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BYD Atto 3 2023 review - EV test

There's only a handful of cars in the country, but BYD has already generated a cult following in Oz.
  • DrivetrainFully electric
  • Battery capacity60.5kWh
  • Battery typeLFP
  • Range420km (WLTP)
  • Plug TypeType 2 CCS
  • DC charge rate80kW
  • AC charge rate7.0kW
  • Motor output152kW/310Nm
  • Efficiency16.0kWh/100km
Complete Guide to BYD Atto 3

As though we didn’t already have enough car manufacturers vying for a slice of Australia’s lucrative new car market, the dawn of the electric era looks set to bring with it even more nameplates from throughout the world.

This once-in-a-generation shift in car technology has opened the door for new and innovative automakers, not held back by history or industry. 

You’ve seen the once-locally-built traditional three-box sedans fall from grace in Australia, the rise of trailblazers like Tesla, and now get ready for a swathe of new options from China.

Cars like the BYD Atto 3 have rightly created a lot of hype in Australia, not just because they are new, but because they make jumping into an electric car more financially achievable.

With so many unknown factors around a new brand, though, there are many questions we’ll seek to answer in this review, including whether we think the Atto 3 is a better buy than its main rival, the MG ZS EV, and whether it’s more than just a cheap EV.

Read on to see what I discovered.

Price and features - Does it represent good value for the price? What features does it come with?

The BYD’s headline-grabbing price-tag is by far its most appealing attribute. Yep, you can have one of these fully electric SUVs from $44,381, before on-road costs. 

Yes, this will make it slightly more expensive than the MG ZS EV (which can be had from $44,990, drive-away) in some states, but as you read through this review I’ll outline several reasons why I think this Atto 3 is definitely worth a few thousand dollars more than its core rival.

While the Standard Range Atto 3 has a driving range of 345km (WLTP), which is still more (in the real world and on paper) than its ZS EV rival, the car we tested for this review is the Long Range model which grants an even better 420km range, for a reasonable increase in price to $47,381.

Take it from someone who has been constantly driving EVs of all different shapes and sizes for the last year and a half, it’s also worth a few extra thousand to stretch to the long-range version. 

The Atto 3 kicks off at $44,381, before on-road costs. (image credit: Tom White) The Atto 3 kicks off at $44,381, before on-road costs. (image credit: Tom White)

That 420km of range will leave you mostly range anxiety free, unless you live particularly far from a metro centre and don’t have the ability to install your own charging hardware.

On to features. The Atto 3 is impressive, and it needs to be as the Chinese brand brings many question marks around what it is and what it stands for.

Equipment is mostly identical between the two grades, but our Extended Range model comes with 18-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, a 5.0-inch digital instrument cluster, synthetic leather interior trim in two-tone finish, a panoramic sunroof, wireless phone charger, a 360-degree view parking camera, ambient LED interior lighting, six-way power adjust for the driver's seat and four-way power adjust for the front passenger, with heated seats for the front two positions, as well as keyless entry and push-start ignition.

  • Up front are LED headlights. (image credit: Tom White) Up front are LED headlights. (image credit: Tom White)
  • The Atto 3 wears 18-inch alloy wheels. (image credit: Tom White) The Atto 3 wears 18-inch alloy wheels. (image credit: Tom White)
  • There's a 5.0-inch digital instrument cluster. (image credit: Tom White) There's a 5.0-inch digital instrument cluster. (image credit: Tom White)
  • The 12.8-inch touchscreen is able to rotate. (image credit: Tom White) The 12.8-inch touchscreen is able to rotate. (image credit: Tom White)

I’ve separated out the 12.8-inch touchscreen from the list because, like this car’s Tesla Model 3 rival, it deserves special attention. 

Not only is it relatively huge, it’s also capable of rotating to a portrait orientation, has a slick built-in navigation system, and always-online connectivity. 

It apparently supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but our car hadn’t completed the software update required for phone mirroring. I have it on good authority from others it works fine in cars which have been updated.

On top of the always-online connectivity, the Atto 3 also scores some EV-specific features, like vehicle to load (V2L) charging which lets you use the charging port to power external devices, and two levels of adjustable regenerative braking.

Design - Is there anything interesting about its design?

The Atto 3 is a bit generic from the outside, with its amorphous and frill-free medium SUV silhouette. 

It’s tidy, but not quite as refined as it could be. The car’s face is agreeable if a little anonymous. 

