BYD Atto 3 In-depth Review

Meet the BYD Atto 3!

You might not have heard of BYD before, but we can assure you it’s highly likely you’ve come into contact with one of its products before! It started out producing batteries, and it’s now moved into the business of building its own cars! But are they any good?

Well starting with the design, we’re getting some serious Cupra Born vibes from the back. Elsewhere though, the exterior looks are relatively generic. That’s not to say it’s a bad-looking car - it just doesn’t do much to stand out from the crowd. It’s also available in a choice of 5 colours, and there are three different trim levels available.

However, things become a bit more interesting on the inside! The design is apparently inspired by a gym, although we’re having trouble connecting that with what we can see. One thing we can’t miss on the inside, however, is the huge 15” infotainment screen that dominates the dash! It’s super clear and pretty responsive, with all infotainment features controlled via its touchscreen. The practicality is pretty good, too, with large storage areas in the centre console.

There’s just one battery and motor combination available with the Atto 3 - a single 201hp motor mounted to the front axle, coupled with a 60kWh battery pack. This comes with a claimed range of 260 miles.

The question is, can it really warrant the £36,000 starting price, especially when there are so many all-electric SUVs to choose from already?! You’ll need to stick with Mat and see for yourself!

Chapters
00:00 Intro
00:27 BYD
00:46 Design
01:17 Price
01:42 Interior
04:28 Back Seats
05:45 Boot
06:37 5 Annoying Things
08:15 5 Good Things
09:47 Motor & Battery
10:37 Town Driving
12:10 Motorway Driving
13:22 Country Road Driving
15:21 0-60mph
15:57 Verdict

Creative Commons Attribution: Dick Thomas Johnson

[samwu]

I feel like there is this stereotype that whenever someone examines something from china, they have to make references to other designs. This car honestly looks pretty original to me, not much copy pasting.

[thearousedeunuch]

3:32 That might be the best feature of the whole car. You push the door out with your elbow. It's quite ergonomic, as you don't have to twist your hand to open the door, as one would on most cars. As someone who frequently has to open/close a car door for work, I'd love that.

[MiyakiIII]

BYD Atto 3 is the most popular EV car in Thailand. It first came in December, and within 2 months 10, 000 units have been delivered. Most people bought it because of the look and price. In Thailand, there is not many EV car at this range of price.

[martin_chege]

Mat Watson, the most consistent YouTuber I know 😂😂

[mickjoebills]

In Australia this is fantastic value, on the road for £27k, with cheaper tyres, same battery & motor. A significant feature is the 240v AC output which Mark didn't mention.

[ixcgjdf]

I am Chinese, I love BYD, what makes me more happier is how many actual owner is defending the user experience of this car in the comment section.

For people doesn't understand the position of this brand in global EV market, please google it with Warren Buffett and you will see a interesting change in google feed.

[chluain]

I hope carwow are paying Mat a fortune to stick around because he should have his own show. Best car reviewer around by a distance

[MihaelGalperin]

I own one here in Israel. It's way more competitively priced here compared to the competition (all cars are very expensive here) and given how loaded it is, it's outselling the competition by a big margin. Regardless of price - I absolutely love it. I get how it may fail in some motoring jurnalist stuff, this is not a race car by any stretch of the imagination, but I don't need it to be. I drive the kids about and some weekend getaway cruising, and it's brilliant for that. You can change the annoying pedestrian warning sound to a less annoying one, and if you don't thrash it around as much as a test car gets, the efficiency is actually way better than what you've worked out. It's no luxury ev, but it's awesome and though I may have a couple of minor complaints (honestly, there is actual room for a frunk, what gives?), I couldn't be happier with it.

[James-semaJ]

I'm surprised Mat ignored the damping on the glove box. He normally loves a nicely damped glove box 😅😂😂

[kuchintamy]

Mat, you forgot to mention that the BYD comes with a built-in dashcam. Wouldn't that qualify as one of the 5 things you like about the car? Love your videos by the way!

[nnoonan]

Owner from NZ. Traveled 9070km since late August last year. Traveled with a mixture of highway and town driving =13.5 kw.h/ per 100km (average over 9070 km), with a 60.4 kw battery = 447km. Not 190 miles (305 km) as tested by Matt. We also have up to 4 people in the car more weight.

[James-semaJ]

I love these car reviews Mat, we don't get enough of them anymore.

[kozzae]

I’ve had my BYD ATTO3 for 6 months now ! Absolutely an amazing car ! Love it more than the Ioniq I had ! Hands down !!

[Artomotive.]

Thank you for the great reviews Mat.

As someone who works for a leading Automotive Design consultancy I can assure you your comments are being heard, passed onto relevant departments and considered within our design and development.

Keep up the great work!

[pauloxable]

Wow, I actually like the guitar strings 😂.
Thanks for the video Matt

[alangordon]

It will be interesting to see how BYD develop the brand in the UK. Prices look competitive but not a standout bargain. This has the feel of some of the French brands, i.e. Mass market, a few interesting design flourishes and potentially horrendous depreciation!

[hedland]

I own one here in Australia. You really need someone who knows how to configure the car, steering, braking and feel can all be adjusted as well as energy. I suggest you Google how many car of the year awards it's won world wide and watch some competent drivers put it through its paces.

[Batman..]

Just bought it here in the Netherlands 🇳🇱 and I am just loving it. They best value of my money 😊

[bmc]

UK pricing seems odd. In Australia, the Atto 3 is priced about the same as the MG4, and a good $10, 000 (£5500) below the Niro EV or Born. If British pricing for this mirrored the Australian positioning, it'd be under £30000.

Mat, I'd love to know how your opinion of the car would have changed if it were priced like that. There were a couple of points where you said it wasn't good enough for the money - would it have been good enough at that lower price?

I'm also intrigued as to why BYD had taken such wildly different approaches in the Australian and British markets.

[FM]

BYD have been building electric bus chassis for Alexander Dennis Ltd and from what I have seen they are ok, though I have only ridden one so far in Manchester. This car looks quite cool to be honest, I like the glass sunroof.