BYD Atto 3 vs Tesla model Y standard

Fian

I am torn between these two.

The model y costs about 6k extra - 47 vs 41 for top spec Atto 3.

Both come with an LFP battery made by BYD, the Atto one is slightly higher capacity but range is very similar. As is 0-100km acceleration.

The BYD comes with a sunroof that opens, android Auto and Apple car play. The Tesla has dashcam recording (BYD has better 360degree cameras but doesn't seem to record) and has some cool features like autlocking and starting.

Tesla has a longer track record in Europe. and let's face it has a cooler badge/name recognition. The Atto on the other hand has nicer interior imo, just nicer feel to buttons/surfaces etc. Also prefer the gear selector in the Atto.

both have pretty poor rear visibility, but I guess both have rear cameras to help make up for that.

Tesla is a bit larger, with a good deal more boot space. They both have 11kw home charging, but the tesla has better DC charging, even though both using BYD blade battery.

Android Auto might actually clinch it for me tbh, I really like the way that just opens google maps and spotify immediately on the screen, those are probably the two things I want on the screen from day to day.

I've never had an EV before, I guess the point of this thread is because I am wondering am I missing anything that makes one really stand out ahead of the other? Any Atto or Model Y drivers can tell me a good reason why one beats the other?

Gumbo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058305195/byd-atto-3-vs-tesla-model-y-standard

Price - Personal choice here based on personal budget.

Space - Model Y wins here in every department.

Home charging - both have 7kw charging, not 11kw (unless you have 3 phase).

Interior - really personal here with what you like. I like minimalist design. The BYD has some strange centre console controls for the radio etc which I didn’t like. Flimsy rotating screen for what reason I don’t know.

Google Maps - this is also on screen in the Tesla as it’s google overlay.

Spotify - also immediately on screen in the Tesla.

The best advice I can give us drive both to see what you like best. Everything else is subjective. You have to make sure you like what you drive.

Gumbo

Size wise

BYD

Model Y

slave1

Why are you assuming Blade battery for the Y? Y has access to Tesla SuC network, does Atto have heatpump? I thunk the Y will have better resale value and the Tesla app is excellent, audio is top notch in the Y also.

T

MarkN

Why not Model 3 may I ask? Just in the mix of the above two I mean.

JPA

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120855784#Comment_120855784

Not an SUV shape.

MojoMaker

Atto isn't an SUV either though, and it and MY aren't competitors on any planet.

JPA

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120856134#Comment_120856134

They are marketing as one, but I agree. They are different realms.

AMKC

The Atto 3 is the much nicer car inside and outside compared to the Tesla and probably built better than the Tesla too but it's really up to you and your preferences.

Test drive them and pick the one you prefer.

MojoMaker

Keep smokin' 😂

Fian

Thanks for help all. In fact I have been thinking about it further and decided to go with the BYD dolphin. It is more like a VW golf than an SUV, but surprisingly spacious inside, i guess because of there being no ICE and associated mechanics. It has the same motor, battery, wireless phone charging, V2L, heatpump and infotainment system with android auto/apple car play as the Atto 3. Lower ride height but still feels spacious inside. It has a panaromic sunroof that does not open like the Atto's does, but apart from that the only difference between it and the ATTO is the more plastic interior and that the sun-roof doesn't open. Also the Atto has nicer looking alloy wheels not a fan of the ones on the dolphin, oh and I don't think it has an electric automatically opening boot.

I did test drive the Dolphin, the Atto and the Tesla model Y today.

Definitely less luxurious feel than either the Tesla or the Atto, and I would prefer the higher ride height, but it will be more practical for my kids driving it and it is only 32k. I was thinking "well only another €9k for the Atto which looks better and feels more luxurious, but when I think of that in percentage terms - about 30% of the dolphin's cost - I realised I just don't care about that enough to justify paying 30% more. Seats are still leather and very comfortable in the dolphin and how often would I actually reach out to feel the soft dashboard on the Atto?

