Can BYD beat Renault? £26k Dolphin G PHEV takes on Clio

BYD’s next European push targets the supermini fight head-on with the Dolphin G PHEV, aiming squarely at the Renault Clio—one of the segment’s current top sellers. The sixth-generation Clio has been on sale across Europe since early 2026, though the UK launch is due in early 2027, bringing a longer and wider body on Renault’s CMF-B platform and a more coupé-like roofline. BYD’s Dolphin G will be built in its new factory in Hungary and is about 50mm longer but 150mm taller than the Clio, with a less rakish, more MPV-influenced stance. The contest will test whether Chinese electrified superminis can win mainstream buyers.