BYD Atto 3 Review: Founded in 1995, BYD also produces masses of electric buses – including those red double-deckers you might have just spotted in London – and builds half the world’s iPads. Warren Buffett invested in the company back in 2008, and in 2023 it overtook Tesla by selling more than 3 million electric vehicles worldwide.

It’s not just the biggest EV manufacturer you’ve never heard of. BYD is the largest EV manufacturer in the world, period, and a giant in the global battery market. Much of its success can be attributed to the enormous size and rampant growth of the domestic Chinese market, but BYD is also selling cars overseas. Sales in Australia and Europe are accelerating, but a 25 per cent tariff on Chinese-made cars means the US market is off the table, at least for now.

BYD Atto 3

The Atto 3 uses BYD’s latest bespoke EV underpinnings, called the e-Platform 3.0. This setup can support front, rear and all-wheel drive, as well as up to 800V of electricity for ultra-fast charging. In the case of the Atto 3, however, you get more conventional charging speeds and a single motor that only drives the front wheels. However, the SUV does use BYD’s own ‘blade’ battery design, which is integrated into the structure of the car and is said to save weight and space.

• 5-Star Euro NCAP Safety Rating
• Blind Spot Monitor
• Intelligent Cruise control
• 12.8” Electric Rotary Multimedia Screen
• Panoramic sunroof
• Lane Keeping Assist (LKAS)
• 8yr/150,000km battery warranty, 6yr/150,000km vehicle warranty.

BYD Atto 3 Performance & Speed

The Atto 3 is focused on comfort more than sharp handling, but that’s hardly a bad thing for an electric SUV aimed at families. At lower speeds, the raised ride height and soft suspension allow it cope admirably with rough urban roads. When we tested the Atto 3 against a Kia Niro EV, we found the BYD was more refined and less fidgety than the Kia around town.

Like a lot of EVs, the Atto 3 emits a noise at low speeds to alert other road users and pedestrians of your presence. However, it’s not pleasant, with a tone that sounds like an open telephone line. Thankfully the artificial sound generator falls silent once you get beyond 20mph.

The Atto 3’s single electric motor produces 201bhp and 310Nm of torque – not a huge amount by EV standards, but enough to propel the 1.7 ton electric SUV from 0-62mph in 7.3 seconds and to a top speed of 99mph. The power delivery off the line is relatively gentle, but once you’re up to your desired speed, the Atto 3 is happy to cruise along.

BYD Atto 3 Range

In some markets, the Atto 3 is offered with two battery sizes – 48kWh and 60.5kWh – but UK buyers will only get the larger unit, which gives a claimed range of up to 260 miles. That’s just shy of the Atto 3’s main rivals, the Kia Niro EV and MG ZS EV, which have maximum ranges of 285 and 273 miles respectively. But the Atto 3’s standard heat pump, which helps heat the cabin, should help it retain more of its range in cold weather. Kia does offer a heat pump for the Niro EV, but it’s a £900 option.

When we pitted the BYD Atto 3 against the Kia Niro EV, we saw a return of 3.5 miles per kWh from the BYD, compared to 3.7mi/kWh for the Kia. This equates to a real-world range of 212 miles – 18 per cent less than the Atto 3’s claimed range and almost 30 miles less than the Niro EV could cover on a single charge.

BYD Atto 3 Range Interior

The Atto 3’s styling can best be described as clean and unassuming. It’s a pretty anonymous looking family SUV, albeit with some detailing along the flanks that looks similar to the flourishes on the Volkswagen ID.4. One small detail we noticed is that while a BYD badge adorns the nose, the full ‘Build Your Dreams’ slogan is written across the tailgate. We find it a bit cheesy, but hardly a deal-breaker.

The contrast between the exterior and interior of the Atto 3 is quite stark. The cabin is a riot of colour and funky LED lighting. The light grey and blue trim and upholstery is a refreshing contrast to the all-black interior of the Kia Niro EV and MG ZS EV. BYD’s red stitching and detailing is a little over the top, but that’s subjective.

We couldn’t fault the Atto 3’s build quality, with soft-touch materials in many key areas, and while there are some fussy elements – the air vents seem designed to make a statement, there are flashes of red piping on the seats, and ‘guitar strings’ form the door pockets – the overall effect has a bit more panache than, say, the MG’s cabins.

BYD Atto 3 Range Size

he BYD Atto 3 is 4,455 mm long, has a wheelbase of 2,720 mm, is 1,875 mm wide and is 1,615 mm high. This means that the Atto 3 is larger than both the Kia Niro EV and the Nissan Qashqai.

Legroom, headroom and passenger space

The Atto 3 uses a platform designed specifically for electric cars, which has many advantages, particularly in maximising passenger space. For example, the rear seats have a completely flat floor, so there’s plenty of legroom behind the large front seats. Overall, the interior is very spacious given the Atto 3’s footprint, and there’s room for five six-footers on board, even with the standard panoramic glass roof. We did, however, find that the rear seats were set a little too low and could do with more support under the thighs.

Boot

The Atto 3 has a 440-litre boot, which is decent but not the most generous in this class. The MG ZS EV and Kia Niro EV both have boot capacities of over 470 litres, but the BYD’s boot will still be sufficient for families. The location of the car’s battery doesn’t compromise space, so there’s a deep hidden compartment underneath and a flat loading lip. However, there is no ‘frunk’ or extra storage space under the bonnet. The 60:40 split rear seats don’t fold completely flat either, but there’s no step in the floor and there’s 1,340 litres of space when the back is folded down.

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Conclusion

Overall, the BYD Atto 3 is proving to be an interesting contender in the electric car market. This stylish crossover SUV impresses from the start with its quirky interior, excellent safety and feature-rich driving experience. Despite its compact size, the Atto 3 makes a bold statement and challenges conventional norms.