When the media relies on the ad revenue of the companies it is reporting on you will never get a completely unbiased report on the products of the companies that shell out the ad revenue. That's why we are blessed in the modern age to have different platforms and people like John and others who get their revenue from other sources and don't have to worry that if they call a car a shitbox they won't have their income taken away from them. Mainstream media is dying a slow death and the old men that own these media companies are too short-sighted to see what's happening.
In Europe BYD now is on the way to become the biggest electric propulsed bus supplier, after the biggest public transportation company in Europe, the DB (Deutsche Bahn / German railway) bought a 25 % share of BYD and ordered a stunning high number of busses from BYD.
@@Stefan-mg5gl it's quite interesting to note all the thermal runaways happening around the world involving EVs and (I assume hybrids both plug-in and mild hybrid) that utilize Lithium - ion battery packs. It's also interesting to note the LACK of thermal runaways involving hybrids that use NiMh (nickel metal hydride) battery packs (to the best of my knowledge, as I yet to hear of a single incident) . Makes me thankful that my hybrid utilizes NiMh, over 200,000km on the clock, without incident, not even a warning light. Not that I'm advocating NiMh as such, because at the end of the day, it's still destructive to the environment to produce. What I AM advocating is what seems apparent to me to be the safer alternative of the two.
I'm getting an MG4 Excite51 already, but to be fair, while the MG4 Excite51 is streets ahead in value compared to the Dolphin Dynamic, the next higher level model is a much closer affair. While the Excite64 only gains extra range from the 51 (and loses the LFP batteries which is a minus as far as I am concerned), the Dolphin Premium gains a 150kW motor with 310Nm and more battery, plus it still has the better kit such as 360degree camera and more safety features. Range is still slightly less than the Excite64, but it does have LFP batteries so for day-to-day use it can charge to 100% giving it more practical range if you're not on a road trip. So basically if you can live with having around 300km range and want the cheapest EV, then the MG4 Excite51 is the better option. But if you want that 400+km range, then the Dolphin Premium is looking very compelling and it depends on whether the better handling of the MG4 is more important to you than more kit and better battery chemistry you get with the Dolphin Premium.
exactly this. I was keen on the MG4 64kWh, but when I discovered it had the NMC. battery I said no thanks. Test drove the Dolphin Premium and was so impressed I ordered one the same day (in Blue). Hoping to get it before Christmas.
When buying a small runaround vehicle like the Dolphin I don’t anticipate overtaking trucks in it anyway. 0-100 is therefore quite meaningless. I am however more interested in how responsive it is at low speeds (pulling out into traffic from a standstill. However this entry level Dolphin does seem underpowered and the other issues with the brand are also troubling. I am in the market for a cheaper EV for local driving but the M4 sounds most promising. I did request a test drive of one a couple of weeks ago but no response so far which isn’t promising. It would be good if they just told me that it wasn’t possible at this time rather than ignore me.
I test drove the longer range Dolphin Premium and came away thoroughly impressed. Performance from a small car was excellent and the build quality outstanding, I'd even say it was much better than Toyota
@@kosmokramer9502 The lack of one pedal driving was a deal breaker for us. That is a huge part of what I love about driving an EV so I was disappointed that it wasn’t even an option.
The low power job is a city car pure and simple. Think about the old Toyota Echo, that thing was gutless as, but what a great little commuter car, that had incredible reliability and was economical, that is probably why Toyota sold truck loads of them. For the oldies that travel flat out at 50km/h to the shops, yeah that works! For shopping, running around town it would work there as well. I agree for a $100 more the MG4 just makes massively more sense, so I don't think BYD will be selling too many of the $39K ones, but easy advertising for them. I think the extended range BYD Dolphin is really the starting point most would consider.
I have an Atto 3 and, 7 months later, am loving the car. However, you'd have to have rocks in your head to buy that base level Dolphin over the MG. We are in agreement on that 100%.
Kmart tyre and Auto was a lot better before it changed to Mycar. You used to be able to talk to head office if there was an issue, and the franchises have been changing hands more often than they change their underwear. My wife took her car in for a standard service and they told her that her brakes were stuffed and were down to bare metal and the rotors were full of ridges. They wanted to keep the car, do the work and give it back the next day. I told her to defer it and bring the car home - I took off a couple of wheels and what did I find? All brake pads at least 7mm thick, rotors in perfect condition. They are a bunch of scammers. Most of the stars they have are from back when they were branded under Kmart.
@@rickywaye3836 Depends on who's running the place. I dealt with two different KTAS stores over 15 years and they were honest and trustworthy - never tried to talk me into anything. When Mycar took over, the staff turned over and they went straight to hell. I'm sure there is the occasional Mycar store that's ok, but I think the corporate structure encourages and rewards evil doings.
9:06 yep.. Doges is talking about Mycar as if it just recently changed from KTAS; half a decade ago, Wesfarmers sold Kmart Tyre and Auto Service to Continental AG for $350 million.
It's interesting how far the goal posts have moved. When I started driving, 0-100 in 12 to 14 seconds for a factory standard sedan was not too shabby. Now, it's considered glacial.
@@AutoExpertJC hahaha - not quite. But I did learn to drive on a sheep station in a Series 1 Landrover, which was not renowned for it's neck snapping acceleration. When I got my license some years later, most of us were driving early 1970s 4th hand vehicles. A 1970 Falcon brand new would take 12-14 seconds to get to 100kmh. By the time we took ownership of cars like that, you could add a few more seconds. Or a Triumph Dolomite, which took 20 seconds to get to 100kmh.
I can drive and have for many years driven a 0-100 16second car. It keeps up just fine. Only long uphills 15% you go full throttle. I cannot for the life of me understand the requirement of 6-7 seconds. Where is a 0-100 traffic light?
Isn't the child restraint thing a bit if a red herring? Many countries around the world don't require a top tether for ISOFIX car seats and the ATTO 3 already had the additional centre anchor - it was just located behind the fabric of the rear seat. It also had front passenger ISOFIX points which aren't permitted in Australia. While it was definitely a misinterpretation of the ADR and it resulted in a six week delay in deliveries it was a more of a black eye for Australia's regulatory body who failed to notice until vehicle deliveries had actually commenced. BYD did the right thing - they recalled the affected vehicles and halted deliveries until they fixed the problem. Isn't that what you would advocate for John?
My first time viewing your channel. I am not an automotive enthusiast but am interested in EVs. Your salty sarcasm brings joy to my cynical heart. I had to subscribe!
Sitting at home on Saturday, my Daughter-in-laws parents had come for a visit, giving their new EV a trip to the country. As we sat drinking coffee my phone alerted me to a new Cadogan video, this one. Guess what brand their new EV happens to be? I excused myself, watched the video, then sat back at the table, biting my tongue. I decided that discretion was definitely warranted in this case, why tell them that their new car was a bucket of shit? I must be maturing.
Had the Atto3 for six months now and the Tesla M3 for fifteen months Both excellent vehicles. The M3 wins on performance, handling and range at highway speeds (about 10%). The Atto is a great car around town and wins hands down on ergonomics, accessories, passenger comfort, loading capacity and ride. My favourite daily drive is the Atto - easily the best car I have ever owned. I havent had any problems with it at all, including no poblems with servicing and support, of which it requires very little (likeways with the Tesla). As for rust on the Atto, none at all. That was a naysayer bullshit story. The vehicle is clearly very well sealed against rust.
How can you say the Atto is the best car that you have owned if you have only had it for 6 months. Six months of ownership is not a good indication how good a car is, or will be.
@@daenz8334 No more so than all the folks buying BMWs and Mercs at wildly inflated prices. The only other vehicle I have had that in hindsight represented really good value was a rear wheel drive 1980 model GM Commodore V6. It ran on LPG, about half the price of gasoline. It did 750,000km before the engine gave out so owed me nothing. It was a great car, unfortunately they don't build ICE like that anymore, and since moving to EVs with their great value proposition, ICE vehicles have lost any appeal they might have had.
