BYD Atto 1 vs Foton Tunland

What's the difference?

The BYD Atto 1 has already earned its place in history as the cheapest new EV ever sold in Australia. And the good news is that, on the strength of bigger-battery Premium version, it rarely puts a foot wrong as a city car, exceeding performance, efficiency, refinement and comfort expectations. The Atto 1 really delivers around town.

But the baby BYD’s price is too close to larger EVs with better range, while extended exposure reveals issues with seat comfort, touchscreen access/distraction, ADAS interference and nervous steering feel at speed. Australian road tuning is required to rectify these.

Still, as a cheap urban EV runabout, the Atto 1 Premium still (just) stands alone. A glimpse into the future, someday, all city cars will likely follow in the bold BYD’s footsteps.

In pure workhorse terms the V7-C 4x2 is the most impressive Chinese ute we’ve tested, with its ability to legally haul more than one tonne of payload while towing up to 3.5 tonnes of braked trailer unmatched by Chinese rivals (and most others). When you add purposeful styling, ample cabin space, generous appointments and a long warranty, all for less than $40K, the new Tunland model represents compelling value for money.

Fun fact. Designer Wolfgang Egger was responsible for the gorgeous Alfa Romeo 156 of 1997 among others, as well as some Audis and Lamborghinis later on. You can definitely see the latter’s influence in the Atto 1’s angular face.

Based on the Dolphin architecture and badged the Dolphin Surf elsewhere (as well as Seagull but that name wouldn’t fly here), the BYD’s boxy proportions are pure supermini and is about the size of the previous-generation Honda Jazz.

However, the designers have added some crossover cues to the styling, including plastic cladding around the wheel arches, to give it a pseudo SUV look.

Inside, though, the Atto 1 is unashamedly hatchback in layout and appearance, with a contemporary, minimalist dash, big central touchscreen with precious few buttons and loads of storage.

In other words, a typical modern small car from China.

If Oscar Wilde was correct in claiming that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery then Ford and Ram should be blushing, judging by some of the Tunland’s styling cues which appear to draw strong design inspiration from Ford’s F-150 (V7) and Ram’s 1500 (V9).

Even so, our base model V7-C 4x2 does not look or feel like the afterthought that workhorse models can represent in commercial fleets. Its alloy wheels and splashes of bright body chrome combined with body-coloured doorhandles/mirror shells and a decorative tailgate looks more upmarket than you’d expect, particularly at this low price.

Riding on a long 3355mm wheelbase with external dimensions of 5617mm length, 2000mm width and 1910 height, its traditional body-on-frame design features twin wishbone front suspension, a leaf-spring live rear axle, electric power-assisted steering and four-wheel disc brakes.

And although it’s a 4x2 it shares many of its 4x4 siblings’ off-road credentials including a useful 240mm of ground clearance, 28 degrees approach/21 degrees ramp break-over/26 degrees departure angles, 700mm wading depth and 13.5-metre turning circle.

Its external dimensions create a spacious interior that nudges the benchmark for workhorse luxury. With Daimler truck DNA evident in its digital screen displays, the plush synthetic leather trim features a combination of quilted white stitching and contrasting red stitching, plus splashes of satin chrome and dark woodgrain highlights on the dash, centre console and door trims.

The BYD’s boxiness sure pays dividends accessing the Atto 1's interior, aided by tall doors, a high roof and lofty seating.

Initial impressions are very positive.

Lots of space, a decent driving position (in the Premium at least; the Essential has rake-only steering adjustment), grippy little wheel and a solid look and feel impart a sense of quality. This does not seem built down to a price.

The elevated centre console/fixed armrest provides ample storage below and easy reach of USB ports, sturdy cupholders above and a raised smartphone rest that doubles as a charger (again, only on Premium), allowing for quick downward glances without having to touch the device. Helpful.

