The BYD Dolphin could be the most cost effective battery-electric car at the moment offered in Australia, however you’d be lifeless improper to think about it as some form of funds purchase providing.
As the brand new entry in BYD’s line-up right here, the electrical hatchback sits beneath the vastly profitable Atto 3 SUV and soon-to-be launched Seal sedan – a halo mannequin for the fledging Chinese language model and more likely to grow to be a severe rival to the Tesla Mannequin 3.
And whereas some would possibly argue Dolphin might not have the fairly the identical aesthetic of its bigger stablemates, it’s actually not unattractive, particularly within the top-spec Premium trim which provides the selection of 4 totally different two-tone paint paints – all of which look very good. Even the wheels look good.
Stylistically, Dolphin’s entrance and rear gentle signatures look innovative, with LED gentle bands extending the width of the automobile.
The Dolphin additionally ticks loads of containers on the subject of area, practicality, consolation, tech, options and security; to not point out a claimed WLTP vary of as much as 427km, together with loads of go on faucet.
BYD’s Dolphin rides on the identical scalable e-Platform 3.0 for electrical automobiles utilized by its bigger siblings. Consumers get the selection of two trims and two battery sizes; the BYD Dolphin Dynamic is supplied with a 44.9kWh unit, whereas the BYD Dolphin Premium makes use of a 60.48kWh battery for extra energy and better vary.
Curiously, BYD has additionally confirmed a Dolphin Sport variant in restricted numbers for 2024, priced considerably greater than the Premium variant examined right here at slightly below $50,000, although efficiency outputs haven’t been introduced.
From a dimension comparability, Dolphin stretches simply three centimetres longer than its MG 4 rival and prices $100 much less on the entry degree.
How does the BYD Dolphin fare vs its rivals?
View an in depth breakdown of the BYD Dolphin in opposition to equally sized automobiles.
BYD
Dolphin
How a lot does the BYD Dolphin value?
The BYD Dolphin goes up in opposition to the similarly-sized MG 4 priced from $39,990 and the smaller GWM Ora priced the identical at $39,990.
BYD Dolphin pricing:
2024 BYD Dolphin Dynamic: $38,890 2024 BYD Dolphin Premium: $44,8902024 BYD Dolphin Sport: $49,890
All costs exclude on-road prices
What’s the BYD Dolphin like on the within?
Inside is the place the Dolphin actually begins to shine. Even Tesla might be taught just a few new issues from BYD on this entrance.
For starters there’s an attention-grabbing mixture of supplies within the cabin (in a great way) that stream properly with a totally fashionable theme however with all of the often features inside simple attain of the driving force.
All surfaces are gentle contact or have a textured feel and appear about them, however of explicit curiosity are the curiously formed door openers on the door playing cards. They’re actual metallic and look to have been impressed by a dolphin, a minimum of its fin or tail. Oddly sufficient, they work properly and really feel good to the contact.
The Vegan leather-based (see leatherette) bucket seats within the Dolphin Premium examined right here additionally embody Alcantara-like inserts, that are merely very good for his or her consolation and bolstering. They’re not sports activities seats, however they’re fairly rattling shut and importantly, each fronts are electrically adjustable.
I additionally like the feel and appear of the Dolphin’s three-spoke, flat-bottom steering wheel. It’s wrapped in that very same super-soft leatherette with loads of performance with a classy steering boss cowl in addition.
Downside is, it’s not telescopically adjustable for attain, solely tilt, which suggests with my shorter-than-average leg span I used to be compelled to take a seat a bit nearer to the wheel than my standard driving place. BYD would do properly to supply each tilt and attain adjustability when it comes time for a facelift.
There’s a small 5.0-inch digital driver’s show mounted on the steering column, and whereas it’s respectable and shows all the required info I nonetheless discovered it a bit too small at instances. Maybe that’s my age displaying.
The very first thing you’ll discover (and get excited by) is BYD’s revolving touchscreen which may go from panorama to portrait on the contact of a button on the steering wheel.
Curiously, Apple CarPlay solely works in its default panorama place. No biggie, however one thing to contemplate as you get cleaner entry to the dash-mounted air vents when rotated.
Whereas there’s a row of round shortcut buttons for the likes of local weather management, drive modes, audio quantity in addition to the toggle swap gear selector, many of the automobile’s performance is accessed through menus on the touchscreen.
Dolphin patrons would do properly to take a while to grow to be conversant in the local weather management menu and driver-assist features earlier than heading out on their preliminary tour. There’s a ton of options in each menus and it’s properly value taking the time for a deep dive.
