Review: BYD Atto 3 Extended Range – The Stylish, Posh, And ‘Obtainable’ EV For All?

When Sime Darby Motors officially introduced the BYD brand locally late last year, it’s safe to say that the hype surrounding the Chinese marque’s arrival was palpable. Much of this likely stemmed from the somewhat ‘accessible’ price point promised by the brand through its first offering, by which we mean the Atto 3 sub-compact crossover SUV featured.

On paper at least, this Chinese up-start is poised to disrupt the scene, especially for some of the bigger and more established names – Hyundai, Volvo and Mercedes-Benz in particular. Adding to that was the stellar first impressions it left us with when we took it for a quick 10-minute test drive shortly after its launch. Simply put, the hype this electrified Chinese fighter commands wasn’t unwarranted.

Of course, on-paper figures and first impressions aren’t everything, hence why we set out on a full weekend test to get a glimpse of how life owning one would be like. Having done so, it’s unsurprising to note how it easily convinced many into its favour and perhaps start a revolution in converting many to ditch fossil fuels for good, especially in range-topping Extended Range form as featured.

If you’ve been eyeing the prospects of adopting the Atto 3, then pay attention – what we’re about to detail might just get you to jump on the electrified bandwagon soon enough.

OVERVIEW

Historically, the BYD brand, which stands for ‘Build Your Dreams’, isn’t renowned for making pretty cars. All that changed with the Atto 3 thanks to the mighty styling talents of Wolfgang Egger leading its design department, who’s CV is rather impressive – Alfa Romeo, Audi, Lamborghini, and Ducati are amongst the headlining names included. Aptly, the results are very telling.

There’s no denying just how sleek and up-market the Atto 3 – also known as the Yuan Plus in China – looks.  We’re certain plenty of you are already digging the posh exterior touches exuded by bits like the brushed aluminium trims present in the front grille and C-pillar, as well as the rather novel turbine-like 18-inch wheels this range-topper rolls on.

Evidently, the sleek styling gives this somewhat lifted sub-compact crossover SUV with sporty hatchback-like proportions, which is great. Some SUV-like traits remain, namely the rugged lower front and rear bumpers garnishes. Beyond that though, there’s very little to loathe in the way this Chinese up-start’s overall styling and looks.

Other key features to note on the exterior include the all-LED lighting present front and aft, the latter even sporting sequential turn signal repeaters – just like a posh German equivalent. As far as first impressions go, it’s easy to see how the Atto 3 easily wins fans here indeed, and the news gets better as we climb aboard into the cabin…

ON THE INSIDE

On board, ‘plush’ and ‘up-market’ are the best terms to describe things initially, though upon closer study, those words ought to be accompanied with ‘novel’ and ‘unconventional’ too. Space all around is pretty abundant thanks to this crossover’s size – it is almost similar in size as the Proton X50 here in fact.

Plush comforts stems from the rich use of leather-like materials covering the seats, steering wheel and key touch points (dash, door inserts, etc.), as well as the use of soft-touch fabrics to complement that. What’s pretty novel here though is the design and presentation of it all which, depending on how you see it, could be an enjoyable novelty, or perhaps a tad too tacky.

Key amongst the ‘unconventional’ here are things like the door release latch integrated into the door-mounted speakers, guitar-shaped storage bins in the doors featuring strings that you can actually pluck and strum notes out of, wrench-shaped armrests in the doors, aviation-inspired switchgear and shift lever, as well as the funky retro-like design of the air-cond vents – both up front and at the rear.

Supplementing that are an array of novel tech that includes a massive 12.8-inch centre touchscreen infotainment unit that can swivel between landscape and portrait display modes. Good news about this tech is the features it’s loaded with such as both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, as well as access to conveniences like full-blown 360-degree parking camera suite and a built-in PM2.5 filter system.

If that’s not impressive, then perhaps other novelties such as the panoramic glass sunroof and funky LED cabin ambient lighting, not forgetting premium amenities such as a dual-zone automatic climate control, as well as both a USB-C and wireless smartphone charging solutions present, all ought to make this cabin a relative winner amongst many.

Our only gripe? All the ‘unconventional’ bits mentioned might seem like an overzealous effort to impress. However, we cannot deny the near-flawlessness in execution of it all, especially at the price point this Chinese EV commands. If anything, at least the sizeable cabin offers respectable practicality too, more so when you factor in the presence of useful storage bins, powered tailgate, and foldable rear seats.

DRIVING

Once we shifted into Drive and got going, the Atto 3 does possess several typical quirks of an EV, namely weight – it’s hefty at a claimed 1,750 KG in Extended Range form as featured. Nevertheless, 0-100 KM/H is respectable at 7.3 seconds, more so when both its front-wheel-drive (FWD) driveline and somewhat respectable 201 HP and 310 NM outputs are taken into consideration.

