2024 BYD Atto 3 Premium: The perfect EV for Filipinos?
Saying that something is a “hit” is a metaphor drawn from the arts.
While writing this review, I came across a video on Facebook of the most popular songs from the year 1990. Naturally, I verified this with the Billboard Hot 100 that year – and I was amazed at the sheer variety of music that “topped the chart.”
Billboard magazine’s weekly list of the 100 hottest songs, which are based on sales, online streaming and radio airplay in the U.S., has been a music-industry standard since it started in November 1955 (the first number one song being “Love is a Many Splendored Thing” by The Four Aces). Fast-forward 35 years, and I noticed something.
That year had “soft rock” hits like “Another Day in Paradise” by Phil Collins and “It Must Have Been Love” by Roxette. There were also R&B hits like Whitney Houston’s “I’m Your Baby Tonight” and even hip-hop chart toppers like Vanilla Ice’s “Ice, Ice Baby.”
Put another way, a hit goes beyond its sphere of influence within its genre because of something that is almost universally captivating. And so, we come to the BYD Atto 3 – the Philippines’ bestselling battery-electric vehicle (EV) of 2024.
How did all-electric crossover become a hit in a country that’s not yet fully sold on electrification?
Handsome looks
Like in music (especially when MTV and Myx came along), strong visuals help sell cars.
This is certainly no trouble for the nicely proportioned Atto 3 Premium – sharp LED headlights sit prominently on the hoodline, connected by a silver faux-grille. The large dogbone on the lower bumper gives this EV a bit of a scowl, akin to a rock star about to dive into a mega solo.
Along the side, the Atto 3 Premium features a strong beltline and cleverly integrated, matte-black plastic along the fenders and lower doors, while the two-tone, 18-inch alloy wheels suit the car perfectly. I must note that the large doors extend quite low to the ground, which means you could inadvertently slam them into curbs that most crossover would clear.
This 2024 model has silver trim on the window surrounds and D-pillar (now gloss-black in the recently launched 2025 Atto 3) that lead the eyes to the steeply raked rear windscreen (which makes rear visibility quite poor) and the large tailgate spoiler.
Speaking of the back, the full-width LED taillights distinguish this subcompact crossover as a BYD, while the pert bumper features an elaborate mix of black plastic and body color to frame the license plate. The 2025 Premium variant has happily been updated with an electric tailgate and meatier 235/50R18 Continental tires.
Fun cabin
It seems fitting that the Atto 3 is akin to a musical hit – you can play a song using the car.
The door pockets have three thick strings that each play different notes – a great bass line for a dance-pop hit. But if you’re not a keen musician, there’s the 12.8-inch rotating touchscreen (15.6 inches in the 2025 Atto 3 Premium) with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto that seemed to have difficulty connecting to my iPhone 15 at times.
And as with other BYDs, that enormous screen may be crisp and clear, but there really needs to be more separate controls for the infotainment and climate-control systems. Nonetheless, you get an attractive, flowing dashboard with soft-touch materials all around for a truly premium feel.
This 2024 model has white-and-blue leather upholstery that really pops when you open the Premium-exclusive panoramic moonroof. There’s also great space for five passengers, although the 440-liter cargo area (1,340 liters with the rear seats folded) is quite small compared to its rivals.
New for the 2025 Atto 3 Premium are the PM2.5 air filter with on-screen monitoring, which cleans the air from the powerful air-conditioner more efficiently, and the option of blue-and-black upholstery with certain exterior colors.
Quick performance
So, the Atto 3 Premium has good looks, premium accommodation and generous standard features.
And the driving experience is truly like no other – the 60.5-kWh BYD Blade battery mated to a front-mounted electric motor equates to 201 horsepower and 310 Newton-meters of torque, offering sensational acceleration in a near-silent fashion. It reminds me of the rapidity of the old Geely Coolray, without the punishing fuel consumption.
In fact, the Atto 3 Premium’s energy consumption figures are quite good – 6.5 to 7.0 km/kWh in the city and 7.5 to 8.0 km/kWh on the expressway. This translates to a maximum of 400 kilometers in urban traffic and up to 450 kilometers on the open road, with quicker charging times thanks to DC-charging capability.
The suspension is also among the best in the BYD lineup. The dampers are much better tuned in the Atto 3 than in the Dolphin or Sealion 6 DM-i, resulting in a supple ride that complements the EV’s exceptional refinement.
Just don’t overdo it in the turns – the strong brakes may be controlled by a firm pedal and the light, responsive steering may inspire confidence, but the considerable body roll means your driving should be more Roberta Flack than Tina Turner.
I also greatly prefer the Atto 3 Premium over the cheaper Dynamic variant because of the standard DiPilot advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) that includes stop and go cruise control, lane keeping assist, automatic emergency braking, traffic sign recognition and blind spot detection.
