BYD Dolphin review: Car of the Year!
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 10 มิ.ย. 2024
- Our BYD Dolphin in-depth review: www.carbuyer.co.uk/byd/dolphin
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Yes, you read the title of this video correctly - although BYD is yet to cement itself as a household name here in the UK, its second model, the Dolphin, has made quite the impression as one of the cheapest electric cars on sale. But the Dolphin’s price isn’t the only thing that makes it such a compelling small EV - it can seat up to four people in comfort, has a good range, boasts a generous level of standard equipment and feels good to drive. So, could the BYD Dolphin be the electric car for the masses? Rich finds out.
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00:00 - Introduction
01:10 - Interior & technology
03:21 - Range & running costs
03:59 - Driving impressions
06:40 - Trim levels & specifications
07:52 - Practicality & boot space
09:43 - Dealmakers & Dealbreakers
10:32 - Verdict - ยานยนต์และพาหนะ
Seemed to forget to mention it uses LFP blade battery system, one of if not the safest battery in the world, and they all get heat pumps no matter the spec.
I'm driving a Polestar 2 today, and the price of it is way higher than the BYD Dolphin, and Dolphin has even features that Polestar 2 with normal specs doesnt, like heat pump, LFP batteries, rotating screen and so on. Other than that they have pretty much the same specs when it comes to performance and distance, so i'm really concidering going down in size, and go for a BYD Dolphin instead.
According to BYD. I doubt it has been put to independent test. Maybe fire safety should be incorporated into NCAP tests.
Excitedly waiting to take delivery of my new Dolphin next month!
Good luck, too bad you payed 15000 too much for the car compared to the price in China.
The color scheme is quite comforting. Also the reason why soviet fighter jet cockpits are also the same color
Great review.
Regarding regen braking, I found my switch from a Toyota ICEv to BYD's Atto 3 seamless because the "coasting" effect was still there after taking my foot off the accelerator, albeit with a slowing feature I could adjust a bit. Having said that, BYD's build quality is every bit as good as Toyota's legendary reputation in this area, so the Dolphin looks like it has also been built to last.
The only thing built in China to last more than 4 years lately is the wuhan coronavirus. I doubt the BYD would last longer than that without lots of problems. But i could be proven wrong.
For first impressions, it's hard to find faults on the Dolphin. I guess a fair assessment would be a 5-year review, as we look into maintenance and after-sales service to get the full picture.
It’s competition is the MG 4 EV. And the Ora Cat. Out of all 3 I’d choose this. Best value for money.
Anyway, it's all Chinese cars
@@graffitijungle2072 I know I own an Audi. Probably go for Hyundai next.
Why buy this when you can drive an e class for the same money???
@@graffitijungle2072 yeah... all right hand drive Teslas are Made in China.
@Commentator541 you're not comparing apples with apples there, obviously....
I have to comment on the regen brake comments. Yes it does not brake the car or aggressive brake when lift off the pedal but regen brakes kicks in when pressing on the brake. It does not use your brake pad unless you slam the brake. This is subjective but i think is a pretty good idea. On my bmw i3, i can't turn regen brake off so is always on and when you driving on a motorway, the regen brake really causing me problem if I don't use cruise control ......
The front view of this car reminds me of a Holden Gemini Diesel from the 90s
Thank you for the good review. This type is coming to Indonesia and it seems to be a good compact - mid size EV. They have classy standard color too which I'm eyeing : white - grey with all dark grey interior.
As for the BYD Atto 3's designer, he is a former designer of Audi.
is there a steering wheel air bag?
Lovely car, but why does it cost so much more in the UK. It’s a 15k car
Tariffs, to give local manufacturers a chance to survive.
This is the international version that has been uprated for European safety standards, that is why it is longer.
You should ask your government
TARIFFS
Tariffs passed onto the buyer
Nice looking car.
I have a jeep compass, but I want that car
What's the predicted depreciation rate?
Yes 😂
100%
If you are so caring for that num, then do not buy a car. Since cars are the worst investment ever.
Only stupid would sell it with 100% battery health left . Unlike ice , the servicing cost doesn't increase with time , only the range .
@@sharonhazlehurst Prepare for Chineese cars...
