There's really a lot to like about the BYD Atto 3 100kW version. This Cat A compact crossover SUV has plenty of performance, and drives pretty darn smooth. This version is meant for the Singapore market, to fit with COE requirements. So the car's original 150kW power has been reduced to 100kW. But everything else, from the 360-degree camera, blind spot detection, exterior looks, 310nm torque, and interior stylings remain the same as the Cat B version.
Quick specs
- 60.5kWh battery, 80kW fast charging (DC), 7.4kW charging (AC)
- 18-inch wheels
- Automatic trunk (440L) with knockdown seats, has a frunk
- 12.8-inch Google Android Automotive touchscreen with built-in LTE
- 9.7s from 0-100km/h
At S$172,888 (at time of publication), the Atto 3 100kW is reasonably priced when you consider its luxurious stylings. I really liked driving this car. It's smooth, accelerates really quickly, and feels stable. The suspension keeps most bumps away, and the cabin is super quiet. The car's range rating is around 420km on its 60.5kWh battery, but after three days of driving, I had clocked 290km with about 19% of juice left. I drove with a mix of Eco and Normal in both highway and city environments, with the energy regeneration set to High. This works out to around 16.8kWh/100km. That's decent, but puts the actual car range at around 358km. But thankfully, you can top that up quickly with its 80kW DC charging. AC charging is just 7.4kW, which will take you a while to fill up its 60.5kWh battery.
The Atto 3's exterior is lovely. It sports 18-inch wheels, sleek lines, and a clean look. The de-chromed model that we drove does away with the matte chrome finish, and looks a lot nicer. However, the interior can be a bit of a miss. I wasn't a fan, and neither was the wife. It features red elastic strings at the bottom that draw inspiration from the Chinese musical instrument, the guzheng. And these are playable, sorta — you can twang them to your heart's content. Then you have the weird-looking aircon vents that look like weights. The interior door handle is also a speaker, and requires you to pull downwards to open. The panoramic sunroof is great to have. Even with the shades open, it doesn't feel too sunny, while giving you a nice view of the sky.
The main feature, though, has to be the large 12.8-inch rotating display. The car already runs Android Auto, and the large display lets you use it in both portrait or landscape mode. Portrait mode makes navigation really fun, as you can see more ahead of you. You can also split the screen to show another app, such as Spotify. The screen also controls the various functions of the car, such as the aircon, the driving modes, and the sounds of your signal lights. I do note that the 5-inch instrument panel behind the wheel is kind of small. The Atto 3 supports wireless Android Auto and wired Apple CarPlay. The 360-degree camera is really handy for parking, as I found. You can also download the BYD app to turn on the aircon remotely.
The BYD Atto 3 100kW is a great EV car to consider, especially with the recent price cut. It's also cheaper than the Cat A Hyundai Ioniq 5, which may help those who want to save a little. Book a test drive from BYD here.
Note: Review unit provided by BYD.
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