New BYD Atto 2 2025 preview: value-focused electric SUV ready to go on sale in July

The new BYD Atto 2 will go on sale in the UK in July, with the Chinese brand’s smallest and most wallet-friendly electric SUV so far likely to start from well under £30,000. It’ll be going up against the likes of the new Vauxhall Frontera, Citroen e-C3 Aircross and Kia EV3. 

While UK pricing and other details are still being finalised, we know that at launch just one specification will be available to order here. The Atto 2 ‘Boost’ will offer up to 194 miles of range, and despite keen pricing, BYD is promising generous kit levels onboard, including lots of tech inside. 

That should include a 12.8-inch central touchscreen, an 8.8-inch digital instrument panel, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a wireless charging pad, a panoramic glass roof, heated front seats and steering wheel, a 360-degree camera set-up and more than a dozen driver assistance systems such as blind spot detection and adaptive cruise control.

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The Atto 2 also benefits from all of BYD’s latest EV know-how. For instance, underneath is the same e-Platform 3.0 that underpins the larger BYD Atto 3 family SUV and BYD Dolphin hatchback, which the Atto 2 should bridge the gap between nicely. Meanwhile the battery has been integrated completely in the car’s chassis to improve interior packaging and boost body rigidity.

The Atto 2 isn’t the only new addition coming soon to BYD’s showrooms. First up is the BYD Sealion 7, a £45k pure-electric coupé-SUV that will rival the Tesla Model Y and Kia EV6, among others. While at the other end of the price spectrum is the BYD Seagull supermini, which will be going head-to-head against the cut-price Dacia Spring and Citroen e-C3. 

What powertrain options and performance can we expect?

At launch, the Atto 2 will be available with a 45.1kWh lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) battery that BYD says is good for 194 miles of range on a single charge, or 288 miles if you just drive it in town. For context, that’s slightly better than the standard Frontera Electric’s 186-mile range. 

However, the Atto 2 has a maximum charging speed of just 65kW, and as a result, a 10 to 80 per cent top-up takes at least 37 minutes. The Vauxhall can at least reach 100kW, while the Kia EV3 maxes out at 128kW. 

Driving the front wheels is a single electric motor that produces 174bhp and 290Nm of torque; enough for the Atto 2 to hit 62mph in 7.9 seconds and a top speed of 99mph.

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BYD has confirmed that a long-range version called the Atto 2 Comfort is on its way and it’ll be able to cover more than 260 miles before running out of juice. Again, that beats the 249-mile range promised by the bigger battery version of the Vauxhall, as well as the up to 248-mile maximum range we’ve been told the Suzuki e Vitara (another potential rival) will offer.

However it is worth pointing out that other similarly sized EVs have more impressive ranges. For example, the Kia EV3 can cover up to 375 miles in one go, in the right guise. 

What are the exterior and interior design like?

The design borrows some elements from its siblings, notably the flowing LED headlights and black bar with silver trim at the front, plus the full-width light bar at the rear that connects the complex, intertwined tail-light arrangement. They’re called ‘Chinese knot’ tail-lights, and are designed to look like the number eight and the Mobius Infinity symbol, which signify good luck. 

Other details on the Atto 2 include 17-inch alloy wheels that are fitted as standard, a floating roof design, plenty of black plastic cladding to provide a slightly tough SUV aesthetic, flush door handles and air curtains on either side of the front bumper to guide air along the car.

Climbing Grey paint will come as standard, though buyers will also have the choice of Hiking Green, Skiing White and Cosmos Black as optional extras. 

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Inside, every Atto 2 sold in the UK will feature a large, 12.8-inch central touchscreen that can rotate between portrait and landscape orientation – a familiar BYD party trick. The centre console includes a small selection of physical buttons for key functions like the windscreen demister and drive mode selector, a crystal gear selector and grab handles, a bit like those in a Mercedes G-Class, despite the Atto 2 not having any obvious off-road inclinations. There’s also a panoramic glass roof.

Overall, the interior is fairly minimalist, and much simpler than those in other BYD models, however this could be to help make the Atto 2 as affordable as possible.

How practical is the BYD Atto 2 and how big is the boot space?

The Atto 2 measures 4,310mm long, 1,830mm wide and 1,675mm tall, and has a 2,620mm wheelbase. Those are very similar dimensions to the e Vitara and Frontera, although the Vauxhall is 75mm longer and its wheelbase is also about 50mm longer. 

As a result, the Atto 2’s 400-litre boot capacity can’t match the 460 litres available in the Frontera, but is certainly more than the 306 litres you’ll get in the e Vitara. Plus luggage space in the BYD can expand up to 1,340 litres when you fold down the rear seats. There are also two sets of ISOFIX child-seat mounting points in the back, and a completely flat floor. 

What will the BYD Atto 2’s price be?

As we mentioned, UK pricing for the BYD Atto 2 hasn’t been announced just yet. It should start from well under £30,000, considering its focus on value and the mechanically-related BYD Dolphin is available from a little over £26,000. However 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. 

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