The ATTO 3
The ATTO 3
Build Your Dreams probably aren’t the first words that come to mind when thinking about an electric car. However, you’re about to hear more of them in the years to come, and with good reason.
Build Your Dreams, better known as BYD, is one of the largest Chinese companies in the world, though, you’ve probably never heard of them. Renowned for their battery technology, in fact, around 20 percent of the world’s smartphones use their technology, BYD have now ventured into the automotive world. The fact that they’re technology and battery specialists gives them an edge over the competition, and it’s a great benchmark to start with.
BYD’s inaugural UK release is the all-electric ATTO 3. Don’t be put off by the name, or indeed the fact Build Your Dreams is emblazoned across the rear, because this crossover has set its sights on the competition and, in many respects, offers better value, refinement, interior quality, and infotainment – not to mention state-of-the-art technology.
Aesthetically the BYD is a well-designed crossover, if borrowing some design cues from its Asian and European counterparts. Its sleek front end, which encompasses a full-length LED light strip, sets the modern design in motion. Contrasting C-pillars, smooth sides and aerodynamic lines give the car a sporty crossover feel, more so than some in the sector.
Inside is just as impressive, if not even more so. The design team have created a unique feel to the cabin, and it’s this uniqueness that helps it stand out from the crowd. As soon as you enter, you notice the sweeping dash which blends into the doors, with soft touch materials to add that extra feeling of luxury.
Clearly the remit was to inject ‘fun’ into the cabin and that’s exactly what you get. Door pockets with guitar string sides allow you to play sounds and even the opening few notes of ‘Smoke on The Water’. The cabin has a quirky feel to it along with a gym theme. The gear selector is meant to replicate a kettlebell handle, creatively designed door handles look like barbells and the air vents are supposed to resemble free weights, though, those of a certain age might see the vents more resembling a CD rack.
Two versions of the ATTO 3 are available in the UK - Comfort and Design models. Both are kitted out with excellent specs. Panoramic sunroof, electric tailgate, 18-inch alloys, vegan leather seats, a driver seat with six-way electric adjustment, vegan leather multi-function steering wheel, heated front seats, two front USB charge points, a mobile phone wireless charge pad and DAB digital radio all come as standard. There’s a plethora of driver and safety aids too, including lane change assist, adaptive cruise control and traffic sign recognition.
There’s a small digital screen directly above the steering wheel which shows essential information, battery usage, mileage and driving settings. The pièce de resistance is the slim 15.8-inch touchscreen that comes with the top of the range Design model and the 12.8-inch touchscreen with the Comfort model that can rotate from landscape to portrait mode. You can control it via a button on the steering wheel, the screen itself or by utilising voice control. Sure, it comes with a novelty factor, but it’s an impressive one. The screen is very responsive, well laid out and easy to operate. It should be pointed out that voice control works exceptionally well and lets you adjust everything from the Sat Nav to the heated seats to opening the sunroof.
As soon as you start driving, you notice how comfortable the car is. Whether you’re driving on the motorway or countryside, the car feels composed. There’s slight body roll, but nothing too noticeable, and at speed, particularly on windy days, you’ll hear a little wind noise around the mirrors. Steering is precise and responsive and the brakes are good, if a little light. There are selectable regenerative braking settings which allow for smooth stopping. The ATTO 3 has three driving settings; Eco, Normal and Sport – all with varying degrees of feel, set-up, and driveability.
As the battery is compact, it means there’s a flat floor inside which allows good legroom for rear passengers. The boot offers 440 litres of space which increases to 1,338 litres when the seats are folded down 40-60, and there’s also storage under the floor for the charging cables.
As you’d expect from a world-renowned technology company, the ATTO 3 uses a unique and innovative battery, the advanced 60.5kWh Blade battery, which was created by BYD themselves and is designed to provide greater efficiency and use less space. The car is also equipped with the all-new BYD e-Platform 3.0 - a platform, which will be used across future EV models and provides greater battery efficiency and better safety. In doing so, the ATTO 3 comes with a full 5-star Euro NCAP crash test rating.
BYD claim the ATTO 3 will do 260 miles, and, true to their word, at 100% of full charge, the car did indeed deliver 260 miles. It’s rare to find a car that matches manufacturer claimed figures in the real world. Efficiency on the go was also impressive. With regards to charging, if you have a 150kW charger, then the ATTO 3 will charge from 30% to 80% in approximately 30 minutes. And every ATTO 3 will remain at the cutting edge of technological innovation with software updates provided over-the-air via BYD’s own operating system.
Thinking of making the switch to electric?
The ATTO 3 produces 201bhp with 310Nm of torque, 0-62mph is 7.3 seconds and boasts a top speed of 99mph.
BYD offer a four-year warranty on the car as well as an eight-year warranty on the battery. The ATTO 3 starts at £36, 998.
There’s no denying that the BYD ATTO 3 is a comfortable and stylish car. It’s quirky features, well-made interior and technology make it stand out from a crowded EV marketplace. If this inaugural model is anything to go by, you can bet that up-coming models, set to arrive later in 2023, will be just as impressive.