I checked out the Atto3. Nice car, albeit little mermaid interior. But $50k. I just couldn't go there, for many reasons. I then thought of the Dolphin or MG4. Battle of the Chinese level quality, golf carts. But couldn't get one till 6 months away. Forget it. Both at 40k for base models. Sad. So I simply bought an amazing near new Honda Hybrid for $24k. Japanese quality and reliability, amazing performance, with a 1000 klm range, frugal juice usage, with self generating battery charging!
The MG4 is not perfect either with software problems like aggressive lane control and rear collision avoidance which you have to disable every time you drive. Many good things about this car but read the reviews of people who have owned them for some time to get a balanced view.
I have driven a few cars and an 8 tonne truck with lane control. I find that it is best to turn all that stuff OFF before you commence your journey. IMO it is dangerous as it tends to pull you off your cornering line in unpredictable ways.. Best to just concentrate on the job at hand... Drive the bloody thing yourself !!! ... lol, peace
Just spent 10days/1400km in a rental Atto3. A lot to like and if it had a 75kwh battery with RWD, i'd seriously consider. Although i'm not not sure i could wear that rip off, service centre life support , maintenance schedule. MG4 51kwh does have underwhelming 12.3 sec Dolphin covered, even with a lot less standard kit. Depends on priority's i guess. I would love to know true "catching fire" stats from China. Not holding my breath. Has to be a concern, not knowing the truth, as a prospective buyer. I thought a POV pack ( does it need a sunroof ?) low $30's Dolphin, would have really thrown it out there and elevated BEV uptake. Maybe down the line? Having said that, BEV sales are on a solid upwards trend now and given we have an open market , Chinese BEV's might accelerate us into double digit monthly figures, within this year. Alarm bells for Toyota and Co? Has to be, when you'r not playing in a growing segment.
Mr. Cadogan with all due respect as it pertains to the rust issue, you pointed out that essentially due to modem vehicle manufacture, the posts on the internet were essentially fear mongering. On the performance of the vehicle, I drove it before they bulked up and stretched the car for Australia. To be fair it was the first EV I drove and I didnt put a Draggy on it down a air strip but I did find it pretty quick. On the matter of the cost vs the MG4, yes that is what a cynical price cut looks like. If youre looking at the value prospect the MG4 is better. Finally I will say this about BYD, they are a very aggressive company sales wise and this price cut is just the tip of the iceberg. As an aside, in some markets internationally, they are not the most loyal to their dealers/partners or initial backers.
BTW that is what BYD said but it loses context if you don't read the whole thing. They are referring to the use of a car seat in the centre rear position - here's the full email, which I think you'll agree puts that statement in a different light. BYD Automotive regret to inform that we will be pausing deliveries of the ATTO 3 for 7 days commencing 21 October 2022. BYD and EVDIRECT are both working with the relevant Department regarding a technical matter. The matter is related to the use of a child seat if positioned in the centre of the middle rear seat and the appropriate location for an anchorage point to enable the child seat to be secured. BYD understands that for the vast majority of customers this may not be of relevance however, as safety is and always will be our number one priority, we continue to work with the Department to satisfy their request. BYD and the Department are working to resolve this matter with a view to recommencing deliveries as soon as possible. Please note, this will not impact on your position in the queue of deliveries. We apologise for this inconvenience, please contact customercare@bydautomotive.com.au if you have any further queries.
Was it BYD or the Importer that is the real problem here John? Is it better to deal with manufacturers directly or have to deal with a dealer then a distributor/importer then the manufacturer. Too many cooks in the kitchen trying to make money from the inconvenient customer. What could possibly go wrong with more firewalls placed between the customer and getting your vehicle fixed?
The half-arsed nature of BYD's Australian distribution and service network does them no favours. However it doesn't alter the fact that the pov pack Dolphin appears undercooked when compared with the pov pack MG4, despite there being just a ciggy paper between them wrt price. Though maybe it explains why the Dolphin's pricing is the way it is.
Sure can, the BYD is a powerhouse by comparison. I always have to laugh when a modern car is described as 'slow'. As someone who still drive 40's and 50's cars on a regular basis, anything built from the 1960's on is a rocket. Having said that though, the BYD is certainly underdone performance wise by today's standards.
Back in the '80s , Mercedes-Benz was selling the 190, predecessor to the C Class. It was around $63k. In 1991 they released the 180 at around $45k. It had an 80 kW 1.8l "engine" and they deleted anti-lock brakes, power windows, climate control, electric seats, heated mirrors, cruise control and multi-speaker sound system. They also gained export credits by buying Australian components like glass and springs for other MB models. So, in a way, BYD is following the 3 pointed star...
@@rjbiker66 In both cases, Mercedes and BYD were reducing specification to met a price point. Mercedes had to cut more to reduce the price by one third. It’s interesting that, for a company that prides itself on safety, MB removed ABS, but not AC or power steer.
So refreshing to get an objective review. I’ve listened to a number of reviews to date on the Dolphin and none have highlighted these concerns. Thank you.
I think the BYD Dolphin with the bigger battery, 427km WLTP, 150KWH Motor, 0-100 in around 7 seconds makes more sense for the extra money, approx $45K or $48.5K on road plus $3.5K Government rebate bringing the car back to about $45K. I think most buying the Dolphin would be looking at that one. At 427km range, I think that would suit most plus good for a 250 to 300km ride out of town so a bit of versatility. On a more open road the 150KW motor with 310NM of torque would be more than enough to overtake. I have a 2010VW Golf Diesel, only done over 90K, get it regularly serviced, had things fixed along the way, the car is still perfect to drive, no rattles etc and looks in excellent condition. My only concern is what is the build quality of these BYDs? My Golf by far has been exceptional in terms of build quality.
Never use Mycar to service your car. I had an disable elderly friend who always serviced his car there, and he always get a $100 voucher for next service. One day, he asked me to book a service for him. I called up Mycar to get a quote and it was $299 (without mentioning the voucher and of which I should had told my friend). Then my elderly friend went there, showed the voucher and they up charged him to $399 - $100 Voucher = $299. The service should had only cost $199 with the voucher.
My cousin Wang Suk Lo used to work at BYD. He was ordered to reduce the quality and mix in insect husks and bat droppings into things like floor mats then claim it was eco friendly. When he spoke out they tried to silence him by sending hired goons (one was named Suk Peen Tang) to assault him. They held him down and launched heavy groin kicks.
Great video Johnno thanks for sharing. After watching this I’m so inspired to buy an EV and right after that I might go and have myself committed or maybe even lodge an application to become the next Miss Australia fully plumbed.
I'm interested in evs so I can become fuel agnostic ~ with the majority of my refueling requirements being produced at home by my rooftop solar. Thanks Saudis but I will call you when I need you.
I have driven one of these in Thailand, not the base model, the one with 150kw. It was great! However, in Thailand, these things cost less than the equivalent of $30k AUD, so I guess, if they were priced like that, it'd be good.
BYD Crappo and BYD Dodgy. No thanks. The fact that the Dodgy...er...Dolphin makes the MG look like a desirable proposition is damning enough! Edit: Had a sit in a Dolphin today, the Premium model. Very impressed and seems a far better proposition than the base model Dynamic.
I saw a report yesterday that VW is scaling back EV production in Germany over the summer due to "strong customer reluctance". Is this the first sign that the EV bubble is starting to burst?
May be. However there's a reason Battery EV is needed as inbetween transition from ICE vehicle to EV. Likely is Geopolitics, (wars soon coming 2025) making every nations like Sri Lanka or Ukraine where petrol will be scarce but one can still plug in Battery EV to use. That's the whole point also Battery is esrly stage one day it may transition into solid state battery and then also into Hydrogen fuel cell which also is likely be coming in 2 decades time. EV is definitely a better vehicle then an ICE engine for future however the current draw back is the safety of battery chemistry LFP is the safest available now, then sodium battery when that is available For trucks only Hydrogen fuel cells will work, provide as much power & travel longer range then diesel Hydrogen availability will take time
I reckon, in the name of honesty in marketing, BYD should be globally rebranded as DO, Dream On. Except in Oz of course where it would have to be THHD, yes, Tell Him He’s Dreaming! 😊
I must admit, BYD Australia’s conduct to date simply does not inspire any trust at all. And hiring MyCar to be their servicing arm is just another reason to stay away.
