2023 BYD Atto 3 review

‘Build Your Dreams’ sounds like a phrase scribbled on a whiteboard during a team bonding session, but it’s in fact a Chinese company that was founded in 1995 to make rechargeable batteries.

It’s had skin in the game as an automotive manufacturer since 2003 under the BYD Auto moniker and is currently the largest manufacturer of EVs in China. The BYD line-up here currently rests with the Atto 3 medium SUV and will gather pace later in the year with the launch of the Dolphin and Seal (yes, really).

Deliveries of the Atto 3 started in late 2022, initially available online with the Mycar vehicle servicing chain handling pickups. Subsequently, several BYD-branded bricks and mortar showrooms have sprouted nationally, with three in Sydney and one in the Hunter region.

Two models of the 2023 BYD Atto 3 are available: Standard and Extended Range, are available. The former is fitted with a 50kWh battery providing 345km of range and the Extended Range uses a 60kWh battery and provides 420km.

Pricing starts at $48,011 for the Standard Range and $51,011 for the Extended Range, placing the Atto 3 squarely in the entry-level EV mix with the Nissan Leaf ($50,990), MG ZS ($44,990) and recently launched GWM Ora sedan ($44,490).

A 150kW/350Nm electric motor drives through the front wheels, with the DC charging port mounted on the right front guard. There’s a three-mode drive function, activated via a switch in the centre console, where the driver can choose between eco, normal and sport.

The Atto 3 employs BYD’s blade-style battery pack, a design claimed to be more stable and potentially safer in the event of an accident than the more typical block-type battery.

With a former Audi design chief heading up BYD’s design studio, it’s no surprise the Atto 3 looks sharp and well-proportioned from every angle, with a wide track emphasising its squat stance. The 215/55R18 tyres flesh out the design at each corner, while large air inlets below the slim, raked LED headlamps provide a distinctly sporty flavour.

Inside, a smallish five-inch instrument cluster sits atop the steering column (adjustable for tilt only) and plays second fiddle to the floating, rotating 12.8-inch touchscreen. The screen looks to be better sorted than some other Chinese brands and most functions only require a few steps to enable adjustments, plus the “Hey Siri” function works effectively in most cases.

The rest of the interior design won’t be to everyone’s tastes. Stretchy cords that resemble guitar strings hold small items in the side door pockets, while the air vents look like rows of 45s in a jukebox. Ergonomically, the design stacks up well and the two-tone fake leather on the seat facings feels sumptuous and tactile. The front seats have fixed headrests and are a take on traditional sports seats. They’re nicely bolstered but perhaps too soft for some tastes. The second-row seats fold flat, revealing 1340 litres of useable space, and the floor can be lowered if you need extra height.

Standard features also include a sliding panoramic sunroof, electric tailgate, 18-inch alloys, synthetic leather trim, six-way electrically adjustable driver’s seat and heated front seats.

As a driver’s car, the Atto 3 falls behind its peers, with on-road manners more suited to the city where the cosseting ride quality is a bonus.

It feels stable enough, without excessive body movement, although tighter corners highlight the vague steering and tyres that feel tortured by directional change.

The Atto 3 doesn’t have much brake regeneration compared to other EVs, so one-pedal driving – an agreeable EV trait – isn’t really an option.

Build Your Dreams has set the bar high and, while the name may sound corny, the Atto 3 is worth a test drive.