How do the 2023 BYD Seal vs Tesla Model 3 vs MG MG4 compare?

Priced from a little less than $50,000, it features aerodynamic lines, aggressive air intakes, a panoramic sunroof, and a slew of safety and driving assistance features.

It is available in three variants - the Dynamic, the Premium and the Performance - with specs ranging from 460km range and a 150kW/310Nm torque setup to 570km range with a 230kW/360Nm setup for the Premium and 520km range with 390kW/670Nm setup for the Performance.

A comparison against the Tesla Model 3 – now the second-best selling EV in Australia after the Model Y – is something of a must.

But it’s also worth considering how the MG MG4 hatch – which costs just $2000 less than the Seal Dynamic in its mid-range Essence 64 variant, and which sports an equally dynamic profile – measures up.

See how these three models - prominent in the market due to availability and price – fair against each other.

BYD Seal Dynamic vs MG MG4 Essence 64

• Price point: The MG4 Essence 64 starts at $47,990, making it the most affordable option among the three. The BYD Seal Dynamic follows closely at $49,888, almost $2,000 less (all prices are before on-road costs.)
• Drive, battery and range: Both models are offered a rear-wheel drive (RWD) format. In terms of battery capacity, the MG4 64 sports a 64kWh battery, offering 435km WLTP range. This is marginally larger than the BYD Seal's 61.4kWh battery, but according to BYD importer EV Direct, the latter achieves 460km WLTP range.
• Charging: The MG4 Essence 64 is the fastest charger on a DC unit with a 140kW top rate compared to the BYD Seal’s 110kW. The two sit neck and neck with 6.6kW and 7kW AC charging respectively.
• Power and performance: The MG4 and the BYD Seal are neck-and-neck with 150 kW power outputs, however the BYD Seal Dynamic delivers 310Nm torque compared to 250Nm torque for the MG4 64 Essence. Regarding acceleration, the BYD Seal takes the lead with a 7.5-second 0-100 km/h sprint, closely followed by the MG4 at 7.9 seconds.

MG4 Essence 77 vs BYD Seal Premium vs Tesla Model 3 RWD

• Price comparison: The MG4 Essence 77 is priced at $55,990, while the BYD Seal Premium comes in slightly higher at $58,798. The Tesla Model 3 RWD, goes for a slightly higher asking price at $61,900.
• Drive, battery and range: Again, all these variants are RWD. Battery capacities see a notable jump with the MG4 housing a 77kWh battery, the BYD Seal having 82.5 kWh, and the Tesla Model 3 sporting a 60kWh unit. Notably, the BYD Seal has the longest WLTP range: 570 km, topping the Model 3 RWD’s 513km and the MG4 77’s 530km.
• Charging: The Tesla Model 3 RWD is the quickest to charge here at 170kW, and notably currently has access to all charging networks (half of Tesla’s charging networks are open to other brands but there have reportedly been issues.) The BYD Seal Premium has a top charge rate of 150kW, slightly faster than the MG4 77’s 140kW.
• Power and performance: The BYD Seal tops the other two at 230kW, while the MG4 offers 180kW power, and the Tesla Model 3 sits in the middle with 208kW. Acceleration metrics show the Tesla sprinting from 0-100 km/h in 6.1 seconds, while the BYD Seal pushes the envelope marginally at 5.9 seconds and the MG4 does 6.5 seconds from 0-100km/hr.

BYD Seal Performance vs Tesla Model 3 Long Range

• Price comparison: The BYD Seal Performance is priced at $68,798 while the Tesla Model 3 Long Range has a slightly steeper price of $71,900 in the Australian market.
• Drive, battery and range: On battery specs, the BYD Seal Performance packs an 82.5kWh battery unit, while the Tesla Model 3 Long Range similarly features an 85kWh battery. But, the Tesla wins on range due to its higher energy density battery: the BYD Seal offers a WLTP range of 520km while the Model 3 Long Range offers an extended 629km.
• Charging: Again, the Tesla outperforms the BYD Seal. With a quick 250kW top charge rate it is considerably quicker than the BYD Seal which can charge at 150kW.
• Power and performance: The BYD wins out. Examining power output, the BYD Seal Performance delivers a robust 390kW, while the Tesla Model 3 Long Range is not far behind with 366kW. When it comes to acceleration, the Tesla is slightly slower with a 0-100 km/h sprint in 4.4 seconds, compared to the BYD's rapid 3.8 seconds.

Model-wide specifications

• Size and body: It’s not secret the MG4 is the outlier here. But given the comparative pricing and specs of the BYD Seal, it makes an interesting comparison for those who may prefer a sedan but are opting for a hatchback due to the pricing gap with Tesla.

  The MG4 sits squarely in the hatchback category, at 4287mm long compared to the 4800m length of the BYD Seal and 4694mm of the Tesla Model 3 sedans. It is also the tallest of the three, clocking 1504mm high compared to the BYD Seal’s 1460mm and the Model 3’s 1443mm.

  At 1504mm wide it beats the Seal’s 1460mm and the Model 3’s 1443mm. It is the narrowest by just a few millimetres; 1836mm to the BYD Seal’s 1875mm and the Tesla Model 3’s 1443mm. It also has the shortest wheelbase, indicating a tighter turning circle: 2705mm compared to 2920mm and 2875mm respectively.

• Safety and tech: In general, the BYD Seal, MG MG4 and the Tesla Model 3 rate well on safety and technology, featuring adaptive cruise control, lane departure warnings (the Model 3 has a very keen lane steering capability also,) blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alerts, front and side airbags, 360° camera.

  However, the MG4 misses out on features like rain-sensing wipers, driver seat memory, and a PM2.5 filter (although it does have a pollen filter.)

  And, neither the MG4 and the Model 3 have a heads-up display, although we have seen aftermarket ones installed on the Tesla.

  As a side note: In its lowest priced variants not compared here (the Excite 51 and Excite 64,) the MG4 skips creature comforts like electronic and heated seats, heated steering wheel, sat nav, voice control, trip planning and electronic folding mirrors. These low-priced offerings also only have a rear camera, which in the absence of parking sensors becomes very last-century.

• Additional Considerations: Cargo space is quite competitive, with the BYD Seal and the MG4 offering 400 and 350 litres respectively, while the Tesla Model 3 boasts a substantially roomier 594 litres.

  Both the BYD Seal and the Tesla Model 3 offer “frunk” cargo space under the bonnet, an attribute appreciated by EV enthusiasts. And, the Tesla Model 3 does not come with a tyre repair kit, whereas the other two do.

  All models have an LFP (lithium-iron-phosphate) battery which should regularly be charged to 100%, except for the Long Range Model 3 which has a cobalt-based chemistry and should be kept between 20-80% most of the time.

• Warranties: The MG offers the longest general warranty (7 years/unlimited kms) while the Tesla offers the least (4 years/80,000km). On battery warranty, the Tesla Model 3 Long Range offers the best option (8 years/192,000km) while the MG4 offers the least (7 years/unlimited).

Final thoughts

Ultimately the choice comes down to personal preferences: do you need quicker charging, access to a wider network, and the longest driving range, such as with the Tesla Model 3?

Are you after vehicle-to-load capabilities such as with the MG4 and Seal? Or a super-quick start off the mark thanks to powerful 670Nm torque, such as with the Seal Performance?

Or, are you looking for something to fit in a compact garage, like the MG4? Finally, what fits within the budget?