BYD needs to set up a factory import/distribution operation down here and do whatever it is that Tesla does wrt servicing (assuming BYD doesn't switch to a traditional dealer network model).
This one is a shocker! Not the car but the review. He has no idea and is just click baiting this one. Spends way over half the video talking nonsense and exaggerating to death past anti-BYD news reports, then I finally thought he was getting to the point of his "review" but sadly, no, we go onto comparing a pure electric base model to a corolla petrol. Then rants for way too long about 0to100 speed on the base model, not making it clear that he is talking base model. I gave up 14 minutes of my life to this beat-up of a video, then quit. John can be interesting but this is one of his awful ones, with no proper information but just biased rants. He even gets on his hobby horse of "the rest of the media crap but he tells it how it really is" crap :)
@@AutoExpertJC If you had of got to the point and talk about the actual car instead of ramble then I wouldn't have given up in frustration. Not your best work dude.
@@AutoExpertJC Your journalistic critique of me, is as well researched and informative as this video. However, your concern about my frustration levels can be relieved because I’ve looked at other RUclipsrs critiques and now feel informed by actual facts about the car.
Pretty embarrassing that you feel you need to go on a rambling about how anti-woke you are in every video I've seen so far. But hey I guess thats what the majority of your viewers are aroused by then keep giving them what they want😂.
They flog these BYD in Solomon Islands...a country whose entire electricity supply is provided by generators that run on imported diesel and is subject to daily loadshedding.....it's like rain on your wedding day
The Asian Development Bank is working with the Government of Solomon Islands and Solomon Power to convert electricity networks in five provinces almost entirely to solar power. The project will reduce the need for costly shipments of diesel to the provincial centers. Keep up mate.
@@nordic5490 you copy/pasted this from a 2017 flyer put out by ADB and SolPower ...the project was diesel/solar hybrid and it collapsed in litigation in 2022 with payouts made in 2023......
Great 2nd car for short trips up to the shops to get that bottle of wine for dinner or last minute milk or bread? All those 5 minute trips are really bad for our real cars as they increase engine wear, use way too much fuel, and pollute more as they aren't warmed up. Better than a mobility scooter too. So why not.😊
I’m guessing there is no problem getting your hands on one (if that’s the sadistic kink you’re into), there are literally many 100’s of them in a big lockup compound near my place (SE suburbs of Melbourne).
Great video. Good to see warnings getting out there. John, you didn't mention the way they achieved their supposed Chinese sale figures. Thousands of the BYD cars sold in China are sitting out in fields rotting away.
@@erwin734 It's one of the Serpentza videos, either his main channel or another one of his and Laowhy86 RUclips channels. I did see that video a week or so ago. If I find it again, I'll post a link here, otherwise you might find it yourself quicker.
You being one of my favorite car specialist, with all due respect, I fully understand you got paid and you are doing your business. Also you are right about Dolphin base model (0-100 12.5 sec) sucks. I don't know how many that will sell. But Dolphin Premium will crush all MG4 ranges in terms of infotainment and interior features, safety features, quality of software, OTA, E platform. Blade Battery, Heat pump etc.
Who cares about power or range of this model? It's irrelevant for a entry model that will be used as a city car by 90% of owners. It has to be reliable, safe, cheap to run and easy to repair and to use.
I don't think the Dolphin is a bad car, but it seems expensive for what it is. As for "easy to repair"... good luck with that. EVs are a consumable, they're not designed to be repaired.
Exactly. Horses for courses... it's a shame that journalists of all types including our friend cadders are captivated by stressing something pretty irrelevant. If one drove any of the vehicles these journos reckon are a performance minimum...at anything like flat out.... the licence would be gone before the sheen came off the tyres.
A magnificent episode ... I'm running out of superlatives ... I'm trying to think of a conservative way of complimenting you, without continually pissing in your pocket :) Please keep it coming JC.
I would take the Dolphin over a Corolla any day. We all happily drove 4 cylinder cars with 13 second performance for decades. In the city you are lucky to get to 40km/h and cyclists are often faster for the work commute. Wasn't this very channel promoting a basic city EV as an ideal city car. I believe an even smaller battery is available in China.
@@mrkring1526 yesss.... I see your earlier post that you would never own a byd because you don't like their logo. "Could never own a BYD with the completely cringe Build Your Dreams logo on the car." That indicates to me a sophisticated fashion moron, with no more depth than the skin on a pumpkin. I'm not posting to support BYD... but the dogger's distaste because an EV is not faster than a corolla from a few years ago writes off his credibility. Your credibility based on a car's logo incinerates your credibility. But if you wish to be a fashionista, you stick with your over tired and tested old corolla! Well done you!
But this isn't about the models you are referring to. JC hasn't even mentioned the appalling ride/handling of the Dolphin yet. Top Gear UK gave it a 4/10.
@@rjbiker66Handling MG4 win outright but safety chemistry of battery LFP or none If one want Battery EV there's no other option other then LFP battery or sodium battery Any other Li Ternary battery is dangerous LFP at least does not burst into flame straight away, may only smoke and normal water hosing will stop any fire Anyone who want Battery EV safety is most important in any vehicle collison accident
Issue with full battery EV at present is fun while last, but when battery short circuit in accident its instant non-stop fire for ternary Li battery, that fun become very useless MG4 uses ternary Li battery above basic model that's dangerous, any major accident to battery compartment is a quick extreme hot non stop burning fire that can not be put out (batterg chemistry keeps producing oxygen) LFP is the only way to go for now until sodium battery comes out, this at least give owner the peace of mind they have time to escape car & also have plenty of warning when the car starts to smoke (LFP), and it will smoke for a long time when battery short circuit, hosing water to cool battery to keep it from burning in very hot weather (summer) These are current drawbacks of Full battery EV at present duw to Li battery
Hey, talking about underpowered, I once overtook a car with caravan in my Suzuki 800cc 3-cylinder hatch (which was capable of doing 110km/h if there was no head wind) and just managed to block off a hotted-up Commodore from overtaking me before I overtook the van. So I'm used to driving under powered cars. But i won't touch the Dolphin. I'm waiting to see what the Seal is going to be like, and even then i probably won't buy it.
70kw on a 1400kg car reminds me of something from the long lost past in the 1970s like a Morris Maxi or Morris 1100. I call the acceleration 'glacial'.
In this order, the best value base model sub-40k EVs: MG4 Ora Cat BYD Dolphin Why BYD stuck an anaemic 70kW motor in the base model, lord only knows. They could have at least popped a 110kW or 125kW at not much extra cost, and left everything else the same. It would barely have changed the weight, but would have made a completely different car.
There’s about 2 acres of these cars stored in a fenced off paddock next to a local train station on the Caboolture line here in Nth BrizVegas. It does have an old electric fence around it but the last time i touched that fence it was either d off or faulty. Imagine the hundred or more cars there caught fire…its not exactly a low crime area.
BYD should've bought the Holden network for servicing and selling their, er, vehicles. Holden dealers are already used to dealing with shit build quality and horrendous after sales service.
Is the MG4 going to have the same compliance issue with the child seat? All overseas models clearly only have 2 anchor points in the rear. Does this make them a 4 seater only?
And here was me, thinking that $50k was an outrageous price, for a trusty old Holden Kingswood. In the light of all this new information I confidently predict the price of an old Kingswood will jump substantially, as of, right now. Come to that, the price of a 10 or 15 year old Corolla might also take a substantial leap. We have clearly passed the pinnacle of motoring, we are now well down the downward slope from that peak. Problem now is that these older cars have become so highly valued it presents a serious risk to use them as a daily driver.