I like the side profile, with its shapely descending roofline, scale pattern flourish on the C-Pillar and little spoiler for a tail.

But the rear three-quarter is an expanse of blank bodywork, aside from the neat LED light strip and full ‘Build Your Dreams’ badge, which in my opinion, would have been better off just saying ‘BYD’ as it does on the front.

The Atto 3 is a bit generic from the outside. (image credit: Tom White) The Atto 3 is a bit generic from the outside. (image credit: Tom White)

The car takes a turn for the wacky and unpredictable on the inside with a zany colour palette and gimmicks galore from the muscle-tone theme to the barbell air vents and bass guitar strings in the doors. 

The interior will be a make-or-break for potential buyers, with this risky design likely to turn some toward the more traditional ZS EV. 

Then again, the big panel is a great drawcard with its rotating function and sleek software offering.

In terms of feel, the cabin has reasonably comfortable seats with synthetic leather trim which is more convincing than in some Chinese cars, and a decent ambiance to the cabin. 

The interior of the Atto 3 is best described as wacky. (image credit: Tom White) The interior of the Atto 3 is best described as wacky. (image credit: Tom White)

The unusual two-tone grey/blue interior, which for now is the only option, could also potentially divide buyers, although I will say the light grey surfaces combine with the sunroof to make the interior space feel bigger. 

As does the floating screen and minimalist centre console treatment, which features a gear shifter and a handful of shortcut buttons.

It won’t be for everyone, but it’s not bad. Things like the swoopy dash finish and rotary door handles at least leave you with the impression BYD is in the business of forging a unique look and feel, unlike some copycat Chinese cars of the recent past. 

Soft touch materials adorn almost all the surfaces, too, with the only hint of cost cutting being the unfortunate placement of a plastic seam across the top of the door grabs.

Practicality - How practical is the space inside?

The Atto 3 is an ideal size for many Australian buyers. It sits somewhere between a small SUV and a mid-sizer. It’s smaller than a RAV4 for example, but larger than a MG ZS. Think more like Nissan Qashqai or Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross in terms of overall dimensions.

This is good because it makes for a relatively large cabin and a big boot compared to some of its electric peers like the ZS EV or Nissan Leaf. Whilst also offering more EV driving range. What’s not to like about that?

Up front I had plenty of space for my 182cm frame, and the adjustability is pretty good, too. 

A nice touch is the fact the digital instrument display (as basic as it is), rides on top of the steering column, so you can adjust it to your heart’s content and still see the screen. 

Again, soft touch surfaces with less-than-convincing synthetic leather appear throughout the cabin, and thanks to the Atto 3’s electric platform, there’s plenty of cabin storage.

Rear seat passengers get adjustable air vents. (image credit: Tom White) Rear seat passengers get adjustable air vents. (image credit: Tom White)

You get the guitar-string bottle holders in the doors, a further two in the centre console, a wireless charging bay up front, and a huge storage cutaway underneath the console itself, which also houses your power outlets and USB connector.

The armrest console box is also fairly large, and one advantage of having an enormous touchscreen is most functions are easy to reach for the driver. 

Similar to my gripes with Tesla’s software, though, some of the toggles and buttons in the touch interfaces are a bit small to be jabbing at while you’re on the move.

Also, as is fairly standard with these Chinese newcomer models, there are some puzzling sub-menus with functions and features hidden in odd places. 

At least the software is reasonably good looking and fast to react, making it feel like it suits the car, even though it’s nowhere near as slick as the Tesla suite.

The rear seat is also decent for room, with airspace for my knees behind my own driving position, as with many cars with EV platforms, the floor is flat back there, making it useful for storing objects or accommodating an adult in the centre seat position.

The rear seat has reasonable space. (image credit: Tom White) The rear seat has reasonable space. (image credit: Tom White)

Rear seat amenities include two-tiered pockets on the backs of both front seats, adjustable air vents, as well as a USB-C and USB-2.0 power outlet. 

The Atto 3 recently overcame a compliance issue relating to the lack of a top-tether child-seat mounting point in the centre rear position. That point is now available, joining two ISOFIX points on the outer rear seats.

The Atto 3 offers 440 litres of boot space with the second row up, pretty decent for the segment, or 1340L with the second row down. 

There’s a small amount of storage for charging cables and the like under the boot floor, but oddly, and despite ample room for one, there’s no frunk.

