BYD Atto 3 vs Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class

What's the difference?

So, would I recommend this new Atto 3 Evo to my friend, or indeed anyone in the market for a mid-size electric SUV?

While it may look largely the same as it did back in 2022, the Atto 3 is now a far more compelling proposition than it was then. Certainly BYD has established itself in the market and that means there is more certainty for buyers.

But this new Atto 3 Premium is a big leap forward when it comes to the driving experience. And while that’s not likely to be a huge factor for most mid-size electric SUV buyers, given the price has only crept up marginally (by modern standards) it remains competitively positioned.

For context, the Leapmotor C10 is another mid-size, rear-wheel drive electric SUV from China and it is even more expensive than the Atto 3 and is, to be blunt, nowhere near as good.

If BYD continues to produce cars this good there’s no reason to believe it won’t be a major player for years to come.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer with accommodation and meals provided.

The GLS450d impresses as an entry-level grade, as it’s a more family-friendly allrounder than the specialised AMG and Maybach variants. Its combination of a torque-rich diesel 48V hybrid drivetrain, air-cushioned suspension and plush interior are as well suited to luxury urban travel as they are to grand touring, where its heavy towing and generous load-carrying capabilities can shine. Whether it’s worth around $200K drive-away, only those who shop at the top end of town can decide.

Despite the major changes underneath, BYD hasn’t really changed much from a design point-of-view. Which is a trend for the brand, with the 2024 update also focusing primarily on improving technology rather than the looks. 

Externally there is a new lower bumper, which has some subtle changes to its air-intakes, extended daytime running lights, slightly slimmer side skirts and a reshaped rear spoiler. 

Inside there are a few minor differences, with the gear selector moving to the steering column to create more storage space in the centre console, and the steering wheel is a new design. 

The other notable change is the driver instrument display, which has grown from five- to 8.8-inch.

There’s also a new grey interior colour trim, which looks more premium to this reviewer’s eyes than the blue/white cabin of the older model.

And, for better or worse, the Atto 3’s most memorable feature, the ‘guitar strings’ on the door, remain. While they may not be to everyone’s taste, there is an argument to be made that BYD should be acknowledged for not making the simplest/cheapest cabin possible.  

This is an imposing vehicle in extravagant S-Class tradition, riding on an expansive 3135mm wheelbase and stretching more than 5.2 metres (5215mm) long and more than 2.0 metres (2030mm) wide with a turning circle that's nudging 13 metres.

However, it’s just under 1.8 metres (1798mm) tall, so there’s no clearance issues when accessing multi-storey carparks. And with its side-steps (or ‘running boards’ in nostalgic Benz speak) most adults can step rather than climb aboard, although passengers of shorter stature during our test noted that assist handles on the A and B pillars would be handy.

Central to its sophisticated chassis design is adaptive air suspension, which uses a pneumatic or ‘airbag’ form of springing with adaptive damping to continuously optimise ride comfort and handling response according to road conditions and driving dynamics (see Driving).

The GLS’s styling is clean and uncluttered with tasteful restraint evident in its chrome and satin-chrome highlights, yet it projects a majestic quality with its prominent four-louvre grille and elegantly spoked alloy wheels.

The spacious and sumptuous seven-seat interior is visually pleasing and practical, with a subtle blend of surface treatments, contrasting tones, lots of soft-touch surfaces and exposed stitching. This is combined (thankfully) with physical dials, switches and ‘piano key’ buttons to control numerous interior functions, in preference to distracting touchscreen prompts.

The new driver instrument display is a big improvement. Frankly, the old screen was quite small and provided limited information compared to this newer, larger display.

The 15.8-inch multimedia touchscreen came with the last update and remains a relatively straightforward system to use. However, the need to take your eyes off the road to adjust controls for the air-conditioning is unnecessary and could be fixed by the simple addition of physical controls. 

The decision to move the gear selector to the steering column liberates a good amount of space between the front seats. 

There is now room for two smartphones to sit side-by-side (although only one wireless charging pad), as well as two cupholders and a lidded console box.

Space inside the cabin obviously remains the same, with good room for what is a small (or at least a smaller mid-size) SUV.

Cargo space, on the other hand, is changed. The Dynamic measures 434-litres, which is almost identical to the previous model. Things are different for the Premium with the shift to the rear-mounted motor, with the rear boot measuring 490L plus there is now a 101L under bonnet storage space.

Although it has a hefty 2655kg kerb weight, our test vehicle’s 3420kg GVM rating provides a useful 765kg of load capacity, which should comfortably absorb the combined weight of up to seven occupants and light luggage. Or with the third row of seating folded, five occupants and heavier luggage.

It’s also rated to tow up to 3500kg of braked trailer and with its sizeable 6920kg GCM (or how much weight it can legally carry and tow at the same time) it can carry its maximum load while towing its maximum trailer weight.

So, that’s commendable practicality, given it would be well suited to owners that need to tow large caravans, boat trailers, horse floats etc in style without having to compromise much (if at all) on either passenger numbers or luggage capacity.

