BYD has upgraded its Dolphin EV hatchback in its home market of China, adding a suite of cosmetic upgrades and self-driving tech.
For 2025, the BYD Dolphin will have sportier front and rear bumpers, larger headlights, trapeze-shaped air intakes and two new alloy wheel designs.
At the rear, BYD has modified the Dolphin’s LED tail-light signatures and replaced the Build Your Dreams inscription for the generic BYD logo.
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In the cabin, BYD has updated the Dolphin’s three-spoke steering wheel to the same unit as its Seal sedan sibling. The gear shifter has been relocated to the steering column.
There’s also a new 8.8-inch LCD digital instrument display, a 12.8-inch central touchscreen and a 50W wireless phone charging pad.
In Chinese examples, BYD’s 'God’s Eye' autonomous driving system has joined the driver safety assistance systems. That includes a tri-camera unit mounted to the rear windscreen, which enables the vehicle to navigate itself on a highway. This system will reportedly be updated at a later date to enable city driving as well.
Three powertrains have been listed in China, starting with a single-motor, front-wheel drive variant with a 45kWh lithium-ion 'Blade' battery and a 70kW electric motor. The same configuration is offered on the entry-level Essential grade in Australia, delivering 340km of WLTP-rated range.
Additionally, there is a mid-spec 130kW variant available in China with the same battery pack.
As is the case in Australia, the range is led by more powerful 150kW variant with a 60.5kWh battery pack. It delivers 427km of driving range under the WLTP cycle.
BYD’s local distributor, EVDirect, launched the Dolphin Essential grade in Australia in January, a more stripped-back version of the previous entry-grade Dynamic. It became the first EV in Australia to be priced under $30,000 at $29,990, before on-road costs, undercutting key rivals such as the MG4, GWM Ora and Nissan Leaf.
Its recent launch date suggests we will still carry the pre-facelift model in Australia for a little while longer.
Nonetheless, CarsGuide has contacted BYD’s local operations to determine when we can expect the updated Dolphin in Australia and this article will be updated following a response.