  • Boot space is rated at 440 litres. (image credit: Tom White) Boot space is rated at 440 litres. (image credit: Tom White)
  • Cargo capacity grows to 1340L when the rear seats are folded flat. (image credit: Tom White) Cargo capacity grows to 1340L when the rear seats are folded flat. (image credit: Tom White)

Drivetrain - What are the key stats for the drivetrain?

It’s not exciting here, with the front-wheel drive Atto 3 powered by a middling 150kW/310Nm electric motor. 

This is pretty close to the output of its rivals, but during my testing I found the Atto 3 to have more than enough responsiveness and performance off-the-line.

The Atto 3 is powered by a 150kW/310Nm electric motor. (image credit: Tom White) The Atto 3 is powered by a 150kW/310Nm electric motor. (image credit: Tom White)

Zero to 100km/h isn’t sub six-seconds like it is even in a base Tesla Model 3, at a more tame 7.3 seconds, but it will still outrun most combustion cars at this price. 

You might not want to test this particular theory until you replace the awful stock tyres, for reasons we’ll explore in the driving section of this review.

Driving - What's it like to drive?

While they might be affordable alternatives, a consistent theme of many new Chinese offerings in Australia is they are, for the most part, pretty lacklustre to drive. 

There are more clumsy gearboxes, frumpy suspensions, and lifeless steering systems coming out of the country than you can poke a stick at, but I was surprised and relieved to find the Atto 3 mostly bucks the trend.

The electric motor is strong and relatively smooth, but most importantly, this car rides very nicely considering it carries more than 60kWh of batteries under the floor. 

It feels balanced over both axles, turns into corners with a surprising amount of poise, and is just generally as comfortable and confidence-inspiring as you would expect an SUV in this class to be.

It’s more than can be said for its MG ZS EV rival, which has shown improvement with its latest offering, but still feels a little unbalanced when it comes to its ride, and hardly inspires confidence with its understeer-y front-end.

The Atto 3 is balanced and comfortable. (image credit: Tom White) The Atto 3 is balanced and comfortable. (image credit: Tom White)

Not only that, but the BYD’s motor feels stronger despite its similar power outputs, and offers superior cabin ambiance, steering feel, and software, too. 

The steering strikes a middle ground between lightness and feel, although it does carry a slightly artificial character which takes the edge off it a little when you’re in the corners.

A surprise to me was the mild regen braking tune in the Atto 3. For a brand so focused on being electric, I would have expected a single-pedal driving mode, or at least a stronger regen tune than the highest available, which feels tepid, and has a long wind-up to its greatest potential. 

The Atto 3 does use a high degree of blended braking beyond its regen threshold to make the difference, but it would be nice to see a single-pedal or strong regen tune like the ones which appear in Hyundai Group products (it’s no surprise these cars are some of the most energy efficient on the market).

The electric motor is strong and relatively smooth. (image credit: Tom White) The electric motor is strong and relatively smooth. (image credit: Tom White)

The biggest downside I could find for this car’s mostly pleasant driving attributes is the awful tyres it ships with. The all-but-no-name Atlas Batman A51s it wears from the factory are not up to the task of dealing with the amount of torque the Atto 3’s motor can instantly deliver.

As such, putting the car in Sport mode and planting the accelerator will almost always lead to an unsettling amount of wheelspin, even if you’re already travelling at velocities higher than 60km/h. 

This is beyond the realm of a performance problem, and starts to become a safety concern. How would these tyres fare with the Atto 3’s 1750kg kerb weight in the wet, I wonder?

Still, in terms of complaints this is a relatively minor one, and one easily addressed by prospective owners (or preferably, the Atto 3’s importer…).

Other than this, my main concerns are limited to the occasionally fiddly touchscreen menus and small buttons to be pressed while on the move. The Atto 3 is balanced, comfortable, and offers more than sufficient power for most buyers. Colour me impressed.

Energy consumption - How much does it consume? What’s the range like, and what it’s like to recharge/refuel?

The Atto 3, in Extended Range form as tested, has a 60.48kWh battery pack, which uses BYD’s signature cobalt-free lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) chemistry and ‘blade’ form factor, which is reported to have benefits when it comes to cost, range, and safety.

The Extended Range variant can travel a WLTP-rated 420km between charges, and has an official energy consumption of 16kWh/100km.

