Australia’s most popular plug-in hybrid (PHEV) SUV, the BYD Sealion 6, has been discontinued in China.
According to Car News China, BYD has confirmed the Sealion 6 will no longer be sold in China, where Australian-market versions are produced, with the new Sealion 06 – offered as both a PHEV and electric vehicle (EV), and not yet confirmed for Australia – named as its domestic replacement.
However, BYD Australia has confirmed the existing Sealion 6 will remain in local showrooms.
“The Sealion 6 will continue to be sold in Australia and we will ensure no interruption in supply to BYD’s dealer network across the country,” a BYD Australia spokesperson told CarExpert.
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BYD Australia’s third-best seller in 2025, behind the Shark 6 dual-cab ute and the Sealion 7 EV SUV, the Sealion 6 accounted for almost 20 per cent of its 52,415 sales.
It became Australia’s best-selling PHEV in 2024, taking the top spot from the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, but was relegated to second behind the Shark 6 in 2025.
While Chinese sales have ended, Car News China reports production of the Sealion 6 will continue. BYD Australia currently sources the vehicle from China, but it’s also built at BYD’s Rayong, Thailand plant which has already produced 70,000 Sealion 6s for export.
The Sealion 6 is based on the Song Plus, launched in China in 2020. Specifically, the Sealion 6 launched here in 2024 is a renamed version of the Chinese-market Song Plus Champion Edition launched in 2023.
While it’s only offered here with plug-in hybrid power, an electric version is offered in other export markets like Europe under the Seal U nameplate.
Should sourcing of the Australian-market Sealion 6 switch to Thailand, it’s possible there could be changes in pricing and specifications. However, BYD hasn’t confirmed any details.
Thailand is the third largest exporter of vehicles to Australia, having been overtaken by China last year, with the top-selling Ford Ranger manufactured there alongside a raft of dual-cab rivals including the Toyota HiLux and Isuzu D-Max.
In 2025, one in five new vehicles sold in Australia were Thai-made, with 249,958 vehicles imported, just behind 252,928 from China.
Japan remains the number-one source of new vehicles in Australia, with 358,951 sales in 2025 making up almost 30 per cent of the 1,241,037-vehicle market.
China overtook Japan in global sales in 2025 to end decades of domination from its Asian rival.
