BYD’s Dolphin G DM-i supermini has officially arrived in the UK as the country’s cheapest plug-in hybrid (PHEV) with a starting price of £23,990, undercutting its closest rivals by almost £6k.
Unveiled at the 2026 Goodwood Festival of Speed, the BYD Dolphin G DM-i is pitched against the upcoming Renault Clio, the Toyota Yaris, and the MG3 Hybrid+. While none of these is a PHEV, they are full hybrids.
The Dolphin G is the first BYD model to be built in Europe for Europe, and uses BYD’s ‘Super Hybrid’ DM-i system, which combines a 1.5-litre petrol engine with two electric motors – one motor helps drive the front wheels, while the other generates energy for the motor and the battery.
Across the Dolphin G DM-i range, LED headlights, electrically adjustable heated door mirrors, and rain-sensing wipers are standard equipment, along with automatic air-conditioning, an 8.8-inch digital driver display, integrated sat-nav, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility.
Despite being one of the smaller cars in the Chinese automotive giant’s line-up, the B-segment Dolphin G DM-i adopts the brand’s usual tech-heavy approach. Therefore, adaptive cruise control, traffic sign recognition, blind-spot detection, plus front and rear parking sensors are included in the price.
The entry-level BYD Dolphin G DM-i Active features a 7.4kWh version of BYD’s highly regarded ‘Blade’ battery, which offers 24.8 miles of electric-only driving, a combined range of 633 miles, and 108.6mpg.
This base-spec car rides on 16-inch alloys, and the fabric-trimmed cabin is fitted with a four-speaker audio system, a centrally mounted 10.1-inch touchscreen, and a rear-view camera.
The £26,990 Boost model sits in the middle of the range and introduces a larger 18.3 kWh Blade battery. As per the trim name, this larger unit boosts the EV-only range of 65 miles, the total driving range to 646 miles, and improves fuel consumption to 201.7mpg.
Moreover, the BYD Dolphin G DM-i Boost’s charging speed jumps from 3.3kW to 6.6kW using a slow charger, while fast charging up to 39kW is also part of the package. This means that the battery will take under three hours to fully charge with a 7kW home wall box, while the larger unit can be topped up from 10-80% in 26 minutes.
Opt for the boost trim, and power is increased from 173bhp to 209bhp. However, each model has a 0-62mph time of 8.3 seconds and a 112mph top speed.
In terms of toys, the BYD Dolphin G DM-i Boost gets electrically folding mirrors, privacy glass, a vegan leather (see, ‘plastic’)-trimmed steering wheel, heated front seats, additional air vents, and two 18W USB-C ports in the back.
The infotainment screen is upgraded to 12.8 inches, while an eight-speaker audio system is introduced along with multi-colour ambient lighting and 15W wireless, cooled smartphone charging. The £28,490 BYD Dolphin G DM-i Comfort is the next model in the line-up. It rides on 18-inch alloys, and the cabin is entirely trimmed in faux leather.
The biggest difference here is that the infotainment system runs on Google built-in, which is part of BYD’s drive to attract more European drivers and produce vehicles more attuned to Europe’s tastes. Several European manufacturers, including Renault, Polestar, Volvo, and the Volkswagen Group already use Google built-in.
Sitting at the top of the tree is the BYD Dolphin G DM-i Sport, which is priced from £29,490. Unlike the rest of the range, this flagship model rides on blacked-out 18-inch alloys, and the seats are trimmed in black artificial suede with either orange or black accents that match the exterior colour.
The Sport is solely available in either Sunset Orange or Ocean Blue, while the rest of the line-up can be specced in Skiing White, Time Grey, and Obsidian Black, all of which are a £750 optional extra. Boost and Comfort trims have a black interior, but grey is also available at no extra cost.
