BYD Dolphin Active

Lower power means a more affordable price, but the new entry-level Dolphin is left wanting in other areas

- Alex Ingram

IT seems like we've been twiddling our thumbs and glancing impatiently at our watches for ages, but it's finally happened: EVS are now as cheap as the equivalent petrol or diesel models. Already in 2024 we've driven a Dacia Spring electric city car that costs only £15,000, and the brilliant Citroen e-C3 that'll start from around £21,000. Now the BYD Dolphin Active is bringing even more value for money into the class above.

Its 4.3-metre length means that it slips into the same area of the market as the Volkswagen Golf and Ford Focus, albeit with a taller, more MPV-like roofline than either. But with prices starting at £26,195, it comfortably undercuts the entry-level versions of both of those cars.

The new base-model Dolphin, the Active, plus the £27,195 Boost version that also joins the line-up, have undergone a few changes in order to undercut the model's previous £30,195 starting point, but tech-savvy buyers will be pleased to see there has been little compromise in the equipment on offer.

The trim structure, which now includes Active, Boost, Comfort and Design-conveniently abbreviated as A, B, C and D - is well equipped throughout. Electrically adjustable front seats trimmed in vegan 'leather, a 360-degree surroundview camera, a 12.8-inch rotating touchscreen display and, crucially for the UK's cold winters, an efficient heat pump, are all standard across the range. The new A and B trims miss out on heated front seats and front parking sensors, and the Active also swaps 17-inch wheels for 16-inch items, but these are hardly deal-breaking omissions.