers may for now be more comfortable buying from a brand they vaguely recognise rather than one they’ve never heard of. However, it’s the Chery that — by the narrowest of margins — comes out on top. It’s not brilliant at any one thing, but a combination of value, a lengthy seven year warranty, and the best cabin of the three gives it the win.

Car change? Carwow!

Looking for a new set of wheels? With Carwow you can sell your car quickly and for a fair price – as well as find great offers on your next one. Whether you’re looking to buy a car brand new, are after something used or you want to explore car leasing options, Carwow is your one stop shop for new car deals.

Click here to follow us on Reddit, where you can keep up-to-date with all the latest news, reviews, advice guides and videos. You can also subscribe to our WhatsApp channel to get the latest news sent straight to your phone.