Driver and front passenger space and comfort is exceptional, as you’d expect. Storage includes a large glovebox plus a bottle holder and bin in each door. The front of the centre console has two USB-C ports, wireless phone charging and heated cupholders, while the rear of the console has a large storage box with a third USB-C port and padded lid that doubles as a comfy elbow rest.

Even tall passengers in the second row of seating enjoy spacious comfort, given I’m 186cm and with the driver’s seat set in my position I have ample knee clearance, foot room and head space.

However, the central passenger must contend with a transmission tunnel in the floor and shoulder room would be squeezy for three large adults, which is okay for short trips but a maximum of two would be ideal for longer journeys.

The rear of the centre console also treats second-row passengers to a pair of USB-C ports, adjustable air-vents and a control panel that allows independent climate adjustment.

There’s also a large bin/bottle holder in each door plus storage nets on each front seat backrest. The centre seat backrest folds flat to allow long items (skis etc) to slot between the outer backrests. And it also serves as a fold-down armrest, containing two cupholders and a lidded slimline compartment that’s ideal for hidden phone storage.

The third row is uncommonly spacious, even for tall people, with padded armrests on each side containing cup holders and twin USB-C ports.

The carpeted rear luggage area has four load-anchorage points, a first aid kit and 12v socket. With the third-row seats upright it offers 355 litres of load volume, which increases to 1350 litres with the third row folded and 2400 litres (or 2.4 cubic metres) with both the second and third rows folded.

Our Polar White test vehicle, which is the base grade in the three-tiered GLS range, comes standard with a 3.0-litre inline six-cylinder turbocharged diesel engine with 48V mild hybrid technology, nine-speed automatic transmission, permanent all-wheel drive and active air suspension for a list price of $189,100.

This pricing is higher than comparative entry-level grades offered by the two marques which dominate sales leadership in this segment, comprising the BMW X7 xDrive40d M Sport ($179,500) and Lexus LX500d AWD ($158,700).

The GLS450d’s standard features include 22-inch AMG alloy wheels with Continental 325/40 R22 tyres and a collapsible spare, ‘AMG Line’ body styling enhancements, aluminium-look illuminated side-steps with non-slip rubber studs, multi-beam LED headlights and more.

Step inside the keyless interior and you’ll find ‘Hey Mercedes’ voice activation, fingerprint scanner (which memorises individual comfort settings for up to seven users), panoramic sunroof, heat-insulating dark-tinted rear privacy glass and the ‘Premium Plus Package’ that includes heating/cooling for the front seats, heated rear seats, head-up display, separate front/rear climate control zones, heated cupholders and more.

There’s also a concert hall-like Burmester surround sound system controlled by a central touchscreen with digital radio and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, plus wireless phone charging, multifunction Nappa leather sports steering wheel and USB ports front and rear.

Driver assistance includes the ‘Parking Package’ (360-degree camera, active parking assist and transparent bonnet), ‘Mirror Package’ (auto-dipping rear-view mirror and electric folding door mirrors with puddle lamp projection of the brand logo) and ‘Driver Assistance Package’ (blind-spot assist, exit warning, speed sign recognition, lane keeping etc) all included as standard equipment.

Of course, Mercedes-Benz offers numerous extra-cost options including a 3500kg towing package plus interior, exterior, suspension and wheel enhancements (including Nappa leather trim) for those who want their GLS with the lot, which can easily push the list price beyond $200K.

The Dynamic retains the same front-mounted, front-wheel drive electric motor as the Essential, which provides 150kW/310Nm of performance.

The Premium, on the other hand, gets an entirely new underpinning, with BYD’s new ‘e-Platform 3.0’ chassis, which introduces 800V electrical architecture (compared to 400V for the Dynamic). This includes a larger battery but also a switch to a rear-mounted, rear-wheel drive motor that makes 230kW/380Nm, which is a sizeable bump from the Dynamic.

The GLS450d comes standard with a 3.0-litre turbocharged inline six-cylinder diesel producing 270kW of power at 4000rpm and 750Nm of torque between 1350-2800rpm.

This is paired with a 48V mild-hybrid system comprising a 48-volt battery (charged by regenerative braking) and an integrated starter-generator which provides both seamless engine stop-start and up to 15kW/200Nm of extra power and torque during acceleration.

A nine-speed torque converter automatic provides the choice of manual shifting using the steering wheel-mounted paddles, along with several selectable drive modes.

The active all-wheel-drive system continuously adjusts the engine’s torque delivery between front and rear axles (and individual wheels as needed) to maintain optimum traction and handling.

Naturally, the changes to the motors and platform also mean some major changes to the batteries and driving range.

The Premium now features a 74.8kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery, which allows for a claimed range of 510km, up from the 420km previously offered by the pre-updated model.

The Dynamic, however, has the 420km range, as it now uses the same 60.4kWh LFP battery as the old Essential Extended Range. 

