BYD Dolphin - Interior, design & technology
The cabin looks higher quality than the price might suggest, and the rotating screen is a neat feature
Some of the Dolphin test cars we’ve tried have come with fantastic blue and red interior colours, but – for now at least – BYD isn’t offering these choices for sale. Your only choice is a more grown-up black and grey interior. We like the top-spec Design model’s panoramic sunroof because it helps to keep the interior from feeling too dark.
We found the seats in the front to be an odd shape. Some testers found that the headrest, which isn’t adjustable, seemed to be pushed too far forward, requiring the backrest to be adjusted to an uncomfortable position to compensate for this. It might be an issue for some buyers, so try before you buy.
What is the BYD Dolphin like inside?
The materials inside aren’t any more premium than rival models like the Fiat 600e, but BYD has done a great job of making them look more attractive. Even in places where hard plastic is used, the texture looks like denim. The cabin has some physical buttons, but they’re not as comprehensive as we’d like. For example, the climate system is controlled through the touchscreen.
What is the interior quality like?
While the materials look good, they’re of similar quality to more budget-oriented family EVs like the MG4 and Fiat 600e when you look closer, and the build quality is about the same as well. You’ll find the cabin of a Peugeot E-208 is a bit more luxurious, even though it’s a smaller car.
Sat-nav, stereo and infotainment
The big selling point of the BYD Dolphin is its 12.8-inch touchscreen infotainment system. It has a fun gimmick: you can press a button to rotate the entire screen from portrait to landscape at any time. It’s not all that easy to come up with a reason why this is useful, but it’s a good party trick.
The system is good to use because the large screen is easy to see and is responsive to inputs. There are climate controls within relatively easy access, but we prefer to have actual buttons for making small adjustments instead of fiddling with a screen, which can be distracting while driving.
Standard features include a DAB radio, Bluetooth, 4G connectivity for ten years, sat-nav, voice control, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. A wireless phone charging pad is only fitted to top-spec models, but there are USB-C ports in the front for charging devices. You will have to go for the top model to have USB-C charging ports in the rear, though.
