Thank you Bryan for acknowledging that us oldies aren’t all technophobes; none of the tech in cars holds any fears for me - just getting in and out of the b****y things 🙂
Another very good review. I have seen quite a few reviews of the BYD Dolphin and you are the third reviewer to mention that the big screen is not very bright. The other reviewers who made that comment were from the UK and Ireland. Nobody from Australia or New Zealand have made that comment and the climate is a lot sunnier there. I think that it was the reviewer from Ireland who thinks that the screen was brighter when the satellite navigation is being displayed. Maybe it could be the dismal weather in the British Isles that confuses an automatic brightness system? This could be academic because I think that an upgraded Dolphin could be arriving in the not to distant future with the 15.6" screen, that is the same as my laptop. You are very perceptive with your views on the target buyers for this car. On watching RUclips videos about the Dolphin, some videos showed Chinese advertising videos and there were only young women in the cars. Maybe that explains the colour schemes? I don't like big cars and my previous car was a 2002 Ford Fiesta Ghia that I had for 11 and a bit years. It was a very nice car but the boot was too small and it was difficult to get large items like a chair in the back of the car because the rear doors would not open very wide. My current car is a 2014 Nissan Note with the DIG-S engine and 360 degree cameras, it has loads of interior space yet was small enough to fit into the garage of my previous house. My new house has a double garage and so I am not as constrained when buying a car. The Note is 10.5 years old and while it is a good car, I am looking for a replacement and am looking for an EV that is not worse than the Note in any important area. Out of all the EVs that I have seen in the reviews, the Dolphin seems to best fit my needs. That is small, well equipped, good interior space and parking assistance equipment. I have a problem with the retina of my left eye and the large screen is a definite win for me. I think that it is possible to display a helicopter view on the car travelling on the road along with the satellite navigation, the helicopter view could be useful when driving along busy motorways and narrow streets with cars parked on both sides. While most of my driving would be around town, I will be going with three friends to a Maine Coon cat show and a Dolphin would be good for doing things like that. I care for two big fluffy ragdoll pussy cats and the each has a big cat basket and I need a fair amount of space to get both baskets in the car and they just about fit in the Note. I also do hill walking in the Peak District. You are so perceptive that I have to admit that I am 67. I just want a small comfortable practical car that has a lot of equipment to make life easy, and apart from the voice recognition system not recognising Scottish accent, the system works well, not the best but good. The LFP batteries are a selling point because of their robustness and safety (less likely to catch on fire). The Note is not that powerful and the 150kW motor of the Comfort and Design trims would be an advantage for easier driving, the range of these trims is also very important. If there is no better option, I will probably buy a Design trim Dolphin next year, hopefully with the 15.6" display.
You can add a shortcut for disabling the (TSR) speed limit warning (when you swipe down at the top of the screen). It was a game changer when I added it to mine.
I buy new Dolphin standard range in Thailand £12800 and it’s an amazing car to drive and comprehensively equipped except there are no electric seats or wireless charging pad and no sunroof. The car is awesome at the price point l buy it at. Disagree about eco mode -sport mode in the review of the car. Sport mode is awesome but you do lose battery range but eco makes battery last longer, my car is in a single metallic grey color with all black interior so looks quite sporty l think. I do not like the 2 tone colour of the higher spec cars. My car come with Chinese Linglong tyres but l have changed the tyres to Dunlop at a very cheap cost of £170 for the 4 tyres.
Another great and comprehensive review Bryan. I agree that this entry level model is the most sensible buy in the Dolphin range and I can see why you think it may appeal more to older driver’s but speaking as a septuagenarian I find a B class supermini a better size of car. Easier to manoeuvre and park with enough space for my daily requirements. I’m not in the market for a new EV yet but more attracted to the forthcoming Renault 5 even if the higher trim levels might be nudging £30k. I hope you will have the opportunity to review and drive the R5 before long.
Seems the UK gets the same bad pricing as the EU: in Australia or Brazil and many other countries, this car is sold between 20.000-22.000€ (between 18k-19k pounds)... But the UK pays the same amount as Europe it seems. Bad pricing and this is why BYD will flop here
BYD’s problem is price. The review model is smaller than the MG4 but is slower, has less range and charges slower but is a similar price. Lots of MG4 offers starting at less than £20k. Also I don’t think you will get over 200 miles from a 44kwh battery even with a heat pump. Anyway good to see more EV options becoming available.