Did anyone tell you yet that you look slightly like MS Dhoni, only older (ex Indian cricketer, just in case) 😅
I asked BYD and they said they were still on Ling Ling tyres??
It's competition Likes the MG 4 EV
Never seen a car of the year review before with so many complaints. This car doesn't do it for me. MG4 seems superior.
Lol. Both are Chinese cars.
Linglong has a factory in Zrenjanin, Serbia.
Causes terrible pollution. But still, made in Europe.
Electric Zastava.
Nothing about the car audio?
Nothing short of excellent. Great space, great bass, clean, not screechy. We rented this car to drive it around the city, first time I have been enthused by an electric car. So intuitive.
i don't get why some people like one pedal. it feels jerky and offers no clear benefit.
that Chinese car is built like a tank, solid, not like European cars that play on something.
The processing is of high quality, which cannot be said for European cars.
The time when they learned to make cars in China is a thing of the past.
My knowledge comes from having seen a car disassembled in a reverse engineering manner by a European car company.
So practically a baseless assumption regarding to the built quality of this car.
@@Sharp931 it was disassembled because it is an electric car.
European automakers would go bankrupt if it were sold at the price it is in China.
The car has the quality of European cars, when cars were still produced in Europe and not consumer goods.
Nice car, 15000$ in China and in Europe suddenly double price 30000€ ... somebody is getting filthy rich.
And reviewers in Britain drooling over its GREAT value. LOL. These are rubbish bin on wheels. Literally. I have tried it, and i could not find anything that it excels in. Yes it can move you around like say, a washing machine can wash your clothes. That’s about it. No different than say, a Nissan Leaf, except that the Nissan maybe less prone to catch fire or break down after 3 years. I am not even going to say any bad words about Dacia, but at least if you want value, go Dacia.
@@Mav86asian We have Dacia, but Chinese cars are much better. China has the most electric cars in the world. But somebody in England is adding 15000 extra and getting rich by just importing cars and doing really nothing... China only gets half the price from the shop, that's totally not fair! Maybe order one car from Allibaba, but that's probably not allowed for British law.. if Europe is serious about electric cars they should stop the 100% price addition!!!!!!!!!!!!
@@dasstraat electric cars emits more carbon footprint than ICE car until about 100000km of usage (says Volvo; not me). They cause severe environmental damage in many countries including Indonesia, mostly done by mainland chinese companies. They don’t give one iota about the environment, and the whole green EV thing is a scam. They are still currently destroying many square miles of rainforests each month in Morowali and Weda Bay, turning pristine ecosystem and waterways into some kind of orange-colored dystopian hellhole you only saw in Divergent movies.
@@Mav86asianYou clearly haven't, as you said, seen one or driven one. Either that, or you refuse to like it. What gave it away is you said it's like a Nissan Leaf...
I work with a whole host of manufacturers like Peugeot, Kia, VW etc... and the Dolphin beats it's competitors in almost every facet. Not just my words - but the words of colleagues and people alike. You do know that the Leaf is air cooled, the worst way to cool a battery but the Dolphin is liquid cooled, right? And that LFP technology is better than what the Leaf has, right? Do a little research buddy.
government and dealerships
Pity it looks like a 1970-80’s Austin Rover…
Nice car but its like $100,000.00 usd in my country
Bruh
👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
For those comments from China haters, regardless of whatever you wanna say anything bad about EVs from China, one fact for sure is the sales numbers keep going up and more EVs have been shipped to other countries, including those of yours. I will just be happy to sit back and keep watching you grieving out sour grape comments on China😂😂😂
I like it but wish they'd made it rwd
Good value for an electric car but still don’t really get why you wouldn’t just buy a Skoda Fabia 🤷♂️
Because its worse than dolphin?
Too bad, Fabia never.
They sell for $15000 in China...which is a realistic price for a mass produced electric car because they are simpler to make.
Blame EU or other country for import tax etc. Don't think EU will allow BYD to sell their car for 15k to kill the EU market. Price compare to other Europe brand, it is low.
This is bigger than an MG4….not sure why you would say it is a lower segment
Do review for fiat paaaaanda😂
Wow. Impressive indeed. China ain't playin' 'round.
