The BYD Dolphin Surf is a model of its moment - and aims to reinvent the citycar genre. Jonathan Crouch takes a look.
Ten Second Review
The Dolphin Surf is a small EV runabout that will really put BYD on the map in Western markets. It blurs the boundaries between city cars and superminis - and between sensible and fashionable small runabouts, but could be the ideal compromise for many urban folk.
Background
One day, Chinese maker BYD aims to become the world's biggest car maker. And when it does, perhaps much will be owed to this model, the Dolphin Surf.
It's the smallest car BYD makes but perhaps has the biggest challenge to face. Today, over 60% of new large car sales are fully electric. At the opposite end of the market, in the citycar sector where the Dolphin Surf competes, that number from the launch of this car in mid-2025 was just 9%. And that's despite the fact that the majority of citycar models these days are EVs, with cheap models like the Dacia Spring and the Leapmotor T03 at one end of the segment and pricier trend-setters like the Renault 5 E-Tech and the Hyundai Inster at the other.
This Dolphin Surf, called the 'Seagull' in China and the 'Dolphin Mini' in South America, targets a place between those two extremes. And, unlike cheaper citycar EVs, aims to provide the longer-ranging maturity you'd get from an electric supermini in the segment above. To side-step Western tariffs, it'll soon be European-built too.
Engines and Tech Spec
When BYD nails the drive dynamics of its cars, it really will be forced to be reckoned with in Western markets. It's been a bit hit and miss so far. The handling of the Seal saloon felt quite engaging. The drive dynamics of the Dolphin small hatch didn't. The Dolphin Surf looks more promising in this regard, helped (as on other BYDs) by the way that the Blade battery is actually part of the car's e-Platform 3.0 chassis, rather than separate from it. This car certainly has an innovative powertrain - what the Chinese maker claims is 'the world's first 8-in-one electric powertrain system'. This combines electric motor, charger, reducer, DC converter, power distribution box, battery management controller, vehicle control unit and motor controller into a single module that saves space and, equally crucially, improves efficiency.
Sure enough, the 43.2kWh battery variants most customers will choose go a lot further on a charge than the budget citycar EVs BYD wants to compete against; either 200 miles or 192.6 miles, depending on whether you choose the mid-range 'Boost' version (which has an 87bhp motor) or the much more powerful 'Comfort' range-topper, which offers 154bhp and 220Nm of torque, a better choice for the kind of longer trips this Surf is (unlike its budget rivals) well capable of making. There's also an entry-level 'Active' model at the foot of the range with the 87bhp motor and a small 30kWh battery that gives you 136.7 miles of range (about the same as a rival Dacia Spring). This BYD should feel agile around town, as the 0-62mph figures suggest (11.1s for the 'Active', 12.1s for the 'Boost' and 9.1s for the 'Comfort'). The top speed on all variants is 93mph. Don't expect particularly engaging handling on faster roads though, or much steering feel.
Design and Build
The Dolphin Surf doesn't quite have the instant fashion-cred of a Renault 5 E-Tech or a Fiat 500e, but it's certainly a lot more visually appealing than budget EV citycars like Dacia's Spring and the Leapmotor T03. It's bigger than them too, at 3,990mm long the same length as a Renault 5, but narrower and taller. Styling cues are mixed; the profile's very 'Toyota Aygo X' and there's even a bit of Lamborghini in the headlights. Characteristic touches include the upwardly-angled rear side lower glasshouse line; the strange arching lowered side still trim strip; and the full-width rear light bar and prominent roof spoiler. As usual with BYD e-Platform chassis, the stance sees the wheels pushed right out to the corners of the car.
Inside, it doesn't feel as cheaply finished as the rival budget brand models that aren't much less expensive. And there's the usual BYD party piece, a rotating central screen, this tablet-like one 10.1-inches in size, with a row of welcome short-cut switches below which give you access to driving modes, climate functions and audio volume. The instruments sit in a slightly cluttered smaller screen behind the three-spoke steering wheel with its big BYD central bezel. There's some interesting interior design. Like the rounded air vents; and quite nice materials for this price point, like the vegan leather seats and the soft grey suede-like fabric used on the door cards and centre console. But, as you'd expect from a citycar, there are hard dashboard plastics too - and cheap door-pulls.