The previously available 49.9kWh battery, that had 325km of range, is now dropped. So, while the Dynamic technically costs more than the previous Essential, it comes with a bigger battery so you’re getting a higher specification vehicle.

BYD claims the charging speed has been increased thanks to the new 800V architecture. The Premium is now capable of taking up to 220kW of DC charging, which means it can get to 80 per cent capacity in as little as 25 minutes.

The Atto 3 Evo also features vehicle-to-load (V2L) functionality, which means you can draw power from the car’s battery to power small electronic devices if needed.

Mercedes-Benz claims official combined consumption of 7.8L/100km and the dash display was showing 9.0 when we stopped to refuel at the completion of our 368km test, which included the usual mix of suburban, city and highway driving with up to five passengers at times and light luggage.

Our own figure, calculated from fuel bowser and tripmeter readings, was close at 9.5 which is outstanding sub-10L/100km economy for such a substantial vehicle in mostly metropolitan use. Therefore, based on our own consumption figure, you could expect a real-world driving range of around 950km from its 90-litre diesel tank.

BYD didn’t have any examples of the Dynamic for us to drive, which makes sense given the significance of the changes to the Premium. 

Previous experience with the front-wheel drive version of the Atto 3 didn’t leave much of an impression. It’s a perfectly acceptable mid-size SUV in terms of how it drives and rides, but it didn’t do anything special that made it stand out in a very competitive field.

This new Premium model, however, is a different story. The switch to the rear-wheel drive layout unsurprisingly has a dramatic impact on the way it drives. 

Around town, at urban speed, it feels good but where it shines is on the open road. It’s not wildly fast when you put your foot down, like some other EVs, but it has excellent composure and feels responsive. 

It’s not what you’d call a sporty or ‘hot SUV’ but it certainly leaves a good impression, one that will last longer than the front-wheel drive version.

Certainly the steering could be tuned better, it doesn’t offer much feeling, particularly just off-centre. And the ride can be noticeably firm at times, hitting bumps with a sharpness that you can feel in the cabin. It’s another example of where the Chinese brands could benefit from local suspension and chassis tuning to help it better suit Australia’s unique conditions.

It’s an enjoyable vehicle to drive, with multiple power adjustments for the seat and steering wheel combined with a large left footrest which provide supreme driver comfort and support.

The powerful and responsive turbocharged six-cylinder diesel and nine-speed auto are well suited to this application. The engine’s ample torque provides spirited acceleration from standing starts, taking only six seconds to reach triple-digit speeds.

This drivetrain would be well suited to heavy towing duties, given the 48V mild-hybrid system can contribute an extra 200Nm (in addition to the engine’s 750Nm), which raises the total theoretical torque output to almost 1000Nm.

The active air suspension provides a wonderfully cushioned ride that floats over bumpy roads, while maintaining excellent handling response and surprising agility. These commendable chassis dynamics, combined with the powerful and responsive drivetrain, makes the vehicle feel smaller and lighter than its dimensions and kerb weight would suggest.

Overall, it’s difficult to fault from a driver’s perspective, with the only exception being the voice activation function. This is often triggered by words or phrases other than ‘Hey Mercedes’ resulting in regular interruption of conversations. This needs some fine tuning.

The GLS does not have an ANCAP rating as it’s yet to be tested, but comes standard with a suite of passive and active safety features including nine airbags, auto emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian detection and junction assist, blind-spot monitoring, traffic sign recognition, head-up display, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keeping, adaptive cruise control with ‘distance assist’ (autonomously brakes/accelerates in heavy traffic), front/rear parking sensors, 360-degree camera and more.

There’s also two ISOFIX and three top-tether child seat anchorages in the second row, plus two more of each in the third.

One of my ‘dislikes’ when I drove the Atto 3 in 2024 was “long-term BYD prospects still unclear” - driven by the fact it was still a relatively small brand with a limited line-up (the Shark 6 wouldn’t launch until two months later). Well, as I write this in September of 2026 it’s safe to say BYD’s long-term prospects look as good as any brand.

It is sitting in second spot on the year-to-date sales charts, behind only Toyota but surpassing the likes of Kia, Ford and Mazda. There can be no question BYD has cemented its place in the Australian market.

It already has more than 100 dealer and service locations, with plans to grow that to 150 by the end of 2026.

As for the Atto 3’s specific ownership credentials, it’s covered by the brand’s standard six-year/150,000km warranty. The battery has a separate eight-year/160,000km warranty and the Drive Unit (the motor) is covered for eight years and 150,000km.

Service intervals are every 12 months or 20,000km, and with capped price servicing the Dynamic should cost you $1410 and the Premium $1670 for the first five years.

The GLS comes with a five-years/unlimited km warranty (better than BMW and Lexus) and five years of roadside assistance. Scheduled servicing is every 12 months/25,000km whichever occurs first.

Mercedes-Benz offers capped-price pre-paid servicing packages with three, four or five-year terms. For example, the total upfront cost of the minimum three-year term is $4090, or an average of $1363 per service.