2024 BYD Dolphin Review

Electric vehicles (EVs) provide a fantastic alternative to traditional gas-powered cars, allowing drivers to sidestep high fuel costs while minimizing their environmental impact. However, many EVs and hybrids currently available are still quite pricey, and the sparse charging infrastructure often limits their usability in urban areas. As such, ownership of an EV is only for those with deep pockets or those committed to the cause of emissions reduction. But perhaps the vehicle we’re reviewing today can democratize EV ownership for the general public.

The vehicle in question is the BYD Dolphin—a five-door electric hatchback priced at just P1,398,000 for its sole variant. In this review, we’ll examine whether the Dolphin serves as a practical entry point into the world of EVs or if its attractive price tag is all that it has to offer.

We start with the feature that will most likely attract most of the Dolphin’s buyers; its price. Priced at P1,398,000, the Dolphin is priced higher than other hatchbacks on the market, but, when compared to other EVs, the Dolphin certainly has the edge in price. While other EVs sit above the P2 million mark, the Dolphin’s sub-P1.4 million price appears the most reasonable to buyers. This is especially significant considering the limited charging infrastructure and the relatively new technology of electric vehicles.

We highlight this aspect first because, while the price is a key selling point for the Dolphin, the important question remains: does its affordability come at the expense of quality or features?

The BYD Dolphin is equipped with a single electric motor that produces 94 hp and 180 Nm of torque. This motor is powered by BYD's Blade Battery, which has a capacity of 44.5 kWh, allowing the Dolphin to achieve a claimed NEDC range of up to 405 km. Additionally, the Dolphin can reach a top speed of 130 km/h and accelerate from zero to 50 km/h in just 3.9 seconds. In our testing, we found that if you drive conservatively and with the proper traffic conditions, the Dolphin returned a range that is quite close to 405 km. 

Charging the Dolphin takes approximately 30 minutes to go from 30 percent to 80 percent using a 60 kW DC charger. In contrast, an AC charger requires around eight hours to fully charge the Dolphin from zero to 100 percent. While 405 km is a lot of range, planning your trips to encounter outlets and chargers along the way will definitely help to give you a bit of extra juice and ease some of the range anxiety that drivers encounter while in an EV.

Back to the topic of power, as mentioned before, the Dolphin has 94 hp and 180 Nm of torque on tap. If you were looking for Tesla-esque levels of performance, you’re looking in the wrong place. Despite the underwhelming figures, in practice, the Dolphin is zippy and has enough power to overtake and cruise around city streets.

On the exterior, the Dolphin has a ‘love it or hate it’ kind of appeal. It might appear cute to some or some might find the proportions to be goofy. Whatever side on the board you may be on the Dolphin, it certainly has a charm unique to it. 

Up front, the Dolphin is equipped with LED headlights with DRLs stretching the trim where the BYD emblem sits. Being an EV, you won’t find any gaping air vents up front, everything is sleek and designed to cut through the air as efficiently as possible. At the sides, the Dolphin is equipped with 16-inch two-tone alloy wheels while at the rear, the sleek looks continue with stylish LED taillights. The rear is dominated by the phrase ‘Build Your Dreams’ emblazoned at the back. We’re not a big fan of this design choice but it neither enhances nor detracts from the Dolphin’s looks.

Pop the trunk open and you’ll find 345 liters of space at the rear which can be expanded with the removal of the tonneau cover and by folding the rear seats down. One major drawback we found is the lack of a spare tire; instead, BYD provides a tire repair kit that you can use to allow the Dolphin to reach a tire repair shop. Another unique feature we noticed is the lack of separation between the rear seats, making it impossible to fit a third passenger in the back. The seats are either fully up or fully down—there's no middle option.

An upside we found is the addition of a socket and adapter for the Dolphin’s Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) function. This kit allows you to power up appliances via the Dolphin’s battery pack while you’re outside. Pretty nifty, especially if you’re in want of creature comforts while out camping.

Starting at the second row, the Dolphin doesn’t provide much in the way of toys. This hatchback has bottle holders on both doors, a single Type-A charger, and a bottle holder at the center and that’s it.

