ATTO 3 Superior vs EX5 Complete NZ: convenience equipment or a larger body?

I would start with the ATTO 3 Superior if an opening panoramic roof, a powered tailgate and front parking sensors are features you will use frequently. I would start with the EX5 Complete if your first priority is finding room for your passengers and luggage, and you are willing to test its larger body rather than assume it works better. The Complete's current specification does not include the roof and powered tailgate of the more expensive Inspire.

Both are advertised at NZ$49,990 plus on-road costs. That creates a useful shopping shortlist, not a finished price comparison. These are the earlier front-drive ATTO 3 Superior and the 60 kWh EX5 Complete. Neither an overseas ATTO 3 EVO nor an EX5 Inspire Extended Range can supply missing specifications. We have not driven, loaded or charged the pair together, so the buying answer depends on the actual demonstration and completed quote.

Ask both sellers for a GST-inclusive total for the exact car, showing on-road costs and what they include. Separate registration, preparation, initial applicable RUC, accessories and any transport or collection cost. Geely's price footnote includes 15% GST but excludes ORC. BYD's October sheet is a retail reference plus ORC. The two headlines therefore do not establish a zero-dollar difference when the cars are ready for you to collect.

Ski White is shown as the no-charge BYD colour, with several alternatives at NZ$990. Geely's published colour options also need to be tied to the quoted unit; do not assume an advertised white car represents your preferred paint. Compare any current cash promotion separately from a finance example. A finance illustration's ORC allowance is not a universal delivered-cost quote, and an interest-rate campaign's expiry does not guarantee that a vehicle price is locked until that date.

Keep a dated cash proposal and a complete financed proposal for each car. Finance needs deposit, term, fees and total repayment, rather than the weekly amount alone. We have not reserved stock, submitted a credit application or obtained a personal invoice. An old launch review's ATTO 3 price is historical context, not a second current price to subtract from either offer.

The Superior sheet marks an electric-slide panoramic roof and one-touch powered tailgate. Try the roof shade, opening controls and load-area access with the driver and passenger in their normal positions. If you frequently carry a child or bags, operate the tailgate as you actually would. A feature being listed does not establish headroom, opening speed or how well it works in your parking space.

The EX5 Complete has a 360-degree surround-view monitor and rear sensors. Its column does not include front parking sensors, the panoramic roof or electric tailgate. Those features appear on Inspire and must not be copied into Complete to make the lists equal. Test the cameras in the same narrow entrance and lighting, and check the manual for limits. Neither a camera nor a sensor guarantees that every obstacle is visible.

Pair your own phone and try navigation and climate controls while stationary. The linked Geely sheet retains references to features arriving through software updates at earlier dates. That is a reason to demonstrate the current delivered software, not proof that an update is missing or already installed. The BYD sheet also makes phone functionality dependent on device and software compatibility.

Fit the actual child restraints after setting both front seats for the adults who use them. Check door access, buckle reach, rear foot space and whether the required seating positions remain usable. A five-seat specification does not prove three restraints can be installed together. We have not performed that installation or measured common interior clearances in these cars.

BYD lists 440 litres minimum luggage capacity. Geely's sheet separately lists 302 litres with rear seats up, 410 litres expanded and 1,877 litres with seats folded. Those labels do not establish the same measuring method or loading arrangement as BYD's minimum. Do not choose the largest number or subtract unlike entries to guarantee how much extra luggage one car carries. Keep occupied seats in their travel positions, load the pushchair, bags and charging equipment, and close the tailgate normally.

Also check the driveway and garage. The EX5's extra length and width may matter beside a wall or another car. The Superior's powered tailgate may be useful, but its opening clearance still needs checking. Personal access and packing are the practical questions; exterior dimensions and advertised litres organise the test rather than replace it.

BYD's NZ page summarises six years or 150,000 km on the vehicle and eight years or 160,000 km on the traction battery, with terms and whichever occurs first. Geely's sheet summarises seven years unlimited kilometres mechanical warranty and eight years unlimited kilometres battery warranty, also subject to conditions. These summaries are not evidence that either owner will have no repair cost or downtime. Obtain the contracts for the unit and use, including servicing and exclusions.

Identify the workshop that will handle diagnosis and updates in your area. Geely's roadside-assistance note distinguishes an initial period from annual extensions through servicing. Check what you receive rather than treating every headline year as unconditional. We do not have a comparable local reliability, parts-wait or resale sample for these two configurations.

An ownership budget needs bought electricity including charging losses, annual distance, applicable RUC, insurance, tyres, installation and maintenance. We have not verified a numerical current RUC rate for this comparison or the buyer's personal inputs. There is no annual saving or payback claim here. Keep the supplier's conditions separate from independent evidence about ownership outcomes.

I would continue with Superior if its opening roof, powered tailgate and parking equipment deliver a repeat benefit and the family fits comfortably. I would continue with Complete if its actual cabin and loading arrangement solve the family's task better without the missing convenience items. Neither choice follows automatically from a larger body, ten kilometres of declared range or a badge's reputation.

This is documentary research checked on 19 October 2026 (UTC), using New Zealand sources and the October BYD and April Geely sheets. There was no joint drive, inspection, restraint installation, packing exercise, crash assessment or charge test by CathayEV. Actual VIN, build, stock, software and complete delivered totals still require confirmation. The older NZ sales story that mentions both models is market context, not evidence that either is the better family car. Other local comparisons may help if neither version meets the task.