The entry-level BYD Dolphin Dynamic hatch is one of the cheapest electric vehicles (EV) in Australia, not that you’d know by looking at the standard equipment list.
Despite a price tag of just $36,890 before on-road costs, the Dolphin Dynamic wants for little, packing a panoramic glass roof, 12.8-inch infotainment touchscreen, digital instrument cluster, and power-adjustable front seats with heating. That’s the same impressive suite of kit you get in the $6000 dearer Dolphin Premium.
Note: Sections of this review overlap with our recent review of the Dolphin Premium, as the interior specifications of both cars are near identical. You can read our review of the 2025 BYD Dolphin Premium here.
So, what’s the catch? Well, the entry-level Dolphin isn’t the most athletic marine mammal going around.
While the Premium model feels every bit a slippery, speedy EV, the Dynamic makes do with a single 70kW electric motor. Fine for the peak-hour city grind, but no so great when you’re looking to make brisk progress on a road trip.
WATCH: Paul’s video review of the 2025 BYD Dolphin Premium
That narrows the target market for the Dynamic considerably, and also puts it at a distinct disadvantage against the similarly priced yet punchier MG 4 and GWM Ora.
Can BYD’s baby EV make up for its puny powertrain in other areas? Or will it drift into irrelevancy?
How much does the BYD Dolphin cost?
The Dolphin range has just been overhauled, with the model on test here set to be discontinued.
A new Dolphin Essential base model will join the lineup in March, becoming the cheapest EV in Australia at under $30,000 before on-road costs. Based on the Dynamic, the Essential versions lose features like a panoramic sunroof, heated seats, a wireless phone charger, and data plans.
The MY25 Premium flagship will be priced from $36,990 going forward, a discount of $5900.
| Model | Price before on-road costs |
|---|---|
| 2024 BYD Dolphin Dynamic | $36,890 |
| 2024 BYD Dolphin Premium | $42,890 |
To see how the BYD Dolphin stacks up against the competition, check out our comparison tool.
What is the BYD Dolphin like on the inside?
Almost all my takes on the interior of the Dolphin Premium also apply here, because the pair are strikingly similar inside.
The biggest point of difference is the colour scheme.
While our Premium tester came decked out in a mix of blue and black with red piping, the Dynamic is offered in three cabin tones linked to the exterior colour – grey and black, brown and black, and pink and grey.
Our Dynamic test car wore Sand White exterior paint with the brown/black interior, one of the more subtle combinations available.
However, I wouldn’t go as far as to say the interior is classy or restrained. The unique array of shapes and textures found throughout the cabin are still likely to be divisive, but the materials leave a better impression in this more affordably priced variant.
If you love the Atto 3 electric SUV, then you’ll probably love the Dolphin too. If not, there are plenty of vanilla options elsewhere.
The seats in the Dolphin are trimmed in soft leatherette and loaded with premium features. Both are heated, with six-way power-adjustability for the driver and four-way for the passenger.
Other common touch points are also soft and satisfying, but the same can’t be said for the centre tunnel, door cards and the top of the dash, which are all constructed from hard, scratchy plastic.
That was a bit of a let down when we tested the pricier Premium, but it’s not unexpected for an EV at this price point.
Beyond the funky design and mixed materials, the base Dolphin benefits from a comprehensive suite of interior tech. It comes equipped with BYD’s trademark 12.8-inch rotating touchscreen infotainment system, as well as a 5.0-inch digital instrument cluster tucked in behind the steering wheel.
The rotating centre screen displays decent quality graphics and presents with a smartphone-style layout, making it easy to navigate between applications.
An array of shortcut icons are permanently positioned at the bottom of the screen, providing easy access to the climate control menu among other functions.
There’s no shortage of features here – internet browsing, satellite navigation, and a comprehensive suite of exterior cameras are integrated into the centre screen.
Wireless smartphone mirroring is standard across the range, and worked flawlessly in our experience. A wireless charging pad is located under the centre console, and a trio of USB-A, USB-C and 12V connection points can be found under the centre stack.
Behind the steering wheel sits a small digital instrument cluster that presents all the necessary readouts in a relatively straightforward manner.
Well-packaged tech is complemented by an abundance of clever storage solutions, from two-tiered centre tunnel storage to roomy trays above and below the centre button stack. It’s capped off by generously sized door bins and a practical glovebox.
The second row is pretty roomy, too. Average-sized adults fit back there with headroom and legroom to spare, and only passengers topping 6″3′ will struggle. Even then, the panoramic glass roof keeps the space light and airy.
Second-row amenities include both USB-A and USB-C outlets, a centre armrest with integrated cupholders, deep door bins, clever layered map pockets, and a separate single cupholders carved out of the centre console.
