Remember when pictures of the BYD Sealion 06 first emerged last year, thanks to the PRC's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT)? Not only did it give us a first look at the successor of the BYD Sealion 6, but we also got to see a refreshed look of the Ocean-series design language, which gives the crossover a more dynamic appearance than ever.

While the Sealion 6 has been discontinued in the Chinese market in favor of the Sealion 06, global markets like the Philippines will continue to get the former. But just how different and more high-tech is the latter?

Luckily for us, BYD just launched Sealion 06 DM-i plug-in hybrid (PHEV) in China, and boy, was the automaker busy. For starters, it now comes with the brand's fifth-generation DM technology, which pushes its EV-only range beyond 300 km, based on the CLTC cycle.

While it still comes with a 1.5L four-cylinder engine that can drive the wheels or act as a generator for the onboard battery, the Sealion 06 gets a more powerful electric motor that puts out 175 kW or 238 PS and 270 Nm of torque.

But perhaps serving as the biggest upgrade is its larger battery pack that's rated at 38 kWh, which is standard on the high-grade variants. On battery power alone, BYD claims the Sealion 06 DM-i can do up to 310 km, based on the CLTC cycle. With the 1.5L engine serving as the generator, the Sealion 06 DM-i has a combined system range of 1,845 km.

There are also lesser variants of the Sealion 06 DM-i, which get a smaller 26.6 kWh battery. However, this still gives the Sealion 06 DM-i the ability to cover up to 205 km on EV mode and have a combined system range of more than 1,705 km.

Beyond its powertrain, the Sealion 06 DM-i also gets important tech upgrades. This includes the optional God's Eye B suite of advanced driver assist systems (ADAS). Also called the DiPilot 300, this system provides semi-autonomous driving features like City Navigate on Autopilot, High-Speed Navigate on Autopilot, traffic light recognition, adaptive traffic maneuvering, and roundabout navigation.

The interior also gets a high-tech makeover, as it now comes with a bigger 15.6-inch touchscreen infotainment display, along with a bigger digital instrument panel. A new leather-wrapped four-spoke steering wheel is also present, while a new electronic column shifter replaces the traditional gear selector on the center console. Speaking of the center console, the aircon vents are now placed on the redesigned center console and are complemented by a 50W wireless charging pad.

Other new features available include a fragrance system, a heads-up display, a DiLink smart cockpit system, a panoramic glass roof with a powered sunshade, and a 12-speaker sound system from Dynaudio.

With the 2026 BYD Sealion 06 DM-i now available in China and capable of doing up to 310 km on EV power, we're curious if BYD Cars Philippines has plans to bring this here, alongside the current Sealion 6.