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BYD Atto 3 test drive checklist for Singapore buyers

What to ask the dealer, what to try on the road and what to check in a car park when you test-drive the BYD Atto 3 in Singapore.

27 Oct 2026 · 7 min read

An electric car plugged in to a charging station
Photo by Eren Goldman on Unsplash

The BYD Atto 3 is an electric SUV made in China. This checklist covers what to ask before the drive, what to try during it, and what to sort out after. Print it or keep it on your phone. Tick each item as you go.

This guide does not tell you what the car is like. Your own drive answers that.

Before you book the drive

Decide what you want to learn from the drive. Write down your usual routes. Include the expressway you use most and the car park you use daily.

Ask for a test drive long enough to cover both. Ask whether you can drive in the evening if you often drive at night.

Bring anyone who will share the car. Bring a child seat if you use one.

Questions for the dealer

Versions

  • Which versions of the Atto 3 are on sale now?
  • The new-car list showed one version on 10 October 2026: the Atto 3 Electric Evo 60.48 kWh, listed at S$184,888 with COE, as listed on 10 October 2026, with 134bhp. Is that still the version on sale, and what does the price include today?
  • Is the test car the same version you would buy? Check the battery size on the paperwork.

COE category

The category depends on the motor's power. A fully electric Atto 3 needs a Category A COE if its motor is 110kW (147bhp) or less. It needs a Category B COE if it is more powerful.

In the October 2026 2nd round, Category A closed at S$132,004 and Category B at S$131,901. See the latest results on our COE page.

  • Which COE category will your version be registered under? Ask for it in writing.
  • Is the price COE-inclusive? What happens if a bid fails?
  • How many bidding rounds does the deal cover?

For the official COE rules, check LTA's OneMotoring site.

Warranty

  • How long is the car warranty?
  • Is there a separate warranty for the battery? How long, and is there a mileage limit?
  • What servicing does the warranty need? Where must it be done?
  • What could void the warranty?

Delivery and charging

  • When will the car be delivered? What happens if delivery is late?
  • Does the car come with a charging cable? Is a home charger included or extra?
  • Who installs a home charger, and how long does that take?
  • If you live in an HDB flat, what charging is there in your car park? Ask the dealer, and check LTA's OneMotoring site for the rules on charger installation.

On the drive

Set up before you move

  • Adjust the seat, steering wheel and mirrors. Can you get a position that suits you?
  • Can you see the front corners of the bonnet?
  • Find the controls for the lights, wipers, hazard lights and demister. Can you find each one without looking away for long?
  • Ask the dealer how to pair your phone. Try it before you set off.

On the expressway

Ask to include a stretch of expressway, such as the PIE, CTE or AYE.

  • Merge onto the expressway. Are you comfortable judging the gap?
  • Change lanes a few times. Can you see the blind spots with the mirrors and a shoulder check?
  • If the car has driver-assist features, ask the dealer what each one does. Ask how to switch each on and off.
  • Can you hold a conversation with your passengers at expressway speed? Note your own answer.

Keep to the speed limit. If you are unsure of a limit, the signs and LTA's OneMotoring site set it out.

Regeneration settings

Electric cars can slow themselves and send power back to the battery. This is called regeneration.

  • Ask the dealer what regeneration settings the car has.
  • Ask how to change them, and whether the setting stays after you switch off.
  • Try each setting in stop-start traffic. Which one suits the way you drive?

Rain-ready lights and wipers

Singapore storms arrive fast. Test these even on a dry day.

  • Switch the wipers through each speed. Is there an automatic setting? How do you adjust it?
  • Find the rear wiper. SUVs often have one, so check.
  • Turn on the demister front and rear. How quickly can you find it?
  • Switch the headlights between automatic, on and off. Find the rear fog light.
  • Ask how to clean the camera lenses if the car uses cameras for parking.

A tight car park

Drive into a multi-storey car park, ideally an HDB one with a spiral ramp.

  • Go up and down the ramp. Can you keep the car clear of the kerbs and walls?
  • Turn into a lot at the end of a row. Do you need more than one try?
  • Park between two cars. Can you and your passengers open the doors and get out?
  • Fold the mirrors. Is it a button or by hand?
  • Check the height-limit signs at the car parks you use. Ask the dealer for the car's height and compare.

Reversing

  • Reverse into a lot using only the mirrors. Then repeat with the camera and sensors.
  • Is the camera image clear in a dim car park?
  • How early do the sensors warn you? Are you comfortable with the timing?
  • Try parallel parking at the roadside if your street needs it.

The charging port

  • Find the charging port. Open and close it.
  • Ask the dealer to show you how to plug in and unplug.
  • Ask what charging speeds the car accepts at home and at public chargers.
  • Ask how to see the charge level and range on the screen.

After the drive

Insurance quotes for the version you choose

Get quotes for the exact version you plan to buy. Insurers price electric cars in their own way, as our guide to electric and petrol car insurance explains.

Our BYD Atto 3 price page gives examples as of 27 October 2026. They are for one driver: aged 40, married, office job, 10 years' driving, 50% no-claim discount, car 3 years old, authorised-workshop repairs. They are not what you will pay.

For that driver, 11 insurers price the car. The lowest premium was S$789.73, for a plan covering collision only. The highest was S$2,072.07. Excess ranged from S$600 to S$3,000.

The page also shows how the price moves:

  • With no NCD, the lowest price was S$1,207.68.
  • For a driver aged 27 with 3 years' driving and 30% NCD, it was also S$1,207.68.
  • For a new car registered this year, it was S$1,010.90.

When you compare, check three things for each quote:

  • What does the plan cover? Is it full comprehensive or something narrower?
  • What is the excess? Our guide to car insurance excess explains how it works.
  • Are repairs at an authorised workshop or any workshop? See authorised or any workshop.

If you have an NCD from your current car, ask how it transfers. Our no-claim discount guide covers the basics.

Road tax

Road tax for electric cars uses LTA's formula. For a 134bhp (100kW) electric motor, it works out to S$1,501.56 a year, checked on 19 October 2026. That is before any age surcharge.

The surcharge starts once a car is over 10 years old, at 10%, and rises each year after that. Ask the dealer for the motor's exact power rating. Then confirm the sum on LTA's OneMotoring site. Our road tax guide explains the rest.

Write down your answers

Before you leave the showroom, note:

  • The version, battery size and price quoted
  • The COE category in writing
  • Warranty terms for the car and battery
  • Delivery date and what comes with the car
  • Your own notes on the expressway, car park, rain controls and reversing

Compare these notes with any other car you test-drive.

Car insurance through Shenton Brokers

Before you drive off or renew, get your car insurance through Shenton Brokers. Compare car insurance for the BYD Atto 3 to see today's prices from every insurer we compare. Or get a quote with your own details.