A major overhaul is coming for BYD's popular electric SUV as it approaches four years in the Australian market.
BYD has released the heavily-upgraded Atto 3 Evo with a boost in power and torque, faster charging, a bigger battery with increased range, and interior and exterior styling changes.
It has switched from front-wheel drive to rear- or all-wheel drive, which has resulted in faster acceleration, as quick as 3.9seconds from zero to 100km/h.
While it has not been officially confirmed for Australia, the updated Atto 3 has gained the required approval to go on sale locally, so it is likely to reach showrooms in the next six months.
The Atto 3 has been on sale in Australia since late 2022, and was the sixth best-selling electric vehicle last year, reporting 3861 examples as sold.
The dimensions remain the same, but there are noticeable visual differences, such as updated front and rear bumpers, new 18-inch alloy wheels, narrower side skirts, and a more sports-focused spoiler.
The Atto 3 Evo will be sold in rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive, both fitted with a 75.8kWh battery, compared to front-wheel drive and 49.9kWh or 60.5kWh batteries in the current model.
The rear-wheel-drive variant has a single electric motor which produces 230kW and 380Nm, accelerating from 0-100km/h in a claimed 5.5 seconds, and will offer a quoted WLTP driving range of 510km.
It compares to a 150kW/310Nm front-electric motor and 420km WLTP range in the current Premium model.
In the all-wheel-drive version, an electric motor on the front axle brings outputs to 330kW and 560Nm, cutting its time in the 0-100km/h sprint to a claimed 3.9 seconds, but reducing the claimed WLTP range to 470km.
A 220kW charger will see 10 to 80 per cent of the battery's charge replenished in a claimed 25 minutes, thanks to 800-volt electrics.
The rear suspension has been overhauled, with the previously offered four-link set-up replaced with a five-link design for improved driving dynamics.
The interior sees the gear selector moved from the centre console to a stalk on the steering column, complemented by a larger 8.8-inch digital instrument cluster and a carryover 15.6-inch infotainment touchscreen – at least in overseas versions.
The central display includes integrated Google functions for maps and an enhanced AI assistant. The steering wheel and seats are also new, as well as the centre console.
The boot space is now 50 litres larger than before, with 490 litres of space, opening up to 1360L once the rear seats are folded. A 110L under-bonnet storage area has been added for extra storage.
Safety features in the Atto 3 Evo will include adaptive cruise control, lane-centring assist, front- and rear cross-traffic alert, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keep assist, front and rear collision warning, and traffic sign recognition.
The rear-wheel-drive Design variant in the UK includes wireless phone charging with integrated cooling, front and rear parking sensors, a 360-degree monitor, and electrically-adjustable heated front seats.
All-wheel-drive Excellence cars add a head-up display, heated rear seats, and a panoramic sunroof.
Owners will be able to enter the vehicle with NFC access using their phone or watch. It will also include vehicle-to-load (V2L), allowing charging and powering of external devices up to 3kW, such as coffee machines and camping gear.
It is still to be determined whether Australian-spec vehicles will reflect their UK counterparts.
Prices have not yet been released for Australia, but due to the substantial upgrades, it is expected to cost more than the current model, which is only offered in front-wheel drive and is priced from $39,990 to $44,990 before on-road costs.
