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STROKE OF GENIUS? (some text hidden) --NONE--

By Jonathan Crouch

BYD's Dolphin G DM-i is the supermini you probably haven't considered that you probably actually need, thinks Jonathan Crouch.

Ten Second Reviewword count: 44

Here's something very rare indeed. A Plug-in Hybrid supermini - and an affordable one at that. The BYD Dolphin G DM-i is out to persuade potential customers of small hatchbacks that they don't really need an EV after all. And it might just succeed.

Backgroundword count: 98

Genius. Is that we have here? It's apparently what the 'G' in this car's name stands for. It's Chinese maker BYD's very first model developed specifically for Europe, the Dolphin G DM-i. Which is also the supermini B-segment's very first Plug-in Hybrid. Lots of firsts. We've already had two breeds of BYD Dolphin, both full-EVs. First, the slightly larger Dolphin family hatch; and second the Dolphin Surf citycar. The Dolphin G sits in between and uses the 'Super Hybrid' PHEV technology we've already seen the company similarly sized Atto 2 DM-i small SUV. Let's take a closer look.

Driving Experienceword count: 397

The 'Genius'-designating tag letter used here might sound like marketing hyperbole or exaggeration. But it's easy to underestimate what a feat it is to produce a Plug-in Hybrid drivetrain that's sophisticated enough to work like an EV; but so affordable to produce that it doesn't drive the price of a supermini beyond reasonable bounds. None of BYD's mainstream rivals have ever managed this, but the Chinese maker has pulled off that challenge here with some style. Of course, the DM-I 'Super Hybrid' engine in question isn't only used on this Dolphin G. We've also seen it in this size of car with the Atto 2 small SUV - though in the case of the Dolphin G it's an evolved 5.0 version of that design, which is claimed to be more efficient. 'DM-i' stands for 'Dual Mode intelligent' and, as with the Atto 2, there are a couple of variants of this 1.5-litre petrol drivetrain which on its own offers 95PS before you start adding in electric motor power. The entry level 176PS Active variant uses a 7.2kWh battery offering a modest EV range of 25 miles. Ideally, you'd stretch to the 212PS Comfort version, which has a much larger 18.3kWh battery pack and a properly usable 65 mile EV range that would allow most owners to use their Dolphin G much like an electric car. With this PHEV powertrain, the four cylinder engine is rarely the thing that's driving the front wheels through the car's continuously variable e-CVT auto transmission. Instead, most of the time it acts as a generator for the 'Blade'-style lithium-ion battery pack, enabling the main 163PS electric motor to undertake most of the propulsion duties. The driver can choose to drive in EV or Hybrid modes. 0-62mph takes 8.3s, en route to 112mph. And things are quiet in EV mode; you can hear the engine when it chimes in, but it's not obtrusive. The 1.555kg kerb weight is on the high side for a car of this size, but the rudimentary torsion beam suspension set-up handles the bulk well enough. And for urban use, there's quite a tight 5.5-metre turning circle. Out of town, expect body roll to be well-controlled thanks to the way the Blade battery is incorporated into the structure of the car. As usual with a BYD, there are some annoying ADAS drive assist functions you'll want to switch off.

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