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A new generation of the SUV sold in Australia as the BYD Atto 3 has been revealed in China, with Tesla Model Y-encroaching range and performance.
BYD has debuted an all-new version of the electric SUV sold in Australia as the BYD Atto 3, but its local arrival might be some years away yet.
The Atto 3 successor adopts a much more chiselled look, new super-fast ‘flash charging’ capability, more power, and longer driving range.
In China, the new model will be called the BYD Yuan Plus, and arrives just four to five years after the first-generation Atto 3/Yuan Plus was introduced.
The new Atto 3 aligns with BYD’s latest styling themes, with a much more structured and solid look than the softer, more flowing forms of the first-generation model.
Inside, the quirky musculature-inspired interior of the first Atto 3 has been abandoned in favour of a much more conventional design.
Despite the all-new interior, some playful elements remain, like a small display shelf in the dash ahead of the front passenger, and a continuation of the vertically-straked air vents that are designed to look like weightlifting plates in the first-generation Atto 3.
The Yuan Plus joins other Chinese cars with an interior fridge/warmer. The interior also boasts 16-speaker audio, a panoramic glass roof, 50-watt wireless charging, and a fully-reclinable relaxation seat for the front passenger.
The much bigger 2026 Yuan Plus grows by 210mm in length compared to its predecessor, with a 4665mm overall length, making it 127mm shorter than the Tesla Model Y.
The 2770mm wheelbase is 50mm longer than its predecessor, or 120mm less than the best-selling Tesla Model Y.
BYD quotes a 750-litre boot capacity, with an additional 180-litre front storage space under the bonnet.
The new Atto 3 offers a choice of a 200kW motor paired with a 57.6kWh battery and a claimed 540km driving range based on lenient CLTC consumption testing.
A more powerful 240kW version, with a 68.8kWh battery and 630km CLTC range is also available.
Both versions are rear-wheel drive, and use BYD’s second-generation blade battery technology, allowing the lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) batteries to use BYD’s ultra-fast flash charging system, allowing a 10-97 per cent recharge in as little as nine minutes.
Despite the debut of a much more competitive all-new Atto 3, markets outside of China, including Australia, will initially receive a heavily revised version of the current car, known as the Atto 3 Evo, first.
The Atto 3 Evo maintains the smaller size of the current Atto 3, but switches to a rear-wheel drive powertrain, or optional all-wheel drive, with a bigger 75.8kWh battery.
Kez Casey migrated from behind spare parts counters to writing about cars over ten years ago. Raised by a family of automotive workers, Kez grew up in workshops and panel shops before making the switch to reviews and road tests for The Motor Report, Drive and CarAdvice.
