New BYD Atto 2 revealed: affordable electric SUV coming this year

• New small electric SUV from BYD
• 194-mile range with long-range version to come later
• Expected to cost from under £30,000

This is the all-new BYD Atto 2 and it could be the Chinese brand’s most important car yet – for UK buyers at least. Expected to cost from well under £30,000, the electric Atto 2 targets the hugely popular small SUV market, going up against models like the new Vauxhall Frontera and the Jeep Avenger.

Despite its small size, which BYD claims is “tailored to urban streets and parking arrangements”, the Atto 2 looks to pack plenty of standard equipment, as well as BYD’s ‘blade’ battery tech. The latter has been put to good use in its other EVs – including the Seal, Sealion 7 and Carbuyer-award-winning Dolphin – so expectations are high for the Atto 2 before its summer 2025 launch.

What’s the range of the BYD Atto 2?

BYD claims the Atto 2 is capable of up to 194 miles of range, nudging it just ahead of the Vauxhall Frontera. That’s down to its 45kWh battery, which is shared with the Dolphin, along with its 174bhp electric motor. If you stick to urban driving, range could increase to as much as 288 miles according to BYD.

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If that doesn’t sound like enough, BYD has confirmed that a long range version of the Atto 2 is in the pipeline, although its exact release date is unclear. We expect it to use the 60kWh battery found in the BYD Atto 3 SUV, as the two cars both use the firm’s e-Platform 3.0 architecture. With the bigger battery fitted, the Atto 2’s range could increase to upwards of 250 miles – enough to put it ahead of the long-range Frontera.

Any other important specs to point out? The Atto 2 will accelerate from 0-62mph in under eight seconds, giving it plenty of pep to keep up with the quickest of today’s small SUVs. A maximum charging speed hasn’t been confirmed yet, but we’d hope that it’s an improvement over the Dolphin’s 60kW limit, which is a bit old hat compared to the latest EVs.

What about the Atto 2’s exterior and interior design?

BYD hasn’t gone too wild with the styling for the new Atto 2 – it’s an unmistakable evolution of the Atto 3 that first went on sale in 2022. At 4,310mm long, it’s a good deal shorter than its sibling, stacking up nicely against the Peugeot E-2008 and Kia EV3.

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The slim headlights and horizontal trim piece across the nose are similar to those found on the Atto 3, but the tail-lights are more in keeping with the Dolphin, thanks to their X-shaped LED pattern. BYD says this is intended to look like “the number 8 and a Mobius Infinity Ring, signifying endless good luck”.

Inside you’ll find an 8.8-inch driver’s display and a large 12.8-inch infotainment touchscreen, which can rotate between landscape and portrait in typical BYD style. This is used for controlling the infotainment system, but there are still a handful of physical controls on the centre console, as well as a physical gear selector.

The general design isn’t quite as flamboyant as that of other BYD models – there’s no swooping dashboard or unusually-shaped air vents. Instead, things look fairly conventional for a budget-focused small SUV, although the panoramic glass sunroof adds a premium touch and brings some light into the cabin.

How much does the BYD Atto 2 cost and when can I buy one?

There’s no official pricing for the BYD Atto 2 yet, but the entry-level model is expected to launch at under £30,000. How close it will be to the Vauxhall Frontera’s £23,495 starting price remains to be seen, but it should still be one of the most affordable electric SUVs on sale when it launches in summer 2025.

Find out about the latest Chinese car makers that are coming to the UK…