- Who are BYD?
- What BYD cars are available in the UK?
- What is the overall reputation for BYD reliability and quality?
- What common problems do BYD reliability ratings and owner surveys reveal?
- How expensive are repairs and maintenance typically for BYD cars?
- Do BYD vehicles come with good warranties?
- What is covered by the BYD warranty and how long for?
- How do safety test and crash test ratings for BYD compare to competitors?
- What do consumer reports say about BYD?
- How well do BYD cars hold their value over time?
- Would you recommend buying, leasing, or financing a BYD vehicle?
BYD Reliability: how reliable are BYD cars? Should you consider buying, leasing, or financing a BYD vehicle? Time to find out…
Who are BYD?
BYD (Build Your Dreams) is a Chinese automotive brand founded in 2003. Originally starting as a battery company, they have grown into one of the largest electric vehicle manufacturers in the world.
BYD launched its passenger car division in 2003 and has continued expanding its range of affordable, electric vehicles. They have a presence in Europe, North America, Asia, Latin America and beyond. In the UK, BYD offers a small but growing selection of electric SUVs and saloons.
As they work to build market share, questions about BYD’s reliability and quality compared to established brands remain.
What BYD cars are available in the UK?
BYD’s current UK model range includes:
BYD Atto 3 – Fully electric compact SUV
BYD Seal – Fully electric saloon
BYD Dolphin – Midsize family-friendly EV
The lineup mainly consists of SUVs and saloons all focused on affordable EV motoring.
The Atto 3 and Dolphin are BYD’s most popular offerings for the UK market. The company is steadily working to expand availability and models.
What is the overall reputation for BYD reliability and quality?
As a relatively new brand, BYD does not have the years of reliability data behind it compared to legacy companies. However, initial quality and dependability studies indicate BYD is on par or outpaces several major manufacturers.
In a 2022 J.D. Power survey, BYD topped brands like BMW, Tesla, and Volkswagen in dependability. Reviews praise BYD’s smooth driving dynamics and long battery range.
Interior fit/finish has garnered criticism along with some build quality concerns. But overall, BYD scores well for a newcomer.
What common problems do BYD reliability ratings and owner surveys reveal?
According to consumer reports, the most common BYD problems involve:
- Battery issues – inconsistent charging, low range, failure
- Glitchy infotainment/connectivity
- Build quality problems – ill-fitting body panels, poor paint
- Electrical gremlins – sensors, power windows
These issues seem to affect older BYD models most significantly. Newer models like the Atto 3 have performed well reliability-wise so far. Problems also depend on geography – Chinese-market BYDs fare worse while export models are better.
How expensive are repairs and maintenance typically for BYD cars?
Maintenance costs are one of the advantages of BYD ownership – EVs have far fewer mechanical parts than petrol or diesel vehicles.
Brakes, batteries, and tires make up the main repair expenses outside of any manufacturing defects. BYD offers competitive capped price servicing plans to give owners peace of mind.
Parts pricing is also reasonable compared to other EV brands. However, due to BYD’s limited UK dealer network, the convenience of repairs lags leading automakers.
Where can BYD cars be serviced?
There are currently 25 locations in the UK where your BYD car can be serviced, including major cities:
- London Mayfair
- London Westfield (opening soon)
- Exeter
- Southampton
- Cardiff (opening soon)
- Milton Keynes
- Birmingham
- Tamworth
- Leicester
- Lincoln
- Macclesfield
- Sheffield (opening soon)
- Stockport
- Liverpool
- Leeds
- York (opening soon)
- Darlington
- Middlesbrough
- Durham (opening soon)
- Shiremoor
- Edinburgh
- Linwood
- Perth
- Aberdeen
- Belfast (opening soon)
Do BYD vehicles come with good warranties?
Yes – BYD offers generous warranty coverage for a budget brand:
Bodywork Anti-Corrosion – 12 years / unlimited mileage
Power Battery – 8 years / 125,000 miles
Drive Unit – 8 years / 93,750 miles
Basic Coverage – 6 years/93,750 miles
This matches or exceeds most competitor EV warranties. BYD leads rivals like BMW, Mercedes, Nissan, Renault, and Volkswagen. Strong warranty protection provides reassurance for owners.
What is covered by the BYD warranty and how long for?
BYD’s 12-year body anti-corrosion warranty covers…you guessed it…protection of the vehicle body from corrosion.
BYD’s 8-year power battery and drive unit protect your car from damage to its battery and drive motor and motor controller.
Drivers have basic coverage for up to 6 years. BYD doesn’t exclusively state what this is, but we can guess this will cover any manufacturing defect impacting the drivetrain, suspension, interiors, electronics, and other components.
Warranties are fully transferable if the car is sold. Overall, BYD provides lengthy coverage on par with luxury brands for key EV systems.
How do safety test and crash test ratings for BYD compare to competitors?
All BYD models including the Atto 3, Seal, and Dolphin received a full 5-star Euro NCAP rating, indicating strong crashworthiness.
Reviewers praise BYD’s standard safety features and note the structural rigidity of the vehicles.
While not luxury car standards, BYD safety appears on par for the affordable EV segment based on initial results.
What do consumer reports say about BYD?
Early BYD models like the e6 MPV (Chinese model) faced criticism for subpar quality from consumer reports. But newer models exhibit clear improvement thanks to updated technology and manufacturing processes.
Reviewers praise the Atto 3 as a “game changer” for delivering premium features and a smooth drive at budget pricing. While fit and finish still lags top brands, BYD impresses more reports with each new vehicle launch.
How well do BYD cars hold their value over time?
As primarily a budget EV brand, BYD vehicles do not hold value exceptionally well. The rapid pace of EV development also hinders resale value – newer tech makes previous models less desirable.
However, strong warranties and low running costs partly offset depreciation. Data shows BYD models retain around 50-60% of MSRP (Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price) after 3 years, on par with Volkswagen and Renault EVs.
More testing is needed, but BYD appears average for residual value. Their affordability helps offset depreciation.
Would you recommend buying, leasing, or financing a BYD vehicle?
For most buyers, leasing is likely the best option when considering a BYD. Their average resale value makes buying less advantageous unless you plan to own it very long-term.
Leasing balances affordability with the option to switch later as technology keeps improving. Financing is well-suited too if you want more flexibility.
We recommend test driving and considering the total cost of ownership – not just the purchase price. BYD’s low operating costs help offset depreciation.
There are still unknowns for the fledgling company, but initial results are promising. Reach out for personalised guidance on finding the right BYD car for your needs and budget.
