Should you buy a BYD Dolphin Surf?

Yes. The BYD Dolphin Surf is an attractive small electric car with plenty of standard equipment, impressive refinement, good build quality (for the money) and loads of interior space. Plus, the top-spec model has strong enough range and performance figures to give you the confidence to take the occasional jaunt out of the city and onto the motorway.

It isn’t perfect, though – especially when you compare it to its ever-expanding range of affordable electric city car rivals. The recently discounted £14,500 Leapmotor T03 represents even better value for money, while the Hyundai Inster has a more flexible interior and a more playful driving experience, especially around town.

Overall, the BYD Dolphin Surf shapes up as a very competitive small electric car that mixes quality, range and equipment in a way that will make rivals sit up and take notice. It’s not the most fun to drive but, for everyday usability, it’s a very attractive package.

What’s new?

Everything. The BYD Dolphin Surf is the Chinese brand’s first crack at a global electric Acity car. It went on sale in China back in 2023 as the BYD Seagull, where it quickly became the brand’s best-selling car, as well as one of the country’s best-selling EVs.

Recognising this success, BYD decided to fire the car into the ruthless price war at the bottom of the European electric car market – albeit with some changes. The car has a new badge, suspension that’s better suited to battered European roads and a recalibrated suite of safety technology to help it secure a good EuroNCAP safety test rating.

The Dolphin Surf is available in three specifications called Active, Boost and Comfort. The battery and motor specifications are tied into each trim – so, the entry-level Active model has an 88hp electric motor, a 30kWh battery pack and a maximum range of 136 miles.

The mid-range Boost variant gets the same motor, but a larger 43.2kWh battery pack to increase maximum official range to 200 miles. But because the bigger battery adds more weight, its 0–62mph time is a second slower than the Active model at 12.1 seconds.

BYD’s flagship Comfort model has the same battery as the Boost but a much more powerful 156hp electric motor. That’s around twice the amount of power you get from the Leapmotor T03 and more than three times as much power as the entry-level Dacia Spring. That extra poke gives it a 0–62mph time of 9.1 seconds.

Standard kit includes rear parking sensors, a rear-view camera, air-conditioning, electrically adjustable side mirrors and a 10.1-inch infotainment system that can rotate between landscape and portrait. It sounds like a gimmick, but the latter option is quite useful for navigation as it allows you to see further along your route.

Boost models get 16-inch alloys, electrically adjustable front seats, automatic windscreen wipers and electrically folding door mirrors. Step-up to the rang-topping Comfort trim and you’ll unlock LED headlights, heated front seats, a wireless phone charger and tinted rear windows. Prices start at £18,650 for the Active and climb to £23,950.

Other rivals for the Dolphin Surf include the slightly more expensive Citroen e-C3, Renault 5 E-Tech or Fiat Grande Panda. Alternatively, you could shop around for a used Vauxhall Corsa Electric. Their residual values have completely tanked, so you can get a one-year-old example for around £16,000.

Scroll through the next few pages to find out whether you should take a chance on BYD’s newest car or whether you should stick with an established legacy brand. We’ll explore the Dolphin Surf’s practicality, interior quality, technology, driving experience and running costs before offering our final verdict on the car. If you’d like to learn more about how we reached our decision, check out our how we test cars explainer page.

Watch our small electric cars group test video