Overview

In case you’re wondering what the badge on the front of the BYD Atto 3 stands for, worry no longer – it’s ‘Build Your Dreams’. You might not yet have heard of the firm, but it’s been around since 1995 becoming an expert in electric vehicle systems, and going on to challenge Tesla for the title of the world’s largest EV manufacturer today.

The Atto 3 first appeared on the UK market in 2022 as the first model in the BYD range to be sold here, it’s been joined by the Dolphin and the Seal, with more to come. From a standing start, that’s quite impressive, especially considering that UK buyers are probably the most brand conscious in the world. It’s no surprise that BYD kicked off with the Atto 3 – it’s an electric SUV, and as such is the bodystyle that more buyers want right now.

That means the Atto 3 is being plunged into a very busy market sector, finding itself up against some very impressive offerings from more established brands. These include the Volkswagen ID.4, Renault Scenic E-Tech Electric and Kia Niro EV, as well as Parkers Car of The Year winners such as the Skoda Enyaq iV and the MG4 EV if you’re not after something quite so SUV-shaped.  

Find out how we test cars if you want further insights into how we chose this car’s rivals. We’ve spent plenty of time in the Atto 3, including our New Cars Editor Alan Taylor-Jones running one for six months, where we encountered one or two teething problems with the software that you might not expect to find in an offering from a more established brand.

The range kicks off with Atto 3 Active, which comes in to similar money to the aforementioned rivals, with this anything but a poverty spec model. In fact, the only thing it’s missing compared to mid-range Comfort for around £500 more is an 11kW charger to make the most of homecharging.

At the top of the range is Design model. This gives you a bigger touchscreen which we’d argue is pointless, a handy electric tailgate, fancier ambient lighting and floor mats. When you consider that even Active gets a panoramic roof, auto LED headlights with high beam assist, electric front seats, adaptive cruise and more, we’d just stick to Comfort.

The BYD Atto 3 is an interesting new addition to the mid-sized electric car market, but the strength of opposition is immense. Does it have what it takes in a competitive market? Over the next few pages, we’ll be thoroughly reviewing all aspects of the Atto 3 and rating them in our verdict. Our scores will take into account the driving experience, how pleasant the interior is, the practicality on offer and what it’ll cost you to run.