BYD Atto 2 DM-i PHEV review

Working from home, suburban living and surf-and-turf dinners – these are just a few examples of how you can enjoy the benefits of two different things at once. And for those looking for a small SUV, the BYD Atto 2 DM-i aims to offer a similar experience. 

You see, the Atto 2 DM-i is a plug-in hybrid (PHEV), but not in the normal sense. It’s based on the fully electric BYD Atto 2, so it drives more like an electric car than a petrol one, with a battery and two electric motors that power the wheels. However, when the battery runs low on charge, a small petrol engine generator kicks in to boost range, making it a range-extender hybrid that you can plug in.

With this setup, it appears BYD has clocked onto a gap in the market with the Atto 2 DM-i, because PHEV small SUVs are currently rare, other than the Mazda MX-30 R-EV and Jeep Renegade 4xe. But, when you consider the car’s regular hybrid rivals, the class is far more expansive, with competitors like the Hyundai Kona and Toyota Yaris Cross to contend with. So, is this Chinese small SUV a hit or a miss? Read on to find out… 

What’s new?

- March 2026 – Expected on sale date for the Atto 2 DM-i in the UK

- November 2025 – We publish our review of the Atto 2 DM-i, with first drives in Barcelona, Spain alongside the Atto 2 Comfort electric SUV

- October 2025 – BYD Atto 2 DM-i PHEV revealed for European and UK markets

How fast is it and which engine is best?

There are two versions of the Atto 2 DM-i to choose from: Active and Boost. Both versions are powered by two electric motors that drive the front wheels, along with a battery and a 1.5-litre petrol engine generator. 

In the Active model, the hybrid system produces 164bhp, which makes for a 0-62mph time of 9.1sec. We’re yet to drive this version, but its official acceleration time matches that of the MX-30 R-EV, so performance should be similar.

As its name suggests, the Boost version gets more power. It has 209bhp to play with, meaning 0-62mph takes a more svelt 7.5sec. That’s pretty quick for a small SUV, beating most of its rivals, but the Renegade 4xe is a touch faster on paper. 

In real-world driving, we found the Boost to be a strong performer. It’s particularly good in urban environments, with the instant power from the electric motors allowing you to nip in and out of traffic with ease. Likewise, on the motorway, the motors provide plenty of oomph, so you never really feel short on power.

Is it agile and is the ride comfortable?

The suspension in the Atto 2 DM-i is on the soft side. This allows it to absorb bumps well in town, aided by small 17in alloy wheels fitted to our Boost test car. However, when driving at speed on, say, a rural back road, the suspension thumps over ridges, potholes and even light imperfections. It’s better on the motorway, but the Kona, MX-30 R-EV and Yaris Cross are all more comfortable. 

On a twisty road, the Atto 2 DM-i isn’t as composed as an MX-3o R-EV. The soft suspension allows for a lot of lean, while a lack of grip from the tyres robs you of any confidence. This isn’t helped by the steering, either, which is light and feels unnatural; you have to constantly make small adjustments to the wheel to get a sense of what the front wheels are up to.

Is it quiet and how easy is it to drive smoothly?

The Atto 2 DM-i is reasonably quiet to drive. There isn’t much tyre noise on the motorway, but the door mirrors and windscreen pillars create quite a bit of wind buffeting. The Kona is much quieter at higher speeds.

The hybrid system is a mixed bag for refinement. The engine is very quiet when driving normally – almost to a point where you hardly even notice it running – and the transitions for it chiming in and out to charge the battery are seamless. It’s only during hard acceleration – such as overtaking or merging onto the motorway – when the engine becomes loud and intrusive. 

The Atto 2 DM-i is very easy to drive overall, though. The electric motors and single-speed gearbox deliver power in a linear fashion, while a firm, progressive brake pedal allows for smooth stopping. It’s far more pleasant to drive than the Renegade 4xe. 

What’s the range and efficiency like and how quickly can it charge?

The Active version of the Atto 2 DM-i has a tiny 7.8kWh (usable capacity) battery, which allows for an official range of just 25 miles. While that’s better than the Renegade 4xe, it’s pretty small by the standard of most modern PHEVs.

The Boost model has a larger 18kWh battery that lifts the range to 56 miles. That’s pretty good, beating the MX-30 R-EV (53 miles) by a whisker. It’s also better than a lot of larger family SUV PHEVs, including the Hyundai Tucson (43 miles).

While official fuel economy figures for the Active version are yet to be confirmed, the Boost version has a combined rating of 55.4mpg. That’s not bad, but on paper, both the MX-30 R-EV and Renegade 4xe have higher figures. As with any PHEV, you'll have to plug the car in regularly to maximise efficiency.

As for charging speeds, the Active has a maximum rate of 3.3kW, which means a charge from 15-100% with a home charger should take around two hours and 40 minutes. The Boost has a higher rate, at 6.6kW, but because of its bigger battery it takes three hours to do the same charge.

As a bonus, the Boost gets Vehicle to Load (V2L) charging. This means you can use the car’s battery to power everyday items, such as a kettle or electric bike pump, when camping, for example.

“I like how easy it is to select the hybrid and electric driving modes in the Atto 2 DM-i. You simply push a button on the centre console to switch between the two.” – George Hill, Used Cars Writer

What does the interior look like and is it well made?

The Atto 2’s interior has a formal, minimalist design that is different to the larger BYD Atto 3, which gets funky features such as flip-up door handles and a kettlebell-handle gear selector. But like BYD’s other cars, interior quality in the Atto 2 DM-i is impressive. 

