New BYD Atto 3 EVO 2026 review: not the game-changer we were hoping for

Verdict

Not quite the game-changer that its on-paper numbers might suggest, because the BYD Atto 3 EVO’s updates merely turn an uncompetitive C-segment electric SUV into a competitive one. Some elements, such as its 220kW charging and 15.4-inch Google-supporting infotainment system are bang up to date, but its range, driving manners and overall design are still behind the pack. If the EVO was cheaper than its key rivals, the BYD might make more of a case, but at the same price – or more – it doesn’t. 

BYD’s explosive model expansion over the past 24 months might have caused you to forget about the Atto 3, the first model the brand brought to the UK. And it was a hit, with a price, range and kit list that made it a rare combination at the time. It firmly put BYD on the radar for buyers, however, things move fast at this end of the market. So to not let it slip too far from relevance – both within its own range, and the C-segment at large – the Chinese marque has introduced the new Atto 3 EVO to keep it competitive. 

Arriving in the next couple of months, we expect the Atto 3 EVO will be priced from around £37,000 to £39,000. Yet while this new model might look very similar to the previous one, underneath are some comprehensive changes. 

Used - available now

2024 BYD

Atto 3

8,405 milesAutomaticElectric

Cash £19,200

View Atto 3

To start with, it features a brand-new powertrain in a completely different layout, plus a new dual-motor flagship that packs a considerable boost in power. For now we’re driving the entry-level RWD model, which has a 303bhp electric motor that’s mounted on the rear axle – the previous Atto 3 produced 200bhp from a front-mounted motor. However, aside from the fitment of a new and slightly more sophisticated rear-suspension design, there’s not much in the way of chassis tuning to handle all this extra grunt.

The e-motor is hooked up to a brand-new 74.8kWh battery pack – a solid increase over the previous car’s 60.4kWh unit – and with that comes a big increase in range and performance. The battery cells are now mounted in a cell-to-body arrangement, meaning they’re integrated into the floor of the car itself, rather than in a separate casing. This helps with packaging, weight and rigidity. 

Key stats are the 0-62mph time, down from 7.3 seconds to just 5.5 seconds, and a WLTP range figure that’s up from 260 miles to 316 miles. 

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The charging architecture has also been dramatically improved, up from just 88kW in the old car to 220kW. BYD says the Atto 3 EVO is capable of a 10-80 per cent charge in 25 minutes. That’s 10 minutes faster than the old car, not forgetting the extra 15kWh of battery capacity. 

Yet the new dual-motor version boasts the most arresting numbers. This top-spec model bumps power up to a colossal 442bhp and drops the 0-62mph time down to 3.9 seconds.

Beyond the powertrain improvements, BYD’s also given the Atto 3 EVO a new set of digital interfaces, with sharper, larger screens, and re-arranged the cabin layout. There’s some new colour and trim options inside, plus several simplified panels on the exterior that give the fairly anodyne design a cleaner look. Amongst urban traffic, the Atto 3 completely blends into the background, so depending on your preferences this is either a good or bad thing. 

Precise UK pricing hasn’t been announced, but it’ll be more expensive than the £37,000 starting price of the current car. The dual-motor version will be in the low £40,000s.

There are other manufacturers out there with impressive models at this price point. Rivals such as the former Auto Express Car of the Year Skoda Elroq, Kia EV3 and new Nissan Leaf impress at the smaller end of the C-segment, with larger but no more expensive rivals like the Citroen e-C5 Aircross and Vauxhall Grandland improving the value-for-money proposition yet further. 

For now, we’re only driving the entry-level rear-drive car that should make up a majority of UK sales. And given the level of technical change compared with the previous Atto 3, it’s not surprising to note that it drives quite differently, if not in a particularly positive sense.

