BYD Dolphin review

Interior

Dashboard & tech

As with other BYD models, the Dolphin’s interior is dominated by a large central screen, though there’s a handy bar of physical controls for elements like driver modes to help improve overall usability. It’s at the end of this bar that you’ll find the Dolphin’s curiously-shaped gear selector, too. Like other BYD cars, this central screen can be rotated between portrait and landscape orientations, though if you’re planning on using the car’s wireless Apple CarPlay feature, you can only use this in the latter setting.

There’s a compact driver’s display, too, and while this might not be the largest, it incorporates all of the information that you could need, such as speed and range.

Comfort

The BYD Dolphin doesn’t do too badly in terms of comfort. The seats are nicely padded and quite wide, too, so you don’t feel hemmed in. There’s also a handy pre-conditioning feature, which means you can warm or cool the cabin remotely, either via a feature in the screen or with a smartphone app connected to the car. It means you can easily get the car to a comfortable temperature ahead of time.

The ride quality is good in this respect, too, though it can feel a little fidgety at lower speeds which makes the Dolphin less comfortable in some areas.

Quality

Though the Dolphin is one of BYD’s cheapest models, it doesn’t show it too much inside. There are some pleasant materials used in areas such as the dashboard, while the physical controls that you do interact with have a nice feel to them. There are some scratchier plastics further down the cabin, of course, but it’s to be expected of a car of this type.

Practicality & boot space

Interior space

For what is quite a small car, the BYD Dolphin does well in terms of interior space. Much of this can be attributed to the Dolphin’s upright, boxy shape which helps to boost headroom for taller passengers. Clever packaging of the battery means that there’s a completely flat floor in the back, too, increasing legroom over similarly-sized petrol cars.

Boot space

The amount of boot space that you get from the Dolphin isn’t bad at all, either. In fact, there are 345 litres to play with back there, including a handy underfloor section where you can store the charging cables. Sadly, there’s no additional ‘frunk’, but there’s still a good level of space for a car of this size.

You can, of course, fold down the rear seats and you’ll increase this boot space to 1,310 litres, helpin got boost overall versatility in the process.

Versatility

BYD has thought about busy drivers with the Dolphin, which is why you’ll find plenty of storage options tucked away here and there. We particularly like the large central cupholders, which are large enough for even bigger drinks.

The door bins are well-sized, too, and there’s a handy rubberised section in front of the central armrest which is ideal for your smartphone. As with most new cars, there are plenty of USB-C charge points dotted throughout the Dolphin’s cabin.

Driving

Driving experience

The experience that you get from behind the wheel is fuss-free. Everything feels light and easy to operate, with steering that is light enough for nipping in and out of city traffic.

This agility means that the Dolphin is a breeze to park, too, and because of the car’s compact size you should be able to get into most spaces. Once you’re up to speed, there is a little bit of wind noise to contend with, and there’s a faint whine from the electric motors as well.

Performance

Being a small, efficiency-focused city car, the BYD Seal isn’t the sort of model that you seek out if you want high levels of performance. Zero to 60mph comes in just under seven seconds, though, which is pretty respectable.

Plus, because of the Seal’s electric powertrain, the throttle response is crisp - making a quick getaway from the lights is easy. With a full charge, you should get up to 265 miles of range, too, meaning that this compact car can take on longer distances too.

Running costs

Fuel economy & CO2 emissions

Since the Dolphin uses an electric setup, you won’t have to worry about filling up. However, you’ll need to think about how you charge it if you’re after the best possible running costs.

Home charging will be the most cost-effective way of topping up the Dolphin, with EV-friendly tariffs allowing you to charge this car for around £10. However, if you’re having to rely on public charging, then your costs could go up.

Value for money

With a starting price of just over £30,000, the BYD Dolphin brings a lot of equipment for the money, including a 12.8-inch infotainment system and both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The good news is that because the Dolphin was launched a little while ago, you can find plenty of examples on the used market which will be cheaper than a brand-new version but still bring the same high level of technology.

Reliability & Warranty

BYD is well-known for its reliability and we can see this being carried through to the Dolphin. It has fewer moving parts than a traditional petrol or diesel hatchback, so initial running costs should be significantly lower.

All BYD models are covered by a standard six-year warranty, too, alongside an eight-year warranty for the battery.

Safety

Safety features

The Dolphin come equipped with plenty of safety features. You get autonomous emergency braking as standard, alongside emergency lane keep assist and adaptive cruise control. It is reflected in this car’s safety score, too, with Euro NCAP awarding the Dolphin its maximum five-star rating.

Trims & Engines

Trim levels

Things are kept simple with the range of trim levels available with the BYD Dolphin - there are just two. They are:

Comfort: Comfort brings a 12.8-inch infotainment system as standard, alongside both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration systems. There’s a driver’s display, too, while air conditioning comes equipped as standard, too.

Design: Design adds more upmarket features, including a panoramic sunroof, smartphone charging and ventilated and heated front seats.

Engines

The BYD Dolphin is only available with one electric motor and battery combination. All cars get a 60.4kWh battery for a range of up to 265 miles, while a 201bhp electric motor driving the front wheels unlocks a 0-60mph time of just under seven seconds. A maximum charge speed of 110kW means that the Dolphin can be taken from 10 to 80 per cent charge in 36 minutes.