BYD claims 345L of boot capacity, although the rear bench folds with a 60/40 split to unlock 1310L of luggage space.
Accessing the extra cargo capacity can be challenging, as there’s a big step from the boot up to the bench storage, and the rear load lip isn’t small either.
| Dimensions | BYD Dolphin Premium |
|---|---|
| Length | 4290mm |
| Width | 1770mm (with mirrors folded) |
| Height | 1570mm |
| Wheelbase | 2700mm |
| Boot space | 345L (5-seat) 1310L (2-seat) |
To see how the BYD Dolphin stacks up against the competition, check out our comparison tool.
What’s under the bonnet?
The Dynamic is well down on power compared to the top-spec Premium, although it offers superior efficiency in everyday driving.
| Specifications | BYD Dolphin Dynamic |
|---|---|
| Drivetrain | Single-motor electric |
| Battery | 45kWh LFP |
| Power | 70kW |
| Torque | 180Nm |
| Driven wheels | Front-wheel drive |
| Weight | 1506kg |
| 0-100km/h (claimed) | 12.3s |
| Power consumption (claimed) | 13.2kWh/100km |
| Power consumption (as tested) | 13.0kWh/100km |
| Claimed range | 340km |
| Max AC charge rate | 7kW |
| Max DC charge rate | 80kW |
To see how the BYD Dolphin stacks up against the competition, check out our comparison tool.
How does the BYD Dolphin drive?
This is where impressions of the Dynamic deviate from the up-spec Dolphin Premium we reviewed recently.
Dolphin Premium shown
After all, the core differences between the variants are mechanical (or should I say electrical) in nature.
Compared to the flagship Premium, the Dynamic features a smaller electric motor, smaller alloy wheels, and a different rear suspension setup. Combined, the changes have a significant bearing on the driving experience.
The elephant in the room is that single, front-mounted electric motor. Producing just 70kW and 180Nm, the Dolphin Dynamic is the least powerful electric car on sale in Australia. By quite a margin.
It’s also down 80kW and 130Nm on its marine twin.
But how do those numbers translate on the road? Don’t get me wrong, the Dynamic is sluggish, but it’s not as snail-like as you’d think.
Acceleration from a standstill is slow but linear, and the Dolphin has no trouble getting up to urban speeds around 60km/h.
Especially compared to similarly underpowered ICE vehicles such as the Kia Picanto and Fiat 500. There’s no gearbox to deal with, either.
So, if you don’t stray far from the city, then the lack of grunt on offer here won’t be much of a burden. And straight-line speed aside, the Dolphin is a pleasant grocery-getter.
The Dynamic rides just fine on its torsion beam rear suspension layout, with a soft setup that makes the car feel more substantial than it is.
At the same time, it feels compact to steer, and goes about its business in peaceful silence – exactly what an electric city car should be.
Those are traits shared with the flagship Premium, but unfortunately the base model also carries the same frustrating advanced driver assist systems (ADAS).
Among the worst offenders is the speed limit warning system, which often confuses suburban speed signs and unfairly punishes the driver with a chiding beep.
The system is also intolerant of even the most minor speeding indiscretions, so you feel like you’re driving on eggshells.
You can switch the system off, just not permanently. Settings revert to their default state every time you switch the car off, so setting up ADAS becomes a time-consuming daily ritual.
Parking, on the other hand, isn’t so time consuming as the Dolphin is equipped with an impressive array of user-friendly tech.
Even in base specification, it comes standard with front and rear parking sensors, plus a surround-view camera. All work in tandem to render parking an easy task.
Unlike some rivals, the top-view camera is accessible via a physical button on the steering wheel, which makes a lot of sense when compared to hiding it within the infotainment menus.
While low-speed manoeuvres are far from challenging, driving at highway speeds certainly can be.
Getting up to triple-figure speeds is a lengthy task that requires you to fully flex your right foot, and holding such speeds isn’t straightforward with only 70kW at your disposal.
You can forget about overtaking on single-lane country roads, as it isn’t worth the associated anxiety.
The Dolphin also feels small and vulnerable on the highway, letting in excessive amounts of wind noise that forces you to turn up the stereo or speak a little louder to your neighbour. Visibility isn’t great either, as the rear window is small and difficult see out of.
Intelligent cruise control should combat some of the stress of driving a small, underpowered vehicle cross country, but the system needs some fine-tuning.
Combining adaptive cruise control and lane centring, intelligent cruise is intended to offer semi-autonomous driving when travelling on the highway. However, in my experience the system was often ‘unavailable’, even when the driving conditions were perfectly suited to its use.