Forward visibility is good, but the big rear headrests and thick C-pillars can make it difficult to see out of the back. BYD claims its clever 'eight-in-one electric powertrain' system frees up interior space - and sure enough, it really does feel quite spacious in the back for a car of this class, helped by the relatively lengthy 2,500mm wheelbase. Only two adults are provided for in the back, but they fit there quite comfortably.
For luggage, there's a 308-litre boot (similar to a Dacia Spring but around 100-litres litres more than a Leapmotor T03. And the thin rear seats fold to free up a 1,037-litre load space. The underfloor compartment provided isn't quite big enough for all the charging leads and there's no under-bonnet 'frunk' space.
Market and Model
Expect Dolphin Surf prices to start at around £18,000 for the small-battery base 'Active' mode; but you'll need from around £19,000 for the bigger-battery 'Boost' version you'd probably want, with the top, more powerful, 'Comfort' range-topper at around £21,000. This pricing positions this BYD just above budget brand citycars like the Dacia Spring and the Leapmotor T03; and just below segment trendsetters like the Renault 5 E-Tech Electric and the Hyundai Inster.
Equipment levels look reasonable. All variants get adaptive cruise control, air conditioning, vegan leather upholstery, rear parking sensors, a rear view camera and a 10.1-inch rotating central touchscreen. Bright 'Lime Green' paint is standard. And all models have V2L (Vehicle-to-Load) capability, allowing you to plug in an adaptor to the car's charge port to power various external devices - like, for example, a coffee machine or an electric grill. ISOFIX child car seat points in the front passenger seat and in the rear are also included. Mid-range 'Boost' variants get slightly larger 16-inch wheels, electrically-powered front seats and auto wipers. You have to stretch to top 'Comfort'-spec for a 360-degree camera system, full-LED headlights, heated seats and a wireless charging pad.
Safety kit looks strong, with more camera safety features than is normal for a car in this segment - things like Lane departure assist and auto-dipping for the headlights. The brand says it's uprated the crash structure over the Chinese market model. And is proud that its innovative battery design passes the so-called 'nail penetration test', which means that if that battery is damaged in an accident, the chance of fire is very slim indeed.
Cost of Ownership
We gave you the EV range figures in our 'Driving' section; expect efficiency of around 5.4 miles-per-kilowatt hour in normal driving. Which in the 'Comfort' model would equate to a range of over 230 miles.
BYD has a long history as a battery manufacturer and, sure enough, it's LFP (lithium-ion phosphate) 'Blade' battery packs have a very sophisticated design, free of cobalt, which sees them integrated into the structure of the car. Unfortunately, they don't charge particularly quickly. The maximum charging speed for the base 'Active' variant's smaller 30kWh battery is just 65kW; the larger-capacity 43.2kWh battery that's fitted to 'Boost' and 'Comfort' models can charge at 85kW, but that's still not particularly quick. To be fair, it's faster than the Dacia Spring (which charges at 34kW) and the Leapmotor T03 (which charges at 48kW), but it's way behind the Renault 5 (which charges at 100kW). With either battery, the Dolphin Surf can be DC-replenished from 10 to 80% in around half an hour.
As for AC charging at home, while using a typical single-phase 7.4kW wallbox, you'd need 7 hours 15 minutes for a full charge. If you're able to charge using a three-phase 11kW supply, you can reduce that charging time to 3.5 hours (for the 'Active' model's 30kWh battery) or five hours (for the 'Boost' and 'Comfort' variants' 43.2kWh battery).
What else? Well this Dolphin Surf sits in insurance group 14A in 'Active' and 'Boost' forms, but the more powerful 'Comfort' version is in group 19D. To give you some perspective, a Renault 5 starts in group 18 while the Dacia Spring starts in group 24. As usual with BYD, there's a warranty that lasts for six years or 150,000km (that's 93,206 miles). Plus of course there's the usual eight year battery pack warranty.
Summary
There's lots for Western auto makers to worry about here. At one stroke, the Dolphin Surf makes some of their citycar EVs look a bit half-baked - and some of their supermini EVs seem somewhat irrelevant. If it looked and felt trendier and handled more sharply at speed, BYD's prospects with this car would be even stronger, particularly if the entry price could be lower. But even as it is, it's clear that the Dolphin Surf is going to play a huge part in taking its maker mainstream.
We'd like to see faster charging speeds, but there's an awful lot else on the plus side, including class-leading cabin space, decent equipment levels and driving range figures that embarrass many budget brand citycar EVs. Here then, you've a model that encapsulates just why the BYD brand is growing so fast. Can anything stop it?
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