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2026 BYD Atto 2 DM-i — The PHEV That Might Finally Make Sense

BYD’s first crack at the all-electric Atto 2 left us mildly underwhelmed, a reminder that not every EV out of China is a category killer. But give the same package a battery, a petrol engine, and a smarter mission, and suddenly things get a lot more interesting. The new Atto 2 DM-i plug-in hybrid lands next spring with a clear objective: replace the internal-combustion car entirely for urban users who aren’t sold on full EV life just yet.

And unlike the slightly limp Active trim, the longer-range Boost model makes a seriously compelling case — especially if BYD hits its predicted starting price of £28,000, which would make it the cheapest plug-in hybrid in the UK.

Powertrain: A Clever Split Personality

Underneath its sensible sheetmetal lies the same playbook used in BYD’s larger models: a 1.5-litre Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder paired with a dual-motor hybrid system. One motor generates electricity, the other drives the front wheels, which is why BYD calls this setup DM-i (Dual Mode–intelligent).

The brain of the system is the company’s trademark 18.3-kWh Blade battery, good for a claimed 55 miles of electric range — more than a BMW X3 plug-in hybrid, for those keeping score.

The Boost trim tested here delivers:

  • 209 hp
  • 0–62 mph in 7.5 seconds
  • 110 mph top speed
  • 300 Nm from the electric motor alone

The entry-level Active makes do with a smaller battery (25-mile EV range) and 164 hp, stretching the sprint to 9.1 seconds.

On the Road: Electric First, Engine Second

In typical DM-i fashion, the Atto 2 feels for all the world like an EV that occasionally borrows an engine. The electric motor does most of the heavy lifting, and during two hours of mixed driving we rarely woke the petrol engine unless deliberately provoking it.

Throttle dip into the carpet? The 1.5 petrol fires up — eventually — and when it does, it’s neither musical nor especially eager. But most owners may hardly notice; the electric torque pulls strongly well beyond motorway speeds, and real-world range estimates seemed to track closely with the car’s predictions. That alone puts it ahead of many legacy-brand plug-ins.

Regeneration comes in two flavors — Standard and High — but both feel timid compared with European or Korean rivals. BYD still doesn’t offer true one-pedal driving here.

Ride and Handling: Comfortable Enough, But…

Refinement largely mirrors the EV version: excellent electric hush, but noticeable wind and road noise at speed. Ride quality is where things unravel. Because of the battery packaging and energy-recovery hardware, the Atto 2 DM-i runs a torsion-beam rear axle — and it shows.

Despite riding on modest 17-inch wheels with generous sidewalls, the DM-i:

  • Fidgets at higher speeds
  • Thuds into potholes around town
  • Never quite settles over broken surfaces

The all-electric Atto 2, with its multi-link setup, has a smoother stride. Handling is predictable but sluggish; vague steering and modest grip discourage any enthusiastic cornering. This is an appliance, not a backroad toy.

Interior & Tech: Sensible, Spacious, and Mostly Well Executed

BYD has toned down the quirkiness here — no Atto 3-style guitar-string door pockets. Instead, the cabin is clean, upright, and dominated by a fixed 12.8-inch touchscreen (no party-trick rotation this time) and an 8.8-inch driver’s display.

Highlights:

  • Infotainment is quick, intuitive, and smartphone-like
  • Swipe-down quick menu is genuinely useful
  • Build quality is better than expected for the segment

Lowlights:

  • No physical climate buttons, despite customers begging for them
  • Odd mix of materials: soft-touch up front, scratchy plastics in the rear
  • Slightly fake-looking moulded stitching

Space is a win. Two six-footers will happily sit in the back, and the 425-litre boot beats the electric version by 25 litres — though the seats don’t fold completely flat.

Features & Trims: Value Is the Real Story

Active (approx. £25,000)

  • Rear-view camera
  • Parking sensors
  • Rain-sensing wipers
  • Adaptive cruise
  • LED headlights
  • Metallic paint

Boost (approx. £28,000)

  • 360° camera
  • Heated seats + heated steering wheel
  • Tinted glass
  • Panoramic roof
  • Wireless phone charging
  • Vehicle-to-Load capability (run tools, appliances, camping gear off the battery)

If these prices hold, BYD will undercut the Chery Tiggo 7 PHEV by thousands, and nothing else in the UK market comes close on range-for-money.

A Hit — With Caveats

The BYD Atto 2 DM-i Boost isn’t perfect. The ride is unsettled, steering is vague, and refinement still trails the class leaders. But judged as a mass-market, long-range, ultra-affordable PHEV, BYD is onto something huge.

For buyers not yet ready to make the leap to a full EV, the Atto 2 DM-i hits a sweet spot: mostly electric commuting, petrol-powered freedom, and a price that could force every major rival back to the drawing board.

Right now, in this still-quiet corner of the market, BYD has the field to itself — and the Atto 2 DM-i Boost is the one to get.

Source: BYD

News

BYD’s Party Trick Is Over: Rotating Screens Axed as Brand Prioritizes App Integration

For years, BYD’s rotating touchscreen felt like the perfect metaphor for the brand’s rise in Europe: quirky, confident, and not afraid to poke at the Tesla-inspired minimalism dominating the EV landscape. Spin the screen 90 degrees and—voilà—you had either tablet-like portrait real estate for maps or a widescreen display for entertainment and menus. It was a gimmick, sure, but a good one. And it helped BYD stand out.

Now it’s gone.