In my mind, the Dolphin is competing with the super-budget small cars of the 90s and 2000s... think $15k for a 1L engine and very few trimmings... so, applying the EV tax (batteries and whatnot) it should be priced at about $25k to $30k to get me interested... at $40k, there's LOADS of other cars available that aren't bargain basement dregs made in China
Given the limited availability of accessible lithium stock, wasting it on making bad EV's is unbelievably wasteful. There is only enough lithium to build 1.4 billion cars but I believe that the accessible quantity is a mere quarter of that figure. I'd be surprised if this shortage doesn't break the EV market very soon. EV only by 2030 is not physically possible from what I've read.
Have you seen the news about VW Ev sales not meeting expectations and VW having to throttle production. No such problem for Passats built at same factory.
I would be fine with the 12 seconds and the price if the BYD had other characteristics I want but it doesn't have. A few are: Ground clearance Smart traction control Big tires to soak up a bad road. A real spare Room in the back for all my stuff
I have had an MG ZS EV Mk1 which was $42K after the $3K government rebate and that has been a good solid car with no problems other than a degraded 12 volt battery which still starts the car after two years. The dealer also has a Nissan dealership with rubber gloves and a defibrillator where they service it. I would be happy buying the MG4.
@@mrkring1526 Spraying your childish bile all over this video arentcha! How many years have you been getting out of the pedal rubbers on your safety tricycle anyway mr wayne king?
MG seem determined to blow the whole market to pieces. Cost, performance, value for money. It sets benchmarks on all of them that force other manufacturers to raise their game. The XPower will go further for hot hatches.
@@wigs1098 British Leyland cars are crap and any Brit will tell you so. Have a TR 6 since 1976, mostly not running or rusting away. Does that count for experience?
Funny you mention MyCar, i actually took my Corolla to them for the first time ever for a service and boy do i regret it! The car went in perfectly and came out a lemon. The rattling coming out of the engine is embarrassing to say the least. My father in law brought his car around the same time and they actually killed his car! lol. He managed to drive it out but it never started ever again, he has taken it back (towed) to MyCar since multiple times and they cant figure out what's wrong with it. What an absolute Shit Show!! Oh! did i mention they also broke my bonnet? 🤦🏼♂
This is pretty stupid. The premium is 0-100 in 7 seconds and has a 490km range. Also the rust issue was found out to be misinformation. Any car sitting with damaged and disjointed panels for 4 months in the weather will develop rust 😂
BYD Dolphin Dynamic is in hands of Australians now, and real life performance 0-100 is apparently around 10.5 seconds rather than 12.5 seconds. Not great, but hardly as slow as they officially claimed.
Step 1. Make a desent product. Step 2 supply good customer service. Step 3 , just sell shitloads of product.. 😮 why cant this be achieved in this order , in order to make money!
I’m just wondering John, as I look to the sky and watch the ever increasing numbers of sky travellers traversing up there in ever increasing numbers of newly purchased jets, I wonder (yet again) if our government is in as much of a hurry to transform that industry as it seems to be in rushing out cheap and nasty EV’s like the one you’ve just applied the “blow torch” to☺️
I welcome BYD, and others like them. I would never buy one, but if they help to exert downward pressure on pricing in the industry then I am all for it. BYD and MG must really irritate the players in the class above as some buyers will always head to the cheaper offerings even if they regret it later and could have afforded more.
Given all the BYD electric car fires in China i would not touch these with a 10ft pole. There are report videos on this on YT, i believe over 200 so far this year.
I signed up for that trial. And with your lovely review, I am sure I'll see another slight drop in that stock investment. On there other hand, maybe my SAIC shares will hear you too.
Was funny. Sat in a BYD in Xbox Hill with a sales guy. He espoused the voice control of features. But said I need to speak in an American accent to use the voice control. 😂
When the media relies on the ad revenue of the companies it is reporting on you will never get a completely unbiased report on the products of the companies that shell out the ad revenue. That's why we are blessed in the modern age to have different platforms and people like John and others who get their revenue from other sources and don't have to worry that if they call a car a shitbox they won't have their income taken away from them. Mainstream media is dying a slow death and the old men that own these media companies are too short-sighted to see what's happening.
In Europe BYD now is on the way to become the biggest electric propulsed bus supplier, after the biggest public transportation company in Europe, the DB (Deutsche Bahn / German railway) bought a 25 % share of BYD and ordered a stunning high number of busses from BYD.
Lets hope the quality goes up because of it. CCP sucks at managing companies.
Doesnt stop it from being a shitbox 😂
@@Investment_Hedgehog unfortunately you're right and I only can add: success and quality are two different parameters not meeting up here.
@@Stefan-mg5gl it's quite interesting to note all the thermal runaways happening around the world involving EVs and (I assume hybrids both plug-in and mild hybrid) that utilize Lithium - ion battery packs. It's also interesting to note the LACK of thermal runaways involving hybrids that use NiMh (nickel metal hydride) battery packs (to the best of my knowledge, as I yet to hear of a single incident) . Makes me thankful that my hybrid utilizes NiMh, over 200,000km on the clock, without incident, not even a warning light.
Not that I'm advocating NiMh as such, because at the end of the day, it's still destructive to the environment to produce. What I AM advocating is what seems apparent to me to be the safer alternative of the two.
@@Investment_Hedgehoghybrids are useless
I'm getting an MG4 Excite51 already, but to be fair, while the MG4 Excite51 is streets ahead in value compared to the Dolphin Dynamic, the next higher level model is a much closer affair. While the Excite64 only gains extra range from the 51 (and loses the LFP batteries which is a minus as far as I am concerned), the Dolphin Premium gains a 150kW motor with 310Nm and more battery, plus it still has the better kit such as 360degree camera and more safety features. Range is still slightly less than the Excite64, but it does have LFP batteries so for day-to-day use it can charge to 100% giving it more practical range if you're not on a road trip.
So basically if you can live with having around 300km range and want the cheapest EV, then the MG4 Excite51 is the better option. But if you want that 400+km range, then the Dolphin Premium is looking very compelling and it depends on whether the better handling of the MG4 is more important to you than more kit and better battery chemistry you get with the Dolphin Premium.
Dolphin premium costs AUD$400 cheaper than the standard MG4 in Thailand. It'll be so dumb to buy byd dolphin with oz pricing 😂
exactly this. I was keen on the MG4 64kWh, but when I discovered it had the NMC. battery I said no thanks. Test drove the Dolphin Premium and was so impressed I ordered one the same day (in Blue). Hoping to get it before Christmas.
When buying a small runaround vehicle like the Dolphin I don’t anticipate overtaking trucks in it anyway. 0-100 is therefore quite meaningless. I am however more interested in how responsive it is at low speeds (pulling out into traffic from a standstill. However this entry level Dolphin does seem underpowered and the other issues with the brand are also troubling.
I am in the market for a cheaper EV for local driving but the M4 sounds most promising. I did request a test drive of one a couple of weeks ago but no response so far which isn’t promising. It would be good if they just told me that it wasn’t possible at this time rather than ignore me.
I test drove the longer range Dolphin Premium and came away thoroughly impressed. Performance from a small car was excellent and the build quality outstanding, I'd even say it was much better than Toyota
@@kosmokramer9502 The lack of one pedal driving was a deal breaker for us. That is a huge part of what I love about driving an EV so I was disappointed that it wasn’t even an option.
The low power job is a city car pure and simple. Think about the old Toyota Echo, that thing was gutless as, but what a great little commuter car, that had incredible reliability and was economical, that is probably why Toyota sold truck loads of them. For the oldies that travel flat out at 50km/h to the shops, yeah that works! For shopping, running around town it would work there as well. I agree for a $100 more the MG4 just makes massively more sense, so I don't think BYD will be selling too many of the $39K ones, but easy advertising for them. I think the extended range BYD Dolphin is really the starting point most would consider.