Further points are won due to the very clean and minimalist dash presentation, with an electronic instrument display ahead of the driver (not a given nowadays thanks to Tesla’s minimalism-gone-mad influence), offering all the information you need in a concise and notably colourful manner.

That 10.1-inch central touchscreen, meanwhile, is probably one of the better examples from China, possessing superficially logical operation, clear markings and a row of fast-access icons for climate, audio, vehicle function, home screen and other controls.

However, the more time you spend in the Atto 1, the more the cabin doesn’t stand up that well under scrutiny.

The shapely tombstone-style front seats, which look a million dollars, are comfortable on short journeys but disappoint during longer drives, revealing a lack of sufficient back and thigh support.

There are no regenerative braking paddle shifters for single-pedal driving, just an on/off tile requiring a distracting and time-consuming touchscreen-menu deep-dive.

In fact, most functions demand at least one or two eyes-off-the-road-ahead prods of the screen, which is annoying and potentially hazardous.

Using the climate control is a good (bad) example.

Infernally fiddly screen slide controllers that are hard to pin-point with a hovering finger while the car is moving, let alone modulate, leads to temperature-selection fury. And those vinyl seats are clammy regardless of humidity levels and their perforations don’t help. Setting the desired climate environment is an utter faff.

And why must BYD’s synthetic leather smell so pungent? The off-gas odour can be nauseating for some on warmer days.

Worse still, even a glance towards the touchscreen sets off the distraction nannies. Frustrating. So is the intrusive lane-keep assist tech, unless you keep the car perfectly centred, with its constant nudging of the wheel while it nags away. More like Aggro 1.

Inevitably, turning these and other ADAS warnings off requires several menu deep-dives, leading to more driver-distraction paranoia. It’s a circle of stupidity for tech that’s meant to protect. And every new drive defaults to ‘on’. It's an infuriating mess.

Meanwhile, the Atto 1’s (two-person-only, remember) rear seat area also starts off promisingly, with easy entry/egress, adequate space (even for long legs and big feet) and a backrest and cushion combo offering sufficient comfort and support.

Amenities include useful door storage, overhead grab handles and map pockets, while the back of the centre console provides a cubby area just wide enough hold a bottle or larger keep-cup. That’s necessary because there is no folding armrest or subsequent cupholders back there, nor reading lights or USB ports.

And while the upward sweep of the window line means the rear can seem dark, the shape of the front seats allows some vision around and even through them for rear occupants.

Further back, the boot area is larger than the BYD’s diminutive size suggests, at 308 litres with backrests erect and 1037L with them folded forward.

The deep floor hides an even deeper cavity that’s large enough for charger cables, laptops and other paraphernalia that should be out of sight. That almost negates the need for the AWOL luggage cover.

But there's also a tyre repair kit instead of a spare wheel in there, and regular readers will know how incorrect that is. Every vehicle sold in Australia should come with one. Even city cars.

Loading/unloading is easy and there are hooks to secure things to, but clearing the high lip may be an effort for some.

And, though an EV, the is no extra storage to be found under the bonnet. The Atto 1 has no front boot, or froot.

With its 2190kg kerb weight and 3305kg GVM, the V7-C 4x2 has a sizeable 1115kg payload rating which is the largest of the Tunland fleet.

It’s also rated to tow up to 3500kg of braked trailer and with its big 6805kg GCM (or how much it can legally carry and tow at the same time) it can tow its maximum trailer weight when carrying its maximum one-tonne-plus of payload. Those are impressive numbers unmatched by its Chinese rivals.

The load tub is protected by a spray-in liner and measures 1577mm long, 1650mm wide and 530mm deep, with 1240mm between the wheel housings ample for carrying Aussie or Euro pallets.

There’s also tailgate assist and load-anchorage points front and rear, but the front ones are mounted near the tops of the sidewalls which is not ideal for securing low loads. Anchorage points near floor level (like those at the rear) are best for securing loads of all heights.

