BYD Dolphin Surf vs Renault 5 Turbo 3E

The Renault 5 Turbo 3E costs £116,350 more than the BYD Dolphin Surf. For that premium it adds 111 miles more WLTP range, 285 kW faster peak rapid charging and 345 kW more power. The BYD Dolphin Surf is not just cheaper - it also offers 2 more seats (4 versus 2). On EVcarsguide's combined category scores, the BYD Dolphin Surf comes out ahead overall.

The BYD Dolphin Surf is £116,350 cheaper to buy. Running costs are almost identical - about £184 a year either way, at 8,000 miles on an off-peak home tariff. Add 5 years of charging and the BYD Dolphin Surf comes out roughly £116,390 cheaper overall. These figures cover list price and home charging only - insurance, servicing, tyres and depreciation will move the real total.

EVcarsguide estimates a real-world motorway range of about 87 miles for the BYD Dolphin Surf and 207 miles for the Renault 5 Turbo 3E - both below their WLTP figures, because sustained high speed is the hardest case for an EV. The Renault 5 Turbo 3E goes roughly 120 miles further between charging stops. A rapid charge to 80% takes around 30 minutes in the BYD Dolphin Surf and 15 in the Renault 5 Turbo 3E, so the Renault 5 Turbo 3E loses less time at each stop. That makes the Renault 5 Turbo 3E the stronger long-distance car.

The BYD Dolphin Surf is the easier car for tight UK car parks: it is 310 mm narrower than the Renault 5 Turbo 3E. In a standard 2,400 mm bay that leaves about 680 mm of total clearance for the BYD Dolphin Surf and about 370 mm of total clearance for the Renault 5 Turbo 3E.

Over a 8-year ownership window EVcarsguide's degradation model projects roughly 90% battery health for the BYD Dolphin Surf and 84% for the Renault 5 Turbo 3E. That gives the BYD Dolphin Surf a modest edge in retained real-world range. The BYD Dolphin Surf's LFP-type pack tolerates daily 100% charging, while the Renault 5 Turbo 3E's NMC-type pack lasts longest kept to about 80% for everyday use.