I have an Atto 3 and, 7 months later, am loving the car. However, you'd have to have rocks in your head to buy that base level Dolphin over the MG. We are in agreement on that 100%.
Worried about rust ?
@@MrBigbangbuzz not at all.
It's " 7 months later" mate
7 months 😂 I hope some slave worker built in some nasty surprises for you.
@@et1965you should be
Kmart tyre and Auto was a lot better before it changed to Mycar. You used to be able to talk to head office if there was an issue, and the franchises have been changing hands more often than they change their underwear. My wife took her car in for a standard service and they told her that her brakes were stuffed and were down to bare metal and the rotors were full of ridges. They wanted to keep the car, do the work and give it back the next day. I told her to defer it and bring the car home - I took off a couple of wheels and what did I find? All brake pads at least 7mm thick, rotors in perfect condition. They are a bunch of scammers. Most of the stars they have are from back when they were branded under Kmart.
Still shit as KTAS. My mechanic said if he is interviewing and people mention KTAS or MyCrapCar, the interview is terminated
I have had nothing but positive experiences with our local MyCar.
They were scammers then, they are scammers now.
@@rickywaye3836 Depends on who's running the place. I dealt with two different KTAS stores over 15 years and they were honest and trustworthy - never tried to talk me into anything. When Mycar took over, the staff turned over and they went straight to hell. I'm sure there is the occasional Mycar store that's ok, but I think the corporate structure encourages and rewards evil doings.
9:06 yep.. Doges is talking about Mycar as if it just recently changed from KTAS; half a decade ago, Wesfarmers sold Kmart Tyre and Auto Service to Continental AG for $350 million.
It's interesting how far the goal posts have moved. When I started driving, 0-100 in 12 to 14 seconds for a factory standard sedan was not too shabby. Now, it's considered glacial.
When did you start driving? 1942?
@@AutoExpertJC hahaha - not quite. But I did learn to drive on a sheep station in a Series 1 Landrover, which was not renowned for it's neck snapping acceleration. When I got my license some years later, most of us were driving early 1970s 4th hand vehicles. A 1970 Falcon brand new would take 12-14 seconds to get to 100kmh. By the time we took ownership of cars like that, you could add a few more seconds. Or a Triumph Dolomite, which took 20 seconds to get to 100kmh.
I can drive and have for many years driven a 0-100 16second car. It keeps up just fine. Only long uphills 15% you go full throttle. I cannot for the life of me understand the requirement of 6-7 seconds. Where is a 0-100 traffic light?
@@AutoExpertJC Why are you such an arrogant smart-arse?
How many Dolphins can one fit in a BYD? Does this make it a true multi-porpoise vehicle?
Ha Ha Ha Ha 🤣🤣🤣🤣
If it's the Miami dolphins maybe just the tight end?
Isn't the child restraint thing a bit if a red herring? Many countries around the world don't require a top tether for ISOFIX car seats and the ATTO 3 already had the additional centre anchor - it was just located behind the fabric of the rear seat. It also had front passenger ISOFIX points which aren't permitted in Australia. While it was definitely a misinterpretation of the ADR and it resulted in a six week delay in deliveries it was a more of a black eye for Australia's regulatory body who failed to notice until vehicle deliveries had actually commenced. BYD did the right thing - they recalled the affected vehicles and halted deliveries until they fixed the problem. Isn't that what you would advocate for John?
3 years with a S1 EV from BYD , the company has more than 30 years in My country. 25000 km and not Even one problema
My first time viewing your channel. I am not an automotive enthusiast but am interested in EVs. Your salty sarcasm brings joy to my cynical heart. I had to subscribe!
Sitting at home on Saturday, my Daughter-in-laws parents had come for a visit, giving their new EV a trip to the country. As we sat drinking coffee my phone alerted me to a new Cadogan video, this one. Guess what brand their new EV happens to be? I excused myself, watched the video, then sat back at the table, biting my tongue. I decided that discretion was definitely warranted in this case, why tell them that their new car was a bucket of shit? I must be maturing.
They certainly didn't need to know. And certainly not from you. (I have vast experience pissing off in-laws...) Well done.
Had the Atto3 for six months now and the Tesla M3 for fifteen months
Both excellent vehicles.
The M3 wins on performance, handling and range at highway speeds (about 10%).
The Atto is a great car around town and wins hands down on ergonomics, accessories, passenger comfort, loading capacity and ride.
My favourite daily drive is the Atto - easily the best car I have ever owned.
I havent had any problems with it at all, including no poblems with servicing and support, of which it requires very little (likeways with the Tesla). As for rust on the Atto, none at all. That was a naysayer bullshit story. The vehicle is clearly very well sealed against rust.
How can you say the Atto is the best car that you have owned if you have only had it for 6 months. Six months of ownership is not a good indication how good a car is, or will be.
You have more money than sense, EV just a gimmick
@@tomnewham1269 Now had it seven months, still on track to be best ever.
@@daenz8334 No more so than all the folks buying BMWs and Mercs at wildly inflated prices.
The only other vehicle I have had that in hindsight represented really good value was a rear wheel drive 1980 model GM Commodore V6. It ran on LPG, about half the price of gasoline. It did 750,000km before the engine gave out so owed me nothing.
It was a great car, unfortunately they don't build ICE like that anymore, and since moving to EVs with their great value proposition, ICE vehicles have lost any appeal they might have had.
I my dad always said, one born every minute.
EV or not, you gotta call out crap when you see it. Well done John 👍
I checked out the Atto3. Nice car, albeit little mermaid interior. But $50k. I just couldn't go there, for many reasons.
I then thought of the Dolphin or MG4. Battle of the Chinese level quality, golf carts.
But couldn't get one till 6 months away. Forget it. Both at 40k for base models. Sad.
So I simply bought an amazing near new Honda Hybrid for $24k. Japanese quality and reliability, amazing performance, with a 1000 klm range, frugal juice usage, with self generating battery charging!
The MG4 is not perfect either with software problems like aggressive lane control and rear collision avoidance which you have to disable every time you drive.
Many good things about this car but read the reviews of people who have owned them for some time to get a balanced view.
I find the lane control in the Mk1 really good.
Chinese brands don't seem to understand Western tastes when it comes to nanny devices. MG, GWM, BYD, Chery... they're all as bad as one another.
I have driven a few cars and an 8 tonne truck with lane control. I find that it is best to turn all that stuff OFF before you commence your journey. IMO it is dangerous as it tends to pull you off your cornering line in unpredictable ways.. Best to just concentrate on the job at hand... Drive the bloody thing yourself !!! ... lol, peace
Seems like it's been fixed, not ping-ponging anymore. The reviewer was even half sleeping while driving lol..
ruclips.net/video/WmShPywC3Uc/видео.html
Never stop your ball-busting honesty.
🤙🙏🙌
A common complaint with the MG4 owners is that the software is below standard.
Windows XP?
@@rogersmith7396 that'd be an improvement. Most Chinese nanny systems are more like Windows Vista.
Just spent 10days/1400km in a rental Atto3. A lot to like and if it had a 75kwh battery with RWD, i'd seriously consider. Although i'm not not sure i could wear that rip off, service centre life support , maintenance schedule. MG4 51kwh does have underwhelming 12.3 sec Dolphin covered, even with a lot less standard kit. Depends on priority's i guess. I would love to know true "catching fire" stats from China. Not holding my breath. Has to be a concern, not knowing the truth, as a prospective buyer. I thought a POV pack ( does it need a sunroof ?) low $30's Dolphin, would have really thrown it out there and elevated BEV uptake. Maybe down the line? Having said that, BEV sales are on a solid upwards trend now and given we have an open market , Chinese BEV's might accelerate us into double digit monthly figures, within this year. Alarm bells for Toyota and Co? Has to be, when you'r not playing in a growing segment.
Second.
BYD Dolphin is what John West rejects.
More info on BYD EVs (hopefully this saves a life): ruclips.net/video/qKa8mVOe5so/видео.html
Mr. Cadogan with all due respect as it pertains to the rust issue, you pointed out that essentially due to modem vehicle manufacture, the posts on the internet were essentially fear mongering.