“BUILD YOUR DREAMS” LOL 😂 youd have to kill me before seeing me drive a car that says that
Whats wrong with that lol
Why can't we get these in North America? Seems the politicians are insincere about meeting emissions targets.
40g 😂
Too bad its prob embedded with spyware lmao
Build Your Dreams across the back has to go ...people will laff.
We have so many slogan like The power of dreams (Honda), Theater of Dream (Manchester united). So why not?
@@NFS-shade It's presumptive and corny in western markets ...it might work OK in emerging economies.
new model changed to BYD
This comments section was somehow found by all the racists on the Internet.
Exactly, CCP lovers and bots are all over the place in this comment section.
So why not stop buying CCP product then? Afraid you will end up naked? Lol@@Mav86asian
@@Mav86asianOK cia bot
@@birdyashiro1226 i am chinese
@@Mav86asian It doesn't matter
Are you crazy. This car is worth MAX 20,000€. €30,000 is madness.
Have you taken a look at the car market recently, what are you getting with similar specs for 20,000 ? I agree that cars in this segment should be closer to 20k but unfortunately nothing is that price anymore.
@@callumcurtis15 I know the electric car market. In Europe, the offer is poor compared to the USA and the prices are higher. For €30,000, you practically do not get anything smart. My criticism was aimed mainly at the appearance and function of the car. Avo looks poor as some kind of low price tag. Given that the Tesla here is about €10,000 more expensive, there is nothing to think about.
BYD burn your dollars
An incident happened in Hong Kong: An owner of this car found load of water inside his car after heavy rain. Poor QC.
Same car with same number plate,2 different reviews. By two different person
It'll be good value in a years time when it's worth 15k
That is the price in China, sometimes even cheaper, but everything is more expensive in the UK
Am I the only one a little uncomfortable with China getting as big a foothold in the UK? With this BYD plus Volvo, Polestar and MG, China is taking over, and for a country that is not disapproving of certain world events it is like praising bad behaviour. Personally, whilst I don't doubt they produce good cars, the aforementioned marques will not be on my shopping list.
NOT the car of the year lul.
Top 10 possibly....
Top 100, you mean.
I like this car. As much as I hate to support the People’s Republic of China, I believe BYD will soon become the world’s biggest automaker, dominating pretty much every market.
Hi, truly curious why so many in the west are against china really. China is not behind the conflicts in ukraine, mid east and random violencesin the west or anywhere in the world. China is also not against western way of life, actually embraces it a lot more than say Korea & Japan yet the west seems to want to provoke china into a war.
I was fortunate to work with many good people globally and all the westerners that followed me to China were pleasantly surprised by their first visit. If it's just all the negative info from MSMs, may I suggest you make a trip to China, to verify and don't worry there are many great places to visit as well while you are there.
China does not interfere in other countries' internal affairs, does not bomb other countries, does not use the media to demonize other countries, and does not finance or encourage other countries' opponents to stage coups in their own countries.
China brings only trade and infrastructure. Why do you believe that China is a demon?
@@elc6895 if you drive for more than 5 minutes in a Chinese care, you will turn into a raging maoist communist.
@@elc6895 Bcz of the Western propaganda.
They have been no.1 since last year beating Tesla
Who knew vegan leather seats could be a deal breaker? I don't care
EU people copium🤭
It’s all very good but what about when war breaks out. Are Chinese cars still going to be welcome?
30k for a rather dull looking motor. Electric vehicles are never going to take off until they become more affordable
Car of the year how much did ccp pay for that headline
nope. not today not tomorrow not ever.
30000😂😂😂 double the money you need to buy a same class petrol car. Until electric cars prices get closer to petrol cars forget it, it isn't gonna happen.
Until petrol cost same as Eletricity , ev it is for me
@@Y2Kvids in Greece electricity is more expensive than petrol
@@2lazylizards961 what's the rate per unit
@@Y2Kvids minimum 0,65€ per kWh
@@2lazylizards961in the UK a top spec i20 is only a few grand off the mid spec dolphin and said mid spec dolphin is by far better equipped than even the top spec i20.
I would definitely be too afraid to leave a Chinese car charging overnight, haha.
China numbah 1! 🇨🇳
BYD also produces Tesla’s batteries, same technology
Has your phone never been fully charged? I am 100% certain that the majority of the parts of your phone are made in China, especially the battery.