I think this is going to be a future sales hit. Equipment level high and low price reminds me of the Kia Rio. That started the Korean march and look where they are now.
can not see how this is better than the MG4 base, especially as generally MG4 can be brought cheaper now and I am biased but just a better car (I have MG4 trophy ER)
Why the hell would you review the stand dolphin yes it's 0 to 60 in 12 seconds but for an extra 😂6 grand you get the premium and that's 0 to 60 in 6.8 seconds I totally understand why you would review the standard because most of the cars you review are engine cars and you don't want to show them up with a Chinese hot hatch under 50k
We've already reviewed the premium one when it was launched last year. This is an additional review of the standard car as we review all electric cars. So, I'm sorry, but your provocative remarks won't wash here.
Absolutely agree on the colour scheme. I have been ranting about this ever since I learned there was a mono-tone version of this car [[which was only a relatively short time ago, since the marketing only ever presents you with the hideous two-tone version]]. The car is ugly enough as it is (as are most BYDs, bar the Seal and the Seagull); but the two-tone version is just bad. The car looks like it was in an accident and the owner got a cheap used replacement bonnet in a different colour. I just keep wondering who thought this was a good idea, and who insisted on pushing the two-tone version on all the reviewers and in all the marketing events?
If I was a dolphin I’d be seriously pissed that someone thought that total piece of design failure warranted a name like Dolphin . It looks like a Dacia rammed a Chevrolet matiz . £26k new - 1 yr later pre owned to the next guy @ 5k or less . Good review but hard pass for me
But a new variant. And its aimed at those who may not have seen the other and might be considering a purchase of this one. But sorry if you were bored....
@@AutoEV some people eh ?? I watched it all even after the first one because so interested int he market, it was your review above all that persuaded me the MG4 as the one for me even though never tested the model I have
I don't think the EVs are going to get much cheaper. I am advised by someone in the business that they are already being sold as cheaply as they dare, and at a loss - which isn't sustainable. The manufacturers are instead going to reduce the number of ICEs available to the UK market to avoid the Government penalties of £15,000 per electric car under the proportion threshold of 22% of total new sales in 2024.
no it is not but like with all new tech the car I have now will be outdated by renewal time but I get that. The point is to set the market and as you build more as demand increases the costs come down and then into profitability. All new tech needs investment at the start, heck Apple did this and the iPhone totally turned it around but bet it was not big profits at all at the start. In this case though BYD have the battery business to back it up and of course using them themselves, Remeber Tesla until the 3 were a loss maker and then mass selling brought in profits (if we believe Musk !!)
@@ianrob4760that hasn't played out. They pocketed their profits in neglect of real inward investment for over a decade, they pivoted to aim for upmarket crossover SUVs no matter the fuel. All of a sudden there's an over supply of cars that only companies can really afford to finance?
Why dont they make an even smaller battery at 20,kwh with a range of about 10 miles for the people with very few brain cells..and more money than sense..
@@waynekerrr9027 Until they either get legislated of the roads or petrol stations begin closing, and finding petrol gets more difficult...which it will over the net 10+ years... Shell UK already have plans in place to cut the production of petrol and diesel by up to 40% once EV adoption increases. Details were in one of their previous business reports. Shell were one of the organisations who lobbied the last government to bring *forward* the original 2035 ban on the sale of new ICE cars and vans to 2030.... The National Grid were another.
Thank you Bryan for acknowledging that us oldies aren’t all technophobes; none of the tech in cars holds any fears for me - just getting in and out of the b****y things 🙂
Another very good review.
I have seen quite a few reviews of the BYD Dolphin and you are the third reviewer to mention that the big screen is not very bright. The other reviewers who made that comment were from the UK and Ireland. Nobody from Australia or New Zealand have made that comment and the climate is a lot sunnier there. I think that it was the reviewer from Ireland who thinks that the screen was brighter when the satellite navigation is being displayed. Maybe it could be the dismal weather in the British Isles that confuses an automatic brightness system?
This could be academic because I think that an upgraded Dolphin could be arriving in the not to distant future with the 15.6" screen, that is the same as my laptop.
You are very perceptive with your views on the target buyers for this car. On watching RUclips videos about the Dolphin, some videos showed Chinese advertising videos and there were only young women in the cars. Maybe that explains the colour schemes?
I don't like big cars and my previous car was a 2002 Ford Fiesta Ghia that I had for 11 and a bit years. It was a very nice car but the boot was too small and it was difficult to get large items like a chair in the back of the car because the rear doors would not open very wide. My current car is a 2014 Nissan Note with the DIG-S engine and 360 degree cameras, it has loads of interior space yet was small enough to fit into the garage of my previous house. My new house has a double garage and so I am not as constrained when buying a car.
