2025 BYD Dolphin facelift brings 174hp motor and ditches old logo

The 2024 BYD Dolphin facelift has made an early appearance, thanks to documents revealed by the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT).

The refreshed BYD Dolphin brings a sleeker, more sophisticated design. Up front, the compact electric hatchback now features a redesigned panel that’s slimmer and more three-dimensional, complemented by slimmer, sharper headlights.

At the rear, the changes continue with a tidied-up bumper and updated taillight graphics housed in a curvier enclosure. However, the most noticeable update is the replacement of the “Build Your Dreams” script with the simpler, sleeker BYD emblem.

The 2024 Dolphin is now slightly longer, aligning with the global model’s dimensions. This change stems from a redesigned front-end crash structure introduced in 2023 to secure a five-star ANCAP safety rating in Australia. It appears this upgrade has now trickled back to the Chinese-market version.

The facelifted Dolphin also brings an expanded lineup of powertrain options. MIIT data reveals three electric motor configurations:

Base: 94hp and 180 Nm of torque
Mid-spec: 174hp (details pending)
High-spec: 201hp and 310 Nm of torque

Currently, the pre-facelift Dolphin offers only the base and high-power options, paired with BYD’s Blade batteries. The base version uses a 44.92-kWh pack for a claimed 420 km CLTC range, while the high-power variant comes with a 60.48-kWh battery, delivering up to 520 km on a single charge. Details on the mid-spec motor and its range will likely surface at the facelift’s official launch.