BYD Dolphin is a practical EV for a reasonable price

Sitting on the same scalable e-Platform 3.0 as its bigger stablemates, the Dolphin is a C-segment hatchback that undercuts many key rivals on price.

It also has a very useful electric range, thanks to a highly-efficient 60.4 kWh LFP Blade Battery offering up to 265 miles of electric motoring on higherspec models, putting it ahead of many sector rivals which are closer to 200 miles.

A side profile of the Dolphin (Image: Newsquest) Priced between £26,195 and £31,695, the Dolphin is available in four trim levels, namely Active, Boost, Comfort and Design. That's pretty cheap for an EV - although it doesn't feel cheap when it comes to overall quality.

The available power varies depending on trim level.

The entry-level Active gets the smaller 44.9kWh battery and a 93bhp electric motor, with a range of about 211 miles.

Next up the trim trail, you come to the Boost, which has the same battery but 174bhp, multi-link rear suspension and 17-inch wheels, with a range that drops to 188 miles.

Comfort and Design both use the bigger pack with a 201bhp electric motor.

The bigger battery versions can sprint from 0-62mph in 7.0 seconds, which feels plenty quick enough for everyday situations, while 310 Nm of torque adds to the strong performance.

The Dolphin’s handling feels fairly agile, making for an enjoyable drive without providing too many driving thrills.

The interior of the Dolphin (Image: Newsquest) The car has a smart and confident appearance, using BYD’s “Ocean Aesthetics” design concept.

The grey bonnet and roof contrasted nicely with the blue bodywork, while BYD says the car’s rounded profile and side silhouette resembles the lines of a leaping dolphin.

The short front and rear overhangs and long wheelbase give the Dolphin a more spacious appearance.

Inside, the Dolphin’s cabin has the feel of that you might find in a more expensive car, with plenty of nice materials in use and some design flourishes dotted around. Indeed, just about every surface features a pattern or a textured finish.

The 12.8-inch touchscreen, which rotates between landscape and portrait at the mere press of a button, is the party piece.

In top-spec Design trim, you get a panoramic glass roof, wireless phone charging and rear privacy glass as well as some neat tri-colour alloy wheels and two-tone paintwork with a different-coloured roof.

The Dolphin has an eye-catching two-tone paintjob (Image: Newsquest) With seating for five occupants, the sports seats and headrests are made from vegan leather.

In terms of charging, the 60kWh pack charges at a maximum of 88kW from a DC charger. BYD says it can charged from 30-80% in 29 minutes, which isn't as quick as some key rivals.

Happily, 11kW AC charging is standard, meaning those who have a three-phase supply at home will benefit from decent speeds.

It’s worth noting that the Dolphin also comes with a heat pump as standard which means that the heating system draws far less power from the battery to warm and cool the cabin.

The Dolphin features a complete range of active and passive safety features. I wouldn’t normally list such features, but the list is so extensive in this case that it would be doing BYD a disservice not to.

The Dolphin viewed from the rear (Image: Newsquest) All models feature forward collision warning, autonomous emergency braking, rear collision warning, rear cross traffic alert and rear cross traffic brake, lane departure prevention and emergency lane keeping assist.

Adaptive cruise control and intelligent cruise control add to the relaxation of driving on the motorway.

The panoramic camera provides the driver with 360-degree visibility for safe vehicle manoeuvring. In addition, a Blind Spot Detection System, Electronic Stability Control, Traction Control, Hill Descent Control, Automatic Vehicle Hold, and Traffic Sign Recognition with Intelligent Speed Limit Control are included as additional driver aids.

BYD stands for Build Your Dreams – a Chinese giant that was probably the biggest company you'd never heard of - until its arrival in the UK car market.

All things considered, the Dolphin looks capable of making a splash as a relatively new arrival in waters where rivals have been swimming for many years.

BYD Dolphin ‘Design’

DRIVE TYPE: Front wheel

TOP SPEED: 99mph

ACCELERATION: 0-60mph in 7 seconds

ELECTRIC RANGE: 265 miles on WLTP combined scale

BATTERY TYPE: BYD Blade Battery (LFP)

RATED CAPACITY: 60.4 kWh.

DC charging time: 30-80% in 29 minutes PRICE: £31,695