BYD Atto 3 Review: The Blade Runner

The electric vehicle segment is buzzing in India with new launches, the latest to join is BYD (Build Your Dreams) with the Atto 3. The brand may not be a familiar name here, but what will surprise many is that BYD is the world’s largest EV manufacturer as it dethroned Tesla in the first half of 2022.

The Chinese EV maker is backed by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway and is the leader in this sector due to its cutting-edge Blade battery which will be supplied to Toyota and Daimler. The company is in talks with Tesla and could supply batteries to the American firm. BYD has recently entered the passenger vehicle sector with the Atto 3 and has already received 1,500 bookings while the deliveries will begin in January 2023. 

BYD Atto 3 Review: What is it?

The BYD Atto 3 is a mid-size EV SUV that measures 4,455 mm in length, and 1,875mm in width and has a wheelbase of 2,720mm making it 132mm longer and 66mm wider than the MG ZS EV. To give a clearer picture, the BYD EV is 155mm longer and 85mm wider than the best-selling internal combustion engine mid-size SUV, the Hyundai Creta. Showcasing its SUV prowess, the Atto 3 has an impressive ground clearance of 175mm. 

The electric SUV is based on BYD’s latest architecture, the e-Platform 3.0, which gives the flexibility to opt for both front or rear-wheel-drive system layouts. The Atto 3, has a front-wheel-drive configuration with a motor mounted on the front axle. In the international market, the BYD e-SUV is in both 50kWh and 60.48 kWh batteries, but in India, it is available only with the latter battery capacity. It has a power output of 201bhp and 310Nm of torque and does 0-100kmph in 7.3 seconds.

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According to ARAI figures, the EV SUV offers a range of 521 km on a single charge and with an 80kW DC fast charger, the Atto 3 can juice up the battery from 0 to 80 percent in 50 minutes while a 7kW AC fully charges the EV in 9 and a half to 10 hours. Additionally to this, the Atto 3 also supports powering up to 3.3kW for devices like a coffee maker, which can be a  helpful option when you’re camping in the woods. 

BYD Atto 3 Review: Features

The e-SUV comes with a 12.8-inch touchscreen, but this is a unique infotainment display as it can rotate to both landscape or portrait format based on one’s preference. The multimedia system currently doesn’t come with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but BYD has applied for the license and it will be available once the deliveries start in January 2023. It also gets a 5-inch all-digital driver’s console.

Another one-of-a-kind aspect of the e-SUV is a keyless entry of the cabin via an NFC key card. To enter the Atto 3, one simply has to tap on the driver’s side outside the rearview mirror and the BYD EV unlocks. For convenience’s sake, the new EV is equipped with an electric tailgate, a 360-degree camera with a dash camera, a wireless phone charger, front electric power seats, an almost 50-inch long panoramic sunroof and a voice command function.

The BYD e-SUV offers smart safety features like DiPilot or Level 2 Advanced driver-assistance system which is packed with Automatic Emergency Braking, Adaptive Cruise Control, Blind Spot Detection, Lane Departure Warning, Adaptive Front Light and much more. The Atto 3 also comes standard with seven airbags, a tyre pressure monitoring system, an electric parking brake, traction control, hill descent control (HDC), an anti-lock braking system (ABS) with electronic brake force distribution (EBD) and an electronic stability program (ESP).

BYD Atto 3 Review: Interiors

The Atto 3’s cabin reminds us of something out of a sci-fi movie. With the blue leather finish on the top layer of the dashboard, soft material ivory-coloured middle panel and semi-circle air condition vents, which BYD calls dumbbell-styled vents, the cabin design is like no other. The gear lever looks straight out of an aircraft with the panel housing physical switches. The door lever is also unique as it needs to be slid back to open the door and below it is a speaker smartly tucked in. 

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Based on the long-wheel platform, the EV offers plenty of space for the passengers in the rear. Three adults can comfortably sit there. The only hitch is that knee-to-floor space is fairly low, hence the seat squabble is lower than one would like and doesn’t offer under-thigh support. The backrests are well-crafted and very supportive. The boot, on the other hand, has a space of 440 litres, which is decent enough to store reasonably sized trolley bags.

BYD Atto 3 Review: Driving experience

The e-Platform, the Blade battery and the drag coefficient of 0.29CD all work in tandem to ensure that the new e-SUV is efficient and powerful. It is available in three driving modes — Eco, Normal and Sport. For someone switching from an ICE vehicle, the throttle response isn’t overwhelming rather it accelerates in a balanced manner. If you step on the accelerator then it picks up speed in a blink of an eye without any whiplash-like experience. Once pushed hard, a slight whine from the motor can be audible, but this is the case in most EVs. Another Achilles heel seen in most electric vehicles is spongy brake response, but that is not the case with the BYD as the company has managed to get it to spot on.

The steering weight can be changed based on Normal and Sport mode. It is light and ensures commuting in the city is a breeze. Ride quality is where the Atto 3 comes into its own as it cushions broken roads and ditches, but one needs to be careful while going over deep potholes.

BYD Atto 3 Review: Should you buy it?

Make no mistake, the Atto 3 is an SUV that has a commanding road presence and also offers a tall driving position. With its tough yet contemporary looks, the BYD e-SUV will attract many gas-powered SUV owners. Priced at Rs 33.9 lakh, ex-showroom, it is on the higher side, but the EV doesn’t really have direct competition as its built quality is top-notch, all modern comfort and safety features, over 400 km range in real-world conditions and luxurious interiors will cater to premium car owners who are looking to opt for a greener carbon footprint.

The only cause of concern could be BYD’s limited network but the company is working hard on this and by the end of the year, it will have 24 showrooms in 21 cities in India, which will further increase to 53 by the end of the year. 

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