BYD Atto 1 vs Aston Martin Vanquish

What's the difference?

Back in 2010, Mitsubishi released Australia’s first mainstream electric vehicle (EV) in nearly a century.

That model, the i-MiEV, was a four-seater city-sized Kei car from Japan that cost $48,800, before on-road costs, or from roughly $70,000 in today's money. Little wonder it bombed. That was four times more than petrol-powered equivalents of the time.

Now, in 2026, the new BYD Atto 1 is the first EV sold here since the i-MiEV’s 2013 departure to be considered a four-seater city car.

It’s also the least-expensive EV money can buy, being even cheaper than many internal-combustion engine alternatives like the Mazda 2 and Toyota Yaris hybrid. The fact is, there’s nothing remotely near the Chinese supermini’s base price that’s electric.

But is the Atto 1 any good?

What makes the Aston Martin Vanquish a luxury car? Everything.

Its over-the-top performance and opulence makes its very existence the definition of a luxury car. Nobody on the planet has any need for this car, you only buy the Vanquish because you want it - and that makes it one of the most luxurious vehicles on sale today.

Its very existence is tied directly to what’s under the bonnet, the last V12 remaining in Aston Martin’s showroom, and the fact that some customers can simply not bring themselves to drive anything without 12 cylinders. 

So, what’s it like driving the apex of luxury? Read on to find out…