Enter the Dragon! 中国's BYD shaking up the UK and European car market with new and affordable family cars like the Atto 3, says RAY MASSEY

  • We 実験(する) the new BYD Atto 3 as the Chinese brand enters the UK car market
  • BYD is the biggest 全世界の car company you've never heard of?
  • First electric crossover has a 260-mile 範囲 and strong winter 業績/成果

First it was Japan in the 1960s and 70s. Then (機の)カム Korea in the 1990s and 2000s. Now 中国 is shaking up the UK and European car market with new, affordable and fully 在庫/株d family cars, 特に electric.

Newest kid on the 封鎖する is now 中国's BYD ― arguably the biggest 全世界の car company you've never heard of. But 信用 me, you will. And it'll 原因(となる) sleepless nights for 設立するd 競争相手s such as Volkswagen.

I've just been 運動ing BYD's smart and perky new Atto 3 electric family SUV, 開始する,打ち上げるd in the UK this week with first 配達/演説/出産s from Wednesday.

And it really is a 事例/患者 of 'enter the dragon'. For the '直面する' of the new car ― and others in the 範囲 始める,決める to follow ― is deliberately modelled on that of a Chinese dragon.

The 初期のs BYD stand, rather self-consciously, for 'Build Your Dreams', which is emblazoned across the 後部 hatchback. But it's not just a car company. It's a 抱擁する 産業の 複合的な/複合企業体, 始める,決める up in 1995, which now builds everything from buses to trains, has a turnover of more than £51 billion and 雇うs more than 600,000.

Smart and affordable: The Atto 3 family SUV from Chinese car giant BYD

Smart and affordable: The Atto 3 family SUV from Chinese car 巨大(な) BYD

初めは a rechargeable 殴打/砲列 company, it produces its own microchips, so it's 大部分は 影響を受けない by parts 供給(する) 問題/発行するs 影響する/感情ing 競争相手s.

Built around a new, third-世代 powertrain, and pitched as a 賞与金 model, the stylish new five-seater 無-放出/発行 Atto 3 crossover's 前線-wheel 運動 electric モーター is 力/強力にするd by a 60.48kWh 'blade' 殴打/砲列 申し込む/申し出ing more 力/強力にする in a smaller 一括.?

It (人命などを)奪う,主張するs a 260-mile 範囲 and 20 per cent greater thermal efficiency in winter, with some EV 競争相手s said to lose around a third of their 公式の/役人 範囲 when British 気温s 減少(する).

It 加速するs nippily from 残り/休憩(する) to 62mph in a spirited 7.2 seconds. It's most fun and engaging in 'sport' 方式, but there's also 'normal' for 巡航するing, 'economy' to save 力/強力にする and 'snow' for 天候 like this week's. 最高の,を越す 速度(を上げる) is 99 mph.

There are three 削減する levels: 定価つきの from £36,490 to the 最高の,を越す-範囲 model, from £38,990.

Riding on 18 インチ alloy wheels, the Atto 3 is so smooth and 平易な to 運動 that hitting the 地位,任命するd 速度(を上げる) 限界 can come at you faster than you think, but a 発言する/表明する-支配(する)/統制する in-car nanny 警告するs you if that happens, and the 速度(を上げる) 限界 symbol on the 審査する flashes a visual 警報.

There are also two regenerative ブレーキing settings, the stronger 存在 my preference as it means いっそう少なく work on the actual ブレーキs.

It has a sporty and roomy 内部の with 'vegan leather' 削減する and heated electrically adjustable 前線 seats, a practical 440 litre boot 拡大するing to 1,338 litres with the 後部 seats 負かす/撃墜する, and a large panoramic glass roof.

