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By Jonathan Crouch

The BYD Atto 3 is a different option for those in search of a high-value compact family EV Crossover. Jonathan Crouch takes a look.

Ten Second Reviewword count: 47

The BYD Atto 3 enters the crowded market for compact family-sized Crossover EVs, though this fresh Chinese contender is a little less compact than its mass-market rivals - and in some ways, a little cleverer too. It's the alternative you probably won't have considered, but possibly should.

Backgroundword count: 163

So. Yet another Chinese-branded small EV. Following, MG and GWM Ora, we now have BYD. Which launches on the UK market with this car, the Atto 3. The brand letters stand for 'Build Your Dreams' and the company is actually a huge global player, in 2022 selling nearly 1.9 million EVs and Plug-in Hybrids. Apart from a few e6 MPV electric taxis though, the Atto 3 is the first BYD product we've seen here, its name derived from the word 'attosecond' (which apparently is one quintillionth of a second). They already love this car in China, but there it's called the Yuan Plus. This of course is just the start of BYD's product offensive, overseen by UK dealer network that'll grow from around 30 to about 100 outlets by 2025. By then, we may also be seeing this Shenzhen-based company's Yangwang premium EV brand, which will bring us luxury sports cars and SUVs. But let's start with a look at this Atto 3.

Driving Experienceword count: 167

The performance on offer here won't be much the stuff of 'Dreams', unless those dreams happen to be somewhat modest. Nor, more significantly, will the 261 mile range figure you'll get from the 60.5kWh battery, despite said battery's uniquely-dense 'Blade'-style construction. It powers a single 201bhp electric motor mounted on the front axle (rather than on the rear one, as would it would be from a rival Volkswagen, Skoda or CUPRA model in this class). The Atto 3 doesn't pointlessly hurl itself at the horizon from the get-go, but performance is pleasantly eager, the 7.3 second 0-62mph time about a second faster than comparable Kia Niro EV or Skoda Enyaq iV 60 models. Not that this should suggest handling dynamics tailored for those who like their driving. On the contrary, as you might expect, the multi-link rear suspension with its soft springs has been set up here to prioritise comfort, as most likely owners will want. Expect impressive refinement too. And the usual EV-typical 99mph top speed.

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