Can BYD's Dolphin-G Topple the Renault Clio?

The European supermini class is proving more resilient than many expected. Despite emissions and safety rules that were supposed to push it out of the market, four superminis still sit in the continent's top 10 best-sellers. The Renault Clio is one of them, and its success this year has been fuelled by its sixth-generation update.

Now BYD is bringing its smallest plug-in hybrid, the Dolphin-G, into this segment. For manufacturers, the question is whether electrified versions of compact, well-priced cars can win over buyers who have long favoured simple, efficient petrol models. For anyone working in automotive product planning, marketing or engineering, this head-to-head is a useful signal of where the small car market is heading.