KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 11 — The BYD Dolphin is currently the most value-for-money electric vehicle (EV) option in Malaysia if you’re looking for a new car under RM130,000. Earlier...
Stepping inside the BYD Dolphin Premium Extended model, it retains pretty much the same interior, which is a good thing. As mentioned in our Dynamic Standard range first drive experience, the Dolphin’s interior isn’t as over the top as the. Most of the vital car functions are logically laid out and it still offers ample convenient storage areas under the centre console, in front of the cup holders and even on the floating tray underneath the rotating 12.8″ screen.
201hp sounds a lot but BYD has toned down its power delivery from a standstill. Even with Sports mode selected, the power delivery is quite linear and you only get some wheel spin about a second in. It is as if the car is delaying its maximum power to confirm that you really want to go full throttle. Not exactly the instant kick you would experience from other EVs like the Hyundai Kona Electric or the XC40 and it seems to be done deliberately to prioritise passenger comfort.
However, when driving around town at speeds below 80km/h, it does seem to feel slightly firmer and more planted than the standard version. That could be attributed to the heavier weight since the Premium Extended gets a 60.5kWh battery pack instead of the 44.9kWh unit on the Standard range model.