THE BYD Atto 2 arrives with proportions most people grasp instantly.
It pairs a compact SUV height with an upright stance, and rounded corners that soften the whole thing.
It looks friendly rather than futuristic, in a segment where many new electric vehicles (EVs) default to razor-thin lights, smooth noses and a deliberately techy face.
If you follow Chinese-market EV design closely, the deja vu is real.
Recent launches often share the same cues, from pop-out handles on some models to pared-back dashboards built around a big centre display.
The Atto 2 follows the script, pairing an 8.8-inch digital instrument cluster with a 12.8-inch central touchscreen, but it keeps the details relatively approachable.
Price and pitch
Pricing is the first hook.
At just over RM100,000 on-the-road, the Atto 2 sits in that sweet spot where buyers start running quick comparisons against familiar compact SUVs such as the Chery Tiggo Cross Hybrid and Proton X50, as well as the growing list of entry-level EVs.
The Premium-only spec sheet is impressively long, though it does invite a closer look at where BYD eventually drew the line.
Sensible stance
Outside, the Atto 2 skips fully flush, motorised door handles and uses semi-concealed ones instead. That is not just styling.
After a crash, rescuers may need a quick, obvious grab point from the outside, and pop-out mechanisms can be another thing to fail if the car’s electrics are compromised.
A simple, physical handle is the safer kind of boring. The tailgate is another tell.
There is no powered tailgate and no hands-free convenience.
You can unlock it electrically, but you still lift and close it by hand.
It is simple, predictable, and about as honest as cost-cutting gets.
Inside, the cabin is practical, with hard plastics where you expect them at this price, but the layout stays tidy and intuitive.
Better still, BYD keeps physical buttons on the centre console for key tasks such as drive modes.
Touch-only cabins look modern, right up to the moment you hit a pothole and start stabbing icons like you are playing whack-a-mole.
Gimmicks, mostly
Then there is the party piece: BYD’s rotating centre screen.
It is a neat trick the first time you do it, and portrait can be handy for navigation because it shows more road ahead.
The catch is that most people live on Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, which turns the rotation into a “show it once” feature.
That “nice on paper” theme continues with a few other touches.
The Atto 2 includes BYD’s digital key and a card key, which can be genuinely convenient, but many owners will still default to the regular key because it just works.
Vehicle-to-load (V2L) is another: useful if you actually picnic, camp, or run tools, but easy to ignore if your life is mostly office, mall, and school run.
What you get
On core kit, the Atto 2 plays a strong hand for the money.
Expect the usual modern safety and convenience mix such as six airbags, active safety assistance, a 360-degree camera, wireless phone charging, and smartphone connectivity.
The useful, unsexy detail is that it also brings USB-A and USB-C ports front and rear, which passengers notice faster than any marketing line.
The boot is a real asset.
At 400 litres with the seats up and up to 1,320 litres with the rear bench folded, it is properly competitive for a compact city SUV.
There is no frunk, and the Atto 2 uses a tyre repair kit rather than a spare, but the main cargo area does the job for groceries, prams, and weekend luggage.
Drive notes
On the road, the Atto 2 feels calm and easy, which is the point.
With 130kW and 290Nm relayed to the front wheels, it responds smartly when you squeeze the pedal, especially in Sport mode, but it does not try to headbutt you into the headrest at every green light.
The steering is light, the footprint is easy to thread through traffic, and that combination suits tight lanes and crowded car parks.
Regeneration is adjustable and behaves as expected.
In Normal, the lift-off effect feels mild.
Switch to High and the deceleration is more obvious, giving you better control in stop-start traffic once you acclimatise.
Refinement holds up at sensible speeds, then wind noise builds as you push into triple digits, particularly around the mirrors and A-pillars.
That is not unusual in this class, but it is worth noting if you expect bigger-car hush all the time.
Keeping it real
On range, BYD quotes 410km NEDC (350km, WLTP).
In the real world, treat the WLTP number as the more realistic guide, and expect results to swing with speed, heat, traffic, tyres, and your right foot.
That places the Atto 2 firmly as a city-biased EV that can do outstation runs with planning, rather than a “charge whenever you remember” long-distance tool.
We averaged 14kWh/100km across mixed highway, urban, and suburban use, which sits neatly in the expected range for a compact EV.
In Malaysia’s major urban areas, charger reliability and user experience increasingly matter as much as raw coverage.
For intercity and rural travel, charger density still makes or breaks the trip.
Against this backdrop, the Atto 2 keeps the car-side bit straightforward: 7kW AC and up to 82kW DC.
Empty to full on AC takes around eight hours.
DC fast charging delivers 10% to 80% in roughly 37 minutes on a working charger.
There is also a tax footnote worth making in 2026.
Under the new kW-based EV road tax table, a 130kW car attracts RM120 a year, which keeps the annual bill reasonable for this class.
Closing thoughts
The Atto 2 is not the cheapest electric thing with four wheels, but it feels well judged: compact, easy to live with, generously specified, and clear-eyed about where the money goes.
A few gimmicks come along for the ride, but the everyday bits do the heavy lifting.
SPECIFICATIONS
BYD Atto 2 (Premium)
Electric motor: Permanent magnet synchronous motor
Drivetrain: Front-wheel drive
Maximum power: 130kW (175hp)
Maximum torque: 290Nm
Battery capacity & type: 51.13kWh, BYD Blade Battery (LFP)
Range: 410km (NEDC) / 350km (WLTP)
Charger type: Type 2 (AC) / CCS2 (DC)
AC charging (max): 7kW
DC charging (max): 82kW
Charging time (AC, 0–100%): Around 8 hours
Charging time (DC, 10-80%): 37 mins
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Features (highlights): Six airbags; ABS; ESC; ISOFIX; 360-degree view monitor; adaptive cruise control; AEB; lane departure warning; 12.8-inch rotating touchscreen; 8.8-inch digital instrument panel; 50W wireless phone charger; wireless & wired Apple CarPlay/Android Auto; ventilated front seats; LED headlights/DRL; tyre repair kit; automatic air-conditioning; digital key; card key; V2L function; 4 USB ports (A and C)
Suspension: Front MacPherson struts; rear torsion beam
Acceleration (0–100kph): 7.9s
Top speed: 160kph
Minimum turning radius: 5.25m
Boot capacity: 400L (1,320L with rear seats folded)
Price: RM100,820 (OTR without insurance, subject to revision)
