A year ago, there was hardly any choice for those looking for an EV for around 25,000 euros, but now the BYD Dolphin Surf is easily the seventh car in this category. So, the small BYD will need more than just that bright paint color to stand out in this segment.
Another New Byd? They’re moving fast there!
That’s certainly true, although with this, BYD is actually bringing an existing model to Europe. The BYD Dolphin Surf is secretly not that new at all, but has been sold in China as the BYD Seagull since 2023. With success, because since then, almost a million Seagulls have been sold. There, it costs roughly half of what the car should cost us as a Dolphin Surf, but with €22,990, its starting price can still be called sharp.
Are there more options in the price range of the byd dolphin surf?
Absolutely, this is even the seventh EV in the price range up to 25,000 euros. Count along: Dacia Spring, Citroën ë-C3, Fiat Grande Panda, Hyundai Inster, Dongfeng Box and Leapmotor T03. In the future, Volkswagen will also get involved with an ID.1, but then we are a few years further.
Is the Byd Dolphin Surf Identical to the Chinese Byd Seagull?
Not entirely. For example, the car has two windshield wipers instead of one (but still no rear wiper) and the thicker bumpers make the Surf no less than 20 centimeters longer than the original. Where a Seagull is available with a blue or pink (!) interior, the European version keeps it with a tasteful combination of black and gray.
How is the interior of the byd dolphin surf?
Just like in the larger (actually unrelated) Dolphin, there is quite a lot of hard plastic in the dashboard, which is certainly no shame in this segment. The build quality is neat and the design is original, as we have come to expect from BYD. Even the typical, rotatable infotainment screen can simply be found in this smallest and cheapest BYD, although it is a considerable size smaller than in other models. The infotainment system works fine and is standard equipped with Android Auto and Apple Carplay, although it is a shame that the drop-down menu in which you turn off the speed warning often responds slowly or not at all.
BYD Dolphin Surf
How spacious is the byd dolphin surf?
With a length of just under 4 meters, the Surf falls in the middle of the new, electric A-segment. Where an Inster or ë-C3 looks a bit SUV-like, the BYD is more like a small MPV. A very small one, but for such a compact model, the space is really quite decent. On the strictly two-seater rear seat, most adults are still very decent and the luggage space of 308 liters is well comparable to that of many competitors, who often put a tighter rear seat against it. A parcel shelf is missing in the BYD, but the standard tinted rear window keeps curious eyes out nicely.
What about the range of the byd dolphin surf?
The smallest BYD is also equipped with BYD’s Blade Battery. That is an LFP battery built from ‘slices’, which you can therefore safely charge to 100 percent without punishment. To be honest: in the case of the basic Active version, that is just as well. It only has 30 kWh in house and therefore does not go further than about 220 kilometers, even according to the WLTP cycle. By far the most Dutch people will therefore opt for a Boost, which, like the Comfort – the version names are deliberately alphabetical – has a (net) 43.2 kWh large battery. This should make a range of more than 300 kilometers possible and that is fairly market-compliant in this segment, although an Inster achieves 370 kilometers in the most favorable case. The Active and Boost versions of the Dolphin Surf share the same 88 hp electric motor, the Comfort is remarkably powerful with 156 hp for this ‘lower class’.
How does the byd dolphin surf drive?
We drive our first kilometers with that top version and the Comfort indeed has more than enough power. Its front wheels sometimes even have some trouble getting things on the road, although the electronics intervene quickly and the car always remains safe and predictable. Its handling is distinctly comfortable, remarkably comfortable even for such a small car. The chassis is soft, but not limp and feels well put together. In a fast corner it leans heavily, but the direct steering and ditto throttle response still give it a lively character. Pretty nice, then. The noise level on board also remains extraordinarily reasonable and the range of driving assistance systems is downright impressive. The Dolphin Surf has, for example, standard adaptive cruise control and a (somewhat raggedly working) active steering assistant, provisions that the competition often does not even offer. The seating position is high, but not unpleasant, partly thanks to the depth-adjustable steering wheel. Towards the front, the many glass offers a lot of overview, when reversing you are quickly grateful for the (standard) reversing camera or (not standard) 360-degree camera.
What else is on the smallest byd?
Now that we’re talking about the equipment: that is perhaps the most important ‘usp’ of this car. Every Surf has the aforementioned driving aids, the camera and the screen as standard, but also artificial leather and the possibility to use your phone or smartwatch as a key. In addition to the larger battery, the Boost also adds electric seat adjustment (!) and light metal, plus a rain sensor and electrically folding exterior mirrors. The Comfort is even more luxurious and is also the only version with seat heating. Amidst all the luxury, it is striking that no Dolphin Surf has automatic climate control. However, that is one of the few stitches that this little newcomer drops. The Dolphin Surf is well put together, looks and feels complete and offers very decent specifications, a lot of luxury and a lot of space for its money, although there are now really competitors for which this also applies.