Up front, the star of the show is the rotating 12.8-inch touchscreen infotainment display with wireless Android Auto and Apple Carplay which can be configured to landscape or portrait mode depending on your preference. Along with that drivers have access to a five-inch LCD instrument cluster. Sound is transmitted throughout the cabin via a Dirac-HD six-speaker system that consists of two front speakers, two rear speakers, and two tweeters. 

Drawbacks? The first we found is the lack of a telescopic function for the steering wheel which means it’s not as easy to find your ideal driving position. Second, the lack of air vents at the rear forces passengers to pump up the air speed at the front which leads us to our third complaint. The third drawback we found is that most of the controls for the HVAC system and for other car functions are located inside the infotainment screen. 

In addition, if you’re using Android Auto, you must exit the app to adjust the air speed which is definitely a hassle if you’re on the move. Our fourth complaint is that the wide infotainment screen slightly blocks the two air vents up front which could be rectified by switching to portrait mode, however, for reasons unknown to us, you’re unable to use Android Auto while in portrait mode. Lastly, at the Dolphin’s price point and it being an EV, we expected a wireless charging pad but we were disappointed to find none. It’s not all bad though as the Dolphin still has a bunch of upsides which we’ll detail later on.

Inside, the BYD Dolphin features leather upholstery with a two-tone color scheme that mimics the outside of the vehicle. The leather, while not the most premium feeling in the market, looks and feels plush. 

At the front, cubby holes and storage spaces can be found anywhere you look and there are a bunch of quirky, modern design features that give the Dolphin a refreshing aura inside. A prime example of this refreshing quirkiness is with the door handles which appear like upswept horns. They’re just door handles but they do make you feel special while you use them which is a plus. 

Overall, the BYD Dolphin’s interior feels well put together, there are some quirks here and there that are easy to overlook over time. While there’s a bit of a learning curve in navigating the controls, none of these quirks are significant enough to be dealbreakers.

The first thing you’ll notice about the Dolphin is its instantaneous delivery of power when you put your foot down. Remember the figures from earlier? 98 hp and 180 Nm of torque may sound underwhelming on paper, but thanks to electric propulsion, the Dolphin feels quick while power delivery is smooth and linear. 

On flat roads or steep hills, the Dolphin doesn’t feel as if it can get bogged down. Furthermore, thanks to its low center of gravity, the Dolphin feels planted on twisty roads. Don’t get us wrong, it won’t match the agility of low-slung, lightweight sports cars like the MX-5, but, the Dolphin’s driving dynamic is enough to put a smile on your face.

In terms of comfort, the Dolphin’s NVH insulation is pretty impressive with cabin noise and road noise kept down to a minimum. In addition, the suspension feels supple as well while on the move.

Although it's a compact hatchback, the BYD Dolphin comes equipped with a comprehensive array of safety features for secure driving. It includes six airbags (front, side, and curtain), ISOFIX anchors, speed-sensing door locks, a tire pressure monitoring system, vehicle stability control, traction control, a panoramic camera, and both hill start and hill hold assist. In addition, the Dolphin features a keyless entry system with an advanced anti-theft mechanism to help deter break-ins.

The BYD Dolphin is an excellent option for getting you from point A to point B. As an electric vehicle, it offers a reasonable selection of creature comforts to keep you entertained on the go. While it may seem a bit plain compared to some of today’s high-tech EVs, that’s not the Dolphin’s purpose—it’s designed to be a reliable daily driver for city commutes, and it fulfills that role exceptionally well.

While the Dolphin’s infotainment system has its quirks, these are easily overshadowed by the smooth and comfortable driving experience it offers. For those considering an entry into the electric vehicle market, the Dolphin delivers impressive value at its P1,398,000 price point—making it a choice that will surely not disappoint.

Explore the BYD Dolphin and other BYD models on AutoDeal.com.ph, where you can connect with a sales agent or book a test drive for your chosen vehicle—all in one convenient platform. It’s a simple and hassle-free way to begin your car-buying journey from the comfort of your own home.