So, the super slick and compact BYD Atto 1 is now available to order in New Zealand. The starting price announced is NZD 29,990 + ORC for the Essential spec that comes with a 30kWh battery spec while the Premium spec is priced at NZD 35,990 + ORC and it comes with a bigger battery offering relatively more power and range.

Can it make room for itself in space that is dominated by the Suzuki Swift, the Toyota Yaris and to a lower extent the Kia Picanto? Here is a spec by spec comparison to see if the Atto 1 can offer value at the price it is being offered when compared with two of its ICE (internal combustion engine) counterparts – the Swift and the Yaris.

Before I start the spec by spec comparison let me be clear for some of you who may not have been at speed with the EV adoption in New Zealand. As a potential EV buyer the government in NZ offered two incentives to Kiwis in the past – the Clean Car Discount which ended on 31 December, 2023 and the exemption from Road User Charges (RUC) that ended on 31 March, 2024. This basically means you have to pay full price for an EV and an additional RUC of NZD 76 per 1000km for your fully electric car (equates to around NZD 1140 if you do 15,000km yearly). Lets get to it then.

WHAT YOU NEED TO PAY

	BYD Atto 1 Essential 30kWh	Suzuki Swift GLS Auto 1.2 Petrol Mild Hybrid	Toyota Yaris GX Hybrid 1.5 Petrol
Drive Away Price (NZ$)	29,990 + ORC	27,500 + ORC	33,490
Full Car Warranty	6 yrs/150,000km	5 yrs/100,000km	5 yrs/ 150,000km
Battery Warranty	8 yrs/150,000km	5 yrs/100,000km	5 yrs/150,000km
Service Cycle	Not announced	12mth/15,000km	12mth/15,000km
Service Plan (NZ$)	Not announced	999 for 3 yrs	1420 for 4 yrs
RUC (NZ$)	76 per km	Not applicable	Not applicable

My verdict: Price wise the newcomer Atto 1 is up against established heavyweights in this segment that have been around for decades. Being priced higher than the entry level Swift auto will it be able to break into the segment, remains to be seen. In terms of service cost, while there is no information available at the moment, going by NZ$ 799 offered by a dealer for 3 yrs/60,000km on a Dolphin or Atto 3, one can guess that it will be same or less for the Atto 1. In terms of price attractiveness, I think the Atto 1 is Somewhat Competitive.

HOW DOES THE CAR PERFORM

	BYD Atto 1 Essential 30kWh	Suzuki Swift GLS Auto 1.2 Petrol Mild Hybrid	Toyota Yaris GX Hybrid 1.5 Petrol
Power (hp)	87	80	114
Torque (nm)	175	108	120
Rated Efficiency	0.13kWh/km	4.3 litre/100km	3 litre/100km
Rated Range (km)	220	860	1200
Rated Acceleration (seconds)	11.1	11.9	10
Fuel type	Electricity	95RON Petrol	91 Unleaded Petrol
Fuel cost (NZ$)	0.38/kWh (charged at home in Auckland) 0.40/kWh (slow public chargers) 0.85/kWh (fast public chargers)	2.77/litre	2.59/litre
Cost to full (NZ$)	30 x 0.38 = 11.4 (at home in Auckland) 30 x 0.40 = 12 (slow public chargers) 30 x 0.85 = 25.5 (fast public chargers)	37 x 2.77 = 102.49	36 x 2.59 = 93.24
Cost per 100km (NZ$/100km)	11.4/220×100 = 5.18 (at home in Auckland) 12/220×100 = 5.45 (slow public chargers) 25.5/220×100 = 11.59 (at fast chargers)	102.49/860 = 11.91	93.24/1200*100 = 7.77

My verdict: The Yaris is the clear winner in terms of performance and efficiency. The Atto 1 will cost you about NZ$ 6 less than the Swift for every 100km if charged at home or slow public chargers. It will actually cost about the same as a Swift if charged at a fast charger. The driving range on the Atto 1 and the other would be about 15% less than the rated range which means using the car as a daily commuter is fine provided it is charged every night. For longer trips there could be some range anxiety and a lot more use of public fast chargers. Overall, in terms of daily running costs, I think the Atto 1 is Somewhat Competitive.

WHAT ABOUT SAFETY?

	BYD Atto 1 Essential 30kWh	Suzuki Swift GLS Auto 1.2 Petrol Mild Hybrid	Toyota Yaris GX Hybrid 1.5 Petrol
ANCAP Rating	Not rated	3 Stars	5 Stars
Seatbelts	6	6	8
Adaptive Cruise Control	Yes	Yes	Yes
Auto Emergency Braking	Front	Front	Front
Lane Assist	Yes	Yes	Yes
Blind Spot Monitor	No	No	No
Parking sensors	Rear	Rear	Front and Rear
Parking Camera	180	180	180
Rear Cross Traffic Alert	No	No	No

My verdict: Based on the data available from the Atto 3 and Dolphin, the Atto 1 could have similar safety standards. It will be most likely rated 5 stars which will put it above the Swift although the Yaris could have a higher overall safety standard. In terms of safety, the Atto 1 is Very Competitive.

PRACTICALITY MATTERS AS WELL

	BYD Atto 1 Essential 30kWh	Suzuki Swift GLS Auto 1.2 Petrol Mild Hybrid	Toyota Yaris GX Hybrid 1.5 Petrol
Overall length (mm)	3990	3860	3950
Wheelbase (mm)	2500	2450	2550
Turning Radius (m)	4.95	4.8	4.7
Boot Capacity (l)	308	265	270
Spare Wheel	No	No	Yes (space saver)
Auto Dimming Rear View Mirror	No	No	No
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto	Wireless for both	Wireless Apple CarPlay / Wired Android Auto	Wireless Apple CarPlay / Wired Android Auto
Keyless Entry/Start	Yes	Yes	No
LED Headlights	No	Yes	No

My verdict: The Atto 1 has more boot space than both its competitors and also more legroom than the Swift possibly. Being an EV it will not have a transmission tunnel hump in the back row making it more comfortable for the rear passengers. Overall, in terms of practicality, the Atto 1 is Very Competitive.

SO, IS IT WORTH BUYING THE BYD ATTO 1?

I would highly recommend to go and test drive one. Cost wise this car is almost at price parity with its petrol counterparts. In terms of drive, safety and features, I would think it is totally at par. It does fare lower though, when you look at the driving range but again that depends on personal requirements.

The question remains about depreciation and nearly new/used ICE cars. The depreciation on EVs have been more than ICE cars although if you tend to hold on to a vehicle more than 5 years it really does not matter. Also, taking into account the better warranty on the Atto 1 compared to the Swift and the Yaris you are covered against any unexpected issues that might occur. The fact that EV adoption worldwide is moving at a pace faster than one imagined one can assume EVs will start holding their values longer than they currently do. They are definitely a lot more fun and effortless to drive because of the instant and linear power delivery. As someone who is is open to 2-5 years old used petrol or hybrid hatchbacks there are a lot of options still available which would be cheaper than the Atto 1. In the end, I think it is a fairly competitive car in the New Zealand New hatchback segment.

Sources:

BYD New Zealand – https://www.bydauto.co.nz/vehicles/atto-1

Suzuki New Zealand – https://www.suzuki.co.nz/small-cars/specifications/swift

Toyota New Zealand – https://www.toyota.co.nz/new-car/yaris/YARIS-YHGXB-NM1/?skuCode=YARIS-YHGXB-NM1-4V8-20#