It went on sale in Japan in 2023, but the phone integration and interface still feel plenty cutting-edge. Considering the price, how polished it is really stuck with me.
The previous-generation ATTO 3 I drove.The driver’s seat, dominated by a big display.The cabin with its huge glass roof.The trunk with the tailgate open.
## A car you use like a tablet
The center display in landscape.
What struck me most about the ATTO 3 wasn’t that it runs on electricity — it was how good it is as a digital device. Pairing with your phone and using the apps felt like using a big smart device.
The display can rotate to portrait, too.
The screen rotates between landscape and portrait — so gadget-y. You can even adjust the cabin lighting from the screen, and it just makes you want to poke around.
The old model is practical; the new one is even better
The gauge cluster showing speed, battery level, and more.
Even on the previous model I drove, the range felt plenty practical. Tokyo to Aichi is doable with no charging stop, or one charge during a rest break, depending on your charge level and conditions.
Previous model vs. ATTO 3 EX. Range is WLTC; the new model’s 620 km is for the RWD version.
The new ATTO 3 EX, released in September 2026, stretches range to 620 km on the RWD model, and the AWD model even gets a built-in hot/cold box.
After a price adjustment, the old model is ¥4.18 million, while the new RWD is ¥4,378,000. That much progress for about ¥200,000 more is pretty tempting.
The ride and noise bothered me a bit
The back seat. Passenger comfort matters too.
On the other hand, the suspension felt a little stiff. Depending on the road and how it moves, passengers might get carsick.
The low-speed pedestrian warning sound was also fairly audible inside the car, which got a bit annoying.
The new model has revamped suspension and acoustic glass, so I’d love to see how much the ride and quietness have changed.
Can “car-plus-extras” thinking keep up?
The ATTO 3 from the side.
Driving the ATTO 3, I felt BYD builds cars without being boxed in by what a car is “supposed” to be. It’s a bit like Tesla — it’s not just bolting features on afterward, it’s a different way of thinking entirely.
Japanese carmakers, meanwhile, still seem stuck in “a car, plus some extras.” Honestly, I think that gap should worry them a lot.
When cars become gadgets
Some things bugged me, but I was surprised by how polished the previous ATTO 3 is. Cars may be turning from a way to get around into giant gadgets that make life easier.
I’d love to see Japanese makers push usability like this too. I’ll report back on the new ATTO 3 EX as soon as I get a test drive.
