I was wondering if anyone knows if it’s possible to bring BYD cars from China (if the same model is officially sold here) ? Will I be able to register and clear customs?
I had a chance to test drive both the BYD Ti 7 (5 seater) and the Atto 8 (7 seater) yesterday. From what I saw, the Atto 8 seemed to handle the road a bit better, with a smoother ride that did a great job of taking care of bumps and dips. The Ti 7, on the other hand, felt a bit more wobbly and prone to body roll, giving it that typical SUV feel with better visibility.
The Ti7 really stands out with its strong presence on the road, higher ground clearance, and a design that catches your eye. The Atto 8, though, has a more standard BYD crossover look. One thing to note is that both cars missed out on the Lidar auto-pilot and auto-parking features that are standard in Chinese versions.
Also, to make things a bit tricky for buyers, they’ve mixed and matched features between the Atto 8 and Ti 7. For example, the Ti 7 has electronic rear seat adjustments, while the Atto 8 lets you adjust it by hand. The Atto 8 also has physical buttons for memory seats, adaptive cruise control (on the steering wheel), and welcome seat adjustments, but the Ti 7 uses screen settings instead. The Ti 7 also wins out in rear seat comfort. Plus, the Atto 8 has a driver under-thigh extension for support, branded audio with 20 speakers, which the Ti 7 doesn’t have. The Ti 7 also has a panoramic sunroof and cool U-turn feature on its axis that the Atto 8 doesn’t have.
My Verdict: I’m a fan of the Ti 7’s exterior and interior, but the Atto 8’s drive and ride quality were much better.
It would be great to see those missing Chinese BYD features included, as the GCC specs are pricier without them.