BMW X1 vs BYD Atto 1
A detailed look at how two of Australia's most popular cars compare on price, running costs, safety, and everyday livability.
BMW X1 scores higher, 75 vs 67
Prices are RRP before on-road costs unless stated otherwise. Always confirm with the manufacturer or dealer before purchasing.
Data checked: specs 17 Sep 2026, price 14 Nov 2026
BMW X1
19 of 27 standard · no option data · 8 no dataFrom
$61,800
RRP, before on-road costs
- Body
- SUV
- Fuel type
- Petrol
- Engine
- Petrol
- Power
- 115kW
- Economy
- 6.5 L/100kmWLTP test cycle, not directly comparable with ADR 81/02 figures
- Safety
- ANCAP ★5 · 2022
- Boot (seats up)
- 540L
Top CarSorted Score, 75 vs 67, but the BYD Atto 1 is $37,810 cheaper
Driva is an independent finance provider, not part of CarSorted. We aren't paid for this link.
BYD Atto 1
12 of 27 standard · no option data · 3 not offered · 12 no dataFrom
$23,990
RRP, before on-road costs
- Body
- Hatchback
- Fuel type
- Electric
- Engine
- Electric
- Power
- 65kW
- Energy use
- No data
- Safety
- ANCAP ★5 · 2025
- Boot (seats up)
- 308L
BYD Australia offer: $19,990 drive-away (state not stated), ends 15 Dec 2026. Terms
Driva is an independent finance provider, not part of CarSorted. We aren't paid for this link.
Manufacturer offer
Ends 15 Dec 2026
ATTO 1 Essential $19,990 promotional drive-away
Offer from BYD Australia, checked 5 Nov 2026
T&Cs apply, as the manufacturer prints them. Eligibility, stock and build limits vary, so confirm the offer with the dealer.
BYD Atto 1: we're still completing ground clearance, turning circle and braked towing.
A blank cell below means we don't have that figure, not that the car scores badly on it. We leave them empty rather than estimate, so any row where one car is blank isn't a like-for-like comparison yet.
$61,800RRP
- no option data for this car
$23,990RRP
- cannot be matched: LED Headlights and Power Tailgate not offered
Printed option prices only. A pack is counted once and makes the figure a floor when it carries no printed price. Nothing is inferred from the other car.
Price and cost per week
BMW X1 sDrive18i
$61,800
RRP, before on-road costs. Checked 24 June 2026
No published drive-away price on our record.
BYD Atto 1 Essential
$23,990
RRP, before on-road costs. Checked 14 Nov 2026
$19,990 drive-away in VIC, as published by BYD Australia
Both totals exclude servicing and insurance, so the lowest is on the same parts.
Every column on the same basis: 15,000 km a year (fixed for every comparison) in VIC, repayment assumes $5,000 deposit, 5 yrs at 7.5% p.a. Each car's fuel or charging price is in its own breakdown. Estimate only, not a quote or an offer of credit.
Both totals exclude servicing and insurance, so the lowest is on the same parts.
Cash outlay over 5 years: the deposit, the repayments and the running costs. Excludes resale value. Every column on the same basis: 15,000 km a year in VIC, repayment assumes $5,000 deposit, 5 yrs at 7.5% p.a. Estimate only, not a quote or an offer of credit.
Standard features per $10,000: not ranked, too few features are known for both cars. On the rated figures, the BYD Atto 1 leads on price per kw: $537 per kW on RRP for the BMW X1; $369 per kW on RRP for the BYD Atto 1. On the rated figures, the BYD Atto 1 leads on price per litre of boot: $114 per litre of boot on RRP for the BMW X1; $78 per litre of boot on RRP for the BYD Atto 1. These ratios are not part of the CarSorted Score.
The BYD Atto 1 starts $37,810 lower on RRP.
The BYD Atto 1 currently qualifies for the electric-vehicle FBT exemption, which applies to novated leases. The BMW X1 does not: only battery-electric vehicles qualify.
On-road costs (stamp duty, registration, CTP and dealer delivery) depend on your state and the dealer; ask for a written drive-away price before you sign.
CarSorted
Looking for your next car?
We help you research it, compare it and ask for a price.
Ways to buy
For the 2 cars on this page.
Finance
From ≈$69/wk(≈$300/mo)
Estimate on the BYD Atto 1 at $19,990 drive-away; assumes $5,000 deposit, 5 yrs at 7.5% p.a. Not a quote or an offer of credit.
Compare real car-loan ratesDriva is an independent finance provider, not part of CarSorted. We aren't paid for this link.
Novated lease
Electric, with an RRP under the $91,661 fuel-efficient LCT threshold (2026-27): under the ATO's electric cars exemption a novated lease of an eligible electric car attracts no FBT if luxury car tax was never payable on it. The benefit is still reportable.