There’s ample room in all key dimensions for the driver and front passenger, where storage includes a bottle-holder and bin in each door plus an overhead glasses holder and large glovebox.

A cleverly designed centre console offers two levels of storage, with dual USB-A ports and a 12v socket in the lower level. There’s also two bottle-holders in the centre and a large box at the back, with an internal A/C vent to keep contents cool and a padded lid that doubles as an elbow rest.

The rear doors open wide to allow easy access to a spacious rear bench seat, given I’m 186cm and have ample knee clearance and headroom when sitting behind the driver’s seat set in my position. There’s also a flat floor that saves central passengers from having to straddle a transmission hump but shoulder room for three big Aussies can be squeezy, which is okay for short trips but a limit of two would be ideal for longer journeys.

Rear passengers have access to adjustable air vents on the rear of the centre console, along with storage that includes a bottle-holder and bin in each door plus pockets on each front seat backrest. The centre seat’s backrest also folds forward to provide an armrest containing two cup-holders.

The 60/40-split base cushions can swing up and be stored vertically if more internal carrying space is required. And although there’s no dedicated under-seat storage compartments, there’s generous space for stowing soft items like sports bags, jackets etc.

The Tunland range includes the V7-C 4x2 and V7-C 4x4 workhorses aimed primarily at fleet and trade buyers plus two 4x4s variants with a more upmarket/lifestyle focus comprising the V9-L and premium V9-S.

Our V7-C 4x2 test vehicle is the tradie’s entrance to Tunland ownership, which comes standard with the same 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel with 48-volt hybrid assist and eight-speed automatic shared by all models, for a tempting list price of only $39,990 before on-road costs. Our example is finished in gleaming Galaxy Silver which is a premium paint option that adds $690.

The V7-C comes well equipped for a workhorse with standard equipment that includes chunky 18-inch gloss black alloy wheels with 265/70R18 tyres and a full-size steel spare.

There’s also LED headlights, tail-lights and daytime running lights, side-steps, spray-in tub-liner, electronic parking brake, front/rear parking sensors, panoramic 360-degree camera with integrated dash-cam, smart key entry/start, USB ports and 12v socket, 12.3-inch driver’s digital instrument cluster, 14.6-inch infotainment screen with Apple Car Play and Android Auto connectivity, four-speaker sound system, ‘Hi Foton’ voice recognition and more.

The Atto 1's electric motor is offered in two output choices. Either way, it can be found under the bonnet and driving the front wheels via a single-speed transmission.

The Essential scores a low-power version making 65kW and 175Nm of torque, which is enough for a 0-100km/h sprint time of a still-decent 11.1 seconds, while the Premium’s high-power unit ups those to 115kW and 220Nm respectively, shaving two seconds off in the process. Top speed is said to be 135km/h.

Note that, while the latter grade’s 43.2kWh battery adds 96kg overall compared to the smaller 30kWh model, it still enjoys a way-superior power-to-weight ratio of 82.7kW/tonne versus just 50.2kW/tonne.

Foton’s Aucan 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel meets Euro 6 emission standards using AdBlue and produces 120kW of power at 3600rpm and a meaty 450Nm of torque between 1500-2400rpm.

Its hybrid assistance follows convention with the turbo-diesel engine equipped with a belt-driven starter-generator paired with a compact 48-volt lithium-ion battery nestled behind the rear seat.

This combination provides not only smooth engine stop-start technology but also modest boosts in power and torque (in addition to the diesel’s 120kW/450Nm) to enhance engine response and load-hauling ability.

The ZF-designed eight-speed torque converter automatic offers the choice of manual sequential shifting using the steering wheel-mounted paddles, along with several drive modes. The V7-C is estimated to accelerate from 0-100km/h in less than 11 seconds with a top speed of around 160km/h.

Only thing missing is a locking differential, which for a 4x2 can be handy when accessing rugged worksites or pulling a boat trailer up a slimy boat-ramp.

