BYD Atto 3 review - Practicality, comfort and boot space

It’s difficult to say how well the Atto 3’s interior – especially some of the fussier design elements – will handle life as a family car, but the small family SUV is certainly spacious and features some neat touches. These include the panoramic sunroof that lets in lots of light, and doors that close over the sills to keep them clean. It also has the slightly elevated driving position of an SUV, without ever approaching full off-roader status.

Rear visibility could be better, though. The tailgate glass is quite narrow, and its position means that there isn’t a direct line of sight from the driver’s seat via the rear-view mirror. We also found that the sheer size of the Atto 3’s touchscreen obscures your view out a little when it’s in portrait mode and the driving position itself is slightly compromised by the seat’s integrated headrest, because it pushes your head too far forward to be comfortable.

There are two sets of ISOFIX points in the rear, plus another set on the front passenger seat, while top-spec models have accessories such as floor mats and a rubber boot liner as part of their standard-kit list.

Size

The BYD Atto 3 measures 4,455mm long, with a wheelbase of 2,720mm, is 1,875mm wide and stands at 1,615mm tall. That means the Atto 3 is bigger overall than a Kia Niro EV and the Nissan Qashqai.

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Leg room, head room & passenger space

The Atto 3 uses a platform designed specifically for electric cars, which has numerous benefits, maximising passenger space in particular. For instance, there’s a completely flat floor across the back seats, so there’s decent legroom behind its large front seats. Overall, it’s very spacious inside, given the Atto 3's footprint, and there’s room on board for five six-footers, even with the standard panoramic glass roof fitted. However, we did find that the rear seat bases are set a little low, so under-thigh support could be better. 

Boot

The Atto 3 features a 440-litre boot, which is decent, but not the most generous in this class. The MG ZS EV and Kia Niro EV both have luggage capacities of more than 470 litres, but the BYD’s load space will still be plenty for families. The location of the car’s battery doesn’t compromise space, so there’s a deep hidden compartment underneath, plus there’s a level load lip. However, there is no ‘frunk’ or additional storage space under the bonnet. The 60:40-split rear seats also don’t fold entirely flat, but there’s no step in the floor, and 1,340 litres of space are on offer with the rear bench folded down.