BYD Atto 2 vs Mercedes-Benz A250

What's the difference?

There has never been a better time to be shopping for an electric SUV in Australia, with the avalanche of Chinese brands constantly smashing through the price floor as they bid for the title of Australia’s cheapest.

MG led the charge with its S5, which is $40,490, drive-away. Then Leapmotor upped (or downed?) the ante with its B10 with a $38,990, drive-away, price tag. And now BYD has knocked them both out with its Atto 2, officially Australia’s cheapest electric SUV (at least for now), with a MSRP of $31,990, which, in NSW, translates to a drive-away cost of less than $35K.

Cheap is one thing. But cheerful? Let’s find out, shall we?

Hybrid is no longer a dirty word.

Australians have now embraced the semi-electrified powertrain in a big way, with the popularity of eponymous fuel-sipping Toyota hybrid models speaking for themselves.

But this sales-volume love has not extended to the tangled and often confusing world of plug-in hybrids, which puts Mercedes' latest offering in a bit of a tough spot.

The A 250 e is the late-arriving plug-in hybrid variant of the brand's popular A-Class range, and it offers some innovations which make living with an electrified car a lot more convenient.

With a tall asking price, though, is it a step too far into the electrified landscape, or a compelling option for Australians curious about electrifying their daily commute? We drove the A 250 e at its local launch to find out.