The Note is 10.5 years old and while it is a good car, I am looking for a replacement and am looking for an EV that is not worse than the Note in any important area. Out of all the EVs that I have seen in the reviews, the Dolphin seems to best fit my needs. That is small, well equipped, good interior space and parking assistance equipment. I have a problem with the retina of my left eye and the large screen is a definite win for me. I think that it is possible to display a helicopter view on the car travelling on the road along with the satellite navigation, the helicopter view could be useful when driving along busy motorways and narrow streets with cars parked on both sides.
While most of my driving would be around town, I will be going with three friends to a Maine Coon cat show and a Dolphin would be good for doing things like that. I care for two big fluffy ragdoll pussy cats and the each has a big cat basket and I need a fair amount of space to get both baskets in the car and they just about fit in the Note. I also do hill walking in the Peak District.
You are so perceptive that I have to admit that I am 67. I just want a small comfortable practical car that has a lot of equipment to make life easy, and apart from the voice recognition system not recognising Scottish accent, the system works well, not the best but good. The LFP batteries are a selling point because of their robustness and safety (less likely to catch on fire). The Note is not that powerful and the 150kW motor of the Comfort and Design trims would be an advantage for easier driving, the range of these trims is also very important. If there is no better option, I will probably buy a Design trim Dolphin next year, hopefully with the 15.6" display.
The 16" alloys look much less prone to kerbing than big wheels with ultra low profile tyres
nice looking EV and the used prices will be even more attractive in a couple of years time
You can add a shortcut for disabling the (TSR) speed limit warning (when you swipe down at the top of the screen). It was a game changer when I added it to mine.
Great Review, it will be of interest in the future.
I buy new Dolphin standard range in Thailand £12800 and it’s an amazing car to drive and comprehensively equipped except there are no electric seats or wireless charging pad and no sunroof. The car is awesome at the price point l buy it at. Disagree about eco mode -sport mode in the review of the car. Sport mode is awesome but you do lose battery range but eco makes battery last longer, my car is in a single metallic grey color with all black interior so looks quite sporty l think. I do not like the 2 tone colour of the higher spec cars. My car come with Chinese Linglong tyres but l have changed the tyres to Dunlop at a very cheap cost of £170 for the 4 tyres.
Another great and comprehensive review Bryan. I agree that this entry level model is the most sensible buy in the Dolphin range and I can see why you think it may appeal more to older driver’s but speaking as a septuagenarian I find a B class supermini a better size of car. Easier to manoeuvre and park with enough space for my daily requirements. I’m not in the market for a new EV yet but more attracted to the forthcoming Renault 5 even if the higher trim levels might be nudging £30k. I hope you will have the opportunity to review and drive the R5 before long.
BYD don't seem to have taken off in the UK as well as had been hoped...
Seems the UK gets the same bad pricing as the EU: in Australia or Brazil and many other countries, this car is sold between 20.000-22.000€ (between 18k-19k pounds)... But the UK pays the same amount as Europe it seems.
Bad pricing and this is why BYD will flop here
BYD’s problem is price. The review model is smaller than the MG4 but is slower, has less range and charges slower but is a similar price. Lots of MG4 offers starting at less than £20k. Also I don’t think you will get over 200 miles from a 44kwh battery even with a heat pump. Anyway good to see more EV options becoming available.
Spot on, I watching the Review and was thinking if this sits under 20k it could be justifiable, but 26k, wowzers
It is way better than a Corsa.
Proper offering. Think the coming Kia EV3 will be a better deal probably.
The KIA 3 looks blooomin awesome .
KIA EV3 has just been released and it looks like it will be priced very similarly.
The EV3 isn’t priced anywhere near this car at £32K starting price.
I think this is going to be a future sales hit. Equipment level high and low price reminds me of the Kia Rio. That started the Korean march and look where they are now.
Still too expensive should be under 20k , considering the chinese EU EV tax tariff.
No way the car can get 211 miles unless driven at 35 mph at 21 C on a level road. With just the driver. Battery is too small.
I saw the new Hyundai kona today, I thought the rear was ugly but the front and sides were great .
While not for me it certainly looks better then the ID3 more so with the ID3s cheapo wheel covers as if its a car from the 90s lol
can not see how this is better than the MG4 base, especially as generally MG4 can be brought cheaper now and I am biased but just a better car (I have MG4 trophy ER)
MG4 SE long range now £20k on Autorader. No way would I choose the Dolphin over that, even is the BYD had a similar discount.