On the performance of the vehicle, I drove it before they bulked up and stretched the car for Australia. To be fair it was the first EV I drove and I didnt put a Draggy on it down a air strip but I did find it pretty quick.
On the matter of the cost vs the MG4, yes that is what a cynical price cut looks like. If youre looking at the value prospect the MG4 is better.
Finally I will say this about BYD, they are a very aggressive company sales wise and this price cut is just the tip of the iceberg. As an aside, in some markets internationally, they are not the most loyal to their dealers/partners or initial backers.
Keep those Commies in Armanis.
BTW that is what BYD said but it loses context if you don't read the whole thing. They are referring to the use of a car seat in the centre rear position - here's the full email, which I think you'll agree puts that statement in a different light. BYD Automotive regret to inform that we will be pausing deliveries of the ATTO 3 for 7 days commencing 21 October 2022.
BYD and EVDIRECT are both working with the relevant Department regarding a technical matter. The matter is related to the use of a child seat if positioned in the centre of the middle rear seat and the appropriate location for an anchorage point to enable the child seat to be secured.
BYD understands that for the vast majority of customers this may not be of relevance however, as safety is and always will be our number one priority, we continue to work with the Department to satisfy their request.
BYD and the Department are working to resolve this matter with a view to recommencing deliveries as soon as possible.
Please note, this will not impact on your position in the queue of deliveries.
We apologise for this inconvenience, please contact customercare@bydautomotive.com.au if you have any further queries.
Was it BYD or the Importer that is the real problem here John? Is it better to deal with manufacturers directly or have to deal with a dealer then a distributor/importer then the manufacturer. Too many cooks in the kitchen trying to make money from the inconvenient customer. What could possibly go wrong with more firewalls placed between the customer and getting your vehicle fixed?
The half-arsed nature of BYD's Australian distribution and service network does them no favours. However it doesn't alter the fact that the pov pack Dolphin appears undercooked when compared with the pov pack MG4, despite there being just a ciggy paper between them wrt price. Though maybe it explains why the Dolphin's pricing is the way it is.
Funny, a 13 year old Nissan Leaf has 10kw more power and 74nm more torque! And it is 2 seconds faster to that 100kph
"Bring a cut lunch when overtaking". Love it, John.
Oh John !
The BYD is more powerful than a standard 10 …
If you can remember back that far …
Sure can, the BYD is a powerhouse by comparison. I always have to laugh when a modern car is described as 'slow'. As someone who still drive 40's and 50's cars on a regular basis, anything built from the 1960's on is a rocket. Having said that though, the BYD is certainly underdone performance wise by today's standards.
Back in the '80s , Mercedes-Benz was selling the 190, predecessor to the C Class. It was around $63k. In 1991 they released the 180 at around $45k. It had an 80 kW 1.8l "engine" and they deleted anti-lock brakes, power windows, climate control, electric seats, heated mirrors, cruise control and multi-speaker sound system. They also gained export credits by buying Australian components like glass and springs for other MB models. So, in a way, BYD is following the 3 pointed star...
In what way? BYD has despecced the drivetrain not the features.
The 180 was configured (or de-configured) to just slip under Keating’s luxury car tax price point at the time.
@@rjbiker66 In both cases, Mercedes and BYD were reducing specification to met a price point. Mercedes had to cut more to reduce the price by one third. It’s interesting that, for a company that prides itself on safety, MB removed ABS, but not AC or power steer.
So refreshing to get an objective review. I’ve listened to a number of reviews to date on the Dolphin and none have highlighted these concerns. Thank you.
I think the BYD Dolphin with the bigger battery, 427km WLTP, 150KWH Motor, 0-100 in around 7 seconds makes more sense for the extra money, approx $45K or $48.5K on road plus $3.5K Government rebate bringing the car back to about $45K. I think most buying the Dolphin would be looking at that one. At 427km range, I think that would suit most plus good for a 250 to 300km ride out of town so a bit of versatility. On a more open road the 150KW motor with 310NM of torque would be more than enough to overtake.
I have a 2010VW Golf Diesel, only done over 90K, get it regularly serviced, had things fixed along the way, the car is still perfect to drive, no rattles etc and looks in excellent condition. My only concern is what is the build quality of these BYDs? My Golf by far has been exceptional in terms of build quality.
Never use Mycar to service your car. I had an disable elderly friend who always serviced his car there, and he always get a $100 voucher for next service.
One day, he asked me to book a service for him. I called up Mycar to get a quote and it was $299 (without mentioning the voucher and of which I should had told my friend).
Then my elderly friend went there, showed the voucher and they up charged him to $399 - $100 Voucher = $299. The service should had only cost $199 with the voucher.
My cousin Wang Suk Lo used to work at BYD. He was ordered to reduce the quality and mix in insect husks and bat droppings into things like floor mats then claim it was eco friendly. When he spoke out they tried to silence him by sending hired goons (one was named Suk Peen Tang) to assault him. They held him down and launched heavy groin kicks.
Great video Johnno thanks for sharing. After watching this I’m so inspired to buy an EV and right after that I might go and have myself committed or maybe even lodge an application to become the next Miss Australia fully plumbed.
I'm interested in evs so I can become fuel agnostic ~ with the majority of my refueling requirements being produced at home by my rooftop solar.
Thanks Saudis but I will call you when I need you.
I have driven one of these in Thailand, not the base model, the one with 150kw. It was great! However, in Thailand, these things cost less than the equivalent of $30k AUD, so I guess, if they were priced like that, it'd be good.
In Thailand, Dolphin Extended is about 23k USD.
BYD Crappo and BYD Dodgy. No thanks. The fact that the Dodgy...er...Dolphin makes the MG look like a desirable proposition is damning enough!
Edit:
Had a sit in a Dolphin today, the Premium model. Very impressed and seems a far better proposition than the base model Dynamic.
I saw a report yesterday that VW is scaling back EV production in Germany over the summer due to "strong customer reluctance". Is this the first sign that the EV bubble is starting to burst?
May be. However there's a reason Battery EV is needed as inbetween transition from ICE vehicle to EV.
Likely is Geopolitics, (wars soon coming 2025) making every nations like Sri Lanka or Ukraine where petrol will be scarce but one can still plug in Battery EV to use.
That's the whole point also Battery is esrly stage one day it may transition into solid state battery and then also into Hydrogen fuel cell which also is likely be coming in 2 decades time.
EV is definitely a better vehicle then an ICE engine for future however the current draw back is the safety of battery chemistry
LFP is the safest available now, then sodium battery when that is available
For trucks only Hydrogen fuel cells will work, provide as much power & travel longer range then diesel
Hydrogen availability will take time
... I saw a report...
In a recession people will buy the cheapest car.
I reckon, in the name of honesty in marketing, BYD should be globally rebranded as DO, Dream On. Except in Oz of course where it would have to be THHD, yes, Tell Him He’s Dreaming! 😊
I must admit, BYD Australia’s conduct to date simply does not inspire any trust at all. And hiring MyCar to be their servicing arm is just another reason to stay away.
If you report a warranty claim the Central Committe will put you in a concentration camp making I Phones.
BYD needs to set up a factory import/distribution operation down here and do whatever it is that Tesla does wrt servicing (assuming BYD doesn't switch to a traditional dealer network model).
The BYD Dolphin launch at Seaworld was an interesting marketing choice…
This one is a shocker! Not the car but the review. He has no idea and is just click baiting this one. Spends way over half the video talking nonsense and exaggerating to death past anti-BYD news reports, then I finally thought he was getting to the point of his "review" but sadly, no, we go onto comparing a pure electric base model to a corolla petrol. Then rants for way too long about 0to100 speed on the base model, not making it clear that he is talking base model. I gave up 14 minutes of my life to this beat-up of a video, then quit. John can be interesting but this is one of his awful ones, with no proper information but just biased rants. He even gets on his hobby horse of "the rest of the media crap but he tells it how it really is" crap :)
Thanks for watching the whole thing, dude. Fine by me if you missed every point.