Novated lease quoteWork out a lease on the BYD Atto 1Driva is an independent finance provider, not part of CarSorted. We aren't paid for this link. Opens apply.driva.com.au in a new tab.
Safety Rundown
ANCAP lists the BMW X1 at 5 stars (2022) and the BYD Atto 1 at 5 stars (2025). ANCAP tested these in different years (2022 vs 2025). Its criteria get stricter about every three years, so the stars are not like for like. Adult occupant protection scored 86% for the BMW X1 and 82% for the BYD Atto 1, under different test years.
Where the two diverge is in active safety technology. We can confirm 5 of 10 key ADAS systems on the BMW X1, against 4 on the BYD Atto 1.
Both include the essentials: autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, a reversing camera. Airbag count is 6 in the BMW X1 and 6 in the BYD Atto 1.
Driver assistance, as the manufacturer lists it
Driver assistance, system by system. We can confirm 5 of 10 key systems on the BMW X1 and 4 on the BYD Atto 1.
Swipe across. Tap a feature to see what it does and each car's source.
StandardOptional: printed price, +pack or NCO (no-cost)No, not offeredNo dataCounts beside each car use the same colours; ? is no option data.
From each manufacturer's Australian equipment list. No data means that car's document does not say. The drawings are our own illustrations of how each kind of system works.
Recalls on our record
BMW X1
- REC-006553 · published 4 Mar 2026Due to a manufacturing defect, the Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) cooler may develop an internal coolant leak.Year range on the notice: 2010 - 2022
- REC-006090 · published 2 Oct 2024Due to a manufacturing defect, a component of the brake booster system may have been incorrectly welded and could break.Year range on the notice: 2022 - 2024
- REC-006063 · published 30 Aug 2024Due to a manufacturing defect, liquid may enter the electrical water pump connectors.Year range on the notice: 2011 - 2018
- 5 more on the model page.
BYD Atto 1
None open on our record
A recall covers the builds its notice lists, not every car of a model. Check your VIN at vehiclerecalls.gov.au.
Charging and range
The rated figures side by side: electric range and fuel use with the battery depleted for a plug-in hybrid or range extender, the km each battery-electric car adds overnight on its own onboard charger, and the DC time in the window each document prints.
| 2026 BMW X1 sDrive18i | 2026 BYD Atto 1 Essential | |
|---|---|---|
| Powertrain | Petrol or diesel | Battery electric |
| Added overnight, 10A power point (2.4 kW) | Not applicable | 155 km in 10 h |
| Added overnight, 7.4 kW wallbox | Not applicable | 477 km in 10 h |
| Added overnight, 11 kW three-phase | Not applicable | 710 km in 10 h |
| DC fast charge, as printed | Not applicable | No data |
| Charging connector | Not applicable | CCS2 |
| Portable charger supplied | Not applicable | Supplied |
| Type 2 cable supplied | Not applicable | No data |
| Front boot | No data | No data |
- Km added in 10 hours: the charger rate, capped by the car's own onboard charger, over its own rated energy use. A car without an onboard charger or energy figure is No data, never an assumed rate.
- DC times are printed only in the window the document gives (0-80% or 10-80%). Different windows are not one measure, so nobody leads across them.
How long each takes to charge, from a household power point to a DC fast charger, estimated from battery size and the car's own maximum charge rates.
How long to charge
30kWh usablePublic DC
50kW charger · 0–80%
Ultra-rapid DC
up to 65kW · 0–80%
Estimates from usable battery size and the car's max charge rates (11kW AC, 65kW DC). Real times vary with temperature, starting charge, charger output and the charging curve.
What's in the boxBYD Atto 1
- Portable chargerSupplied
- Type 2 cableNo data
From the manufacturer's own equipment list for this car. A Type 2 cable is what an untethered public AC post needs; a portable charger plugs into a household socket.
Feature Showdown
The BMW X1 features a 10.7-inch touchscreen paired with a 10.3-inch digital dash, while the BYD Atto 1 gets a 10.1-inch display and 7-inch instruments. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard across both.
The BMW X1 stands out with Apple CarPlay, head-up display, heated front seats, power tailgate and Harman Kardon audio: features our data doesn't list for the BYD Atto 1. The BYD Atto 1 counters with wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto and V2L. Which feature set matters more depends on your daily routine and priorities.
Interior trim differs: the BMW X1 gets sensatec synthetic leather upholstery while the BYD Atto 1 offers synthetic leather.
Equipment few rivals have, on either carShowHide
Drivetrain
The BMW X1 uses a Petrol producing 115kW and 230Nm of torque, sent through a auto to a FWD layout. It covers the 0-100km/h sprint in 9 seconds.
