BYD Atto 3 Evo Performance review: the supermarket supercar

The BYD Atto 3 has become a familiar sight on New Zealand roads, largely by doing exactly what a mainstream electric crossover should: offering decent practicality, plenty of equipment and a relatively accessible entry point into EV ownership.

The original model made a strong impression when we tested it, and remained a popular choice even as the EV market became increasingly crowded, but it was never particularly exciting, and its slightly eccentric cabin design was certainly memorable for reasons that had little to do with driving.

But now BYD has given its compact electric crossover a fairly substantial overhaul, shifting it to the company's newer e-Platform 3.0 architecture which sees both rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive options added to the previously front-wheel drive Atto 3, with a range of increasingly inappropriate power outputs as well.

Complementing the 150kW FWD Dynamic entry level model is the 230kW RWD Premium model and the one you see here, the properly rapid 330kW dual-motor, all-wheel-drive Performance that tops the Atto 3 range.

There are also significant changes inside, while the exterior has been given little more than a tidy-up, which is particularly amusing given that the top-spec Atto 3 Evo has the sort of performance that would have made a hot hatch blush not so long ago, yet it looks almost exactly like the sensible family crossover parked outside the supermarket. It is, in other words, a Q-ship: a wolf in relatively unthreatening Chinese family-car clothing.

On the outside: what are the BYD Atto 3 Evo Performance's main design features?

You would have to be a weirdly obsessive hardcore BYD nerd to spot the Atto 3 Evo in a car park and immediately identify it as the “new” version. BYD has resisted the temptation to give it a dramatic makeover, retaining the familiar crossover silhouette and generally inoffensive styling of the original.

There are some detail changes, though. The dragon-scale effect on the rear D-pillars has gone, replaced by cleaner gloss-black trim, while the lower front bumper now boasts an angular, more modern design. Small changes, but ones that give the Atto 3 Evo a more restrained, grown-up appearance.

In fact, the whole thing is rather understated, particularly in the context of a performance flagship - there's no giant rear wing, aggressive body kit or other visual nonsense to warn unsuspecting traffic that this family crossover can out-accelerate a Ferrari F40.

The Evo's biggest exterior achievement might simply be that it doesn't look like it's trying too hard.

OVERVIEW

On the inside: what's the BYD Atto 3 Evo Performance's cabin like?

The cabin is where the Evo makes its biggest visual leap forward. The original Atto 3's gym-inspired interior was certainly distinctive, with its unusual dashboard textures, gym equipment-inspired switchgear and vent design, and guitar-string door pockets. It was also a little much for some people, rather like a personal trainer had been given the keys to the interior design studio.

The Evo keeps some of the more charming elements, including those wonderfully daft guitar-string door pockets, but ditches much of the visual clutter. The result is a considerably more conventional and sophisticated cabin, with cleaner surfaces, improved materials and a generally more premium feel.

The centre console has been redesigned, too, with a tidier arrangement of storage and controls. There are still physical buttons for some important functions, along with proper steering-wheel controls, although the central touchscreen remains responsible for a lot of the secondary stuff.

It's a much more pleasant place to spend time, and feels like a cabin that has grown up alongside BYD's increasingly sophisticated model range.

INTERIOR

On the road: what's the BYD Atto 3 Evo Performance like to drive?

The real party trick is, of course, the performance flagship. With dual electric motors driving all four wheels, the Atto 3 Evo delivers the sort of acceleration that seems faintly ridiculous in something that looks this much like a sensible family car. The 0-100km/h sprint takes 3.9 seconds, putting it firmly into territory usually occupied by considerably more expensive performance machinery. - that aforementioned Ferrari F40 had an official 0 to 100 of 4.1 seconds, with some independent tests reporting 3.9.

Yet unlike that raw, feral Ferrari, the Atto 3 Evo’s power delivery is remarkably civilised. Where something like the MG4 XPower can occasionally feel a little too keen to demonstrate what all that power can do, the BYD is impressively composed: there's little in the way of wheelspin or drama, just a huge, immediate shove that gets you to the next corner rather more quickly than you might have intended.