The official consumption average for the Essential is 15.5kWh/100km and its 30kWh 'Blade' LFP (Lithium Iron Phosphate) battery offers a WLTP range of 220km.

The 43.2kW Premium bumps the energy use figure up to 16kWh/100km but offers 310km WLTP.

We came close to latter claim, with 263km of mixed driving and still showing about 10 per cent of range left, while the car’s consumption readout averaged 13.7kWh/100km overall. That rose to 16.5kWh/100km during a stint of harder, highway-heavy driving.

Charging times vary. With an 11kW AC capability on both grades, the Essential needs up to 16 hours and the Premium 22 hours plugged into a regular socket, and five and seven hours respectively using an optional 7.0kW Wallbox.

Meanwhile, switching to DC fast charging, the Essential’s 65kW capability means a 10-80 per cent top-up can be achieved in under 40 minutes, against the 85kW Premium’s 30 to 50-minute requirement.

Foton claims official combined consumption of 8.0L/100km and the Tunland’s trip computer was showing 9.5 at the completion of our 294km test, which comprised our usual mix of suburban, city and highway driving of which about one third was hauling more than one tonne of payload.

Our own figure, calculated from fuel bowser and tripmeter readings, was even better at 9.2L/100km. That’s excellent sub-10L/100km economy for a vehicle weighing more than two tonnes being driven mostly on metro roads and consumption that's well within the usual 2-3L/100km discrepancy between manufacturer and real-world figures.

So, based on our test figure, you could expect a realistic driving range of more than 800km from its 76-litre diesel tank.

Sadly, we cannot comment on how the 65kW/175Nm Essential drives, but with 77 per cent more power and 25 per cent more torque, the 115kW/220Nm Premium’s performance is one of its calling cards.

Lively off the mark, even in Eco, it thrives in inner urban environments, with instant throttle response for effortlessly zippy and smooth acceleration, as you’d expect of an EV.

And it just keeps on keeping on at speed, giving the Premium a terrific breadth of performance flexibility. We’re now very curious to see how the Essential goes.

Armed with light and alert steering, the Atto 1 can weave in and out of traffic gaps with confidence and precision, and is backed up by a super-tight turning circle to boot, so parking manoeuvres around town is a doddle.

BYD’s decision to set up the chassis for a soft, long-travel suspension is appreciated, since the Premium takes most bumps and humps in its stride, making this one of the comfier city cars around.

Road and tyre noises are omnipresent, but aren’t not too bad overall by supermini standards, while the Hankook 185/55R16 tyres deliver sufficient grip, even over some rain-soaked roads we endured.

Most of these Atto 1 attributes also translate well at freeway speeds, with the Premium offering ample muscle for overtaking, slick steering responses and a planted chassis feel.

But, once you hit some faster corners, the BYD’s reactive steering, lofty seating and cushy suspension conspire to create considerable body movement, especially through tighter bends, scrubbing the front wheels as it turns wide (understeer).

Yet, press on a bit harder, the Atto 1 can instantly change its attitude to oversteer, feeling darty as weight shifts from the rear, making the steering suddenly too sharp and the car too nervous, Even experienced drivers might hesitate to carry on. And this happened on dry roads.

Of course, the BYD is a city car so not designed for sports-car handling, but it does lack the confidence and control of a hard-driven Mazda 2 or Suzuki Swift. Strangely, it seems more SUV-like than supermini, dynamically.

Most owners won't care, but they will have to live with the infuriating ADAS tune, with inexplicably sudden braking when the adaptive cruise control is on, and lane-support systems that all-too-often tug and bleat endlessly like an agitated goat, becoming too distracting, and requiring far-too-fiddly touchscreen menu diving to silence, especially as they default back on with every restart.

The driver-attention warning is also in a semi-permanent state of nerves, squawking all-too-regularly unless the driver is sat perfectly still, and will easily escalate the danger level to “take-a-break” should you dare move about in your seat. Which would be regularly, due to the latter’s lack of enduring support. A literal and metaphorical pain.