Up entrance, storage compartments of all styles and sizes are plentiful to say the least, and on two ranges – each coated and open cubby holes. There’s additionally wi-fi charging, although smartphone mirroring is wired.
And whereas it would appear to be a central armrest doubles as a console field, it truly doesn’t open or I couldn’t discover it. Given all the opposite compartments, you received’t miss it one bit.
It seems to be and feels much more full, if no more subtle than the MG 4 on the within and positively a extra comfy place to be on the subject of common passenger area – and that’s earlier than you get to the panoramic electrical roof with auto solar blind.
The rear seats are simply as comfy as these pews up entrance bar the bolstering, however legroom is substantial and the ground is flat – one of many key advantages to ground-up electrical automobiles.
There’s a central armrest with two cupholders and a much less enticing piece of rear-seat furnishings which doubles as further cup or bottle holder together with Kind C and A USB ports (back and front).
Furthermore, there are correct rear-seat pockets and twin telephone holders together with respectable width door bins.
The boot might sound compromised for those who have a look at the numbers alone – 345 litres, increasing to 1310L with the rear seats folded in a 60:40 configuration. The boot flooring could be dropped to accommodate taller objects, or set to the identical degree because the folded seats. It’s a great function for those who additionally wish to conceal stuff away from prying eyes.
Regardless of its comparatively compact proportions, Dolphin is a superb instance of clever area packaging and greater than able to supporting the wants of a four-person household in consolation.
What’s underneath the bonnet?
Dolphin patrons get the selection of two totally different specs; the Dynamic, which will get a single 70kW/180Nm electrical motor, powered by a 44.9kWh battery – BYD claims 0-100km/h in 12.3 seconds.
The Dolphin Premium examined right here bumps it as much as a 60.5kWh battery and a 150kW/310Nm electrical motor, enhancing its 0-100km/h dash by greater than 5 seconds to 7.0 seconds.
BYD is but to launch any efficiency specs for its proposed Sport mannequin, besides to say it’ll clearly higher the Premium’s 7.0-second dash time.
The BYD Dolphin Dynamic has a variety of 340km on the WLTP cycle with DC charging at as much as 60kW, whereas the Dolphin Premium seen right here will get 427km of vary and DC charging at as much as 80kW.
It’s environment friendly too, with our driver’s show studying 8kWh/100km round city when pottering round in Regular drive mode – whereas rising to 14kWh/100km after a fast journey into the town in Sport – the place it stayed.
Curiously, the WLTP vary declare is 449km, however once we collected our Dolphin tester, the show confirmed 502km at 99 per cent cost. That might imply the automobile was nonetheless displaying the NEDC cycle vary, however pushed by a median driver it may be very environment friendly.
So far as quick charging goes and utilizing an 80kW DC charger, Dolphin can high up its battery from 30-80 per cent in 29 minutes. Although it must be famous some rival makes declare comparable cost instances from 10-80 per cent capability.
The Dolphin additionally affords a V2L (Car To Load) perform and is ready to energy small electrical home equipment at dwelling.
How does the BYD Dolphin drive?
For positive it’s prudent to contemplate Australia’s most reasonably priced electrical automobile at $38,890, however for those who like a little bit of go in your EV, to not point out the enjoyable issue of scooting away from the site visitors lights, you would possibly wish to take into account the Dolphin Premium examined right here.
Don’t get me improper, it’s no high-performance quantity, however whenever you’ve dialled up Sport (the excellent news is, it stays in Sport), and punch it you’re jetting away out of your fellow motorists extra briskly than you’re in all probability used to.
Acceleration isn’t brutal it doesn’t matter what mode you’re in, given energy is delivered good and evenly regardless of how a lot you pin it – virtually.
There are different extra sedate drive modes you may choose, together with Regular and Eco, ought to vary nervousness get the higher of you; although Sport is definitely probably the most fulfilling and responsive, whereas nice sufficient round city.
Sometimes you would possibly get just a little little bit of torque steer when pulling out of an intersection, nevertheless it’s nothing dramatic and there’s little if any wheel spin to fret about as traction management appears to kick in in a short time and kind it out.
It’s a comparatively soft experience total, although not floaty, with most bumps simply crushed and properly remoted from the cabin. On that entrance, Dolphin is healthier than most of its rivals on the subject of experience compliance. That features the MG 4 and Fiat 500e; the latter feels demonstrably extra brittle on harsher surfaces.
The steering is pleasantly fast and fairly sharp, however don’t anticipate any real steering suggestions from Dolphin, because it’s all a bit numb in that division.
Once more, that’s within the Premium model we drove for this take a look at. Not like the bottom Dynamic which will get a torsion-beam rear suspension, the Premium we drove makes use of a extra subtle multi-link setup on the again.
