BYD Sealion 7 Dynamic vs Toyota RAV4 Hybrid 2.5 Premium: 5-year cost to own (Singapore)

By Ivan H., EVCostIQ · reviewed against our public methodology · every source dated on this page

Over 5 years in Singapore (17,500 km/yr), as of August 6, 2026, the BYD Sealion 7 Dynamic is cheaper — about S$155,209 over 5 years vs S$175,139 for the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid 2.5 Premium, a S$19,930 difference. In Singapore the EV usually wins on running cost (cheap electricity vs S$3.42/L petrol) while COE dominates both cars — we say so plainly.

COE is set by a biweekly auction and swings thousands of dollars — every figure here uses the S$124,790 (Cat A) / S$126,236 (Cat B) COE assumption. Confirm the current COE before you commit; it is the single biggest line in the price. Source: LTA registration-cost sheet, 2026-08-06.

EV Early Adoption Incentive: the EEAI (45% off ARF, capped S$7,500) is baked into the EV figures for 2026 registrations — and it sunsets 31 Dec 2026. Register a BEV from 2027 and it costs more. Source: LTA.

Cheaper to own over 5 years · SingaporeBYD Sealion 7 Dynamic · S$155,209 total · S$19,930 less than the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid 2.5 Premium

BYD Sealion 7 Dynamic vs Toyota RAV4 Hybrid 2.5 Premium — where the money goes

5-year total cost of ownership by component, by vehicle (SGD). Estimates; sources dated in the methodology.
Cost component	Electric · BYD Sealion 7 Dynamic	Hybrid · Toyota RAV4 Hybrid 2.5
Depreciation (estimated)	S$104,500 (67%)	S$118,500 (68%)
Charging / fuel	S$6,729 (4%)	S$14,125 (8%)
↳ of which charging loss	10% (~S$673)	—
Maintenance	S$3,500 (2%)	S$4,813 (3%)
Insurance	S$10,000 (6%)	S$8,500 (5%)
Financing interest	S$22,973 (15%)	S$20,285 (12%)
Registration & fees	S$7,508 (5%)	S$8,917 (5%)
Total cost of ownership	S$155,209	S$175,139

Electricity vs petrol — and why COE still rules

On running cost the BYD Sealion 7 Dynamic is far cheaper — about S$6,729 of electricity over 5 years vs S$14,125 of petrol for the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid 2.5 Premium (S$3.42/L is dear). But COE + ARF dominate both cars — around S$138,771 on the EV and S$171,677 on the petrol car — so the 5-year winner is decided mostly by price with COE and how much you recover at de-registration.

Where the money really goes — COE + ARF dwarf the fuel

The registered price with COE for the BYD Sealion 7 Dynamic is S$277,888. COE + ARF alone are S$138,771 of that — many multiples of the electricity or petrol you'll ever buy. That is the honest story of Singapore car cost.

COE (quota licence): S$124,790biweekly auction · dominates the price
ARF (net of VES / EEAI): S$13,981gross S$43,981 − VES rebate S$22,500 − EEAI S$7,500
OMV (open-market value): S$37,129declared import value
Excise (20%) + GST (9%): S$11,436on OMV
Registration fee: S$350LTA flat
Dealer margin: S$90,203backed out of the retail price
Registered price (with COE): S$277,888what you pay to put it on the road
Recovered at de-registration (yr 5): S$173,388unused COE S$62,395 + PARF S$4,194 + residual value S$106,799

How depreciation works here: it is the registered "price with COE" minus what you get back at de-registration — the unused COE (rebatable over the 10-year licence), the PARF rebate (a capped % of ARF paid), and the car's remaining market value. Where a published Singapore depreciation figure exists (PaperValue / sgCarMart), we use it — the straight-line S$/yr buyers actually quote. That is why the S$100k+ upfront, not electricity or petrol, dominates the 5-year total. What you'd get back at deregistration (official PARF + COE rebate) →

BYD Sealion 7 Dynamic vs Toyota RAV4 Hybrid 2.5 Premium, side by side

Electric Lower 5-yr cost