Car Selection Comparison: BYD Seal vs. Tesla Model 3

Bitche Original In the last issue of the "Car Selection and Comparison" column, we selected the Boyue L versus the Haval Beast. For those who have not seen it, click on the link below. And this time we focus on the currently popular new energy field to see how to choose a pure electric car within 300,000 yuan? One is the Tesla Model 3, an unavoidable hot-selling car at this price; the other is the BYD Seal, which represents the light of domestic products, and has also received relatively high attention after its launch this year. So what kind of sparks will they create when put together? Without further ado, let’s take a look.

Just like the purpose of the column, experience it with different editors or car owners and see how they evaluate these cars in their eyes. It happens that department colleague Hong Liu is a Model 3 owner. As a car owner, Mr. Hong undoubtedly has a deeper understanding of Tesla Model 3 and has more say.

This time we selected their respective long-range models for comparison, namely the Model 3 2022 rear-wheel drive version, with a guide price of 276,988 yuan, and the Seal 2022 700km long-range rear-wheel drive version, with a guide price of 259,800 yuan. Among them, Tesla Model 3 can enjoy a new energy subsidy of about 11,000 yuan in 2022, and the naked car price is about 265,900 yuan; while BYD Seal currently has no discount. Therefore, the price difference between the two naked cars is only about 6,000 yuan, which is highly comparable.

Let’s take a look at their sales. In November 2022, Tesla Model 3 sales were 10,069 units, and BYD Seal reached 15,356 units. The momentum is very strong. Moreover, among the top ten sales list, Song PLUS New Energy ranked first with 63,636 units, and Mode Y, which ranked second, was not bad at 52,424 units. In addition, BYD's new energy models account for more than half of the top ten sales, including Han, Dolphin, Qin PLUS New Energy, Yuan PLUS New Energy and Tang New Energy, which have also achieved good sales results.

Appearance game: Seal has more combat style, Model 3 is fashionable

About the appearanceRegarding this matter, Teacher Hong and I have the same ideas. Even if the two cars are placed together, there are not many flaws to talk about. Mr. Hong was one of the early users of Tesla Model 3. At that time, there were too few models to choose from in the domestic market. Tesla’s styling at that time was also relatively advanced. Even now, that kind of style will never go out of style. The contemporary design is also impressive. The Seal has a good fighting spirit, allowing you to enjoy a feeling comparable to a luxury sports car at this price.

In terms of appearance, both cars are in line with the aesthetic standards of today's young people. Relatively speaking, the appearance of Model 3 is relatively monotonous, without too many details to talk about, and the style is very minimalist; on the other hand, the first impression given by Seal , there are endless topics to talk about. As a car owner, Mr. Hong has a very high opinion of seals and has no resistance. However, he believes that when it comes to choosing a car, you cannot make a conclusion based solely on appearance. There were many considerations when choosing the Model 3.

In terms of styling, both Seal and Model 3 adopt a closed front design common in new energy models, with only different design details. The front of Tesla's car has a very tough shape, and the flat grille underneath is very simple. Seal is richer in detail processing. The front shape of the car is full of tension, and combined with the side waistline and a small rear wing similar to a duck tail, the sporty attributes of the vehicle are further enhanced.

In terms of appearance configuration, both cars have rich configurations at this price point, such as LED headlights, automatic headlights, adaptive high and low beams, multi-layer soundproof glass in the front row, automatic folding of outer provinces, and one-click lifting and lowering of all windows. All are equipped. At this price, Seal has added matrix light sources, rear privacy glass and a sensor-activated trunk, making it more functional. However, Model 3 is equipped with a keyless entry function for the whole car, which is also very convenient for daily use.

Interior comparison: Seal-shaped luxurious Model 3 has simple design

Coming to the interior, in direct proportion to its appearance, Seal is good at attracting the attention of young people in terms of design. The visible parts can feel the strong luxurious materials and technological atmosphere, which makes people unable to bear it. Stay and take a few more glances. The style of Model 3 is very simple, with almost no physical buttons visible. At the same time, the materials used are still sufficient, and they are also embellished with wood grain decorative strips, so you can enjoy a good sense of quality.

As for the central control screen, both cars use independently developed car-machine systems, with relatively good recognition sensitivity and screen resolution. Seal adopts BYD's latest DiLink intelligent network connection system and is equipped with a dual screen composed of a 10.25-inch full LCD instrument panel and a 15.6-inch adaptive rotating suspension Pad.Third-party applications are abundant. Model 3 has a relatively simpler design, with the instrument panel and central control screen integrated into one. After experiencing it, you will find that it performs equally well in terms of human-computer interaction.

In terms of configuration, both cars are equipped with a set of L2 driving assistance systems, including merging assist, lane centering, lane departure warning and active safety systems. Seal also has additional configurations such as door opening warning, rear collision warning system, reversing side warning system, 360-degree panoramic image and remote control parking, making the safety configuration more abundant.

Space and power comparison

In terms of seats, both cars adopt an integrated seat design. The seals are wrapped in genuine leather and have diamond-shaped processes on the surface. The visual effect is very high-end. The Model 3 seats are wrapped in leather and have very thick padding. In terms of seat function configuration, in addition to the front seats supporting electric adjustment/heating/memory functions, Seal also provides front seat ventilation functions.

Both cars are positioned as mid-size cars, but they have different performance in terms of comfort. The Seal's body size is longer and the rear legroom is more generous. The Model 3 seat design is more ergonomic and provides better leg support, and it also has a second-row seat heating function.

In terms of power, both cars offer single-motor and dual-motor versions, and the motors are both permanent magnet synchronous motors. The compared models are all single-motor versions. Relatively speaking, the rear-wheel drive version has stronger endurance than the dual-motor version. In addition, they both support slow charging and fast charging. Seal’s official 0-100km/h acceleration time is 5.9 seconds; Model 3’s 0-100km/h acceleration time is 6.1 seconds, which is similar performance.

In terms of chassis structure, both vehicles use a front double-wishbone and rear multi-link independent suspension combination, which not only improves comfort, but also takes into account good sports performance. It is worth mentioning that the two cars have different driving experiences. The Seal is very light and comfortable to drive, including steering wheel, switch feedback and chassis feedback, which is more delicate than the Model 3. The Model 3 has an overall stiffer feedback feel, but fortunately it can give people a good overall feel and make it more confident when turning. At the same time, the single-pedal mode and the gear shifting mechanism reduce some movements while driving, making driving more comfortable in congested urban traffic conditions.

Full text summary: At the current price of less than 300,000 yuan, Seal is another representative of Chinese brand pure electric cars after Han. It shows a relatively high level of workmanship and materials. Especially compared to Model 3, it also has the advantages of handsome styling, luxurious interior and long battery life of 700km, making it very competitive. Generally speaking, Seal has good looks, excellent battery life, and rich configurations, making it suitable for those who pursueConsumers with good looks and rich configurations can reach a wider range of people. Model 3, on the other hand, comes with its own traffic, and its product strength is undoubted. It also has many black technologies, including core electronic control systems, driving assistance, etc. At the same time, the minimalist interior style and comfortable driving control experience are suitable for people who live in the city. First- and second-tier young office workers.