There are few buttons to push, but the few that are there feel solid and well damped. Most of the dashboard is covered in soft-touch plastic, too, while the metal-finish door handles lend it an almost premium feel. While it’s not perfect, with some scratchy plastics lower on the dashboard and doors, it’s better than the Renegade, Kona and Yaris Cross. 

Is the driving position comfortable and is it easy to see out?

The Atto 2 DM-i’s driving position is comfortable. The seats are generously padded and supportive, with six-way adjustment for the driver’s seat on all versions. The steering wheel has plenty of movement for reach and rake, too. 

If you like a high driving position, you’ll get on very well with the Atto 2 DM-i. It gives you a great view of the road, while slim front pillars, large side windows and a big rear screen provide good all-round visibility. All cars get front and rear parking sensors and a blind-spot monitoring system as standard, while Boost models get a 360-degree reversing camera. 

Are the dashboard and infotainment system easy to use?

Most of the Atto 2 DM-i’s interior functions are operated via a central 12.8in touchscreen. Unlike previous versions of the fully electric Atto 2, where the screen could rotate between landscape and portrait layouts, it’s now fixed in a landscape position.

The infotainment system itself is pretty slick. It features BYD’s latest software, so the response time is snappy and the graphics are super sharp. The menu layout is reasonably straightforward, too, with your main menu buttons and climate controls on permanent display at the bottom of the screen. The icons for these are super small, though, making them difficult to tap while driving. 

While we appreciate the fact you can hold three fingers together anywhere on the screen, then swipe them up or down to increase or decrease the interior temperature (and the same side-to-side for fan speed), the physical controls in the MX-30, Kona and Yaris Cross allow you to spend more time with your eyes focused on the road. 

For the driver, there’s a 8.8in digital display that shows your driving and trip information. While this is easy to use, with physical buttons on the steering wheel for switching between menus, there’s a lot of information on display with a very small font. 

“While I appreciate the row of physical buttons for the drive modes, volume and auto hold, I think there needs to be a few more, perhaps below the touchscreen, for some infotainment shortcut buttons and climate controls.” – George Hill, Used Cars Writer

How much space does it have for people?

The Atto 2 DM-i is very spacious for a small SUV, with plenty of leg room up front for a pair of six-footers. The high ceiling provides a generous amount of head room, too, while the standard-fit panoramic roof makes it feel bright and airy.

Usefully, there’s loads of storage space, with a centre console that includes two cup holders, a wireless phone-charging tray and a large compartment under the padded central armrest. The glovebox is well-sized, too. 

Similarly, the back seats of the Atto 2 DM-i are very spacious. Two six-foot adults will fit in there comfortably, with lots of leg and head room available, as well as a flat floor to provide some extra foot space. It’s better than the MX-30 R-EV and Renegade for carrying people in the back. 

How much room is there for luggage?

All versions of the Atto 2 DM-i have a 425-litre boot. That’s pretty good, beating the MX-30 R-EV (350 litres), Renegade (330 litres) and Yaris Cross (400 litres) for space, but trailing the Kona (466 litres).

The boot itself is a good square shape, but there’s no height-adjustable boot floor, which means there’s quite a big loading lip. The rear seatbacks fold down in a 60/40 split, which is pretty standard for the class, but the Kona and most versions of the Yaris Cross get more versatile 40/20/40 split seats.

“I’m 6ft2in and had plenty of space when sitting behind my driving position, with my knees only just brushing up against the front seat. For a small SUV, that’s pretty good.” – George Hill, Used Cars Writer

How much does it cost and what equipment do you get?

Prices for the Atto 2 DM-i are yet to be confirmed, but it’s expected to undercut its main PHEV rivals, including the MX-30 R-EV and Renegade 4xe, by quite some margin.

All versions of the Atto 2 DM-i are well equipped. The entry-level Active model comes with 16in alloy wheels, LED headlights, a panoramic sunroof, adaptive cruise control, automatic lights and wipers, front and rear parking sensors and a reversing camera. It also gets the 12.3in infotainment screen mentioned previously, along with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone mirroring. 

The Boost version steps things up a notch. It adds 17in alloys, faux-leather upholstery, heated front seats, an electrically adjustable driver’s seat, a heated steering wheel and a wireless charging pad for your phone.

Is it reliable and how long is the warranty?

BYD – along with the Atto 2 DM-i – are too new to have featured in the What Car? Reliability Survey. However, to give you some peace of mind, most components are covered by a six-year warranty with a mileage limit of 93,750 miles. That’s pretty good, beating Hyundai’s five-year, unlimited mileage cover, but not quite matching Toyota’s service-activated 10-year, 100,000-mile warranty. The battery is covered by a separate eight-year warranty.

How safe is it and is it easy to steal?

The Atto 2 DM-i hasn’t been crash tested by Euro NCAP yet, but it comes with lots of safety equipment as standard. All versions come with automatic emergency braking (AEB), blind-spot monitoring, speed limit recognition, lane-keep assistance and rear cross traffic alert.

“The Atto 2 DM-i’s driver attention monitoring system isn’t very well calibrated. I found it told me to look at the road at times when I was doing exactly that.” – George Hill, Used Cars Writer

Buy it if…

-You want a PHEV with a long electric-only range

-You like cars with lots of tech

-You want a car with lots of standard equipment

Don’t buy it if…

-You value ride comfort

-You want an SUV that handles well

-You want a car with a user-friendly interior

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