BYD updates the Atto 3 and Dolphin

Overall, the facelift of the Atto 3 is rather subtle. The drive technology remains the same and only experts will be able to distinguish the 2025 model year from the 2024 Atto 3 visually. Important design elements such as the headlights remain virtually the same, only the area around the lower air intake in the bumper has been redesigned by the BYD designers. In the side view, the D-pillar now has a dark panelling, and there is a new roof spoiler at the rear, into which a two-part brake light is integrated. Additionally, the ‘Build Your Dreams’ lettering on the boot lid has now been replaced by the abbreviation ‘BYD.’

With only minor design adjustments, the dimensions remain the same: the Atto 3, which is also sold as the Yuan Plus in some markets, is 4.46 metres long, 1.88 metres wide and 1.62 metres high – with a wheelbase of 2.72 metres. The electric motor still delivers 150 kW, and there are two battery options with 49.9 and 60.5 kWh energy content. In both cases, these are LFP cells manufactured by BYD itself.

There are also only minor but possibly decisive improvements in the interior. The large gear selector lever in the centre console has been replaced by a shelf, and the gear is now selected via a small lever on the steering wheel. There are also two new colour options for the interior: grey and beige.

However, the most important points of the update are the Gods’ Eye C driving system, which BYD wants to integrate into all of its model ranges, right down to small cars. You can read more about the system and its different variants here. This much can be revealed: Gods’ Eye C, also known as DiPilot 100, is the simplest version, which is camera-based only. Versions with one or more lidar sensors are only available in more expensive BYD models.

Despite the upgrade, the base price has fallen by 1,000 yuan compared to its predecessor to 115,800 yuan (approx. 14,900 euros). The facelift and the price reduction are probably also related to demand: According to CarNewsChina, BYD still delivered 275,233 units of this model in China in 2024, 11.1 per cent fewer than in 2023, so with increasing competition, the ‘old’ Atto 3 has lost volume.

Dolphin also receives God’s Eye C

A very similar facelift is now also available for the Dolphin compact model: here too, the visual changes are minor (including the BYD abbreviation instead of lettering at the rear and redesigned headlights), with the first images from the registration application having already appeared in December. Unlike the Atto 3/Yuan Plus, the facelift of the Dolphin also includes a new drive option. The 130 kW drive is new; previously, the Dolphin was only available with 70 or 150 kW power.

Although the Dolphin for China has become slightly larger with the update, it is still one centimetre shorter than the current European version of the model. The major changes of the facelift are reflected in the interior, where the former gear lever has been replaced by a shelf. And the Dolphin now also features the God’s Eye C driver assistance system with the necessary hardware (including triple cameras). However, the base model of the Dolphin is the same price as before, only the top model has become around 4,000 yuan (511 euros) cheaper.

carnewschina.com (Atto 3), carnewschina.com (Dolphin)