When it comes to charging time the Atto 3 uses a Euro-standard Type 2 CCS charging port, and can top up at a max rate of 80kW for the Extended Range, charging from 10-80 per cent in about an hour.

The Atto 3 uses a Euro-standard Type 2 CCS charging port. (image credit: Tom White) The Atto 3 uses a Euro-standard Type 2 CCS charging port. (image credit: Tom White)

On the slower AC standard which you’re more likely to find at the local shops or extract from a home wall box set-up, the Atto 3 can charge at a rate of 7.0kW, which is a little short of the 11kW we like it to be. On this standard you can expect a full charge from 10 per cent in 8.5 hours.

I was pleased to find during my week of testing, the Atto 3 consumed 15.1kWh/100km, which is ahead of its claim. 

I had no alarming drops in range during my week, although I didn’t spend an extended period of time on the freeway. It would seem as though the 420km range claim for around-town usage is more than achievable.

Safety - What safety equipment is fitted? What safety rating?

Both variants of the Atto 3 have a comprehensive safety suite, with active items including freeway-speed auto emergency braking (4.0-150km/h), forward and rear collision warning, lane keep assist with lane departure warning, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, and a 360-degree parking suite.

It is important to note the rear-facing safety items like blind spot monitoring and rear-cross traffic alert do not come on the base MG ZS EV.

The Atto 3’s airbag complement includes dual front, side, and curtain, as well as a centre airbag. The Atto 3 scored relatively highly across all of ANCAP’s testing criteria for a maximum five stars.

BYD even claims its 'Blade Battery' technology is far less likely to catch fire in the event of a collision, but this has not stopped a handful of widely-publicised fires from occurring on cars using these batteries, as it has for standard lithium batteries in the past.

Ownership - What does it cost to own? What warranty is offered?

The Atto 3 is offered with a six-year/150,000km warranty, a notable shift from the seven-year/unlimited km cover the brand’s local distributor initially proposed but backed away from prior to launch.

This is still longer than the warranty on a Tesla Model 3, but falls short of the seven-year promises offered on the MG ZS EV and Kia Niro EV, for example.

The high-voltage components are covered by a separate and more industry-standard eight-years and 160,000km, and roadside assist is included for the first year only.

Interestingly, there are also two service plans for the Atto 3, with several service centres having already been established throughout the country. 

The Atto 3 is offered with a six-year/150,000km warranty. (image credit: Tom White) The Atto 3 is offered with a six-year/150,000km warranty. (image credit: Tom White)

The ‘light’ service schedule, recommended for those who rack up low kilometres on their car has a fixed price schedule which averages out to $189 per year for the first five years or 60,000km.

Then, there is the ‘standard’ schedule, which costs an average of $299 per year, which is alarmingly, a similar cost to a combustion car. 

Worse still, the Atto 3 requires servicing at similar intervals, just 12 months or 20,000km. BYD states the standard service pricing includes all filters, fluids and consumables.

We’re not entirely sure why the schedule is so frequent and expensive, given many even premium electric rivals require servicing only every two years or 30,000km. Electric vehicles have far fewer moving parts, after all.

  • DrivetrainFully electric
  • Battery capacity60.5kWh
  • Battery typeLFP
  • Range420km (WLTP)
  • Plug TypeType 2 CCS
  • DC charge rate80kW
  • AC charge rate7.0kW
  • Motor output152kW/310Nm
  • Efficiency16.0kWh/100km
Complete Guide to BYD Atto 3

The BYD Atto 3 is a very pleasant surprise. Sure, some won’t be sold by its weird and wacky styling or its lack of a track record in Australia, but this is a genuinely appealing, practical and affordable electric SUV.

In my books it's far preferable to the MG ZS EV thanks to its superior feel from behind the wheel and impressive software suite which suits its futuristic look and feel. Just put those cheap tyres in the bin at the first opportunity.

$41,989 - $43,888

Based on 4 car listings in the last 6 months

VIEW PRICING & SPECS

Score

3.8/5
Disclaimer: The pricing information shown in the editorial content (Review Prices) is to be used as a guide only and is based on information provided to Carsguide Autotrader Media Solutions Pty Ltd (Carsguide) both by third party sources and the car manufacturer at the time of publication. The Review Prices were correct at the time of publication.  Carsguide does not warrant or represent that the information is accurate, reliable, complete, current or suitable for any particular purpose. You should not use or rely upon this information without conducting an independent assessment and valuation of the vehicle.