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At low speeds the steering feels a little bit rubbery, and has a tendency to hobble over speed humps. A collection of inconsistent bumps can rock the body side to side in quite an unpleasant way. It is quiet in general, but we found that – particularly under regen – the e-motor emits a very high-frequency whine. It’s not loud, but it is persistent; we’ll have to verify if this is still an issue on cars when they arrive in the UK. 

Speed up and the steering remains surprisingly heavy, but doesn’t have the feel or accuracy of most rivals. Beyond being just a motoring journalist’s cliche, when driving a rear-engined  rear-wheel drive car, good steering instils a sense of confidence – something that is lacking in the Atto 3’s driving experience. 

It does have good on-centre consistency at high speed, though, so it doesn't wander in the lane on motorways as some BYD products can do. The ride – at low and high speeds – is a little firm, but not really to the benefit of body control, either. It’s also short on suspension travel, so awkward or mid-corner bumps can upset it.

While the Atto 3 isn’t terrible to drive in isolation, the Kia EV3 and Skoda Elroq feel more resolved in most measurable areas. Depending on the wheel choice, the EV3 rides significantly better, while offering better body control and more direct steering. The Elroq is also more comfortable, and is better resolved all-round.

The lack of any specific suspension and chassis tuning between single and dual-motor variants could well make the latter quite a handful. High-performance variants of key rivals are hardly Porsche-like in their driving dynamics, but they are set up to be in-keeping with their respective powertrains – something we’re not sure will apply to the BYD. What no rival will do, however, is 0-62mph in 3.9 seconds. 

There’s also a question mark about efficiency, because we averaged around 3.7m/kWh over our test route. This isn’t bad considering the nature of our driving, but isn’t great either. We’ll also have to confirm this when we drive the car in the UK. BYD has fitted a new and more effective heat-pump to help mitigate this, helping keep the battery in its peak efficiency zone no matter the temperature outside. Our conditions were temperate, though, so the weather wouldn’t have had any severe effect on our overall efficiency. 

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Where BYD will be hoping to score more is in standard equipment stakes, and the Atto 3 EVO does deliver in this regard. The generous 15.4-inch centre screen is both bigger and more responsive than the unit it replaces. Embedded Google services, including Maps and Google’s AI assistant give the whole system a big uplift in usability, especially for those who don’t regularly connect their smartphone. We’d say that the climate controls are still too small and fiddly, and the lack of a separate control for the rear demister is a constant BYD oversight, but the user interface is still impressive for the class. 

The bank of switches at the base of the centre console are useful, but they’re also a little small, nor is there a hierarchy based on their operation. The start/stop button, for instance, is the same size and colour as the regenerative braking or auto-hold functions. However, we do like the use of a column-mounted gear selector that unlocks a useful space for the high-powered wireless phone charger. 

Build quality is mixed, because while there’s a nice thunk to the doors and lots of soft-touch plastics, the steering wheel is covered in a poor imitation of leather, and the hard and shiny airbag cover is just naff. Space in the second row is impressive, though. There’s plenty of shoulder and legroom for the class. Visibility is also good, and there’s a couple of USB-C chargers back there, too. 

BYD has worked a bit of packaging wizardry to liberate more space in the boot, with an additional 50 litres compared with the previous version, at 490 litres (1,390-litres with the seats down). However, the e-motor’s location on the rear axle removes much of the space under the boot floor. There’s an additional 101 litres under the bonnet to compensate, though. Compared with key rivals these figures are in the ball-park, with a little more luggage space than a Kia EV3 and Elroq, but short of larger cars such as the Citroen e-C5 Aircross, which offers up to 650 litres of space. 

This is the general state of BYD’s position in this fast-moving class. Generous uplifts in the Atto 3 EVO’s claimed range, charging speeds and performance do thrust it back to the pointy end of the sector by those metrics. Yet bigger, cheaper and more distinctive rivals aren’t just coming, they’re here; most with driving dynamics that are more suited to European roads and tastes. The Atto 3 EVO RWD isn’t a bad car by any stretch. But it doesn’t shine in a class full of strong contenders. 

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