BYD Dolphin and Atto 3 made waves at the 2023 Japan EV of the Year awards
Gone are the days when Chinese cars are seen as low quality and “cheap,” well, most Chinese cars tend to be a bit cheaper than Japanese and European alternatives but they are no longer the option one chooses only when the other choices are too expensive. In fact, many Chinese cars these days are recognised for their high quality.
This is proven by Chinese electric vehicle (EV) automaker, BYD celebrating a historic win, with its Dolphin electric sedan clinching the first place in the “Grand Prix” title at the “2023 Japan EV of the Year” awards, with the Atto 3 electric SUV also making a splash and winning third place.
Moreover, BYD is also now the number one exporter of EVs in the world, a title previously held by American EV pioneer, Tesla. This proves that China has indeed learned its lesson from the low quality cars it used to put out and now emphasises innovation and quality above all else.
To sweeten the deal for BYD, this moment also marks the first time a Chinese automaker has been honored with these prestigious accolades in Japan. For what it’s worth, many see Japanese cars as the pinnacle of quality and reliability so if the Japanese see fit to acknowledge Chinese cars, then we all should as well.
Of course, I am not encouraging our readers to blindly follow awards and reviews as a reference (aside from our very own annual VOTY awards which are 100 percent unbiased) but to test drive and ask owners of the car one is eyeing because then one gets the whole truth and sees the bigger picture.
On top of that, the BYD Atto 3 and Dolphin are both cars that we are already familiar with in Malaysia and I myself have personally driven the Dolphin hatchback and had it for a few days so I can vouch for its quality and ease of use as a daily driver. As far as I know, BYD vehicles are not low quality or under equipped in any way.
The recently launched BYD Seal sedan also makes a good case for BYD in Malaysia and ASEAN in general because this flagship sedan is much more luxurious and just as spacious as most D-segment sedans here in Malaysia. Despite this it costs far less than most of them and is far better equipped too.
What do you guys think? Is it time we all let go of the past and acknowledge the quality of newer Chinese cars like BYD models?
