The next generation of the car Kiwis once couldn’t get enough of is revealed.

PLAYING a slightly different tune, guitar strings no longer attached - that’s the new generation of one of the first mass-market Chinese electric cars to be a Kiwi hit.

This is the next BYD Atto 3, replacing a car that when it landed back in 2022 emulated the MG ZS that beat it to market in arriving during such a sweet spot of electric car buying frenzy. Some signed up without bothering with usual formalities of a showroom sit-in and an around the block test drive.

Times have changed now; Atto 3 suffered the same massively diminished interest during the pst 2023 period when all EV sale basically flat-lined, and now it’s just another face in a much larger crowd of choices.

Perhaps the new third generation model could lift that status. The car marks a significant shift for the brand’s popular electric SUV, moving well beyond the incremental updates seen in recent years.

Revealed at the 2026 Beijing Auto Show, the new model grows in size, adopts a more assertive design and introduces updated battery and technology systems.

Though just slightly taller and wider, the model is 200mm longer and has a longer wheelbase that show attendees say pushes it closer to mid-size SUV territory, so out of the category the current car occupies.

The design has also been overhauled. Soft lines and a rounded look are out; incoming are sharper edges and a more upright stance. Details such as flush door handles, slimmer lighting and reduced exterior cladding give the new model a more premium appearance, while a roof-mounted sensor signals the addition of advanced driver assistance systems.

The current car went big on quirky details and pastel colours; the direction now is more minimalist. A large central touchscreen dominates, with most functions controlled digitally, although some physical buttons remain. The materials and layout appear more restrained than before, with ambient lighting and metallic finishes. And no guitar strings o the door panels.

Boot capacity is said to jump to around 750 litres, with additional storage under the bonnet and throughout the cabin. Rear-seat space also appears to improve, but few figures are being bandied.

This car adopts an updated version of BYD’s Blade battery technology. Two battery options are expected, offering ranges of roughly 540 to 630 kilometres, but that’s to the dubious domestic CLTC scale. Faster charging is also anticipated, although exact performance figures have not been confirmed.

Power outputs are set to increase, with the top variant producing around 240kW.