BYD presents a £11,000 SUV (in China)

The Yuan UP is 4.31 metres long, but whether it will come to Europe is uncertain

BYD Yuan UP

By: Alberto Carmone

Published by: Brian Potter

Feb 24, 2024 at 3:09am ET

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BYD's range is expanding, albeit (for the time being) only in China. In March, the Asian manufacturer will start selling the Yuan UP, a new compact SUV that is initially aimed at drivers on the domestic market.

The entry-level price (converted into our currency) will be around £11,000, making the model one of the cheapest in the entire segment in China. We do not know whether the company plans to offer the model in Europe and to what extent the favourable price could be maintained.

Gallery: BYD Yuan Up - (China)

BYD Yuan Up - (China)

Price increases after import due to shipping, customs duties and the adaptation of standard and safety equipment could also make the crossover attractive in our latitudes.

The Yuan UP is based on the E-platform 3.0 and adopts the front end with the "dragon face", which can also be seen on the Song L. The bumper has a square shape with two sophisticated inserts on the underside and air intake-like cut-outs on the sides.

BYD Yuan UP

The sides have a dynamic design thanks to contrasting black trim and mouldings at the bottom that echo the bumpers, while the five-spoke alloy wheels give the crossover added sportiness. The "rear" is fashionable, with an LED strip in the style of the Smart #1 extending across the entire tailgate and three-dimensional effect graphics for the headlights.

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The new BYD measures 4.31 metres in length, 1.83 metres in width and 1.68 metres in height, with a wheelbase of 2.62 metres. According to the company's initial information, the Yuan UP is available with 95 PS and 184 PS, two similar solutions to the Dolphin (which is also sold in Europe). In both cases, the top speed is 99 mph.

The LFP battery has a capacity of 32 kWh and 45.1 kWh and a maximum range of 249 miles in the CLTC cycle (which is more optimistic than the WLTP cycle).