From my understanding the base spec of the Dolphin has all the tech while you need the higher spec MG4 for the tech.
@@ISuperTed yep the battery size for it means limited to shorter range journeys which is fine for many of course but so is MG4 SE
@@narvuntien yes a bit more tech for sure BUT is that worth it for the extra costs, looks are in the eye of the beholder !
And in China the same car is 14k...
The bigger battery model costs less to lease!
The likely buyer of this car is retired,lives in a bungalow and buys their underwear at M&S.
Why the hell would you review the stand dolphin yes it's 0 to 60 in 12 seconds but for an extra 😂6 grand you get the premium and that's 0 to 60 in 6.8 seconds I totally understand why you would review the standard because most of the cars you review are engine cars and you don't want to show them up with a Chinese hot hatch under 50k
We've already reviewed the premium one when it was launched last year. This is an additional review of the standard car as we review all electric cars. So, I'm sorry, but your provocative remarks won't wash here.
Absolutely agree on the colour scheme. I have been ranting about this ever since I learned there was a mono-tone version of this car [[which was only a relatively short time ago, since the marketing only ever presents you with the hideous two-tone version]].
The car is ugly enough as it is (as are most BYDs, bar the Seal and the Seagull); but the two-tone version is just bad. The car looks like it was in an accident and the owner got a cheap used replacement bonnet in a different colour.
I just keep wondering who thought this was a good idea, and who insisted on pushing the two-tone version on all the reviewers and in all the marketing events?
In what world is a £26k car cheap😂. Especially for this CCP Dolphin thing! What an ugly heap of Chinese made junk!
In the world where a new VW Golf is nearer to £30,000. That’s just the cost of new cars today.
China domination
If I was a dolphin I’d be seriously pissed that someone thought that total piece of design failure warranted a name like Dolphin . It looks like a Dacia rammed a Chevrolet matiz .
£26k new - 1 yr later pre owned to the next guy @ 5k or less .
Good review but hard pass for me
Presenting style is an instant no, take your hands of your pockets and stop waddling towards the camera.
The waffle is strong with this one. 40 minutes to review a car you have already reviewed?
But a new variant. And its aimed at those who may not have seen the other and might be considering a purchase of this one. But sorry if you were bored....
@@AutoEV some people eh ?? I watched it all even after the first one because so interested int he market, it was your review above all that persuaded me the MG4 as the one for me even though never tested the model I have
Thank you. That is much appreciated.
I don't think the EVs are going to get much cheaper. I am advised by someone in the business that they are already being sold as cheaply as they dare, and at a loss - which isn't sustainable. The manufacturers are instead going to reduce the number of ICEs available to the UK market to avoid the Government penalties of £15,000 per electric car under the proportion threshold of 22% of total new sales in 2024.
Probably not as they are the same price now as ICE cars (or less). A petrol Golf is £27,000 (which is ridiculous really).
EV's took 24% of the new market in August, which is a traditionally quieter Month anyway, with the new registration beginning in September.....
no it is not but like with all new tech the car I have now will be outdated by renewal time but I get that. The point is to set the market and as you build more as demand increases the costs come down and then into profitability. All new tech needs investment at the start, heck Apple did this and the iPhone totally turned it around but bet it was not big profits at all at the start. In this case though BYD have the battery business to back it up and of course using them themselves, Remeber Tesla until the 3 were a loss maker and then mass selling brought in profits (if we believe Musk !!)
Hardly. Have you not noticed how profit greedy traditional OEMs are? Why do you think every new car is a crossover SUV?
@@ianrob4760that hasn't played out. They pocketed their profits in neglect of real inward investment for over a decade, they pivoted to aim for upmarket crossover SUVs no matter the fuel. All of a sudden there's an over supply of cars that only companies can really afford to finance?
Why dont they make an even smaller battery at 20,kwh with a range of about 10 miles for the people with very few brain cells..and more money than sense..
Sad
@@ISuperTed yes it is..Thank the lord there are still millions of petrol cars which we will be using for the next 30 years or more 👍
@@waynekerrr9027 Until they either get legislated of the roads or petrol stations begin closing, and finding petrol gets more difficult...which it will over the net 10+ years... Shell UK already have plans in place to cut the production of petrol and diesel by up to 40% once EV adoption increases. Details were in one of their previous business reports. Shell were one of the organisations who lobbied the last government to bring *forward* the original 2035 ban on the sale of new ICE cars and vans to 2030.... The National Grid were another.
I saw the new Hyundai kona today, I thought the rear was ugly but the front and sides were great .