I didn’t always trust the system to centre the car in its lane, either. For those reasons, the Dolphin performs better in urban environments than on the wide open road, especially in Dynamic trim.
One advantage that the Dynamic has over the Premium is superior efficiency – the entry-level Dolphin averaged 13.0kWh/100km over a week of mixed driving, making it 13 per cent more economical than the Premium and much better than alternatives from rival brands.
To see how the BYD Dolphin stacks up against the competition, check out our comparison tool
What do you get?
There are two members of the local Dolphin range.
2025 BYD Dolphin Dynamic equipment highlights:
- 16-inch alloy wheels
- LED headlights
- Automatic high-beam
- Panoramic glass roof
- Power-folding exterior mirrors
- Rear privacy glass
- 12.8-inch rotating touchscreen infotainment system
- Wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
- Satellite navigation
- DAB digital radio
- Six-speaker sound system
- 5.0-inch digital instrument cluster
- Six-way power driver’s seat
- Four-way power passenger’s seat
- Leatherette upholstery
- Heated front seats
- 60/40 split/fold rear seats
- Keyless entry and start
- Wireless phone charger
- USB-A x 2 (one front, one rear)
- USB-C x 2 (one front, one rear)
To see how the BYD Dolphin stacks up against the competition, check out our comparison tool
Is the BYD Dolphin safe?
The BYD Dolphin has a five-star safety rating from ANCAP against stricter 2023-25 testing criteria.
| Category | BYD Dolphin |
|---|---|
| Adult occupant protection | 89 per cent |
| Child occupant protection | 86 per cent |
| Vulnerable road user protection | 85 per cent |
| Safety assist | 77 per cent |
Standard safety equipment includes:
- Autonomous emergency braking
- Adaptive cruise control
- Blind-spot monitoring
- Lane-keep assist
- Emergency lane-keep assist
- Front cross-traffic assist
- Rear cross-traffic assist
- Traffic sign recognition
- Intelligent speed limit assist
- Driver fatigue detection
- Front, front-side and curtain airbags
- Driver’s far-side airbag
- Surround-view camera
- Front and rear parking sensors
To see how the BYD Dolphin stacks up against the competition, check out our comparison tool
How much does the BYD Dolphin cost to run?
The BYD Dolphin is backed by a six-year, 150,000km vehicle warranty and an eight-year, 160,000km battery warranty.
BYD customers have the option to service any of their vehicles through the brand’s own service centres or through certain MyCar service centres. It’s best to find your local service centre via the BYD Australia distributor’s website.
| Servicing and Warranty | BYD Dolphin |
|---|---|
| Warranty | 6 years, 150,000km |
| Roadside assistance | 1 year |
| Service intervals | 12 months or 20,000km |
| Capped-price servicing | 8 years |
| Total capped-price service cost | $2390 |
To see how the BYD Dolphin stacks up against the competition, check out our comparison tool
CarExpert’s Take on the BYD Dolphin Dynamic
The BYD Dolphin was starting to lose ground as a frontrunner in the entry-level EV space, but recent changes to the Australian range should turn that tide.
Even at its current price points, the Dolphin blows rivals away on standard specifications, and offers a comfortable drive with plenty of cabin space.
The Dynamic has just enough poke for city duties, although the Dolphin Premium, MG 4 and GWM Ora will all trounce it in the traffic light grand prix.
Like the Premium, the Dynamic suffers from intrusive ADAS and wind noise on the highway. It also feels far less competent at high speeds.
However, with a stripped-out Essential variant and Premium price cuts inbound, both members of the Dolphin pod are suddenly desirable again. Until now, the Dynamic has suited city-slickers who were willing to sacrifice touring capability for a $6000 discount, while the Premium was the better-rounded but more expensive proposition.
But from March, the Essential will be a more compelling buy as a back-to-basics EV, and the Premium will address the shortfalls of the Dynamic for the same money.
Electric vehicle pricing has been all over the shop lately, which makes judging value within the current market (not to mention the resale values of these EVs) a tricky task.
At $36,890 before on-road costs, the Dynamic is a solid city runabout when compared with the similarly-specced yet much dearer MG 4 Essence 64. Generous discounts across the rest of the MG 4 range expired at the turn of the year, tipping the scales further in the Dolphin’s favour.
The GWM Ora Extended Range may be cheaper than the Dolphin Dynamic, but it comes with a less desirable nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) drive battery.
If it weren’t for the imminent axing of the baby Dolphin, it would remain a worthy option for urban buyers after a compact EV to nip around town. But given BYD’s recent announcements, I’d be holding off and snagging an MY25 example.
Interested in buying a BYD Dolphin? Get in touch with one of CarExpert’s trusted dealers here
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