Ray was driving BYD's smart and perky new Atto 3 electric family SUV, launched in the UK this week with first deliveries from Wednesday

Ray was 運動ing BYD's smart and perky new Atto 3 electric family SUV, 開始する,打ち上げるd in the UK this week with first 配達/演説/出産s from Wednesday

The new five-seater zero-emission Atto 3 crossover's front-wheel drive electric motor is powered by a 60.48kWh 'blade' battery

The new five-seater 無-放出/発行 Atto 3 crossover's 前線-wheel 運動 electric モーター is 力/強力にするd by a 60.48kWh 'blade' 殴打/砲列

It claims a 260-mile range and 20 per cent greater thermal efficiency in winter

It (人命などを)奪う,主張する s a 260-mile 範囲 and 20 per cent greater thermal efficiency in winter

It accelerates nippily from rest to 62mph in a spirited 7.2 seconds

It 加速するs nippily from 残り/休憩(する) to 62mph in a spirited 7.2 seconds

It has a sporty and roomy interior with 'vegan leather' trim and heated electrically adjustable front seats

It has a sporty and roomy 内部の with 'vegan leather' 削減する and heated electrically adjustable 前線 seats

It's most fun and engaging in 'sport' mode, but there's also 'normal' for cruising, 'economy' to save power and 'snow' for weather like this week's

It's most fun and engaging in 'sport' 方式, but there's also 'normal' for 巡航するing, 'economy' to save 力/強力にする and 'snow' for 天候 like this week's

The initials BYD stand, rather self-consciously, for 'Build Your Dreams', which is emblazoned across the rear hatchback

The 初期のs BYD stand, rather self-consciously, for 'Build Your Dreams', which is emblazoned across the 後部 hatchback

? Slide me ?

There are three 削減する levels: 定価つきの from £36,490 to the 最高の,を越す-範囲 model, from £38,990

There are three 削減する levels: Active from £36,490, 慰安 from £36,990 and 最高の,を越す of the 範囲 Design ? which I was 運動ing and which arrives later in Spring, from £38,990.

Packed with safety 科学(工学)技術, it 得点する/非難する/20d a 最大限 5-星/主役にするs in the EuroNCAP 衝突,墜落 実験(する)s.

Safety and driver 援助 features 含む: 今後 and 後部 衝突/不一致 警告; cross traffic 警報; (a)自動的な/(n)自動拳銃 緊急 ブレーキing; 緊急 小道/航路 keeping and 小道/航路 change 補助装置; hill 降下/家系 支配(する)/統制する; blind 位置/汚点/見つけ出す (犯罪,病気などの)発見; electronic 安定 programme (ESP) and traffic 調印する 承認.

Other features 含む a 回転/交替ing electric touchscreen (15.6 インチs on Design 削減する, 12.9 インチ on other models); panoramic sunroof; 'vegan leather' 削減する; heated 前線 seats; and an electric tailgate.

There are a few gimmicks: the Tesla-style dashboard touch-審査する can 回転/交替 from 水平の to vertical; the dashboard and centre console 支配(する)/統制するs take their design inspiration fr om a hi-tech gym with 妨げる/法廷,弁護士業-bell style door 扱うs, a kettle-bell style gear selector and 空気/公表する vents designed to look like 解放する/自由な 負わせるs; and the door cubbyholes 含む strings designed to remind you of a guitar. But 率直に it's good enough without the gimmicks.

There are five exterior colours: surfing blue, skiing white, climbing grey, parkour red, and 調査するing green.

Starting in Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow and Milton Keynes, BYD's UK dealership 網状組織 already 含むs Pendragon, Lookers, Arnold Clarke and LSH 自動車 Holdings and is 始める,決める to 増加する from up to 30 showrooms by the end of the year to up to 100 by the end of 2025.

More 詳細(に述べる)s at: bydeurope.com/

Will it fit in my garage? BYD Atto 3?