@@AutoExpertJC If you had of got to the point and talk about the actual car instead of ramble then I wouldn't have given up in frustration. Not your best work dude.
Everyone is a frustrated executive producer, irrespective of how absurd their fake name... Keep up the great work being nobody.
@@AutoExpertJC Your journalistic critique of me, is as well researched and informative as this video. However, your concern about my frustration levels can be relieved because I’ve looked at other RUclipsrs critiques and now feel informed by actual facts about the car.
Pretty embarrassing that you feel you need to go on a rambling about how anti-woke you are in every video I've seen so far. But hey I guess thats what the majority of your viewers are aroused by then keep giving them what they want😂.
Damn I just love your videos 😎 Engineering & sarcasm to the extreme 😂😂
I don't think I'm at peak sarcasm yet...
@@AutoExpertJC 😂😂👌
@@AutoExpertJC Wait til the Mrs. leaves. Let er rip.
The electric"ahem" viking has been shilling these and other BYD since day one.
Thanks for the truth John on this POS.
They flog these BYD in Solomon Islands...a country whose entire electricity supply is provided by generators that run on imported diesel and is subject to daily loadshedding.....it's like rain on your wedding day
Chinese don't care. They just want your $$$
Probably because the Solomon Islands is owned by China these days.
The Asian Development Bank is working with the Government of Solomon Islands and Solomon Power to convert electricity networks in five provinces almost entirely to solar power. The project will reduce the need for costly shipments of diesel to the provincial centers.
Keep up mate.
@@nordic5490 ah the ADB who run around in 200 Series Landcruisers...green initiatives a priority....
@@nordic5490 you copy/pasted this from a 2017 flyer put out by ADB and SolPower ...the project was diesel/solar hybrid and it collapsed in litigation in 2022 with payouts made in 2023......
Great 2nd car for short trips up to the shops to get that bottle of wine for dinner or last minute milk or bread? All those 5 minute trips are really bad for our real cars as they increase engine wear, use way too much fuel, and pollute more as they aren't warmed up. Better than a mobility scooter too. So why not.😊
I hate hot wine. Especially 1000 degree wine.
Every time someone mentions Polestar, I internally wax poetic about the V60 with the I-6 that I want so badly 🤩
I’m guessing there is no problem getting your hands on one (if that’s the sadistic kink you’re into), there are literally many 100’s of them in a big lockup compound near my place (SE suburbs of Melbourne).
Lm5
Great video. Good to see warnings getting out there. John, you didn't mention the way they achieved their supposed Chinese sale figures. Thousands of the BYD cars sold in China are sitting out in fields rotting away.
Can you please share the link to these rotting away byd?
@@erwin734 It's one of the Serpentza videos, either his main channel or another one of his and Laowhy86 RUclips channels. I did see that video a week or so ago. If I find it again, I'll post a link here, otherwise you might find it yourself quicker.
ruclips.net/video/1SEfwoqKRU8/видео.html
Not to mention, rusting away. 😂
ruclips.net/video/1SEfwoqKRU8/видео.html
You being one of my favorite car specialist, with all due respect, I fully understand you got paid and you are doing your business. Also you are right about Dolphin base model (0-100 12.5 sec) sucks. I don't know how many that will sell. But Dolphin Premium will crush all MG4 ranges in terms of infotainment and interior features, safety features, quality of software, OTA, E platform. Blade Battery, Heat pump etc.
Who cares about power or range of this model? It's irrelevant for a entry model that will be used as a city car by 90% of owners. It has to be reliable, safe, cheap to run and easy to repair and to use.
Most people do and safety ain’t this cars best qualities either .. please enjoy and buy one
I don't think the Dolphin is a bad car, but it seems expensive for what it is. As for "easy to repair"... good luck with that. EVs are a consumable, they're not designed to be repaired.
Exactly. Horses for courses... it's a shame that journalists of all types including our friend cadders are captivated by stressing something pretty irrelevant. If one drove any of the vehicles these journos reckon are a performance minimum...at anything like flat out.... the licence would be gone before the sheen came off the tyres.
A magnificent episode ... I'm running out of superlatives ... I'm trying to think of a conservative way of complimenting you, without continually pissing in your pocket :) Please keep it coming JC.
Just engage your inner troll mate. We all have one.
(You're welcome.)
I would take the Dolphin over a Corolla any day. We all happily drove 4 cylinder cars with 13 second performance for decades. In the city you are lucky to get to 40km/h and cyclists are often faster for the work commute. Wasn't this very channel promoting a basic city EV as an ideal city car. I believe an even smaller battery is available in China.
BYD (cringe name) over tried and tested Corolla. Ah no
@@mrkring1526 yesss.... I see your earlier post that you would never own a byd because you don't like their logo. "Could never own a BYD with the completely cringe Build Your Dreams logo on the car." That indicates to me a sophisticated fashion moron, with no more depth than the skin on a pumpkin.
I'm not posting to support BYD... but the dogger's distaste because an EV is not faster than a corolla from a few years ago writes off his credibility.
Your credibility based on a car's logo incinerates your credibility. But if you wish to be a fashionista, you stick with your over tired and tested old corolla!
Well done you!
But if you ompare the Dolphin premium and the MG4 ESSENCE, you will see how BYD won almost 60% head to head features, range and price
But this isn't about the models you are referring to.
JC hasn't even mentioned the appalling ride/handling of the Dolphin yet.
Top Gear UK gave it a 4/10.
@@rjbiker66Handling MG4 win outright but safety chemistry of battery LFP or none
If one want
Battery EV there's no other option other then LFP battery or sodium battery
Any other Li Ternary battery is dangerous
LFP at least does not burst into flame straight away, may only smoke and normal water hosing will stop any fire
Anyone who want Battery EV safety is most important in any vehicle collison accident
The Atto3 is fwd, vs the MG4 is rwd. The MG4 wins hands down for driving dynamics 'fun'.
Issue with full battery EV at present is fun while last, but when battery short circuit in accident its instant non-stop fire for ternary Li battery, that fun become very useless
MG4 uses ternary Li battery above basic model that's dangerous, any major accident to battery compartment is a quick extreme hot non stop burning fire that can not be put out (batterg chemistry keeps producing oxygen)
LFP is the only way to go for now until sodium battery comes out, this at least give owner the peace of mind they have time to escape car & also have plenty of warning when the car starts to smoke (LFP), and it will smoke for a long time when battery short circuit, hosing water to cool battery to keep it from burning in very hot weather (summer)
These are current drawbacks of Full battery EV at present duw to Li battery
Hey, talking about underpowered, I once overtook a car with caravan in my Suzuki 800cc 3-cylinder hatch (which was capable of doing 110km/h if there was no head wind) and just managed to block off a hotted-up Commodore from overtaking me before I overtook the van. So I'm used to driving under powered cars. But i won't touch the Dolphin. I'm waiting to see what the Seal is going to be like, and even then i probably won't buy it.
70kw on a 1400kg car reminds me of something from the long lost past in the 1970s like a Morris Maxi or Morris 1100. I call the acceleration 'glacial'.
An EV delivers power and torque differently to an internal combustion engine… You cannot really compare the figures.
Wait until ChangLi get imports set up here. Then you'll see cheap Chinese EVs.
Hope their aircraft carriers and subs are built in the same way.
When the Candela goes flat do you need a floating extension cable to charge it?
Hi John, would love to know what cars you recommend and the best places to get them serviced.
In this order, the best value base model sub-40k EVs:
MG4
Ora Cat
BYD Dolphin
Why BYD stuck an anaemic 70kW motor in the base model, lord only knows. They could have at least popped a 110kW or 125kW at not much extra cost, and left everything else the same. It would barely have changed the weight, but would have made a completely different car.