Clearly, then, the Atto 1 can really do with some Australian road tuning and on a number of fronts at that. Until this happens, these are the dark clouds blighting the blue skies that this car’s otherwise sunny disposition delivers with every urban drive on a daily basis.

Or, in other words, stick to the urban jungle.

There’s big assist handles on the A and B-pillars which combined with the side-steps makes for easy boarding into a spacious and comfortable driving position. However, some adjustments for base cushion rake and lumbar support would be welcome.

With selectable steering feel and drivetrain settings, it’s an enjoyable vehicle to drive. The turbo diesel has excellent all-round response, with the seamless interaction of its 48V mild-hybrid assist providing extra urge from standing starts.

Although you can manually shift, the eight-speed auto gets the best out of this engine in urban use, keeping it mostly within the 1500-2400rpm band where torque is at its strongest. We also sampled the Sport and Eco drive modes but found the default Standard setting was an ideal compromise. It’s also a relaxed highway cruiser requiring only 1800rpm to maintain 110km/h.

To test its GVM rating we forklifted 830kg into the load tub, which combined with our crew of two equalled a total payload exceeding one tonne (1010kg). The rear leaf springs compressed 75mm under this weight, leaving about 40mm of static bump-stop clearance which did not display any harsh bottoming-out on our test route.

It hauled this payload with commendable ease, particularly on our 13 per cent gradient, 2.0km-long set climb at 60km/h where it quickly downshifted to fourth gear and 2400rpm (the upper end of its peak torque band) to haul this load to the summit.

Engine-braking on the way down, in a manually selected second gear, was also robust for a relatively small engine displacement restraining more than three tonnes of combined vehicle and payload on overrun. It proved to be a competent heavy load-hauler.

Our only criticisms are that the eight-speed automatic tends to hold sixth gear for too long at times, with the engine sounding and feeling like it’s really labouring before downshifting to fifth.

There were also a few settings in the touchscreen’s ‘Rear Cross Traffic Assist’ menu that could not be selected and the ‘Traffic Sign Recognition’ symbol was not displayed in the driver’s instrument display. Inchcape could not confirm if these findings were unique to our test vehicle or a broader product issue.

The latest Tunland is yet to receive an ANCAP star rating which may hinder sales, particularly to fleets.

Even so, it comes loaded with safety features like eight airbags including full-length side-curtain, driver’s knee and front-centre deployment, plus auto emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian and cyclist detection, adaptive cruise control, lane keeping, speed sign recognition, blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, trailer stability assist, tyre pressure monitoring, front/rear parking sensors, 360-degree camera with integrated dash-cam and more.

For junior tradies the rear bench seat has three top-tethers plus ISOFIX anchorages on the two outer seating positions.

Here’s where the BYD slips up a bit.

Yes, it comes with a better-than-industry-standard six-year warranty, but many rivals offer between seven and 10-year coverages, while the Atto 1’s mileage warranty is capped at 150,000km when most others include unlimited mileage. And roadside assistance is only for one year, as well.

Service intervals are every 12 months or 20,000km. Capped-price servicing is available, but no precise figures were available at the time of publishing.

Estimates are from under $200 for the first and third annual services, and from $500 and $650 for the second and fourth yearly visits, respectively. Please check with BYD for updated figures.

Currently there are about 105 BYD service outlets throughout Australia, with 30 more expected by the middle of 2026. This should address one of this brand's biggest concerns – sufficient after-sales care.

It's confidently backed by a seven-years/unlimited kilometre warranty and seven years of roadside assistance.

Scheduled servicing is every 15,000km/12 months whichever occurs first.

There’s capped pricing for the first seven scheduled services up to seven years/110,000km totalling $4492, or an average of around $640 per service.

Foton Australia currently has a national network of around 20 dealers (with plans to expand) represented in most states and territories. All can provide scheduled vehicle servicing.