BYD Dolphin hatchback review 2023 – Carbuyer

Verdict – Is the BYD Dolphin a good car?

We were promised an onslaught of cheap EVs when the Chinese manufacturers first announced their presence in Europe, and the BYD Dolphin is one of the first to truly fit that format. Don’t be dissuaded by its low list price or the unknown name – BYD is a big brand in its home country and the Dolphin is a talented all-rounder. There’s space for four, a good range, plenty of equipment and an agreeable driving experience. The biggest bargains are yet to come (the smaller 45kWh battery is due early 2024), but at less than £30k, the mid-to-high-spec Comfort could really shake up the lower end of the electric-car market.

BYD Dolphin models, specs and alternatives

Many manufacturers kick off by launching a flashy ‘First Edition’ spec, and while it’s true that BYD will start sales with the bigger battery, longer range Dolphin, the maker has already committed to cheaper versions – confirming these cars will arrive early in 2024.

So for now, the lineup comprises only Comfort and Design trims – the former coming in at less than £30,000. Both versions get a 201bhp motor and a 60kWh battery, which should be capable of up to 265 miles on a charge. These models get the fastest 88kW charging, too, for a 30-80% top-up in less than half an hour.

Comfort cars get heated front seats, a six-speaker stereo and front parking sensors, while Design bolsters the spec sheet with tri-colour 17-inch alloy wheels, a panoramic sunroof, rear privacy glass and wireless phone charging.

As mentioned, from Q1 next year, BYD will also offer a pair of more affordable models – starting from just £25,490. Active cars get a 45kWh battery and up to 211 miles of range, mated to a 93bhp motor. These cars feature a 12.8-inch rotating touchscreen, electrically-adjustable vegan seats, 16-inch wheels and a 360-degree surround-view camera. 

Boost builds on this with a more powerful 174bhp motor, bigger wheels, and an advanced rear suspension system, which should help ride comfort. Boost costs £1,000 more than Active.

The Dolphin is only available as a five-door hatchback, and joins the existing Atto 3 electric SUV in the brand’s recently-launched UK lineup. A four-door saloon – badged BYD Seal – is due towards the end of 2023, while an even smaller, more affordable city car should arrive soon after.

BYD Dolphin alternatives

The lower end of the EV market is hotting up, with more and more models due over the coming years. Despite being a little longer than a Ford Fiesta, the BYD Dolphin’s rivals span everything from electric city cars to family hatchback and small SUVs.

• Fiat 500e
• ORA Funky Cat
• Vauxhall Corsa Electric
• Peugeot e-208
• Renault Zoe

• MG4
• Nissan Leaf
• Citroen e-C4
• Peugeot e-2008
• DS3 E-Tense

First things first, bar the Citroen Ami quadricycle and soon-to-be-discontinued Smart EQ ForTwo, there is no cheaper electric car currently on sale in the UK. Add this to the fact the BYD Dolphin is also loaded with standard equipment – including a big touchscreen and vegan leather seats – and few would argue against its shining value-for-money credentials.

Base cars with the 45kWh battery (available from early 2024) get a range of up to 211 miles, while Boost models fitted with the same battery but more powerful motor can do 193 miles on a charge. Step up to Comfort or Design spec (available now) and you get a larger 60kWh battery, which BYD says will manage up to 265 miles – more than enough for most buyers, we suspect.

The BYD Dolphin is efficient, too. In our experience – admittedly in warm weather down in central Spain – the electric supermini returned around 4mi/kWh. However, this included plenty of faster mountain roads, as well as longer motorway stints; we reckon more than 5mi/kWh would be possible in normal driving, particularly around town.

Topping up the batteries is pretty straightforward, too. Those who can charge at home will be able to replenish the cells overnight, while rapid charging from 30 to 80% is possible in around half an hour. Dolphins with the big battery can charge at up to 88kW, while the smaller battery cars max out at 60kW. For reference, the Peugeot e-208, Vauxhall Corsa Electric and Citroen e-C4 can all charge at up to 100kW.

But as with all electric cars, the BYD Dolphin is currently exempt from the London Congestion Charge and other low-emission zones, while its sub-£40k list price will protect it from the luxury car tax that is likely to be implemented soon.

Insurance

Insurance groups for the BYD Dolphin haven’t yet been confirmed, though we’d expect premiums to be reasonable – if a little more expensive than you’d pay for an equivalent petrol-powered supermini. Electric cars may be simpler to operate, but purchase and repair costs are still not quite on par with their combustion-engined equivalents.

If you’re expecting a sports car, then you’d better look elsewhere. At this price point, an MG4 is much more fun to drive – not least due to its rear-wheel drive layout and sharper steering. 

But the BYD is still entertaining in its own right, with reasonable agility and a punchy 201bhp electric motor. The body does roll a bit through the corners, but grip is good – despite our launch model riding on tyres from a Chinese brand we’d not previously heard of. The steering is light even in sport mode, and doesn’t offer much in the way of communication through your fingers. But the car is easy enough to place and always behaves exactly as you’d expect.

It’s an easy car to drive around town, too, thanks mainly to its diminutive size. All cars come with 360-degree cameras, so parking isn’t an issue – though even without these we found visibility to be good; the car’s upright rear windows and short overhangs help in this regard.

