BYD Sealed U vs Omoda 9 vs Volkswagen Teron: Which Hybrid SUV is the Best?

Plug-in hybrid SUVs promise the best of both worlds: cheap, silent, zero-emission electric for the daily school run, with the convenience of a petrol engine with long range for family outings. We recently reviewed three distinguishing features of three popular PHEVs: Economy BYD Seal U DM-ilong distance Omoda 9 and huge volkswagen taron,

But how do these three PHEVs compare on the road? BYD and Omoda are two Chinese brands that are ready to upset the established order with harsh pricing, fancy equipment and advanced hybrid technology. From Germany, Volkswagen holds a strong position with its reputation for quality, comfort and sophisticated engineering.

One thing is clear – families looking for a practical EV have more options in 2025 than ever before. To help you decide which plug-in is hybrid suv We’ve analyzed all three to find the best one for you.

Independent Rating: 9/10

BYD Sealed U D-Mi Specifications

Independent Rating: 6/10

omoda 9 specifications

Independent Rating: 7/10

volkswagen taron specifications

cost and price

This is where established European players like Volkswagen are feeling the most pressure, and the result is a blow to BYD, which comes with a starting price of just £33,315. in our BYD Seal U DM-i review We called it “Britain’s best value new car”, noting that it costs a full £10,000 less than the bigger Teryon. The entry-level BYD doesn’t cut corners either, coming fully loaded with premium kit like a panoramic sunroof and heated/cooled seats.

Pricing for the Volkswagen Teron starts from £41,010, positioning itself as a premium offering in the family PHEV range. Although it offers better quality and more space for the money, we don’t think it adds an extra £10k to the invoice compared to the BYD.

There’s no doubt that the Omoda is an expensive car at a price of £44,990. The high price of the car was a hindrance for us omoda 9 reviewsIn which we were otherwise impressed with the overall quality and generous amount of standard kit.

Winner: BYD Seal U DM-i. The combination of low purchase price and huge equipment list will be keeping competitors up at night.

Battery, range and performance

Each of our three PHEVs offers a different take on hybrid technology. The Omoda 9 is the clear range champion, with a 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine coupled with a huge (at least for a PHEV) 34kWh battery. This results in an impressive claimed electric range of 93 miles and a combined range of over 700 miles. It is the most powerful of the three, with 443bhp delivering a 4.9s 0-62mph time. Not content with that, the Omoda 9 also claims the fastest DC charging at 80kW.

The Volkswagen Teron uses a 19.7kWh battery, which is good for a very useful 75 miles of electric range – enough for most people, most of the time. Its 1.5-litre petrol engine is surprisingly vocal under acceleration, but the overall system is smooth. VW’s claim of around 600 miles of total EV and petrol range is a bit optimistic – you might expect less in real-world conditions – while its 40kW DC charging is easily enough for a PHEV.

The BYD Sealed U DM-i offers two battery sizes, with the larger 26.6kWh pack offering a robust 78 miles of electric range. The “DM-i” system mostly uses the special 1.5-litre petrol engine as a generator to charge the battery, only occasionally driving the wheels directly. This makes it incredibly efficient. in our BYD Seal U DM-i reviewWe were impressed that the range remained over 200 miles after a 400-mile round trip. 18kW DC charging is the slowest of the three, but as with the Teron and Omoda – you’ll probably be plugging in frequently at home, so it’s unlikely to make a difference.

Winner: Omoda 9. Its class-leading 93 mile electric range gives it a practical advantage for those who want to make the most of their time on battery power.

performance and drive

Comfort and ride quality top the priority list for any family car, and it is the Volkswagen Teron that feels the most refined on the road. in our volkswagen taron review We praised its comfortable ride, aided by adaptive dampers, and noted its nicely responsive steering and well-mannered handling.

The BYD Seal U DM-i is quite comfortable but lacks the polish of the Tayron. We described the ride as “a mixed bag, sometimes a little floaty and feeling a little harsh over potholes”, while the steering is a little lifeless compared to the super-composed and responsive Volkswagen.

Omoda 9 is where things fall apart. in our omoda 9 reviews We found the ride quality to be a bit of a mess, with busy swerving around and hitting surfaces, and the brakes being difficult to get hold of and control smoothly. Small shortcomings that let down an otherwise premium EV.

Winner: Volkswagen Teron. It offers the most comfortable, restrained and refined driving experience to some extent.

interior and practicality

A family SUV isn’t worth considering if it can’t fit the entire family comfortably. The Volkswagen Tayron is the undisputed king of space, with plenty of rear legroom and a massive boot of 705 litres, making it the most practical choice for families who need to lug around a lot of stuff on a regular basis. The interior is typical VW – not adventurous, but beautifully made and easy to use.

The BYD Seal U DM-i also impresses with its spacious cabin and wide-opening rear doors. The interior feels surprisingly upscale for its price, with soft-touch materials and premium design, but passenger comfort comes at the expense of boot space. At 425 litres, you get much less space than the Teron.

The Omoda 9 offers an attractive and high-quality interior that feels upmarket, and its 660-litre boot is close enough to the Teron that it doesn’t matter. However, in our omoda 9 reviews We found shortcomings in the awkwardly high-set driving position and poor rear visibility.

Winner: Volkswagen Teron. Its huge boot and huge rear passenger space makes it the most practical and family-friendly SUV of the three.

Technology and Infotainment

All three vehicles are packed with technology, but the utility varies. The BYD Seal U DM-i gets the nod for its stunning 15.6in rotating touchscreen, which supports wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The system is intuitive, and the car comes with an impressive level of technology as standard, including a head-up display and a 10-speaker Infinity audio system. In fact, all models get the same level of kit.

The Volkswagen Teron features an upgraded version of VW’s infotainment system with a larger screen and the welcome return of physical steering wheel buttons. Voice control with ChatGPT integration is a nice touch, but some of the touchscreen buttons can still be fiddly.

Omoda 9 has an impressive kit list, but the usability is downright poor. Getting back to the car’s basic menus from Apple CarPlay is a pain, and driver assistance systems are extremely intrusive, with almost constant bing and bonking of warning prompts.

Winner: BYD Seal U DM-i. It offers a brilliant, user-friendly screen and a remarkable level of standard technology for the price.

Verdict: Which is the best plug-in hybrid family SUV?

So we have three plug-in hybrid family SUVs with three different but attractive value propositions. The Volkswagen Teron is the most spacious and best to drive, but it is expensive. The Omoda 9 boasts a phenomenal electric range, but it’s let down by a rough ride, disappointing tech, and yet another steep price tag.

This makes the BYD Seal Yu DM-i our overall winner. The newcomer beats rivals on price, offering a spacious, high-quality and tech-packed cabin and an efficient and clever hybrid system.

For just over £33,000, you get a family SUV that does almost everything well, at a price that competitors can’t even touch. BYD Sealed U DM-i is the benchmark for plug-in hybrid family SUVs.