I climbed into the Atto 8 wondering how BYD could justify nearly R1.3 million for it. I climbed out wondering what else at the price could match it.
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I climbed into the Atto 8 wondering how BYD could justify nearly R1.3 million for it. I climbed out wondering what else at the price could match it.
| Engine | Power & Torque | Transmission | 0 – 100km/h | Top Speed | Fuel Consumption |
| 1.5l turbo-petrol + dual e-motors with 35.6kWh Battery |
359kW & 675Nm | CVT | 6.3-seconds (tested) |
202km/h (tested) |
6.5l/100km (Combined)
(as tested) |
One would think that a R1.26-million BYD ought to be a difficult sell. But with seven genuinely useful seats, an extraordinary equipment list and effortless performance, the Atto 8 DM-p makes an unexpectedly strong case for itself. Let us address the large, lavishly appointed and leather-upholstered elephant in the room first. This flagship Atto 8 costs R1 259 900.
That is a considerable amount of money, particularly for a brand that many South African buyers are still getting to know. BYD may be one of the world’s most significant automotive manufacturers, but locally it continues to attract curiosity rather than the instinctive purchasing confidence enjoyed by more established brands. I approached the Atto 8 expecting a flagship that had overreached: too ambitious, too expensive and too reliant on a spectacular equipment list and lavish cabin to disguise a lack of substance.
I was wrong.
By the end of the test, I was wondering whether this might be the most complete premium family car I had driven all year. The DM-p is the performance derivative in the two-model Atto 8 range. It combines a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine with an electric motor on each axle, producing a total of 359kW and 675Nm. It is all-wheel drive, seats seven and comes with a 35.6kWh battery. BYD claims up to 130km of electric-only driving and a total combined range of 844km. Those are impressive numbers, but the real surprise is how convincingly the entire package works.
The Atto 8 Performance is properly quick. Its 359kW is deployed without much ceremony. It simply lifts its nose and surges forwards, the performance delivered from within a quiet and carefully insulated cabin. Acceleration is immediate when there is sufficient battery charge. Our VBOX equipment recorded a 0–100km/h time of 6.1 seconds. That is some way behind BYD’s claimed 4.9 seconds, but it remains more than quick enough for a large, fully equipped seven-seat SUV. More impressive is that the performance does not arrive with the usual penalty at the fuel pumps. We recorded combined fuel consumption of 6.5l/100km. That is an excellent result for something this large, powerful and heavy.
During the test, we also managed 77km of electric-only driving before plugging the vehicle into a home charger overnight. An average urban commuter could therefore complete many daily journeys without using the petrol engine at all, calling on the full hybrid system only when travelling further or demanding maximum performance. This is the modern advantage of a well-executed plug-in hybrid: much of the smoothness and low-speed refinement of an EV, without the range limitations on longer journeys.
Mostly, yes, but there is a caveat. When the battery is depleted or maximum acceleration is requested, the 1.5-litre engine has to work hard. The revs rise and remain elevated, introducing a coarse, droning soundtrack to a cabin that is otherwise beautifully subdued. It is not disastrous and seldom becomes obvious during ordinary driving. However, it exposes the difference in polish between the electric side of the powertrain and the combustion side. A larger or more powerful petrol engine might have made the transition less noticeable.
The Atto 8 delivers its greatest surprise once the road becomes rough. Its intelligent damping gives the car a soft-footed, exceptionally composed ride. It feels expensive — considerably more expensive than its badge or price might initially suggest. On the broken and patched tarmac common across South Africa, the Atto 8 remains calm, settled and almost indecently comfortable from every seating position. The comparison sounds absurd until you experience it, but there are moments when the Atto 8 approaches the isolation of a Mercedes-Benz S-Class or even a Bentley. Not in steering feel, pedigree or hand-finished theatre, obviously, but in the simple ability to make a poor road surface feel very far away. It is uncanny.
Physics does eventually submit an invoice. The DM-p weighs approximately 2.6 tonnes, and you feel that mass under heavy braking or during a rapid change of direction. The body remains controlled, but there is no disguising the momentum. This is not a sports car on stilts, nor should it be judged as one. The best approach is to ease back, allow the torque to do the work and enjoy the exceptional ride.
The cabin is another reason the price begins to look less ambitious and more opportunistic. Build quality is excellent, the materials feel convincingly upmarket and, crucially, the technology is approachable. There is plenty of it, but the interior does not resemble a badly organised electronics shop. The DM-p comes with a 15.6-inch touchscreen, a 26-inch head-up display, a 21-speaker audio system and an extensive collection of safety and driver-assistance features. The front and second-row seats offer heating, ventilation and massage functions, while roof-mounted air vents help distribute air to passengers further back.
There is a level of thoughtfulness here that is absent from some considerably more expensive luxury vehicles. Despite the quantity of equipment, nothing requires a lengthy tutorial. The controls are intuitive, the interface is straightforward and the important functions are relatively easy to find.
Yes, genuinely so. In many seven-seat SUVs, the third row is an emergency measure reserved for small children or people you do not particularly like. The Atto 8’s rearmost seats are far more accommodating, helped by the vehicle’s overall length and 2 950mm wheelbase. With all seven seats raised, approximately 270 litres of luggage capacity remains. With five seats in use, the luggage space grows to more than 950 litres. Fold the second row as well and the available capacity expands to approximately 1 960 litres. That is more than a Volkswagen Touareg offers with its rear seats lowered. The combination of usable passenger space, comfort and outright carrying capacity makes the Atto 8 a properly convincing family vehicle rather than merely a large SUV with two occasional seats added at the back.
The Atto 8’s plug-in hybrid system makes considerable sense for buyers who can charge at home. The claimed 130km electric range may prove optimistic in everyday conditions, but our achieved 77km remains enough to cover many daily commutes without using petrol.
For longer journeys, the combustion engine removes the need to plan around public charging infrastructure. The result is a vehicle that can behave like an EV during the week and a conventional long-distance family car when necessary. Its 6.5l/100km tested consumption is particularly impressive when viewed alongside its performance, size and 2.6-tonne mass. There are broader ownership considerations. BYD’s novelty means parts availability and dealer network could be a worry. The target for dealerships is over 40 by the end of 2026 and that’s a reasonable number.
BYD still has brand-building to do in South Africa. For some buyers, paying nearly R1.3 million for its flagship SUV will require a leap of faith that would not be necessary with a similarly priced vehicle from an established premium manufacturer. Dealer coverage, resale values and long-term familiarity will all form part of that calculation. Those concerns are legitimate, but they relate more to the badge than to this vehicle itself. Judged purely as a car, the Atto 8 DM-p is tremendously difficult to fault.
Chinese manufacturers have developed a habit of overwhelming buyers with technology. Sometimes it works. Often it comes at the expense of ride quality, drivability, build quality, character or basic ease of use.
The Atto 8 achieves something far more difficult. It feels thoughtfully luxurious, refreshingly intuitive and genuinely well resolved. It does not merely compensate for an unfamiliar badge by offering more screens, more power or more equipment. It gets the fundamentals right. The weight is always present in the background, and the petrol engine could be more refined when pushed. Neither issue undermines the wider achievement.
The Atto 8 feels like a premium product in the areas that matter most. It combines remarkable comfort, real-world efficiency, strong performance, usable space and a level of equipment that makes its price look unexpectedly sensible. Family car of the year?
Maybe. Just maybe.
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