But you expect a car designed to rival petrol and electric models like the Ford Fiesta and Vauxhall Corsa to be an accomplished urban runaround. What’s especially surprising is how adept the BYD is on the motorway – certainly with the most powerful motor, which allows for easy overtaking. 

It’s also comfortable (note: we’ve so far only driven a car with the more complex multilink rear suspension) and relatively quiet, with just a little wind noise around the door mirrors. There’s a maturity to the way the BYD Dolphin goes about its business – we reckon plenty of people will really like the way it drives.

Our biggest complaint is that neither of the two settings for the regenerative braking system is particularly strong. There isn’t even a hint of one-pedal driving here – those who prefer this style of driving will need to look elsewhere.

0-62mph and top speed

In time, the BYD Dolphin will be available with three motor options. The least powerful of these will get just 93bhp (due early 2024), and while we’ve not yet driven one, we suspect it might feel quite lethargic on open roads outside of the urban environment this car was designed for.

Above this will sit a model with 174bhp – also due in Q1 next year. This should feel a good chunk quicker, though again we’ll need to wait a little longer before we offer any opinion on what it’s like to drive; no performance figures have been announced just yet. Both the 93bhp and 174bhp cars will get the smaller of the two battery options.

The top two trims both feature a bigger 60kWh battery, mated to a punchier 201bhp motor. These versions do 0-62mph in seven seconds, while top speed is capped at 100mph. It certainly feels quick in a straight line; a short delay when you put your foot down is quickly forgotten as the supermini builds momentum. Acceleration is linear, but the Dolphin is not as neck-snappingly fast as something like a Tesla or a Smart #1.

First things first: the BYD Dolphin starts from just over £25,000, so you can’t expect it to feel plush and premium throughout. That said, the textured materials do just enough to disguise some of this car’s cheaper trim – mostly on the dashboard and doors.

BYD says the design of the Dolphin – like the name – is inspired by the ocean. There’s a curvy cubby on top of the dash and the interior door handles are designed to look like flippers. The styling – both inside and out – won’t be to all tastes, but we’re glad to see some bold paint colours on the options list, even if lilac wouldn’t be our first choice.

The seats and steering wheel come trimmed in a vegan leather alternative and as such, feel soft to the touch. There’s not much adjustment for the driving position, however, and the seat bases lack support. No issue around town, but this could be troublesome on longer journeys.

Infotainment and navigation

The BYD’s infotainment system will be a key selling point for this budget EV. Every car gets a 12.8-inch screen that you can rotate 90 degrees from portrait to landscape and vice versa. It’s a bit of a novelty (we just left it in its widescreen format) but to offer this even on the entry-level Comfort is quite a feat.

That said, the menus aren’t the most intuitive, but the system itself is at least speedy and responsive. BYD says all Dolphins will ship with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which is a big bonus for those who like to use their phone’s menus on the move.

Sitting below the BYD Atto 3 (a Nissan Qashqai-rivalling electric SUV) the BYD Dolphin is pitched somewhere between a Ford Fiesta and a Ford Focus in terms of size. However, inside it’s bigger than both of those cars.

The driver and passenger do feel a little cocooned up front thanks to the high centre console, but there’s enough space to stretch out. We’d like a bit more adjustability for the driving position; the seat moves up and down, but the seat base is very flat and lacks thigh support. Furthermore, the instrument cluster is attached to the steering column and sits at a slightly jaunty angle. Annoying for some, perhaps.

There are plenty of useful cubbies and in the back, legroom is generous. The completely flat floor means you can fit three across the back for short hops, but doors don’t open all that wide, which may be an issue if you regularly have to load children into the rear.

Boot space

The BYD’s 345-litre boot is pretty generous for a car in this class – especially given the price. However, it’s down on the MG4, which claims 363 litres with the rear seats in place. There is no storage under the bonnet in either car, however, so you’ll need to store the charging cables alongside your luggage.

Fold the BYD’s seats flat and there’s 1,310 litres to play with – a figure not to be scoffed at in the supermini and small-car class. Its boxier shape means that on paper, the BYD is bigger than the MG in this respect.

BYD is trying to make its mark on Europe, and with prices for the Dolphin starting at just over £25,000, it has certainly done that. But it needs that USP – why else would you choose an unknown Chinese brand over a British, German or Italian equivalent, if it wasn’t for that lower list price?

Potential buyers concerned about reliability needn’t worry too much, however. The company recently surpassed Volkswagen for overall sales supremacy in its home market of China, selling millions of cars every year. There’s a good chance BYD builds the battery in your smartphone, too, so it’s certainly not short on expertise.

If that’s not enough, all BYD Dolphins are covered by a six-year warranty, while the battery itself is safe from degradation for up to eight years. The sales network isn’t particularly established just yet, but the brand has big ambitions – with some well-known dealer groups already on board and looking to expand.

Safety

All BYD Dolphins come with an innovative Blade battery, which has undergone various stress tests to ensure its durability and safety in the event of an accident. It’s a core part of the car’s structure, too, which in theory should help the Dolphin’s higher-speed handling.

There is no Euro NCAP crash test rating yet, but the BYD comes loaded with active safety kit including autonomous emergency braking and forward collision warning. There’s the same at the rear, to protect you when reversing out of a parking space, while on the motorway lane departure warning and lane-keep assist should keep most drivers out of trouble. We found some of the systems to be a bit intrusive and over sensitive on some roads, however.