BYD now offers a plug-in hybrid alternative in the Atto range. Meet the Atto 2. By John Kendall.

What is it? Five-seat plug-in hybrid SUV  How much? From £26,995 OTR  CO2 emissions? 33g/km (Active) or 13g/km (Boost)  Combined mpg:  55 mpg (WLTP combined)

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If you find BYD model names a little confusing – not all Dolphins are the same and that is also true of the Seals – then you might find the Atto 2 (not to be confused with the Atto 3) a little easier to get your head around. Atto 2, BYD’s smallest SUV, was launched last year with electric power. Now it has been joined by the Atto 2 DM-i. The body is essentially the same but power comes from a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powertrain. It is an easy button for Chinese manufacturers to push: consumers not going for electric cars? Then offer something with an internal combustion engine and a usable electric range. It’s a stepping stone to an all-electric car, but it might help those who are not sure to get a flavour of electrification.

DM-i stands for Dual Mode-intelligent but we doubt that the technical specification of the car will be the thing that draws fleet users in. There are two specifications – Active and Boost – with Active prices starting from £26,995 (OTR). For that you get: 16-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, tail lights and daytime running lights, rain-sensing wipers, electrically heated and adjustable door mirrors, an 8.8-inch digital instrument panel, four USB ports, rear parking sensors and rear-view camera. For a starting price of £29,995, Boost gets 17-inch alloys, rear privacy glass, panoramic sunroof, front parking sensors and electric folding door mirrors. It doesn’t end there, with heated steering wheel and front seats, rear reading lights, 360-degree view camera, 50W wireless phone charging and 6.6kW on-board charger in place of the Active’s 3.3kW. These figures may seem low for charging but the batteries are small compared with fully electric models. BYD quotes recharge times of 2.7 hours for Active Models and three hours for Boost models. Opt for Boost and most drivers would be able to cover most of their daily mileage on electric drive, assuming they have access to overnight charging.

Other standard equipment includes a central 12.8-inch touchscreen and Google Built-In, which brings Google Maps as the navigation system, with access to apps from the Google Play Store. Finally, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are also part of the deal. In other words, you get a lot for a competitive price.

The plug-in hybrid system mates a 1.5-litre petrol engine with electric drive. Active models get a 7.8kWh battery, good for up to 31 miles of electric driving, while Boost models get an 18kWh battery pack, enough for up to 93 miles of electric driving according to BYD. The 1.5-litre engine puts out 97hp and combined with the electric motor, this comes to 165hp from Active models and 212hp from Boosts. The engine is not usually used to drive the front wheels directly, working principally as a generator for the electric drive.

The car might be compact but it offers reasonable rear seat space and a 425-litre boot with the rear seats upright. You don’t get a completely flat floor when they are folded down but the space is quite usable.

On the road, the Atto 2 proves to be a good car to drive. Transmission is effectively automatic with the selector on the right-hand side of the steering column. There are physical switches to control some functions, such as the drive mode, auto stop/start and audio system. Other items, such as the heating and ventilation, are controlled from the foot of the central touchscreen, but there’s no need to wade through screen menus to find them. The engine can be noisy when pressed and the ride can be compromised on poorer road surfaces.

Performance is reasonably brisk by today’s standards and it was a comfortable place to be on the mixed routes we followed, including A-roads and motorway. BYD may seem to be one of the newer entrants from China, but it has had a European presence for many years. The company began as a battery maker but expanded into car production around 20 years ago.

The Atto 2 DM-i is an attractive alternative for drivers who are not sure about switching to a fully electric car. Pricing is competitive and equipment levels are high.

In Brief:

Key fleet model: BYD Atto 2 DM-i Boost

Pros: Competitive pricing; good electric driving range (Boost); well equipped

Cons: Engine refinement could be better

Seven-word summary: Smallest BYD SUV offers lots of kit

Also consider: Renault Captur E-Tech PHEV; Ford Kuga PHEV