Though Dolphin’s profile is sort of tall given its 1570mm top, physique composure by the bends at a strong clip is surprisingly good with little roll. That is the place is falls behind the MG 4, which has a real ‘fun-to-drive’ issue going for it.
It’s quiet, too. There’s not a lot of the skin world heard contained in the cabin, and that goes for wind and street noise from the Ling Lengthy-brand Consolation tyres. Nevertheless, I can’t assist assume a premium Euro tyre would absolutely be value making an attempt on the Dolphin.
Brakes are robust although they may also be fairly aggressive and grabby underneath extra sudden stops, as there is usually a lack of chunk on the high of the pedal journey, making it tougher to brake easily underneath some situations. It’s not as linear as we’d like although stopping energy itself is assured.
The BYD Dolphin will get a stack of driver-assist options, however lane-keep help could be annoyingly aggressive at instances, particularly when working in live performance with emergency steering help. At instances it might be disconcerting.
What do you get?
Dolphin Dynamic highlights:
16-inch alloy wheelsLED headlightsAdaptive Entrance LightPanoramic glass roofPower-folding exterior mirrorsRear privateness glass12.8-inch rotating touchscreen infotainment systemWired Apple CarPlaySatellite navigationDAB digital radio6-speaker sound system5.0-inch digital instrument cluster6-way energy driver’s seat4-way energy passenger’s seatLeatherette upholsteryHeated entrance seats60/40 break up/fold rear seatsKeyless entry and startWireless telephone chargerUSB-A x 2 (one entrance, one rear)USB-C x 2 (one entrance, one rear)
Dolphine Premium provides:
17-inch alloy wheelsMulti-link rear suspensionTwo-tone paint
BYD has but to launch full specs for the yet-to-be launched Sport variant, however the next options have been confirmed:
Efficiency tyresPerformance-styled wheelsSport-styled physique package“Tuned sports activities efficiency”
The Dolphin Dynamic is out there in 4 color schemes:
Sand White with Brown/Black interiorUrban Gray with Gray/Black interiorMaldive Purple with Brown/Black interiorCoral Pink with Pink/Gray inside
The Dolphin Premium is available in 4 two-tone schemes:
Ski White/City Gray with Gray/Black interiorCoral Pink/City Gray with Pink/Gray interiorSurf Blue/City Gray with Blue/Black interiorAtlantis Gray/Delan Black with Gray/Black interio
The Sport will come solely in Matte Gray with a Gray/Black inside.
Is the BYD Dolphin protected?
The BYD Dolphin has been awarded a five-star ANCAP security ranking utilizing stricter 2023-25 testing standards.
It scored 89 per cent for grownup occupant safety, 86 per cent for little one occupant safety, 85 per cent for susceptible street person safety, and 77 per cent for security help.
Normal tools on all Dolphins contains:
Autonomous emergency braking (AEB)Adaptive cruise controlBlind-spot monitoringLane-keep assistEmergency lane-keep assistFront cross-traffic assistRear cross-traffic assistTraffic signal recognitionIntelligent pace restrict assistDriver fatigue detectionFront, front-side and curtain airbagsDriver’s far-side airbagSurround-view camerasFront, rear parking sensors
How a lot does the BYD Dolphin value to run?
The BYD Dolphin is backed by a six-year, 150,000km car guarantee and an eight-year, 160,000km battery guarantee.
BYD Australia affords its clients the choice to service any of their automobiles by its personal service centres or by sure mycar service centres. It’s finest to search out your native service centre through the BYD Australia web site.
Servicing for the 2024 BYD Dolphin is required each 12 months or 20,000km whichever happens first.
BYD Australia has pricing for the primary 8 years or 160,000km obtainable through its normal service plan. BYD gives the next costs for these providers: $189, $370, $189, $447, $189, $370, $189 and $447.
CarExpert’s Tackle the BYD Dolphin
There’s no method you’d consider the Dolphin was the most cost effective EV on sale in Australia, given its in depth providing on the subject of tech, options, area, security and vary. It’s received the lot so far as all that goes.
It’s not as eager or dynamic because the MG 4, nevertheless it rides properly, within reason properly composed and greater than competent for on a regular basis drivers.
There’s a robust case to stay with the bottom Dolphin Dynamic given its sub-$39,000 worth level and beneficiant total providing.
But when it was me, I’d stump up the additional $6000 for the Premium only for the additional vary, to not point out the two-tone paint, larger wheels and higher suspension.
Or, you could possibly look forward to the Dolphin Sport to drop and go all out, because it too feels like a dead-set winner for underneath $50,000.
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