BYD has confirmed its pioneering Atto 3 small/medium electric SUV will soon be replaced in its Kiwi lineup, and its larger new successor is also likely to appear in Australian showrooms.
The Chinese brand revealed the second-generation Yuan Plus electric SUV at last week’s 2026 Beijing motor show opening. In its first generation, the Yuan Plus was rebadged as the Atto 3 in a vast array of export markets.
Notably, the first-generation Atto 3 was the first BYD model introduced in both Australia and New Zealand, arriving in both markets in late 2022.
However, the second-generation Yuan Plus is considerably larger than its small/mid-size SUV predecessor, prompting BYD’s New Zealand division to badge it as the Atto 5 rather than continuing the Atto 3 nameplate when it arrives across the ditch in 2027, as first reported by Kiwi publication Auto Trader.
We’ve contacted BYD Australia for comment on whether its local lineup will follow suit.
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The higher number is logical and reflects the SUV’s growth in size. Measuring 4665mm long, 1895mm wide, and 1675mm tall on a 2770mm wheelbase, the new Yuan Plus is a whole 210mm longer, 20mm wider, and 60mm taller than the SUV it replaces, with its wheelbase also lengthened by 50mm.
It will also be based on a new 800V electrical architecture, which brings with it the shift from a front-wheel drive layout to rear-wheel drive configuration. Two single-motor powertrains will be available, producing either 200kW or 240kW, both up considerably on the current Atto 3’s 150kW.
Two battery packs will also be available, both based on BYD’s second-generation ‘Blade’ technology. Capacities are quoted at either 57.5kWh for the 200kW option, providing 540km of driving range, or 68.8kWh for the 240kW alternative with up to 630km of range – both on the more lenient CLTC test cycle.
Confusingly, this all-new second-generation model has been revealed even before the Australian debut of the mid-life facelift for the original Atto 3. Dubbed the Atto 3 Evo, it brings substantial under-the-skin changes that are similar to those of the MkII Yuan Plus/Atto 5.
Of note is the switch to a rear-drive layout for the base 230kW single-motor variant, along with the introduction of a 330kW dual-motor all-wheel drive option. Both use an 800V electric architecture and offer WLTP driving ranges of 510km and 470km respectively, from the same 74.8kWh battery.
Visual changes have been far less substantial, with revised exterior styling, tweaks to the interior layout, and tech updates being the other highlights. The new electrical architecture has also allowed the addition of a 110-litre under-bonnet storage area.
The Atto 3 Evo went on sale in the UK in February 2026, but while the model has appeared in Australian Government certification documents, it’s yet to arrive in local showrooms and BYD Australia is yet to reveal its plans for the Atto 3.
For reference, the current Atto 3 sold in Australia is priced from $39,990 before on-road costs and available only with a 150kW/310Nm motor driving the front wheels, powered by either a 49.9kWh or 60.5kWh battery pack.
The delay between the European and Australian launches of the Atto 3 Evo suggests BYD Australia could be waiting to introduce the Atto 5 instead, even if the first-gen facelift has been approved for sale.
This is supported by the fact the original Atto 3’s introduction was consistent across most major markets, with launches in Australia, New Zealand, and Europe all occurring in late 2022, followed by the UK in early 2023.
Given their geographic proximity, it’s possible the Australian and New Zealand launches of the Atto 5 could be synchronised some time next year.
Sales of the 3.5-year-old Atto 3 slumped by almost 33 per cent last year, when it was out-sold by the larger plug-in hybrid Sealion 6 and all-electric Sealion 7 in the mid-size SUV segment by a factor of almost three-to-one and close to four-to-one respectively.
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