New BYD Atto 2 on its way to fight the Vauxhall Frontera

The BYD Atto 2 is officially coming to the UK, with the new small electric SUV likely to arrive on our shores early next year, ready to take on the similarly budget-focused Vauxhall Frontera as well as the forthcoming successor to the MG ZS EV, also due in 2025. 

The chunky-looking EV was first unveiled back in February, and launched in China as the BYD Yuan Up. As you’ll have guessed by the name, this is the little brother to the BYD Atto 3 family SUV, and will bridge the gap between that and the Dolphin hatchback in the brand’s line-up. 

The Atto 2 measures 4,310mm long, 1,830mm wide and 1,675mm tall, and has a 2,620mm wheelbase – similar dimensions to another possible rival, the Suzuki e Vitara. It uses BYD’s latest electric car architecture, e-Platform 3.0, and its ‘Blade’ battery design, where the cells are integrated into the car’s structure.

The first details of the Euro-spec Atto 2 were included in a report by Green NCAP, which assesses how energy efficient and green new cars are. It mentions a 42.4 kWh usable battery that offers an official range of up to 193 miles, or 288 miles if you drive it in town. That’s slightly better than the standard Frontera Electric’s 186-mile range, although a Long Range version of the Vauxhall is coming soon that promises 249 miles on one charge.

The relatively small battery helps keep the Atto 2 under 1.6 tonnes, while the electric motor used to drive its front wheels produces 174bhp and 290Nm of torque; enough for 0-62mph in 7.9 seconds. Green NCAP also noted the inclusion of a new heat pump which, along with waste heat from the e-motor, helps to warm the car’s cabin and battery in colder temperatures.

The design borrows some elements from its siblings, notably the flowing LED headlights and black bar with silver trim at the front, plus the complex, intertwined tail-light arrangement, which is just like the BYD Dolphin’s. The floating roof design, cladding on the side sills and generally boxy shape, meanwhile, give it more than a passing resemblance to the outgoing Citroen C5 Aircross.

Inside, the Atto 2 features a large 12.8-inch central touchscreen that can rotate between portrait and landscape orientation – a familiar BYD party trick – while behind the steering wheel is an 8.8-inch digital instrument panel. The centre console has a wireless charging pad, crystal gear selector and what look to be grab handles, a bit like those in a Mercedes G-Class, despite the Atto 2 not showing any obvious off-road inclinations. 

Overall, the interior is much simpler than those in other BYD models, although this could be geared towards making the Atto 2 as affordable as possible. UK pricing for the BYD Atto 2 should start from well under £30,000, although we’ll have to wait to see how close it’s able to get to the Frontera Electric’s hugely impressive starting price of £23,495. 

The Atto 2 won’t be the only new addition to BYD’s showrooms next year. Due on sale soon is the BYD Sealion 7, a pure-electric coupé-SUV that will rival the Tesla Model Y and Kia EV6, among many others, and start from £44,990. At the other end of the spectrum, the BYD Seagull supermini is finally coming to Europe to take on the cut-price Dacia Spring and Citroen e-C3. 

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