BYD ATTO 3

The biggest brand you've possibly never heard of joins the Autocar fleet

- ALASTAIR CLEMENTS

FIRST REPORT

WHY I'M RUNNING IT

To find out if this quirky newcomer is a serious prospect or a flash in the pan

We have seen this sort of thing before, so we all know how this is going to go already, don't we? A debutant from the East enters the UK market with plenty of fanfare, derivative styling and huge value for money, but ultimately it falls short against the established marques. Plucky effort. Must try harder. See you back here in a couple of generations' time and you might be considered a contender...

This time, though, the circumstances are a bit different. Hyundai, Kia, Ssangyong and, more recently, the reborn MG were very much on an upward learning curve when they braved British shores for the first time, meaning I had to endure cars that were - quite literally in some cases - pony before getting to the good stuff. But this manufacturer that many won't have heard of is remarkably well established already.

BYD has been around since 1995. Last year, it produced more plug-in cars than any other brand worldwide, and it has just built its five-millionth 'new energy' vehicle. Don't believe me? Just take a look at the badge on the back of the next electric bus you see pounding the streets: chances are it's powered by BYD battery technology.

The Atto 3 family crossover is leading the Shenzhen-based battery giant's assault on the British buyer's pocket, with the compact Dolphin hatchback and Seal saloon (driven, p28) coming next, and it has some serious opposition in its sights, led by the smash-hit Kia Niro EV.