BYD SEAL U DM-i scoops two prizes at the Autotrader Drivers’ Choice Awards 2026
- BYD SEAL U DM-i is named Best Value New Car at the ninth annual Autotrader Drivers’ Choice Awards.
- The BYD SEAL U DM-i also picks up the award for Best In-Car Technology
- The prizes were decided based on the real-world opinion of more than 160,000 UK car owners
11 June 2026 The BYD SEAL U DM-i scooped two awards at the Autotrader Drivers’ Choice Awards 2026, being named the Best Value New Car and also taking the top prize in the Best In-Car Technology category.
While the winners of many car awards are determined by expert car reviewers, the Autotrader Drivers’ Choice Awards are different in that the judging is carried out by the people whose opinion matters most: car owners. This year, over 160,000 UK car owners completed an online survey sharing exactly what they think of their car, with their thoughts and opinions (obtained from real-world experience) determining the winners of 20 of this year’s 24 award categories.
On accepting the prize, Steve Beattie, Deputy Country Manager for BYD UK, said: “It’s a huge privilege to accept both awards for the SEAL U DM-i, and the fact that they have been decided by the people who have bought and lived with our cars makes it even more special. I’d like to thank Autotrader and their readers, plus all of the BYD retailers and internal team that has made the ownership experience such a pleasure for our customers. Most of all, I’d like to thank the BYD owners themselves for telling Autotrader just how highly they rate their cars.”
Rory Reid, Autotrader’s YouTube Director, said: “The BYD Seal U stood out to owners for delivering strong overall value, combining a highly efficient hybrid drivetrain with a generous level of standard equipment. It’s clear from the feedback that drivers feel they’re getting a lot for their money.
“It also impressed when it comes to in-car technology, with features that enhance the driving experience and are easy to live with day to day. This combination of value and thoughtful technology has clearly resonated with UK car owners, making it a deserving winner of two highly competitive categories.”
Arriving in 2024, the SEAL U DM-i was the fourth car to join the BYD UK lineup, and the first to introduce BYD’s Dual Mode-intelligent technology. Year to date in 2026, it has become the best-selling vehicle in the BYD model range.
-ENDS-
About BYD
BYD is a multinational high-tech company devoted to leveraging technological innovations for a better life. Founded in 1994 as a rechargeable battery maker, BYD now boasts a diverse business scope covering automobiles, rail transit, new energy, and electronics, with over 30 industrial parks in China, the United States, Canada, Japan, Brazil, Hungary, and India. From power acquisition and storage to its applications, BYD is dedicated to providing zero-emission energy solutions that reduce global reliance on fossil fuels. Its new energy vehicle footprint now covers six continents, over 100 countries and regions, and more than 400 cities. Listed in both Hong Kong and Shenzhen Stock Exchanges, the company is known to be a Fortune Global 500 enterprise that furnishes innovations in pursuit of a greener world. For more information, please visit www.bydglobal.com.
About BYD Auto
Founded in 2003, BYD Auto is the automotive subsidiary of BYD, a multinational high-tech company devoted to leveraging technological innovations for a better life. Aiming to accelerate the green transition of the global transportation sector, BYD Auto focuses on developing pure electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles. The company has mastered the core technologies of the entire industrial chain of new energy vehicles, such as batteries, electric motors, electronic controllers, and automotive-grade semiconductors. It has witnessed in recent years significant technological advancements, including the Blade Battery, the DM-i and DM-p hybrid technology, the e-Platform 3.0, the CTB and iTAC technologies, the DiSus Intelligent Body Control System, the XUANJI Architecture, and the Super e-Platform. The company is the world’s first carmaker to stop the production of fossil-fueled vehicles on EV shift and has remained top of new energy passenger vehicle sales in China for 12 years in a row.
About BYD Europe
BYD Europe is headquartered in the Netherlands and is the first overseas branch of BYD Group, with a commitment to evolving the international brand BYD Auto to deliver safe and efficient sustainable solutions in new energy vehicles through world-leading technological innovations.
For more information, please visit www.byd.com.
Contacts:
Mike Gale
Head of PR, BYD UK
E: michael.gale@byd.com
M: +44 7908 905678
Rachel Goodwin
PR Manager, BYD UK
E: rachel.goodwin@byd.com
M: +44 7399 678373
Alex Ingram
Press Officer, BYD UK
E: alex.ingram@byd.com
M: +44 7539 534571
