Test: BYD Dolphin: fine enough?

Prices and versions BYD Dolphin:

You drove this BYD before, didn’t you?

That’s right, but then it was a very short first acquaintance. Now we could go out with the car a bit more extensively, with a cameraman on top. In the previous article we will discuss the name, design and technology in detail, so feel free to read it again.

So the BYD Dolphin is an affordable EV?

Relatively, yes. Not so long ago, we could usually predict quite accurately what a particular car would cost. In the modern EV age, however, everything is different. Due to Tesla’s price reductions, a Model 3 now costs less than a Volkswagen ID.3, while the recently announced Volvo EX30, with a starting price of around 37 grand, is just as expensive as an electric Corsa or 208. Yet BYD has managed to the Dolphin to dive below that level. The new Chinese hatchback operates in the segment of the Volkswagen ID3 and Cupra Born, but with its starting price of just under 30 grand, it is considerably cheaper. With that price, the car is even cheaper than its main competitor in that area, the MG4.

But of course you don’t get the car in the photos for that starting price…

That’s right, but it’s not a ‘bald loft’ either. The basic version of the BYD Dolphin has a (net) 45 kWh battery and a driving range of 340 kilometers. The equipment is also good. Keyless entry, power seat adjustment, a 12.8-inch touchscreen, climate control and a safety package with adaptive cruise control are standard. However, the basic versions do without seat heating and the entry-level model gets a simple torsion beam construction for the rear axle, and a modest 95 hp electric motor. From the second level, the BYD gets a multi-link rear axle, from the third a larger battery and 427 km WLTP range. The version with a larger battery is available from €36,490 and that is still neat. All prices are, of course, before deduction of the SEPP subsidy, which takes an additional €2,950 off the price for private individuals for all versions.

And which version did you drive?

The Comfort. That is therefore the cheapest of the two versions with the large battery, with a price of €36,490. The more expensive Design has the same specifications, but offers trinkets such as a fixed panoramic glass roof and larger wheels as an extra. And a two-tone body, with additional color options.

Right, color. That test car of yours is purple. Do they think that’s normal at BYD?

We don’t know, but BYD does make it a habit to deliver special shades. The three cheapest versions of the Dolphin are available in grey, beige, pink and purple. The ‘Design’ is also available in the ‘Surfing Blue’ of the press photos, or in a bluish ‘Atlantis Grey’. A dark-colored roof is always part of this version. The color party doesn’t stop with the exterior, by the way. ‘Cream White’ and ‘Amethyst Purple’ feature the beige interior of the car in the video, while Dolphins in ‘Coral Pink’ come standard with a particularly eccentric interior with pink, off-white and purple. The gray Dolphin has an all-black interior, making it a haven for understated types.

Those colors are a bit sensitive to taste. Does the interior look good otherwise?

More hard plastics are used in the interior of the Dolphin than in other BYDs, but they are all more expensive. BYD also provides the plastic with a striking relief, which makes it look more high-quality. The interior has been designed with a lot of creativity, as we are used to from this brand. All control elements are designed in the same special style, so that it has a well-maintained appearance. The big eye-catcher in the interior is the 12.8-inch touchscreen, which can be set in a horizontal or vertical position at the touch of a button. That sounds sensitive, but just like the rest of the interior it feels solid and of high quality. The screen responds quickly and also looks nice graphically, but due to sloppy translations and a somewhat incomprehensible menu structure here and there, the operation is not a party. That is extra annoying because the security helpers are rather meddling and noisy, and have to be switched off via this screen. The same applies to the climate control, which blows very hard in automatic mode and does not cool the interior in other modes.

BYD Dolphin with screen horizontal…

…and vertical. That changes at the touch of a button.

And does that still drive a bit, such a BYD Dolphin?

The electric motor is in all cases on the front axle of the BYD Dolphin. We drove the version with 204 hp and it has quite a bit of trouble getting that power on the road. When accelerating strongly, the steering feels a bit ‘sticky’ and the front wheels spin firmly. That is not necessarily dangerous, but it is unsettling. If you take it easy, the BYD turns out to be a pleasant car. The steering is quite numb in normal mode, but offers a bit more counter pressure in ‘Sport’. With the gas off, the car slows down a bit, but not much faster than a car on petrol. It also always keeps ‘creeping’, so that driving without using the brake is impossible. The chassis is remarkably soft, especially by EV standards. Compared to a car like the ID.3, irregularities are much less clearly passed on to the occupants. However, the damping is just a bit too weak, so it is just as important to take thresholds with some policy. Rolling noises penetrate the interior quite clearly, so the Dolphin is not the quietest EV. Given its price, that is of course no shame. In corners, the car remains nicely stable, helped in part by the low center of gravity by BYD’s ‘Blade Battery’ incorporated in the floor.

‘Blade Battery’?

Yes, BYD’s own battery that would be extra sturdy, extra safe and extra energy dense. The battery can be ‘filled up’ with a maximum of 88 kW in the version with the large battery, or 60 in the ‘Standard Range’. The latter also works with a 1-phase on-board charger and is therefore less suitable for frequent drivers in all respects.

Is the BYD Dolphin still a bit practical?

The seating position behind the wheel is well done and not too high, just the way hatchback buyers probably like it. We are also fine in the back, although the legroom is better for each other than the headroom. It is a pity that the headrest here is too large, so that it irritates the upper back of tall people. Behind the rear seat is a luggage compartment of 345 liters. That is less than what can be stowed in an ID.3 or MG 4, while those cars have rear-wheel drive and therefore also hide an electric motor in the rear. The BYD does have a nice double bottom, which can be put in a higher or lower position. There is no luggage space in the nose. If you want more, you can of course fold the couch, resulting in 1,310 liters of space.

So, make or break?

The Dolphin could still be improved, especially in terms of software, but the basis seems good and the competition at this price level is not without drawbacks. That also makes this BYD an interesting newcomer, which can certainly give cars such as the Peugeot e-208 and Opel Corsa Electric a hard time.