The chassis is similarly well behaved. It stays relatively flat through corners and has plenty of grip, but the Evo doesn't pretend to be a hardcore hot hatch. Push it particularly hard and it sensibly retreats towards predictable, safe understeer rather than encouraging you to believe you're some sort of touring-car hero.

The steering is a little less convincing. Sport mode adds weight, but not necessarily much feel, making it seem somewhat artificial. Comfort mode is actually the nicer setting for everyday driving, with a lighter and more natural response.

Ride comfort is generally good, too, although there's a slightly brittle edge over coarse-chip surfaces and smaller bumps at lower speeds. It settles down nicely at highway pace, where the Evo feels quiet, comfortable and suitably grown-up.

While BYD has also made some welcome progress with its driver assistance systems, the Evo does feel a touch “last-gen” with some of its responses.. The various speed-limit and driver-attention warnings are still there, but their chimes are noticeably less intrusive than before, while the lane assists are still a little abrupt and demanding.

Still, it’s nothing particularly intrusive and they can also be switched off through shortcuts on the central screen, which is a small but appreciated victory for anyone who prefers their car not to constantly tell them off.

SPECIFICATIONS

On ownership: what's the BYD Atto 3 Evo Performance's warranty and servicing situation?

BYD's New Zealand ownership package includes a 6-year/150,000km vehicle warranty and an 8-year/160,000km warranty covering the high-voltage Blade Battery. Roadside assistance is also included, while servicing is required every 12 months or 20,000km,

On the whole: what do we think of the BYD Atto 3 Evo Performance?

The Atto 3 Evo is a much more convincing all-round package than its predecessor. The cabin is more mature, the driving experience is more polished and the addition of rear-wheel drive and a properly rapid all-wheel-drive flagship gives the range a much broader appeal.

The pricing has crept up along with the maturity, however, with the Evo starting at $59,990 for the Dynamic, rising through $65,990 for the Premium and finishing at the somewhat hefty $75,990 asked for the Performance.

Of course, the Premium and Performance models do get a larger 74kWh battery, faster 220kW charging, and considerably more power, something that goes quite some way to making up the price difference, it has to be said.

The performance version is particularly entertaining precisely because it doesn't look like a performance car. It delivers startling acceleration without demanding attention, and is perfectly happy behaving like an ordinary family crossover the rest of the time.

It's not a sports car, nor does it need to be. The Atto 3 Evo is a comfortable, practical electric crossover with a rather unexpected party trick

And if there's something inherently amusing about being able to embarrass considerably more exotic machinery in what looks like the automotive equivalent of a sensible pair of shoes, well, we're certainly not going to complain.

BYD Atto 3 Evo Performance FAQs

What kind of car is the BYD Atto 3 Evo Performance?

A compact family SUV.

Does the BYD Atto 3 Evo Performance have hybrid or EV technology?

The Atto 3 Evo Performance is a fully electric vehicle that uses a 74.88kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery and dual electric motors driving all four wheels.

What’s the fuel economy of the BYD Atto 3 Evo Performance?

The Atto 3 Evo Performance's official combined energy consumption is 17.8kWh/100km under the WLTP test cycle, with a claimed driving range of up to 470km.

Is the BYD Atto 3 Evo Performance safe?

The original BYD Atto 3 received a five-star ANCAP safety rating in 2022, and while the Evo technically sits on a newer platform, BYD expects that rating to carry over once it is tested. The Evo features 7 airbags, including a centre airbag, along with dual front, side and curtain airbags.

What safety and assistance features does the BYD Atto 3 Evo Performance have?

What are the BYD Atto 3 Evo Performance's main rivals?

• Kia EV3 GT ($81,590): Down on power and up on price, but looks more special.
• XPeng G6 AWD Black Edition ($75,490): A superb and stylish dual-motor electric SUV.
• Tesla Model Y Premium Long Range AWD ($77,900): A larger, but slower, alternative.
• Smart #1 Brabus ($74,990): Smaller, but mad fast. Considerably more dynamic.
• MG4 XPower ($55,990): Similar, but very different. Quality is down, but then so is the price. It's faster and more fun too...