Geely EX2 vs BYD Atto 1 is the cheap-EV fight Australians are searching for, and it's less even than the prices suggest. The Atto 1 is the cheaper car while BYD's $19,990 drive-away deal runs to 15 December. The EX2 is the better car for most people who need one car to do everything.
That's not a knock on the BYD. The Atto 1 Premium is the quicker, sharper-feeling city car of the pair, on paper at least. But the EX2 gives you a fifth seat, a much bigger boot, more range at each grade, more safety kit and a longer warranty. Here's how the four variants stack up.
Is there a five-seat BYD Atto 1 yet?
Not in Australia. The Atto 1 sold here is a four-seater, and BYD Australia's brochure says so plainly. BYD showed a five-seat version of its European twin, the Dolphin Surf, at the 2026 Paris motor show, and a bigger five-seat Seagull launched in China in October.
Neither is confirmed for Australia. BYD Australia has told media there are no changes to the local line-up in the foreseeable future. If you need five seatbelts today, the Atto 1 is off your list, and this comparison gets simple fast.
How big is the price gap, really?
It depends which grades you line up. The Atto 1 Essential is $19,990 drive-away nationally until 15 December, against $26,490 before on-road costs for the EX2 Complete. At the top, the Atto 1 Premium is $27,990 and the EX2 Inspire $30,990, both before on-roads.
BYD's own configurator shows how much the deal is worth: between $5,772 in the Northern Territory and $6,910 in Victoria for private buyers. Geely's November offers are 0.68 per cent finance over 36 months and charging credit with a trade-in, both ending 30 November. There's no EX2 drive-away price cut.
Lower is better. The top grades are separated by 46 cents. The Atto 1 Essential is only competitive while its drive-away deal runs.
Sources: Geely Australia and BYD Australia price lists and range claims, read 4 November 2026. Geely and BYD list prices are before on-road costs; the Atto 1 deal price is drive-away, so it flatters the BYD slightly.
Divide price by claimed range and the top grades are a dead heat, at about $90 per kilometre each. The base cars aren't. The EX2 Complete is the worst value of the four by this measure, and the Atto 1 Essential only looks good because of the deal. At its normal $23,990 list price, it costs $109 per kilometre of range.
Timing matters with the BYD. The deal covers orders placed by 15 December and delivered by 31 December, for private buyers only, and metallic paint costs extra. Geely, for its part, has said publicly it will monitor the market at the entry level. A price cut on the EX2 Complete wouldn't surprise anyone, but nothing has been announced.
Motors, range and charging
The two cars are built differently. The EX2 drives its rear wheels; the Atto 1 drives the front. The Atto 1 is the stronger of the pair, with 65kW and 175Nm in the Essential and 115kW and 220Nm in the Premium. The EX2 makes 60kW in the Complete and 85kW in the Inspire, both with 150Nm.
That shows in the claimed sprints. The Atto 1 Premium does 0 to 100km/h in 9.1 seconds and the Essential in 11.1. The EX2 Inspire needs 11.5 seconds, and the EX2 Complete a leisurely 14.2. Neither is slow around town, but the base EX2 will feel it on a freeway on-ramp with four adults aboard.
Range swings the other way. The EX2 Complete's 35.35kWh battery gives a claimed 252km WLTP, against 220km from the Atto 1 Essential's 30kWh pack. The EX2 Inspire's 47.14kWh battery claims 345km, against 310km for the Atto 1 Premium's 43.2kWh. All four use LFP chemistry, which tolerates regular charging to 100 per cent.
BYD wins on charging hardware. The Atto 1 takes 11kW on AC and peaks at 65kW or 85kW on DC, with BYD claiming 30 minutes for 10 to 80 per cent. The EX2 is rated at 6kW AC and 60kW or 80kW DC, and Geely Australia doesn't publish a DC charge time. Our home EV charger guide explains why 11kW AC rarely matters on single-phase home power.
Running costs are a wash. Claimed consumption sits between 15.5 and 16.0kWh per 100km for all four, so at 30 cents a kWh, each costs roughly $5 per 100km to charge at home. Buy on space, safety and price, not efficiency.
Inside: four seats against five
The EX2 is the bigger car by every measure that counts in a cabin. It's 145mm longer, 85mm wider and rides on a 145mm-longer wheelbase. That's the difference between a light hatch and a small car, and you notice it most in the back, where the EX2 has three seatbelts and the Atto 1 has two.
Geely is more generous with screens, too. Both EX2 grades get a 14.6-inch touchscreen, an 8.8-inch driver display and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, according to its Australian spec sheet. The Inspire adds heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, a power tailgate, 360-degree cameras and wireless phone charging.
The Atto 1 has a 10.1-inch rotating touchscreen, a 7-inch cluster, wireless CarPlay and Android Auto, and a phone or card key on both grades. The Essential is basic, with halogen headlights and manual seats. The Premium adds LED lights, power front seats, heated seats, a 360-degree camera and wireless charging, per BYD's Australian brochure.
