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New BYD Dolphin

Launched in September 2023, the new BYD Dolphin is the second BYD car to be launched in the UK. It sits just below the BYD ATTO 3 in the BYD line-up and is of similar size to a Peugeot 208 or Vauxhall Corsa. This small city hatchback has five doors and is suitable for in town, city and countryside driving.

The BYD Dolphin won two Carbuyer 2024 awards – ‘Car of the Year’ and ‘Best Small Electric Car’ – thanks to its efficiency, technology features and electric range. Carbuyer stated that the BYD Dolphin is a ‘great-value car’, putting it in a good position against its competitors, such as the MG4 and Peugeot e-208.

BYD cars

BYD is a pioneer in renewable technology, including batteries, solar energy and hybrid and electric cars. Since producing its first cars in 2005, it is now a world-leading electric car manufacturer.

Beginning as a battery manufacturing company, BYD has put a lot of effort into the research and innovation of electric cars and their components. Their Blade Battery is considered to be one of the safest batteries on the market due to its ability to withstand extreme conditions.

BYD’s third generation of electric car platforms, the e-Platform 3.0, boasts superb structural integrity and higher efficiency. It also features the world’s first 8-in-1 electric powertrain as standard.

What BYD Dolphin trims are there?

• New BYD Dolphin Active
• New BYD Dolphin Boost
• New Dolphin Comfort
• New Dolphin Design

The entry-level BYD Dolphin Active and Boost trims are yet to launch in the UK, but they’re expected to arrive in 2024. The Comfort and Design trims entered the UK market on launch, with the Design being the flagship trim.

The BYD Dolphin Comfort and Design both have 60.4kWh batteries and are capable of charging at a rate of 88kW DC and 11kW AC. The DC charging time (30% – 80%) for both is 29 minutes.

The Comfort trim features 16-inch alloys, a rotating touchscreen, a 360-degree camera and heated front seats. The Design trim adds to this with two-tone paint colour options, tri-colour alloys, wireless phone charging and a panoramic roof.

Choose from four colours on the Comfort trim: Urban Grey, Cream White, Coral Pink or Amethyst Purple. The Design adds the choice of bi-colour paint options, featuring an Urban Grey roof.

Technology features of the BYD Dolphin

The BYD Dolphin features a huge range of technology as standard on all trims. This includes the iconic BYD rotating infotainment touchscreen, which you can easily switch from portrait to landscape mode with a touch of a button or by using voice commands.

BYD voice control is standard on all trims and can be used for a variety of functions, including operating windows and air conditioning. A 360-degree camera makes manoeuvring simple and keyless entry and start means it’s easier to get going.

Electric features include vehicle-to-load (VtoL) capability and a heat pump as standard. Vehicle to load can be used to power external electric items, such as a laptop, portable heater or plug-in cool box, making journeys that bit smoother.

The higher-level trims feature a six-speaker sound system with optimisation, a larger on-board charger, wireless phone charging and heated front seats.

BYD Dolphin range

The range for the Dolphin Comfort and the Dolphin Design is 265 miles*, with a power output of 204PS possible from both trims.

The BYD Dolphin 11kW onboard charger is an impressive addition to this small hatchback car, which makes the charging process that bit quicker. Both the Comfort and Design models have an 11kW onboard charger, while the Active and Boost trims will have a 7kW onboard charger.

Charging time for the Active and Boost trims will be 28 minutes and the Comfort and Design trims can manage 30% – 80% in 29 minutes.*

New BYD Dolphin for sale

Whether you’re looking to finance a new BYD Dolphin or buy one for cash price, we have a range of brand-new BYD cars available to buy online safely with Click & Collect and home delivery options also available.

Contact our BYD dealer today, or check out our dedicated Dolphin page for more information or to book a test drive.

*WLTP range stated, actual range varies on factors such as driving behaviour, external elements and vehicle maintenance.

BYD Dolphin Review (2023) by Jim McGill

Is the BYD Dolphin ready to take on the likes of the MG4, Vauxhall Corsa Electric and Peugeot e-208?

The ban on the sales of new petrol and diesel cars in the UK has been delayed five years, from 2030 to 2035. But the growing popularity of electric vehicles is showing no signs of stopping. And I got my hands on what promises to be one of the best, most affordable all-electric cars to hit the UK market: the BYD Dolphin.

Perhaps worth mentioning here, Arnold Clark is the sole dealership platform for Scotland.

The Dolphin is the smallest and cheapest of the three models the Chinese carmaker will introduce into the UK. While the ATTO 3, a small SUV, has already made an impression, the larger Tesla 3 rival, the Seal, will arrive later this year.

But for now, I put the Dolphin to the test; and it’s an impressive package delivering a bigger battery range, in-car tech and solid build quality. For those people who have long highlighted that EVs were either far too expensive, or that the smaller, more affordable options didn’t have a long enough range, the new BYD bursts those bubbles.

Looks good, but what size is it?

It’s a decent size. Get the tape measure out and you’ll find it’s 4,290mm long, 1,770mm wide and 1,570mm tall. That means it’s more than capable of accommodating four six-footers in equal comfort.
BYD chose not to highlight specific rivals, but the reality is it’ll go head-to-head with the likes of the MG4 hatchback, plus the smaller Vauxhall Corsa Electric and Peugeot e-208. And to be honest, its size and versatility will also pitch it against the latest version of the upgraded Volkswagen ID.3.

