I have reviewed many Korean EVs in the last year and the BYD Atto 3 is the second non Korean electric car that I am reviewing. The BYD Dolphin which I have reviewed recently is a small hatchback whereas the Atto 3 is a small SUV.
I am a retired senior in my early 70s and have driven ICE cars for almost 50 years on 4 continents. Manual Ford Anglia and Renault 12 in East Africa, Honda Civic station wagon in North America, Volkswagen Polo in the Irish Republic and for over 30 years Fords, Holdens,Toyotas, Mitsubishis and Mazdas in Australia. I have recently been introduced to EVs by my son and am considering buying one after having test driven quite a few EVs for review.
I picked up the Atto 3 on 15 Dec for a 5 day review. The car was fully charged to 100% and the display showed an available range of 414 km. The odometer reading was 2197 km on the 15th and 2370 km on the 19th., a total distance travelled of 173 km. On return, the car showed an available charge of 61% and a range of 267 km. The range had decreased by 147 km and 39% of the battery had been used.
I conclude that the difference between distance travelled and range left i.e. 173 km minus 147 km range left, 26 km is due to regenerative braking adding to the battery while going down steep hills. It should be noted that air conditioning was being used throughout the loan period. I didn’t need to charge the battery for this review.
In the short time that I had the car, besides local trips to the shops, I made two trips to evaluate the performance, energy requirements and comfort levels of the car.
The first was from Holsworthy to Lizard Log Park, part of the Western Sydney Parklands. I took the M5/M7 and The Horsley Drive route, a fairly level trip. The return trip was 52 km and the cumulative electricity consumption was 16.5 kWh/100 km.
The front car seats are electrically adjustable, sporty and provide good cornering support and the air conditioning on the warm day made the trip comfortable.
I found the suspension better than that of the Dolphin, the ride was much firmer. The air conditioning controls are easy to manage via the Auto button on the central console and fan control on the infotainment panel. The design of the vents is quite unique too. The cruise control button is likewise easy to use, located on the left side of the steering wheel. The car supports cordless Waze navigation using the Android Auto feature.
Unlike the Dolphin, which has very good storage for the front seat passengers, I found storage space not adequate in the Atto 3. A standard steel water bottle could not be kept in the door bins. Keeping the bottle in the middle console was not practical as you kept knocking it with your elbow. I liked the gear selector placed right in the middle of the console, it looks like a small joystick.
The second trip was Holsworthy to Coledale (just north of Wollongong) via Heathcote Road, Princes Motorway and Lawrence Hargrave Drive. A 104 km 2 hour return trip. It was a 42 degree day in Sydney. It was just perfect with sea breezes in Coledale, the air conditioning in the car made the trip very comfortable.
The car performed really well, the torque and roadholding of the car provided excellent control and traction tested on Lawrence Hargrave Drive from just after Helensburgh to Stanwell Park, a fairly steep and winding road through rainforests and along cliffs. The cumulative electricity consumption for this trip showed 16.4 kWh/100 km.
I understand that electricity use during the 2 trips of just over 16 kWh/100 km is good for a small SUV.
The Atto 3 is a small SUV perfect for urban driving. It is comfortable, spacious and easy to drive. Its WLTP range is adequate for urban and short local trips without needing to be charged.
EDITORS VIEW
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