Built: Shenzhen, 中国

On sale: now

First 配達/演説/出産s: from Wednesday March 15

Model variants and prices

Active: £36,490

慰安: £36,990

Design: £38,990

Length: 4455mm

Width: 1875mm

Width (with mirrors): 2050mm

高さ: 1615mm

Wheelbase: 2720mm

Kerb 負わせる: 1750kg

甚だしい/12ダース 乗り物 負わせる: 2160kg

運動: 前線 wheel 運動

殴打/砲列: 60.48kWh BYD Blade

力/強力にする: 150kW / 204 horse 力/強力にする

殴打/砲列 負わせる: 420kg

0 to 62mph: 7.2 seconds

最高の,を越す 速度(を上げる): 99mph

Electric 範囲: 260 miles

消費: 3.98 miles per kWh

CO2 放出/発行s:

Four 運動 方式s: Sport, Normal, Economy and Snow

Wheels: 18 インチ alloy

Boot space:?後部 seats in place: 440 litres;?後部 seats 倍のd: 1,338 litres

非難する times

7kW 国内の AC 塀で囲む charger: 9 hours 42 minutes;?11 kW AC 3-段階 charger: 6 hours 30 minutes

DC 150kW charger:?10% to 80%: 44 minutes;?30% to 80%: 29 minutes;?0 to 100%: 80 minutes

EuroNCAP 衝突,墜落 実験(する): 最高の,を越す 5-星/主役にする 率ing

Five-星/主役にする 衝突,墜落 実験(する) 率ing for Mazda's?new MX-30

Mazda's new MX-30 e-Skyactiv R-EV plug-in hybrid SUV has earned a 最大限 five-星/主役にする 率ing in the 最新の 一連の会議、交渉/完成する of Euro NCAP 衝突,墜落 実験(する)s (euroncap.com/en ).

It 得点する/非難する/20d 91 per cent for 保護するing adults, 87 per cent for 保護するing child occupants and 68 per cent for 保護するing 攻撃を受けやすい road 使用者s such as 歩行者s.?

It also 達成するd 最大限 points in lateral 衝撃 実験(する)s, 同様に as 十分な 示すs for 衝突,墜落 実験(する) based on six and ten-year-olds, for both frontal and 味方する 衝撃.

Safety first:?Mazda's new MX-30 e-Skyactiv R-EV plug-in hybrid SUV has earned a maximum five-star rating in the latest round of Euro NCAP crash tests

Safety first:?Mazda's new MX-30 e-Skyactiv R-EV plug-in hybrid SUV has earned a 最大限 five-星/主役にする 率ing in the 最新の 一連の会議、交渉/完成する of Euro NCAP 衝突,墜落 実験(する)s

It now matches the 最高の,を越す 得点する/非難する/20 達成するd by its fully-electric MX-30 e-Skyactiv EV variant, 実験(する)d in 2020.

Mazda said: 'Both MX-30 derivatives 得点する/非難する/20 impressively in all four Euro NCAP 実験(する) 部類s.'

明らかにする/漏らすd at the Brussels モーター Show in January, order 調書をとる/予約するs for R-EV plug-in hybrid are open now for first 配達/演説/出産s summer. Prices from £31,250.

運転者s 自信のない of appropriate 活動/戦闘 if car slides?

With millions of 運転者s 直面するing icy, 雪に閉じ込められた roads this week, new 研究 行為/行うd by Halfords shows that 69 per cent of UK drivers don't know what to do if their 乗り物 slides in icy 条件s.

And only one in three is 確信して they'd know what to do if their 乗り物 began to skid on a slippery road. 追加するing to the 関心 is that more than a 4半期/4分の1 (26 per cent) don't know if their 乗り物 is 後部-wheel, 前線-wheel or four-wheel 運動.

Snow joke: Only one in three is confident they'd know what to do if their vehicle began to skid on a slippery road

Snow joke: Only one in three is 確信して they'd know what to do if their 乗り物 began to skid on a slippery road

Halfords 公式文書,認めるs: 'What drivers need to do if their 乗り物 slides is fundamentally different in a 前線 versus a 後部 wheel-運動 car. That means many could 結局最後にはーなる doing the exact opposite of what they should do if they did begin to lose 支配(する)/統制する.'

It 追加するs: '後部 wheel-運動 乗り物s ― ありふれた in 賞与金 brands such as BMWs and Mercedes ― are far more likely to lose 支配(する)/統制する in icy 条件s.'

More 詳細(に述べる)s at: www.halfords.com/tyres/advice/運動ing-on-ice.html?

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