BYD Atto 2 review

September 5, 2025 Matt Allan

We put the BYD Atto 2 to the test to see how it measures up to rivals as varied as the Fiat 600e and Volvo EX30 as well as the class superstars from Kia and Skoda

BYD is determined to be the dominant force in the automotive world and part of its plan appears to be having a car in almost every conceivable segment. It’s got a lot of those covered already, from the A-segment Dolphin Surf city car to the D-SUV Sealion 7, but until now it hasn’t been present in the hugely significant small SUV arena.

That’s all about to change, though, with the arrival of the BYD Atto 2, a 4.3m-long, £31,000 rival to everything from from Fiat 600e and Jeep Avenger to the Skoda Elroq and Volvo EX30, not to mention the Ford Puma Gen-E and Smart #1.

Design

This is a segment where designers are often a bit more adventurous than those creating larger models, but the Atto 2 doesn’t stray too far from the generic idea of a small crossover.

In a word, it’s inoffensive. There’s an upright and fairly boxy stance and the regulation plastic cladding along the wheel arches and door bottom. At the rear there’s a hint of Smart #1 in the way the C-pillar dips down, and the neat rear light signature will be recognisable as a BYD to those in the know, but overall it’s a touch characterless.

The BYD Atto 2’s styling whispers ‘generic crossover’

The interior is a similar story. The Atto 3 created a stir with its wacky interior touches, and the Dolphin and Dolphin Surf also have their quirky elements, but the Atto 2 is a more straightforward affair. Which is largely a good thing. Quirky can easily become weird and annoying, but the Atto 2 avoids that with a straightforward sensible approach. There are a couple of screens, a simple smooth dashboard, two-level centre console with a couple of cupholders and well-positioned wireless phone charging pad.

And that’s about it, really. As is the case with larger BYD models, build quality is rock solid and materials look and feel pretty good. It’s certainly a nicer place than the Toyota Urban Cruiser/Suzuki E Vitara, although it’s not a match for the Skoda or Volvo.

The Atto 2’s 2.6m wheelbase gives it competitive passenger space. Oversized rivals like the Elroq and Kia EV3 offer better legroom and more luggage space, but the Atto 2 should be big enough for a couple of average-sized adults and similarly average kids. There’s 400 litres of boot space in Boost and the Comfort expands that to 450 litres, although BYD has yet to explain how.

Every version of the Atto 2 gets a panoramic sunroof to enhance the feeling of space and the Atto 2 gets other touches such as electrically adjustable seats that generally only come on pricier variants of rivals.

The interior is spacious and well built but needs some simple physical controls

As you’d expect, there’s a big touchscreen at the centre of the dash, in this case a 12.8-inch affair. Like other BYDs this rotates and is the control centre for virtually every element of the car. And, like the rest of the BYD family, it is still an awkward mass of shortcuts, menus and pointless features you’ll never use. Having to dive into sub-sub-menus to manage day-to-day functions simply isn’t good enough. A simplified layout or, better still, actual buttons would quickly alleviate this persistent and unnecessary problem. It does at least support wireless Apple and Android mirroring for a simple media and navigation arrangement. And it’s got a built-in karaoke mode, if that’s what floats your boat.

BYD Atto 2 battery, motor and performance

BYD is keeping customers’ options simple with the Atto 2. There are two trim levels, each with its own battery and motor combination.

The basic Boost model I drove uses a 174bhp motor and a 51.1kWh battery for a maximum range of 216 miles. Later this year the Comfort spec will arrive with a 201bhp motor and 64.8kWh battery. That will push the range up to 261 but both have the same 0-62mph time of 7.9 seconds and top speed of 99mph.

In both cases, those are decent stats, but some similarly priced alternatives offer more impressive range.

With those identical stats, the biggest attraction of the Comfort grade is the longer range and significantly faster DC charging (155kW v 82kW), which cuts a 10-80% charge from 38 to 25 minutes, despite the bigger battery.

The Atto 2 is more at home around town than on country roads

Otherwise, the performance of the Boost is certainly perky enough for this class, with decent immediate response from the throttle that keeps going right up to the national speed limit. There are four drive modes which make changes to the throttle and steering, but they’re pretty minor shifts. There’s no one-pedal mode, but two stages of braking regen work pretty well in most circumstances and it’s an easy car to potter about in.

And pottering is what the Atto 2 does best. Around town the light steering, small footprint and nippy throttle response work well and make urban manoeuvring simple. Outside of town at higher speeds the steering is too vague and there’s an alarming amount of body roll which is emphasised by the oddly high seating position. While you’d expect a car that wallows as much as this to have a soft ride, the Atto 2 has a strangely uneven damping that still thumps over bad surfaces regardless of your speed.

BYD Atto 2 price and specification

BYD’s approach to price and specification is simple and easy to understand.

The Kia, Skoda, Volvo and Smart start at £30k but end up north of £40k. In the Skoda’s case, there’s also a wide array of trim, battery and motor combinations which means greater choice but a confusing line-up.

The Atto 2, in comparison, starts at £30,850 for the Boost and tops out at £34,950 for the Comfort, and the only options are a choice of four exterior colours.

Every version comes with the previously mentioned panoramic roof; 17-inch alloy wheels, heated seats; a 12.8-inch screen with wireless phone mirroring and charging plus an eight-speaker sound system; heat pump and vehicle-to-load capability. Comfort grade will add tinted rear glass, lumbar support for the driver and an extra 50 litres of boot space, although BYD hasn’t yet explained how it achieves this. There’s also a standard-fit suite of overbearing driver “assistance” including the most aggressive lane centring system I think I’ve ever encountered.

At the entry price, it offers a bit of extra space and equipment compared with rivals such as the Jeep or Ford, and this is where it makes most sense.

Once you reach £35,000 it’s mixing it with the Kia EV3 and Skoda Elroq which are more spacious, better to drive and have nicer, more user-friendly cabins. In the Kia’s case, it’s also got an extra 100 miles of range.

Verdict

In isolation, the BYD Atto 2 is a decent enough entrant into this packed market, but it’s not one that stands out.

It’s better equipped than many similarly priced rivals and offers reasonable space, build quality and decent performance. But it’s let down by an unfriendly user interface, poor ride and handling and range and charging speeds that aren’t as good as rivals’.