BYD Atto 8: Size meets speed

There is no escaping the fact that the BYD Atto 8 is a big vehicle. At more than five metres long, with a 2,950mm wheelbase and seating for seven, it occupies a substantial amount of road. Yet, after spending time behind the wheel, I found that its size is not necessarily the first thing that makes an impression. What stood out for me was how easy it is to drive.

The Atto 8 is BYD’s large plug-in hybrid SUV, and it arrives in two versions: the Premium DM-i and the Performance DM-p. Both use BYD’s fifth-generation DM Super Hybrid Technology, but they have noticeably different characters.

I drove the Performance version, and it is certainly not the kind of large family SUV that has been designed for gentle school runs and supermarket shopping. A surprising amount of performance is available when the foot hits the accelerator, with the DM-p combining a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine with two electric motors to produce up to 400kW, or 536hp.

That translates into a claimed 0–100km/h time of 4.3 seconds. In something this large, it feels slightly absurd when I think about it. This is a seven-seater that can move with the urgency of something considerably smaller and sportier.

The electric motors also make the power delivery wonderfully immediate. One experiences none of the waiting around that might be associated with a large petrol SUV.

What impressed me more, however, was the way it handles its considerable size. The advanced body control system helps keep the vehicle steady and, although I was always aware that I was driving a substantial SUV, it did not feel unwieldy.

That is important in a vehicle intended to carry a family, because performance is only part of the equation. The Atto 8 is about combining that performance with practicality.

Inside, there is plenty of space, with three rows of seating and a cabin that feels suitably generous. The seating can be folded to create considerably more room when seven passengers are not required, making it possible to switch between family transport and load-lugging duties. The third row of seats could be a bit of a tight squeeze for adults.

The cabin itself has a modern feel. A large 15.6-inch infotainment screen dominates the dashboard, while the 21-speaker high-fidelity sound system is there for those occasions when the occupants would rather listen to music than each other.

The specification includes leather upholstery, bamboo-wood trim and 21-inch wheels, giving the interior a premium feel. I particularly liked that, despite the amount of technology on board, the cabin did not feel as though I needed an engineering degree to operate it.

The Atto 8 gets a 360-degree camera system. The camera is particularly welcome when parking because, no matter how confident I am, squeezing a five-metre SUV into a tight parking space is not something to be taken lightly.

Of course, the real story with the Atto 8 is what is happening underneath all that space.

The 35.6kWh LFP battery in the plug-in hybrid provides more than 150km of pure electric driving range, while the combined range is claimed to exceed 1,000km. This is where the plug-in hybrid concept makes sense for South African driving. For shorter daily journeys, there is the ability to make extensive use of electric power, while the petrol engine removes much of the range anxiety associated with a fully electric vehicle on longer trips.

After driving the Atto 8, I think its greatest strength is the combination of abilities. It can carry seven people, has enough cabin space to make family travel comfortable and can cover long distances without turning journeys into a charging exercise.

• Pricing for the BYD Atto 8 starts at R1,059,900.

* Sheryl Goldstuck is general manager of World Wide Worx and editor of GadgetWheels. Follow her on Bluesky on @crazycatbuzz.bsky.social.