Doesn’t that mean it’ll be expensive?

No; quite the opposite. The Dolphin is available in four trim levels. The entry-level Active starts at £26,195 (OTR), with the range-topping Design priced from £31,695 (OTR). Sandwiched in between is the Boost, priced from £27,195 (OTR) and what’s likely to be the best-selling model, the Comfort which starts at £30,195 (OTR).

Ok, let’s get into the nitty-gritty: range

Ah, yes. The benchmark by which all EV models tend to be judged. And here the Dolphin again doesn’t disappoint. The base model gets a 45kWh battery and a 93bhp electric motor that’s good for 211 miles on a full charge. Next up is the Boost which keeps the same battery, but ups power to 174bhp. The Comfort and Design step up to the larger 60kWh battery and a 201bhp front-mounted motor — the same combo as that featured in all ATTO 3s — and boosts the range on a single charge to 265 miles.

Performance and charging?

The 60kWh pack charges at a maximum of 88kW from a suitably powerful DC charger, with BYD claiming 30%-80% in 29 minutes. Just worth highlighting here that while that sounds certainly good, main rivals claim similar times starting at 10%. Standard charging is 11kW AC, which means that if you’re charging from home or work on a three-phase supply, the speeds will still be good. If you go for the smaller 45kWh battery pack, charging speeds fall to 60kW DC or 7kW AC; but the 30%-80% rapid charge improves by a minute.

Another positive is that all versions get Vehicle-To-Load. That means you can run electrical devices — laptops, hairdryers, a kettle, or even, as BYD did at the launch, power a large music deck (I know… it was a car launch!) — from your car. What you can’t do though is charge another EV.

Cold weather range is also boosted by the fact across the four models a heat pump is standard-fit.

As for the standard 0-62mph ’sprint’: you’re looking at 7.0 seconds, which is swift enough for most people

What’s it like inside?

Pretty impressive. As I mentioned previously, there’s loads of space both in the front and rear. Both head and legroom are better than you might expect when you view the Dolphin from the outside. It has this canny knack of looking smaller than it is when, in fact, it’s a tad longer than the ID.3.

And don’t misinterpret ‘affordable’ for being ‘cheap’. The cabin has struck this very clever balance of definitely not feeling cheap, but not quite hitting the premium quality level. It’s an appealing middle ground which will meet the demands and expectations of most potential buyers. All the switches have a solid feel to them, and the areas with which you interact have all the right levels of padding.

Design-wise, the cabin is a step up from the ATTO 3. You’ll notice that gone are the slightly bizarre ‘guitar strings’ from the door storage areas and replaced by conventional door pockets. Progress. Again, the fascia is dominated by BYD’s central 12.8-inch infotainment display. And yes, it still rotates between portrait and landscape layouts.

Personally, I think it’s a bit of a gimmick. It works perfectly well, and more efficiently in landscape, rather than the Tesla-esque portrait where it actually slightly obstructs the view out the windscreen. More importantly, the tech behind it is quietly efficient, outperforming what you’ll find in the Peugeot, Vauxhall or, even, the Volkswagen. And things will get even better as BYD will issue over-the-air updates.

Trim levels

Even the base model gets the rotatable infotainment screen, plus 16-inch alloy wheels (17-inch across the rest of the range) and vegan-leather upholstery. Comfort adds heated front seats, front parking sensors and slightly faster charging. But if you can stretch the extra £1,500, Design is my preferred choice. Not only does it add a full-length panoramic roof, rear privacy glass, a wireless smartphone-charging pad and two-tone paint, but you get the most stunning, comfortable two-tone sports seats. That said, sports seats are standard across the range… but they do look stunning in the two-tone vegan leather.

Boot space

Hmmm… to be honest, it’s a little on the small side. But that’s a simple by-product of BYD maximising the cabin footprint to maximise interior space for occupants. Luggage space is 345 litres, with the rear seats in place. In fairness, plenty big enough to accommodate a week’s shopping. Boot space rises to 1310 litres when you fold the rear seats down.

What's it like to drive?

Pleasant, probably sums it up best. Forget applying the barometer of ‘driver involvement’. Just judge the Dolphin for what it is: a cleverly packaged EV which will do the job more than adequately for the vast majority of owners who will drive the car.
Steering is reassuringly direct and that, married to the accomplished ride ensures the cabin is a pleasurable place to be. Even if you chuck it into a corner, the Dolphin will gamely retain grip, enough, most likely, to put a smile on the driver’s face.

Verdict

If ever there was a car which highlighted why you simply shouldn’t write off a Chinese car manufacturer, it’s the Dolphin. Not only does it have an attractive interior, but it’s comfortable, handles as well as the vast majority of its drivers will ever want, delivers pace and a range which meets daily requirements… and is affordable, when compared to some of its rivals.

To put that into perspective, prices for the Peugeot e-208 only start where the Dolphin prices top out. As for the Volkswagen ID.3? Well you’d need an extra £4,000 to get the entry level.

Take a good look at the pictures of the Dolphin, because I’m pretty sure you’re going to start seeing a lot of them on our roads.