The Chinese automaker has confirmed it’s retiring the feature entirely as it doubles down on integrating third-party apps and universal software platforms across its lineup. The upcoming Atto 2 crossover is the first model to break with tradition, its 12.4-inch display fixed permanently in landscape mode. The rest of the range will follow.

From Headline Feature to Footnote

When BYD first hit European shores, the rotating screen was standard fare—even on budget entries like the £18,000 Dolphin Surf hatchback. It gave BYD’s cabins some character, especially compared to the spartan, screen-forward interiors of many EV competitors.

The brand’s pitch was simple:

  • Portrait mode for better navigation visibility ahead
  • Landscape mode for broader UI access while parked

And buyers liked the idea—at least in theory.

In practice? Not so much.

According to vice president Stella Li, customer enthusiasm didn’t translate into day-to-day use. “People love the rotating screens, but the usage is very small,” she told Autocar. More importantly, the feature was starting to clash with BYD’s new digital direction.

CarPlay Killed the Spin Star

Li confirmed that the tech roadmap for BYD now leans heavily on partnerships with giants like Google and Apple, and on expanding native support for the apps customers actually use. The Atto 2 will be the first BYD to offer both Apple CarPlay and Google compatibility straight out of the box.

And those platforms, Li suggests, put limits on BYD’s interior theatrics.

“If they want to give the best experience, then a rotating screen will limit their apps’ smoothness,” she said. A moving display complicates UI scaling, touch targets, and screen responsiveness—particularly in apps never designed for a spinning piece of hardware.

A New Era: Autonomous Driving First, Quirks Second

With BYD’s global ambitions widening, the company says it needs a more universal, predictable interface. That matters even more as it invests further in autonomous driving systems, where screen layout consistency is crucial for safety and compatibility.

“We want to make our platforms become more universal in order to fulfill the best experience,” Li said, adding that some partners—like Google—are “a little bit behind” on certain automotive integrations.

In other words: the cockpit needs to be ready for outside software, not built around BYD’s own showpieces.

What This Means for BYD

Losing the rotating screen won’t change the fundamentals of any BYD model, but it does symbolize the brand’s maturation. The early waves of European expansion leaned on clever touches and personality; the next phase appears to be about global tech alignment, autonomy, and platform stability.

It’s the difference between a brand trying to stand out—and one trying to scale.

And while the rotating display will be missed by fans of fun interior tech, BYD seems convinced the tradeoff is worth it.

After all, the best trick in a modern EV might not be a spinning screen at all—but a system that simply plays nice with the apps you already use.

Source: Autocar

News

Denza Z9 GT EV Flagship to Hit UK Roads in 2027

Denza—the premium arm of Chinese powerhouse BYD—is preparing to crash Europe’s performance party with an all-new flagship sports coupé, set to make its public debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed next summer. And if early signals are anything to go by, this could be China’s boldest shot yet at the Porsche 911 and Mercedes-AMG GT.

The still-unnamed production car, previewed as the Z concept at the Shanghai motor show earlier this year, is expected to land in European showrooms in 2026. For a brand that only hits the UK next year with the Z9 GT shooting brake, the D9 luxury MPV, and the B5 SUV, the coupé will serve as a full-throttle halo designed to plant a performance flag in unfamiliar territory.

A Tech-First Counterpunch to Germany’s Finest

Technical specifics remain officially thin, but Denza has been doing plenty of winking. The concept packed steer-by-wire, magnetorheological dampers, and a cockpit stuffed with next-gen tech aimed squarely at enthusiasts who want their driving thrills served through a digital filter.

More intriguing is the likelihood that Denza’s flagship borrows heavily from the Z9 GT’s hardware. That means potential carryover of its wild crab-walk and tank-turn tricks—yes, party tricks, but also a flex of Denza’s software and chassis sophistication. The Z9 GT’s tri-motor, 952-bhp powertrain is also a candidate for transplant, with insiders hinting that the coupé will push output even higher.

And this isn’t just vaporware: soon after the concept’s debut, heavily camouflaged prototypes were spotted pounding the Nürburgring. That fueled speculation about a possible lap record attempt—and more importantly, suggested Denza is serious about earning European credibility on European asphalt.

Goodwood Confirmed—and a European Strategy Comes Into Focus

Speaking to Autocar, BYD executive vice president Stella Li pulled back the curtain: yes, the coupé is Goodwood-bound. “We’d like to invite you to Goodwood…” she teased, before confirming that the production-bodied car will be on the hillclimb in July.

Li added that the final name remains “confidential,” meaning the Z badge may not survive to production. What will carry over is the mission: to cement Denza as a true premium performance marque in markets dominated by Germany for decades.

Denza’s Pitch: Revolution, Not Incrementalism

Li was blunt when comparing Denza’s approach to legacy rivals: “When they launch a new premium car, they just make the engine more powerful and the interior design more emotional; there is no fundamental revolution.”

Her counterpoint? The Z9 GT’s ability to drift, tank-turn, semi-autonomously pilot itself, and fire off a 0–62 mph run in 2.7 seconds, all while “flash-charging” at ultra-high rates. To Denza, these aren’t gimmicks—they’re proof points in a broader strategy to win buyers with cutting-edge capability rather than old-world heritage.

“This is using technology to really redefine elegance,” she said. “We will make people say, ‘This is the car I really want to try.’”

Denza’s upcoming coupé isn’t just another EV. It’s a statement of intent—from a new global player aiming squarely at the titans of European performance. If the production model delivers even half of what the concept promises, Goodwood won’t be the only hill it climbs next year. It’ll be scaling the hierarchy of the European sports-car elite.

Source: Autocar