BYD Atto 3 facelift launching in Malaysia June 5 – basic updates or full-blown Evo 800V RWD revamp?

Big news from BYD Malaysia – the facelifted Atto 3 will be launched this coming week on June 5. While we do know the C-segment SUV is set to receive some updates inside and out, we still have no idea about the kind of changes that will be offered under the skin, as no information has been revealed just yet.

The Chinese EV giant has released two flavours of the facelift – not including the all-new model in China (called the Yuan Plus there), which this car obviously isn’t. The first is the basic version released in Hong Kong, which gets the refreshed exterior and interior, as well as faster 105 kW DC fast charging – but with an unchanged 204 PS/310 Nm front motor, 60.48 kWh Blade LFP battery and 420 km of WLTP-rated range.

The other, farther-reaching upgrade is the Evo, currently exclusive to Europe but also confirmed for Australia. This switches the architecture to rear-wheel drive, with the motor boosted to an impressive 313 PS (230 kW) and 380 Nm of torque. This gets it from zero to 100 km/h in just 5.5 seconds – nearly two whole seconds quicker than the FWD Atto 3 – while the top speed has been raised to 180 km/h.

The more expensive European Evo version is a possibility for Malaysia

Not quick enough? There’s also a truly bonkers dual-motor AWD version that pushes out 449 PS (330 kW) and 560 Nm, slashing the century sprint to a scarcely-believable 3.9 seconds and raising the top speed to 200 km/h. The battery has also increased in capacity to 74.8 kWh, yielding WLTP range figures of 510 km for the RWD variant and 470 km with AWD.

Perhaps the most impressive is the change to an 800-volt electrical architecture, which enables the Evo’s DC fast charging power to be boosted from a measly 88 kW to a much more respectable 220 kW. This cuts the charging time from 10 to 80% by nearly half – from 40 minutes to just 25 – despite the bigger battery.

The car also gains more compact five-link rear suspension that frees up 50 litres of boot space (now 490 litres, expandable to 1,360 litres with the rear seats folded), while the moving of the motor to the rear has enabled the fitment of a 101 litre front boot.

No matter which version we get, the Atto 3 will gain sportier front and rear bumpers with twin body-coloured “tusks”, new cascading triangular graphics for the taillights and sleeker black D-pillar trim; the Evo additionally gains new 18-inch grey alloy wheels. Inside, there’s a less rippled dashboard, an Atto 2-style steering wheel with a new column-mounted gear selector, a non-rotating 15.6-inch centre touchscreen, a much larger 8.8-inch instrument display and a redesigned centre console with twin smartphone holders.

While Malaysia (and the rest of Asia) tends to follow Hong Kong when it comes to specs, there could be a difference this time around, as BYD Malaysia has used the slogan “Faster, Further, Smarter” for the new car, hinting that it will be the Evo getting the nod for our market.

“Faster” could refer to either the actual performance increase or quicker charging, “Further” almost certainly refers to the longer range, and “Smarter” likely refers to built-in Google services like Google Maps, Google Assistant, YouTube and the Play Store – another feature that seems to be exclusive to the Evo.

All these things add cost, and normally this would push the price of the Atto 3 beyond that of natural rivals like the Proton eMas 7. But remember, BYD’s CKD local assembly plans are currently in limbo, and without it, the car would have been a bit more expensive anyway, thanks to import and excise duties applied to CBU fully-imported models starting this year.

With the Evo, BYD Malaysia would have a car that is quicker than the Sealion 7, while offering a longer range and faster charging – all at a price not far removed from that supposedly more upmarket model in its tax-free pre-2026 guise. Whether customers will be able to accept such a price hike for what was a fairly affordable EV is another story entirely, but that’s beyond the company’s hands.

Are you excited for the facelifted BYD Atto 3 in Malaysia – whether its the basic version or the Evo? Let us know in the comments.

GALLERY: BYD Atto 3 facelift for Hong Kong

GALLERY: BYD Atto 3 Evo

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