@@graffitijungle2072 China numbah 1!
@@graffitijungle2072 There is a massive difference between "made in china" and "made by a Chinese company with Chinese standards".
So many racist comments pooh pooh...too bad the UK cannot peosuce its own EV cars.
wohoo,, time to scribble up some moeny and buy a golf cart, strap a solar panel on the roof and up you go .. (joke) can we please get hydrogen cars instead, and maybe like 20 n.p.plants to actually make sure there is enough power to do it , if you are trying to buy Chineese cars, make sure they are no after being flooded ;/ there was a nasty flood there not that long ago, and I am suprised they still keep shipping things out somehow. I would be car'full buying from there..
Did you think the whole country was flooded?
Do you even know where (cities) BYD cars are made?
So you like driving long distance to the one hydrogen station in your area to pay more than petrol, because that's better than coming out to a full battery in the morning, right?
I have no idea as to WHO the folks are that BUY electric cars but they MUST be worth a good bit, earning GREAT money.
For me electric Cars are a silly and very STUPID idea knowing just how MUCH electricity Costs. I'm going to hold off for a Hydrogen Cell-Battery one, once they become avail at a half decent price cos right now, THE UK Government and Car Makers are taking the proverbial pee right out of silly/stupid or as said, folks with lots of MONEY to blow.
Electricity is still cheaper than petrol / Km lol
I think EU people should all think like you🤭🤭Especially Germans
10 years garantee like in Mitsubishi? if not, never buy it, a lot of batteries are dying in 2 years using.
car is nice, but your review isn't good.
nothing interesting 👎
what a load of rubbish you can get a corsa e for a lot less cos nobody wants an ev and £30000.00 for this Chinese rubbish, lets see what its worth 2 years down the line if it hasn'tcaught fire by then.
Is Chairman Xi book coming together with a car when you buy it?
How ridiculous. Time to unsubscribe from this channel. ✌️
It’s like suddenly these fellas (and Auto Express) are crazy about crap chinese EVs. They used to drool over supercars or fast saloons, or hot hatches like the Golf GTI, Focus RS etc, now they make a chinese POS electric kitchen appliance as car of the year. I don’t understand. The BYD is not the worst car in the world either, arguably, but car of the year? Seriously? No standard for automotive journalism anymore.
@@Mav86asianagree. And not all EVs are washing machines like this, Taycan is a great car. Who would be proud having this rubbish in their drive??
@@funkyfin3023far-left wingers, pro communists, PRC immigrants and PRC students in the UK. Probably…
Bye
@@Mav86asian the worst car in the world is your country’s Vinmotor cars. Now that is the worst crap ever made on wheels!
Brave to buy this. Not because it’s made in China so may depreciate lots, but because would you sleep easy at night knowing it was charging in your garage downstairs 😬🔥💥🔥💥
"may" depreciate lots. Understatement much lol this thing will drop like a stone, even by horrific EV depreciation standards.
Looks like a retirees car that would otherwise have an asthmatic 75hp 1L NA engine.
I like this comment it’s smart and a bit true
In this sense, you can hardly sleep anymore because most of your electronic products at home use Chinese battery technology. By the way, BYD is the world's third largest battery company
EV depreciation is a joke. Its like being upset that your smartphone is worthless when you go to upgrade two years later.
Its a racist trope. Statistics show that your racist delusion does not correspond with reality despite what you get indoctrinated with watching captain apartheid.
u guy ssupporting communism
BYD sales have dropped off a cliff in Europe as nobody wants them at any price plus there shares have lost nearly 50%
Not true. They’ve only just gone there,wait and see.
@@Sam_BS_ElectricHe's talking about BS😂
The Chinese that I know don't like nannying, they just have no choice. Chinese also speed drive and drunk drive as what European does (recently an Apple Employee in USA just kill another Chinese under drunk driving and flee to China) If you don't see a speed camera, your foot will be on the accelerator.
The car itself looks good, but it's a nightmare for countries like Japan or Philippine, whose territorial waters are invaded by China on a daily basis.
So you mean this car can cross the oceans like a dolphin? 🐬
More like joke of the year.