While not gravity-defying figures and performance, they are indeed enough to see this Chinese EV keep up with similar-sized – and priced – combustion-powered alternatives easily. Adding to that is the bevy of autonomous driving tech it’s endowed with. Surely, the near-silent running adds to overall cabin comfort, which is bolstered further by the respectable noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH) suppression it’s lined with.

On the handling front, the Atto 3 leans heavily on the comfort cruising side of things more than anything else. In fact, the soft, supple and well-dampened ride sees this Chinese up-start standing almost equal against pricier premium German – and Swedish – options. Good here too are the brakes as they offer ample halting abilities and, surprisingly, decent factory-fitted tyres despite its funny superhero naming.

Simply put, this isn’t the most exciting, nor is it the most rapid, electrified crossover SUV around. However, it makes up for that by being very comfortable to drive and be driven in, and it’s not complicated to master its quirks. In other words, those transitioning out of a similar combustion-powered crossover SUV won’t find it hard to get to grips with this electrified Chinese up-start.

BATTERY, CHARGING, AND RANGE

The switch from fossil fuels to electricity will require some changes to driving habits, and the Atto 3 isn’t exempted from this. Thankfully, this range-topper does come with a respectably large 60.5 kWh battery capacity, but it’s the employment of BYD’s proprietary ‘Blade’ design that impresses most. In fact, it’s this design that allowed for this sub-compact crossover to offer a sizeable and comfortable cabin.

Said battery is an LFP (Lithium Iron Phosphate) type, which accepts both regular AC and rapid DC charging inputs. The former is however limited to just 7 kW, meaning charges using this method take longer. However, should you have access to a rapid DC charging station, the Atto 3 Extended Range can accept inputs as high as 80 kW, which is decent as it allows 0-80% charges obtained in just about 45 minutes.

As for range, the claimed 420 KM (WLTP) and 480 KM (NEDC) figures are indeed impressive. However, we’ll caution you that these figures, though attainable, are still largely based on driving style. Realistically, a mix of urban and highway drives should grant at least 390 KM. Longer trips, like a drive from KL to Penang for instance, is indeed possible, though a quick charge halfway is still warranted.

Certainly, what adds to the Atto 3’s electrified package here is its built-in V2L (Vehicle-to-Load) capability. This sees the Atto 3’s battery able to power up appliances or even other EVs – the latter to a certain extent – provided you have the V2L extension cable at hand. This is a feature we rarely see even in pricier EVs, and the presence of which in the Atto 3 only adds further to its usefulness beyond transportation needs.

SAFETY

On the safety front, the Atto 3 sports a bevy of autonomous assistance and aids present. Amongst the ADAS features lined here include adaptive cruise control with stop-go function, lane departure warning (LDW) and lane-keeping assist (LKAS), both blind-sport info and warning (BSM and BSW), as well as the all important combination of forward collision warning (FCW) and autonomous emergency braking (AEB).

During our drive, all of these features were put to the test and, unsurprisingly, all of them worked as intended too. Best of all is the execution of all these systems, which are similar to what we experienced in similar combustion-powered European equivalents. If anything, it all makes for a car that’s both easy and very safe to be in.

Adding to that is the fact that there’s a built-in digital video recorder (DVR or ‘dashcam’) feature present, which comes on top of core basics that includes no less than 7 airbags lining the cabin plus ISOFIX childseat points. In short, this is the one aspect that makes this Chinese up-start worth a serious look, more so at the price it commands. Speaking of which…

SHOULD YOU BUY ONE?

In Extended Range form as featured, which adds premium bits like the larger 18-inch wheels, powered tailgate, as well as novel cabin ambient lighting, the Atto 3 is tagged at RM167,800. Though there is a cheaper Standard Range variant slotted below that costs RM22,000 less, it does mean losing out on the premium amenities mentioned, plus shorter range from its smaller 49.9 kWh battery capacity.

Realistically speaking, both the Standard and Extended Range variants of the Atto 3 aren’t exactly cheap. However, given the near-flawless execution of its plush luxuries and novel on-board tech, and the respectable performance and comforts that comes with it, we’re certain plenty are already tempted. Perhaps the next set of facts might be what seals the deal.

Included in said prices are three separate warranties starting with a 6-year or 150,000 KM vehicle warranty. On top of which comes the 8-year or 180,000 KM warranties for both the battery and EV driving unit offered by importers and distributors BYD SD Motors Malaysia. Certainly, all of which ought to offer peace-of-mind for long-term ownership.

Clearly, the BYD Atto 3, especially in Extended Range form as tested, is built, specced, and covered very convincingly, even towards the eyes of first-time EV adopters. In short, if you seek electrified luxuries with high style and tech to match without breaking the bank, then the Atto 3 is worth a serious look over anything else in this sub-RM200,000 price segment. It certainly almost convinced us…

SPECIFICATIONS