Anyway thanks for comments. Fwiw I can think of one reason to prefer the tesla over the Atto not mentioned above - the Atto and the dolphin both play a humming sound at low speeds, to let pedestrians know you are there I guess, but I would prefer if it were silent. It disappears once you are up to speed but this means it plays everytime you pull away at traffic lights, which is not ideal. It is not very loud but it is loud enough to be audible in the car.

Gumbo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120856335#Comment_120856335

“Probably built better”

Tesla is probably built better than the BYD.

😳

rocky

https://insideevs.com/news/672926/china-abandoned-electric-car-graveyard-byd-geely/

Field of Dreams, take 2

DrPsychia

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120857570#Comment_120857570

Classic misinformation by a racist YouTuber. The video was from 2019 around which time the emissions standards changed. The older emissions cars couldn’t be sold if they weren’t registered before the national 6 standards came into law. There was company MicroCity that got into financial difficulties so that explains their cars in the video

DrPsychia

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058305195/byd-atto-3-vs-tesla-model-y-standard

It really depends on your budget constraints.

The Model Y SR is more spacious for passengers and had more storage space, more powerful and has the supercharger network. However the Y is considerably more expensive. Model Y advertised boot capacity is very misleading by not including parcel shelf in the capacity measurements contrary to industry practice. Sound system and app is better in the Tesla but the Atto3 app is perfectly adequate.

With Atto you can use Google maps or Waze so it wins on navigation choice. Tesla only uses a Google maps overlay.

Atto has parking sensors front and rear unlike the terrible TeslaVision system which only use cameras to replace USS in the 2023+ Teslas.

Atto has active mirror blind spot monitoring unlike the Tesla which only shows on the infotainment when you indicate. Much safer implementation in the Atto3. Atto 3 has 4 rear facing radars which is used for rear cross traffic alert/braking and rear collision warning.

Atto 3 boot can be opened with a touch of a physical button from the drivers seat unlike the Tesla which requires you to either use a voice command or the display. Atto 3 has more tactile buttons for various functions unlike the Tesla. Atto 3 has a drivers display.

You can turn off the air vents in the Atto 3 using a physical slider switch unlike Tesla which is quite complicated to do on the infotainment screen.

Tesla has heat pump, atto 3 also has a heat pump.

Atto 3 real world range is about 325km, Model Y SR is 350km according to evdatabase so the Y is more efficient.

Atto 3 has a less annoying standard drivers assistance system. I hate the guitar strings on the Atto 3 doors, utterly pointless piece of design.

Gumbo mentioned the rotating screen was flimsy. Funny because I found the opposite is true. I found it to be very sturdy and doesn't rock when I hit potholes or nagivate the screen.

On build quality it's hard to know yet because it's early days. It couldn't be worse than Tesla which was well known particularly for panel gaps and soft paint(much improved panel gaps on MiC Y's).

IMO the Atto 3 is the better value for money given that it's considerably cheaper, more safety tech and better overall warranty. I know the Atto 3 doesn't have sentry style system but you could hardwire a front and rear dashcam.

I think the Atto 3 will depreciate more than the Model Y.

Gumbo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120859143#Comment_120859143

All very good comparisons.

Air vents on the MY can be turned off with one touch on the screen. The climate is permanent on display in the bottom right and touching it turns it on/off.

How does the warranty differ? I thought they both had the same 4 year general and 8 year battery/drivetrain?

Boot opening on the MY is a one touch on the main display once in park. No messing about with displays or voice commands as mentioned.

Build quality is on par with each other as you’d expect at the cheap end of the market. I too wouldn’t expect one to massively better than the other here.

DrPsychia

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120861710#Comment_120861710

The Atto has a 4 year general vehicle warranty up to 120k kilometres(exclusions apply of course). Drive Motor warranty 8 years/150k kilometres, Battery is 8 years 200k kilometres.

Another positive for the Tesla I forgot to mention is the Ranger service which is fantastic.

Re the air vents, I'm talking about turning off driver/ passenger vents separately. The front passenger can't turn off the vents on their side, You can only turn off all vents which isn't ideal. Maybe that changed in recent software updates?

Gumbo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120861947#Comment_120861947

200k is good in fairness. Hopefully never needed. I think the Tesla is 192k for the dual motors.

