Living with a BYD Atto 3 Evo: should you buy this 449hp Chinese electric car?
Car changing is a big deal
The BYD Atto 3 Evo looks pretty tempting on paper, offering similar power to a Tesla Model Y Performance for around £20,000 less. Is it worth buying? Social content creator Cameron Kalare has been living with one to find out.
If you wanted a car with more than 400hp when I was growing up, you’d have to buy something flashy and expensive like a Porsche 911 Turbo or a BMW M3. However, now I’m rolling around in an unassuming electric SUV with 450hp and a sub-4.0-second 0-60mph time.
This is my BYD Atto 3 Evo, and it’s a Chinese electric car that I’ve been living with for a couple of months now. There’s nothing about the way it looks which suggests it could beat the supercars of my childhood in a drag race, but I have been wondering if this thing really needs this much power.
In a straight line, it’s blisteringly fast. However, the vague steering and wobbly suspension don’t inspire much confidence when you get to a corner. It feels a bit overpowered.
I’ve been getting pretty close to the claimed range so far. A full charge does around 250 miles in the real world, which is 86% of the official figure.
The seats are really comfy as well – they support you in all the right places, although they don’t quite make up for the uncomfortable suspension. Having ventilated seats has also proved to be a godsend with the unseasonably warm weather, and the massive panoramic roof means I’ve been able to enjoy the sunshine.
Practicality is decent as well. When BYD updated the Atto 3 with this Evo version, it moved the motor from the front to the rear. This frees up space under the bonnet, and as a result there’s a massive front boot which is ideal for keeping your charging cables out the way.
It may not feel as posh inside as an Xpeng G6 or a Tesla Model Y, but the BYD Atto 3 Evo is a lot of car for the money. My top-spec Excellence model usually costs just under £43,000, but through Carwow it can be yours for £32,000.
You could also have the more sensible single-motor Design model for £29,000, but the Excellence gets more than extra power. It also has the panoramic roof, a head-up display and heated front and rear seats, in addition to the adaptive cruise control and 360-degree camera system you get as standard.
With that in mind, I still reckon the dual-motor car is the best value. You don’t have to use all that power all of the time and you probably won’t, but it’s nice to know it’s there when you want it.
But should you buy the BYD Atto 3 Evo? That’s a tougher question. It may be great value for money on paper, but there are lots of other electric SUVs which are better to drive and well-equipped for a similar price. The Skoda Elroq is much more comfortable than the BYD, and the Xpeng G6 has a nicer interior. I’d recommend those cars over the BYD, but if you spot a really good deal on an Atto 3 Evo then go for it.
Car change? Carwow!
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