UNSUBSCRIBED
Get rid of all Chinese products in your house and you will find yourself nakked for sure lol
@@alphaomega1969 It would appeared you have based on your assumptions and focused my comment on Chinese products without grounds.
Google “BYD Dolphin issues” yourself to see other reviews of this car and issues it comes with.
My comment “joke of the year” is for the channel as they I would assumed were paid to promote this car and award it “car of the year” despite some of the issues it has. Therefore, it is “joke of the year” to me because the channel can no longer be trustworthy.
Who is sponsoring this and why did I expect it would be objective? Ora cat at least looks cool. This looks horrible, the interior clashes with the exterior. Add the proven record of BYD to catch on fire and the price equivalent to a full size sedan of an ECU car... it is a hard pass, despite all the praise. Ora Cat is the best looking one of all these EVs, and the rest can only be Porsches and Audis.
Total amount of Cars catching Fire worldwide. Petrol nearly 200,000, Hybrid 16,000, Electric 52 source Auto insurance EZ.
There is no proven record of BYD catching on fire. BYD in fact got the safest car battery out off all battery manufacturers which is why your captain apartheid anti Chinese propaganda channels started producing their fake propaganda. Go get actual statistics from official sources instead of some racist ytubers making their living by producing click bait to western racists.
@@keithwilson1554does that include the ones burning and sinking the Felicity Ace and the ones burning Fremantle Highway, the ones burning at Luton, the ones burning at Sydney Airport, the ones burning whilst being driven in China, etc? Or Teslas burning after flooded in Florida?
@@Mav86asian So you don't check Facts. The sinking ship wasn't caused by EVs burning it was the majority of LuxuryPetrol cars. The Ev's that caught fire helped the fire to last longer. The Luton fire was a V6 Diesel not even a Hybrid. The ones Filmed in China are Hybrids and subject to Recall. The Fossil Fuel Propaganda immediately blames all Car Fires on EV's and this becomes a lie quickly spread. With todays short attention spans no one waits for the Truth.
@@Mav86asianthe "one at Luton" was a 16 plate range rover evoque. Jesus you're thick 🤣
Yea, car of the year, now with the delightful flavors of poor reliability, humam rights violations and dictatorial regimes.
Cope more but the Chinese car manufacturers have arrived.
Non of your accusations correspond with reality, but the EU and UK does participate in warcrimes world over, "Libya, Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen" etc and support the genocide against Palestine which is why you project your depravity on to China.
Amazing racist stupidity 🤡
Human rights huh? How about the killing of millions of people in Afghanistan Iraq Syria Palestine
Ah yes, they'd give a 6 year warranty to a car that will fall apart very quickly 🤦♂️
Why would anyone want a rotating screen? The interior is crap. This could sell for 10K pounds, maybe 12K. Who in their right mind would spend 30K pounds on this? This will worth 0 in 8 years. You mentioned many deficiencies, but it’s still car of the year? Really? No new car better overall than this crap? Automotive engineering is not a new concept. You should hold car reviews to the same constant standard, whether it’s an EV or ICE car. Why do things that matter on ICE cars suddenly don’t really matter in EVs, notably chinese EVs? That door sounds like it’s made of a tin of baked beans.
How many times do you say crap per day?
@@fabb5 today, only once. As i re-emphasize, chinese EVs are CRAP.
Why don't you go to a BYD showroom and actually see one in the flesh? The doors, as per one of your complaints, actually sound when shut more solid than some BMW's these days.
@@Mav86asian I have one and are very happy with it.
Go and say crap again maybe you feel better.
@@123silentassassin i’ve driven it. Same feel as Nissan Leaf. It’s okay as a transport device getting you from A to B. That’s it. The same way a dishwasher is capable of cleaning your dishes. I won’t even buy a dishwasher made in mainland China.
BYD explodes in a ball of flames in China--good luck... You should buy cars from a proper car manufacturer with years of experience.
All UK buses are from BYD and across the globe, BYD blade battery are the safest. BYD blade battery do not spontaniously explode which give people time to get out of car when on fire. The BYD car that caught fire was due to faulty electronic fire.
Tesla are all BYD rebranded EV which Elon is outsourcing from china, same thing with spacex, starlink, Solar City, The Boring Company, Nurolink. Do you catch my drift? This is part of trade deficit US and china signed.
Proof