Boot, frunk and people: the load case
Neither car is meant to tow, and neither maker lists a towing capacity, so this one comes down to cargo and passengers. The EX2's boot holds 375 litres with the seats up and 1,320 litres folded, plus a 70-litre front boot. The Atto 1 manages 308 litres and 1,037 litres folded, with no frunk.
That 70-litre frunk is handy: it swallows charging cables, so the main boot stays clear for the pram or the weekly shop. The Atto 1's 50:50 rear seat split is also less flexible than the EX2's 60:40. If a car seat and a passenger need to share the back, the Geely is the only answer here.
The Atto 1 sold here is a four-seater. The EX2 has a centre rear seat.
EX2 boot plus 70-litre frunk, against the Atto 1 boot alone.
Atto 1 Premium against EX2 Inspire. The EX2 Complete takes 14.2s.
The EX2 adds a front-centre airbag; ANCAP notes the Atto 1 has none.
Unlimited km for the Geely (private use), 150,000km for the BYD.
Geely publishes capped prices. BYD doesn't publish any.
Sources: Geely EX2 Australian spec sheet (July 2026), BYD Atto 1 Australian brochure and website, ANCAP, read 4 November 2026.
Safety and ownership
Both wear five-star ANCAP ratings, but under different rule books, so don't compare the percentages. The Atto 1 was rated in 2025, based on testing of the European Dolphin Surf. The EX2 was rated in September 2026 under ANCAP's tougher new criteria, scoring 86 per cent for crash protection and 95 per cent for post-crash.
The EX2's kit list is longer. It has seven airbags including a front-centre bag, plus blind-spot detection, rear cross-traffic alert and braking, and a door-open warning on both grades. None of those appear in the Atto 1 brochure's safety list. ANCAP did flag limits in the EX2's autonomous braking at higher speeds.
Ownership favours Geely clearly. Its warranty runs seven years with unlimited kilometres for private buyers, against BYD's six years or 150,000km. Geely publishes capped servicing at $1,487 over five years. BYD publishes none, and its service network is stretched, as our report on BYD repair times explains.
Which one should you buy?
Buy the Geely EX2 Inspire if this is your only car. It costs about $3,000 more than the Atto 1 Premium, and that buys a fifth seat, 137 litres more cargo space, more range, more safety tech and a longer warranty. Buyers agree: industry sales data shows the EX2 outsold the Atto 1 by more than two to one across August and September.
Buy the BYD Atto 1 Essential if you want a second car for the city and can take delivery before 31 December. At $19,990 drive-away, it's Australia's cheapest new EV, as our cheapest electric cars ranking shows. Skip the EX2 Complete: it's slow, short on range for the money, and the Inspire is worth the extra.
- You need five seats or a usable boot
- You want the longer warranty and published service prices
- This is the household's only car
- You can grab the $19,990 Essential deal before 15 December
- It's a second car for short city trips
- You care more about zip than space
| Spec | Atto 1 Essential | Atto 1 Premium | EX2 Complete | EX2 Inspire |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $19,990 drive-away (deal); $23,990 list | $27,990 | $26,490 | $30,990 |
| Drive | Front | Front | Rear | Rear |
| Power / torque | 65kW / 175Nm | 115kW / 220Nm | 60kW / 150Nm | 85kW / 150Nm |
| 0 to 100km/h (claimed) | 11.1s | 9.1s | 14.2s | 11.5s |
| Battery (LFP) | 30kWh | 43.2kWh | 35.35kWh | 47.14kWh |
| WLTP range | 220km | 310km | 252km | 345km |
| AC / DC peak charging | 11kW / 65kW | 11kW / 85kW | 6kW / 60kW | 6kW / 80kW |
| Seats | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 |
| Boot (seats up / down) | 308L / 1,037L | 308L / 1,037L | 375L / 1,320L + 70L frunk | 375L / 1,320L + 70L frunk |
| Length / wheelbase | 3,990 / 2,500mm | 3,990 / 2,500mm | 4,135 / 2,645mm | 4,135 / 2,645mm |
| Airbags | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 |
| ANCAP | 5 stars (2025) | 5 stars (2025) | 5 stars (2026) | 5 stars (2026) |
| Warranty (vehicle / battery) | 6yr/150,000km / 8yr/160,000km | 6yr/150,000km / 8yr/160,000km | 7yr/unlimited / 8yr/unlimited | 7yr/unlimited / 8yr/unlimited |
Sources: BYD Australia Atto 1 brochure, website and offers; Geely Australia EX2 spec sheet, website and price list, read 4 November 2026. Prices before on-road costs unless noted. Geely warranty terms apply to private buyers.
Stepping up to a small SUV? Our Geely EX5 review and BYD Atto 3 long-term review cover the next size up. Either way, check insurance quotes before you sign, and read our EV depreciation guide if you plan to sell within five years.
Prices and offers as at 4 November 2026. Atto 1 images show its overseas twins. Header image: Chanokchon, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (cropped).