The BYD Atto 1 responds with a Electric making 65kW and 175Nm, paired to a auto driving the front wheels. It gets to 100km/h in 11.1 seconds.
The BMW X1 has the clear power advantage at 115kW vs 65kW. In the 0-100 sprint (manufacturer-claimed), the BMW X1 is 2.1s quicker. For most buyers, the way each car feels day-to-day matters more than outright acceleration.
Space & Comfort
The BMW X1 measures 4,500mm long on a 2,692mm wheelbase, 510mm longer than the BYD Atto 1 at 3,990mm (2,500mm wheelbase). The longer wheelbase on the BMW X1 generally means more rear legroom.
Boot space is 540L in the BMW X1 and 308L in the BYD Atto 1, giving the BMW X1 a 232L advantage. The BMW X1 seats 5 vs 4.
The BMW X1 turns in a 11.3 m circle, kerb to kerb; the BYD Atto 1's turning circle is not on our record.
Front boot (frunk)
BMW X1
No data
BYD Atto 1
No data
Cost to own
We do not hold a like-for-like fuel or energy figure for both cars, so we do not cost them against each other.
The weekly and 5-year figures in the price section above add repayments, rego, servicing and tyres to this; use our Fuel Cost Calculator for your own driving.
Warranty: 5 years / unlimited km (BMW X1) and 6 years / 150,000 km (BYD Atto 1).
- No break-even: the BYD Atto 1 costs less to buy and less in energy.
Energy only. Excludes servicing, rego, insurance, finance interest and resale. Prices are compared only on one basis.
Where each one leads
The BMW X1: more power (115kW against 65kW) and the bigger boot with the seats up (540L against 308L).
The BYD Atto 1: the lower starting price ($23,990 against $61,800) and the longer warranty (6 years against 5).
The Verdict
BMW X1 scores higher, 75 vs 67
The BMW X1 scores 75 to the BYD Atto 1's 67 on the CarSorted Score, and leads 3 of the 6 spec rows that separate them. The biggest gaps: practicality (BMW X1 ahead by 24 points), performance (BMW X1 ahead by 20 points). Boot space with the seats up: 540L in the BMW X1, 308L in the BYD Atto 1. Warranty: 5 years on the BMW X1, 6 on the BYD Atto 1.
Ways to buy
For the 2 cars on this page.
Finance
From ≈$69/wk(≈$300/mo)
Estimate on the BYD Atto 1 at $19,990 drive-away; assumes $5,000 deposit, 5 yrs at 7.5% p.a. Not a quote or an offer of credit.
Compare real car-loan ratesDriva is an independent finance provider, not part of CarSorted. We aren't paid for this link.
Novated lease
Electric, with an RRP under the $91,661 fuel-efficient LCT threshold (2026-27): under the ATO's electric cars exemption a novated lease of an eligible electric car attracts no FBT if luxury car tax was never payable on it. The benefit is still reportable.
Novated lease quoteWork out a lease on the BYD Atto 1Driva is an independent finance provider, not part of CarSorted. We aren't paid for this link. Opens apply.driva.com.au in a new tab.
Common questions
Which is cheapest, BMW X1 and BYD Atto 1?
The BYD Atto 1 is the cheapest at $23,990 before on-road costs. That undercuts the BMW X1 by $37,810.
What are the ANCAP safety ratings?
BMW X1 holds a 5-star ANCAP rating (tested 2022) and BYD Atto 1 holds a 5-star ANCAP rating (tested 2025). ANCAP tested these in different years (2022 vs 2025). Its criteria get stricter about every three years, so the stars are not like for like. Compare the active-safety features above to separate them.
Which has the most boot space?
The BMW X1 has the largest boot at 540L with the seats up.
Which can tow the most?
The BMW X1 has the highest braked towing capacity at 1,700kg.
Which has the best warranty?
The BYD Atto 1 has the longest warranty at 6 years / 150,000 km.
Which is the most powerful?
The BMW X1 makes the most power at 115kW. The BMW X1 is quickest to 100km/h in 9s.
Track the BMW X1 & BYD Atto 1
Get price-drop alerts on these models plus our free weekly new-car rundown. Unsubscribe anytime.
How to read this page. Prices, specifications, ANCAP ratings, warranty, the CarSorted Score and the verdict come from our records for the grades shown, sourced from the manufacturers' Australian documents, and change when those records change; the date each was last checked is printed under the headline. Prices are recommended retail prices before on-road costs unless marked drive-away. A plug-in hybrid's fuel figure is labelled with its basis: with a full battery (the certified combined figure) or as a hybrid (battery depleted). Charging and running costs are estimates on the stated assumptions. Always confirm price and specification with the manufacturer or dealer before you buy. CarSorted does not accept payment for recommendations.
Comments (0)
Sign in to join the conversation
No comments yet. Be the first!
