WHERE IT'S AT? (some text hidden) --NONE--

By Jonathan Crouch

Introductionword count: 68

BYD's very first car on the UK market was this one, the Atto 3 full-electric family hatch. Arriving in 2023, it entered the crowded market for compact family-sized Crossover EVs, though this fresh Chinese contender was a little less compact than its mass-market rivals - and in some ways, a little cleverer too. On the used market, it's the alternative you probably won't have considered, but possibly should.

Modelsword count: 4

5dr Family Hatchback (EV)

Historyword count: 125

Chinese maker BYD launched on the UK market with this car, the Atto 3. The brand letters stand for 'Build Your Dreams' and by the time of this model's introduction in 2023, the company was already a huge global player, in 2022 selling nearly 1.9 million EVs and Plug-in Hybrids. Apart from a few e6 MPV electric taxis though, the Atto 3 was the first BYD product we'd seen here, its name derived from the word 'attosecond' (which apparently is one quintillionth of a second). This car had already been a hit in China, but there it was called the Yuan Plus. In mid-2026 BYD completely redesigned the Atto 3. But here, let's check out the early versions of this Atto3 as a used buy.

What You Getword count: 492

At a glance, for several reasons, you might be left a little unsure of what this Atto 3 model is. In terms of brand, there's a kind of 'I-can't-quite-place-it-MG' sort of vibe. You might also be a touch undecided in terms of this Chinese model's size, where the positioning is little large for models in the compact hatch Kia Niro EV / Volkswagen ID.3 electric segment. And a little small if you're looking at something in the sector just above, like a Volkswagen ID.4 or a Hyundai IONIQ 5. Dimensionally then, the Atto 3 straddles two sectors, a bit like the Skoda Enyaq, one of its closest rivals. The Crossover styling is a touch blander than one of those, but smart - in a conservative kind of way, enlivened by a silver textured D-pillar panel. The rear is smart, the tailgate notable for being the only one in the industry with a manufacturer slogan ('Build Your Dreams') emblazoned upon it. A slim chrome strip sits above narrow LED light clusters and a subtle roof spoiler features further up. It's a lot more memorable inside, where there's a clear design layout with some unexpectedly quirky touches. First impressions take in the small instrument screen and huge centre display. Then, as you survey the two-tone interior, you'll start to note little design touches; the weird door pull catch mounted on top of a circular speaker; the strange tubular silver gear selector and, just below it, a start/stop button with a twinkling outer frame; the textured top for the stowage bin between the seats; air vents like old CD racks; the stitched dash top covering; and door bins impractically framed by red guitar string-like cords. The main feature of note though, is the central 'Electric rotary touchscreen', which will be either 12.8-inches or an enormous 15.6-inches in size, depending on the trim level you've chosen. Strangely, it can rotate to display in either landscape or portrait formats via a push of a provided steering wheel button (BYD thinks it's safer to use the landscape screen for media functions and the portrait screen for the sat nav). The much smaller digital instrument screen has a much more restricted 5-inch space to show it's information but is pretty clearly laid out. In the back, rear leg room is good, even by the impressive EV class standard, and there's a flat floor, though this bench doesn't slide or recline. The headroom's a little restricted by the standard panoramic glass roof. But you could fit three folk across the back seat if you had to more easily than is the case with more rivals. You pay for that rear seat legroom a little in boot space. You only get a powered tailgate with the top 'Design' level of trim. And when it eventually rises, a 440-litre space is revealed (35-litres less than the slightly smaller Kia Niro EV). Push forward the 60:40-split backrest and there's 1,338-litres of space available.

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