There’s about 2 acres of these cars stored in a fenced off paddock next to a local train station on the Caboolture line here in Nth BrizVegas. It does have an old electric fence around it but the last time i touched that fence it was either d off or faulty. Imagine the hundred or more cars there caught fire…its not exactly a low crime area.
Hey thanks for the update
Lots of KIA cars catching fire in the US..
BYD should've bought the Holden network for servicing and selling their, er, vehicles. Holden dealers are already used to dealing with shit build quality and horrendous after sales service.
Is the MG4 going to have the same compliance issue with the child seat? All overseas models clearly only have 2 anchor points in the rear. Does this make them a 4 seater only?
And here was me, thinking that $50k was an outrageous price, for a trusty old Holden Kingswood. In the light of all this new information I confidently predict the price of an old Kingswood will jump substantially, as of, right now. Come to that, the price of a 10 or 15 year old Corolla might also take a substantial leap. We have clearly passed the pinnacle of motoring, we are now well down the downward slope from that peak. Problem now is that these older cars have become so highly valued it presents a serious risk to use them as a daily driver.
"one fewer", not "one less"
Pedantry is my thing, punctuation of the above notwithstanding.
If you have trouble with the term "one less" your daily life must be torture! Fer feck's sake, don't get decimated while yer cooken the barby.
Except for Victoria - so true.
I did chuckle
In my mind, the Dolphin is competing with the super-budget small cars of the 90s and 2000s... think $15k for a 1L engine and very few trimmings... so, applying the EV tax (batteries and whatnot) it should be priced at about $25k to $30k to get me interested... at $40k, there's LOADS of other cars available that aren't bargain basement dregs made in China
Given the limited availability of accessible lithium stock, wasting it on making bad EV's is unbelievably wasteful.
There is only enough lithium to build 1.4 billion cars but I believe that the accessible quantity is a mere quarter of that figure.
I'd be surprised if this shortage doesn't break the EV market very soon. EV only by 2030 is not physically possible from what I've read.
Have you seen the news about VW Ev sales not meeting expectations and VW having to throttle production. No such problem for Passats built at same factory.
Like your sense of humour mate! And thanks for the no BS evaluation. Cheers!
Could never own a BYD with the completely cringe Build Your Dreams logo on the car.
I would be fine with the 12 seconds and the price if the BYD had other characteristics I want but it doesn't have. A few are:
Ground clearance
Smart traction control
Big tires to soak up a bad road.
A real spare
Room in the back for all my stuff
Dolphin Premium long range is a better offer if one can afford the price $6,000 difference
~$45k
Sounds like atto 3 is a better option if u require bigger boot space
Or model Y
I have had an MG ZS EV Mk1 which was $42K after the $3K government rebate and that has been a good solid car with no problems other than a degraded 12 volt battery which still starts the car after two years. The dealer also has a Nissan dealership with rubber gloves and a defibrillator where they service it. I would be happy buying the MG4.
What a rip off
@@mrkring1526 Spraying your childish bile all over this video arentcha! How many years have you been getting out of the pedal rubbers on your safety tricycle anyway mr wayne king?
@@annpeerkat2020 truth hurts though I guess doesnt it chief.. Gosh so easy to trigger NPCs are!
Meanwhile, the Subaru XV/Crosstrek is only marginally slower to 100 and it’s fine
Too bad MG aftermarket isn’t the best in Philippines. BYD is fairly more common in the Philippines.
I thought this was a good one for you John..... the all new byd fire sale... get one while stocks last
Either the MG4 is screaming good value or the Dolphin is horribly overpriced. Maybe both?
MG seem determined to blow the whole market to pieces. Cost, performance, value for money. It sets benchmarks on all of them that force other manufacturers to raise their game. The XPower will go further for hot hatches.
A Chinese remake of a poor British car. Hmmm. Wonder if I should buy one? NOT.
Nothing wrong with the original MG's. Maybe own one for a long period first before relying on internet hearsay.
@@wigs1098 British Leyland cars are crap and any Brit will tell you so. Have a TR 6 since 1976, mostly not running or rusting away. Does that count for experience?
Whats your thoughts on BYD's new Seal?
Funny you mention MyCar, i actually took my Corolla to them for the first time ever for a service and boy do i regret it! The car went in perfectly and came out a lemon. The rattling coming out of the engine is embarrassing to say the least. My father in law brought his car around the same time and they actually killed his car! lol. He managed to drive it out but it never started ever again, he has taken it back (towed) to MyCar since multiple times and they cant figure out what's wrong with it. What an absolute Shit Show!!
Oh! did i mention they also broke my bonnet? 🤦🏼♂
The mycar review you bought up seems to be an afterpay issue not mycar, so hardly fair there.
Remind you of any recent catastrophic outcome? Safety is not an optional extra.
This is pretty stupid. The premium is 0-100 in 7 seconds and has a 490km range. Also the rust issue was found out to be misinformation. Any car sitting with damaged and disjointed panels for 4 months in the weather will develop rust 😂
The Dolphin Premium has a 150kW motor with 310Nm and more battery (non cobalt). Much better choice.
Hilux, Straya’s best selling shit-box. 0-100kph in 12 seconds.
Maybe not so much The Dolphin but The Poorpuss perhaps.
Dolphins are self centered mooches. Like a grubby dog that won't go away. And they know how to open your refrigerator.
3 months later and Dolphin Premium has got 5 stars at Euro NCAP
BYD Dolphin Dynamic is in hands of Australians now, and real life performance 0-100 is apparently around 10.5 seconds rather than 12.5 seconds. Not great, but hardly as slow as they officially claimed.
Step 1. Make a desent product.
Step 2 supply good customer service. Step 3 , just sell shitloads of product.. 😮 why cant this be achieved in this order , in order to make money!
I’m just wondering John, as I look to the sky and watch the ever increasing numbers of sky travellers traversing up there in ever increasing numbers of newly purchased jets, I wonder (yet again) if our government is in as much of a hurry to transform that industry as it seems to be in rushing out cheap and nasty EV’s like the one you’ve just applied the “blow torch” to☺️
I welcome BYD, and others like them. I would never buy one, but if they help to exert downward pressure on pricing in the industry then I am all for it. BYD and MG must really irritate the players in the class above as some buyers will always head to the cheaper offerings even if they regret it later and could have afforded more.
Hi John, another interesting video. Would your channel be able to exist without having EVS to talk down about? That's a bit of irony don't you think?
Given all the BYD electric car fires in China i would not touch these with a 10ft pole. There are report videos on this on YT, i believe over 200 so far this year.
Those are not EVs, they're plugin hybrids.
@@Lofyne Incorrect, the incidents im referring to were 100% EV.
I signed up for that trial. And with your lovely review, I am sure I'll see another slight drop in that stock investment. On there other hand, maybe my SAIC shares will hear you too.
BYD would be the last car company I'd buy from. Their batteries are ticking time bombs. I'll never own an EV by any car manufacturer
Their batteries are in Tesla on Europe and are proven safer
@@mrflibble1985 SURRRREE🍿
Was funny. Sat in a BYD in Xbox Hill with a sales guy. He espoused the voice control of features. But said I need to speak in an American accent to use the voice control. 😂
Why? They aren't sold in the USA
Takes me back to driving the Newell in a Maruti Drover , Ag bike in the back….
That's a quicker 0 - 100km/h than a Mitsubishi i-Miev you know.
First EV I ever drove. (Over the Harbour Bridge.) But they never sold it here, if memory serves.
@@AutoExpertJC I saw one in Adelaide years ago and is still the only one I've seen.
The Dolpin sounds like the Yugo of EVs.
Yes You GO to the local Wrecking yard 😅
@@SteveEddy-od7fbsource ? Proof ?
I love this part
Blow Your Dosh? No thanks. I think MG is relatively superior.
YOUR COMMENTS are funny and i kind of agree , but just watch out you dont get run over by the 400kw ex 30 on a pedestrian crossing near you
Amazing that they managed to make an electric vehicle that performs worse than the ORIGINAL Prison Leaf