Small electric crossover is retrofitted with a petrol engine to bring plug-in hybrid motoring down below £30,000
BYD has now advanced so far in the UK market that it’s beginning to go into competition with itself. This new plug-in hybrid version of the firm’s Atto 2 compact SUV – the BYD Atto 2 DM-i Hybrid – has just arrived, giving customers shopping for Ford Pumas, Hyundai Konas, Vauxhall Mokkas and Skoda Kamiqs an interesting ownership proposition to mull over. Would you take a plug-in hybrid from a lesser-known Chinese brand for the same price as a mild hybrid one from a better-known European one? It’ll be revealing to watch how many say yes. The market research of other firms tends to suggest that buyers of compact crossovers aren’t so interested in PHEV powertrains (perhaps because they’re buying the household’s second car, which doesn’t typically get the overnight parking berth next to the charging point). And so plug-in ‘B-SUV’ options are rare. Rival Chinese outfit Chery has just decided to go with a self-charging hybrid option in this class (the Chery Tiggo 4); and MG’s ZS has never ‘plugged in’. But, even if its price does overlap with that of the slightly larger Sealion 5 DM-i, this Atto 2 might just prove that there is an appetite for PHEVs of this kind after all (and BYD isn’t stopping here; the Dolphin G DM-i is bringing PHEV choice to the regular supermini class later this year).Launched back in 2024 with electric power, the Atto 2 has been retrofitted with an optional electrified combustion powertrain as part of BYD’s drive to sustain its rampant growth outside of its Chinese home market, in the face of waning global demand for EVs. With accessibility in focus, dimensions that match those of some of the UK’s best-selling cars, and technical credentials that lend it the potential to become a front-runner in its segment, the Atto 2 DM-i could play a crucial role in BYD’s masterplan to become one of Europe’s leading car brands.But with umpteen electrified ‘baby’ SUVs you could already choose from, does the Atto 2 deserve a spot on your shopping list – and is it best-served with hybrid or EV power? Let’s find out.