Not sure about turning off the dual zone separately but in a small closed cabin of a car it makes no difference. Dual zone in itself is useless in any car IMO.

mfceiling

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120862131#Comment_120862131

Dual zone climate control.

As John bishop said "you're sitting here at 15 degrees and the other person is right there at 30 degrees. So unless you're an African giving an Eskimo a lift it's useless" 😂

DrPsychia

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120862131#Comment_120862131

I'm with you on the dual zone point but some of my family like to turn the vents off on their side, it's a unnecessary but nice option to save listening to complaints.

ted1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120862255#Comment_120862255

you’d get a good sea breeze with those temperatures difference. The warmer air will raise to the top sucking in the cooler air from your neighbour

Red Silurian

Fairly sure that Tesla use CATL batteries in shanghai built Model Y's, not BYD ones which are Berlin produced, although it shouldn't affect your decision as both are highly rated batteries

slave1

..and the CATL are higher capacity so slightly longer range IIRC

Buttros

https://youtu.be/gqglfWtT4w4

Not available yet but maybe a closer comparison to the MY. Would expect it to be between the Atto 3 and MY price wise. Performance is underwhelming

Fian

I pulled the trigger today. Decided to go for the Atto 3.

Android auto (and apple car play for the rest of my family), sunroof that opens, the slightly larger infotainment screen and more importantly the smaller screen showing speed, range, charge etc. behind the steering wheel tipped the balance for me. I prefer that to looking over at central screen for checking speed etc. and I like having that sort of information displayed all the time while still having maps + spotify on the main one. And tbh there is a reason why standard cars put the speedometer right in front of the driver and not in the middle of the car.

I also much prefer the gear selector in the Atto and the soft touch surfaces. I prefer the look of the Atto interior, though obviously there will be plenty for whom their preference goes the other way. I'm not sure if the tesla has a wireless phone charging pad? that isn't a huge deal for me but it seems to be a big deal for my (young adult) children.

I think I prefer the Atto seats, though tbh that last is pretty even and probably a matter of personal taste.

There's not alot of difference in price (for the standard spec Tesla - the gap obviously widens for the higher models) but what difference there is is in favour of the Atto. As against that I suspect the resale value of the Atto will probably be lower because the badge recognition of a tesla is better, maybe that will change over time though, who knows.

Either car would check all the core boxes for me tbh, comfortable to drive and ride in and safe. I'm not looking for 0-60 in 4 seconds, in fact that would be a negative for me since my kids are driving around in the car, but I do want enough to overtake quickly and safely and to be nippy in changing lanes in traffic.

Model Y is a little roomier but the Atto is plenty roomy enough. Either one is roomy for four adults and a little tight for 5.

3 years ago I would have laughed at anyone who told me I would ever be buying a new car rather than second hand, but I am really looking forward to picking it up next weekend.

unkel

Ordered today, picking up next week? That's quick, @Fian. Well wear!

Do you mind sharing how much the total cost of the car was?

unkel

Ordered today, picking up next week? That's quick, @Fian. Well wear!

Do you mind sharing how much the total cost of the car was?

Redfox25

Enjoy the new car.

AMKC

Congratulations @Fian on making the right decision for you and your family. I hope it gives you many years of pleasant trouble free motoring.

Do share a few pictures when you get it unlike some people who promise too and then never do. Yes you know who you are.

Only picked up their new car for there better half there recently and did not share the pics of it.

staples7

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120898257#Comment_120898257

Best of luck with it, I still couldn't look past the Y in this match up, but im guessing you're saving 6-7k?

I get MG vibes from the Atto regards exterior or an older model Sportage. The back is nice though.

Interior could age badly also , again in my opinion.

DrPsychia

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120900173#Comment_120900173

The Atto and Model Y are not in the same vehicle segment but I can see why people would compare them. If ones budget is already stretched at €40K then you can't seriously consider a Model Y. And if you're not into fast acceleration then the Atto 3 is the best buy in this electric crossover segment, it has the most hardware tech, decent range, decent space, and a great warranty for an affordable price.