BMW X1 vs Denza B8

What's the difference?

This new BMW X1 feels like it's been built by a team of parents because it’s one of the most practical and easy to use small SUVs my family and I have ever lived with and, trust me, they’ve seen a lot of test cars come through the Berry garage.

We loved the roomy interior with high ceilings, the clever storage everywhere from the giant door pockets to the floating centre armrest up front and big boot for our pram.

Entry and exit is easy through the tall and wide doors, something my back was thankful for every time I had to put our baby into her car seat.

Driving is easy, with great visibility and the engine that comes in the xDrive20i M Sport makes this X1 sporty and fun to pilot, too.  

The only drawback is the price, it's a bit expensive but at the same time you are getting a high-quality feeling SUV.

The Denza B8 is an incredibly luxurious car that has a lot going for it, including three rows of seating, a 3.5-tonne braked towing capacity and an eye-popping price tag, but it's held back by its overall heft and cumbersome ride.

If you don’t absolutely need the third row of seating, the smaller B5 is arguably the better pick and while it’s also not perfect, it’s a very compelling package and you’ll be saving thousands of dollars in the process.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.

This current generation of X1 arrived in late 2022 and finally looked more like part of the BMW SUV family with tall and boxy styling rather than the sleek, but raised hatchback it seemed to be before.

My test car had 'M Portimao Blue' metallic paint - a flattering hue that showed off the X1’s lines as you can see in the images.

I like the X1’s oversized grille which suits the angry looking front bumper that comes with the M Sport inclusions, but balanced by pretty headlights.

Inside, the X1 xDrive20i M Sport is modern and minimalist in design. I like the floating centre armrest in between the driver and front passenger and the way it creates a feeling of more space and adds more storage.

The double screens are nice, but we’re seeing this same design and tech now in budget cars such as the Chery Omoda 5 and Haval H6. BMW needs to be even slicker and more stylish if it wants to maintain its edge.  

If you like your SUVs sporty looking then check out the BMW X2, X4 and X6. These are coupe style SUVs (but with four doors).

There’s no way around it, the Denza B8 is a big car. It’s almost 5.2 metres long which makes it larger than a LandCruiser 300 Series and more in line with the likes of the Land Rover Defender 130.

It looks quite boxy and tough on the outside, though it doesn’t have any features that define it specifically as a Denza beyond the inconspicuous badging. There are many angles that are reminiscent of the aforementioned Defender.

The body lines look crisper than the smaller B5, as does the semi closed-off grille and LED light script that connect the big LED headlights.

Unlike the B5, the tailgate-mounted spare wheel is much more prominent in the B8 and this therefore exaggerates its heft, not in a good way.

Inside, it’s luxurious and high-end with lots of visual appeal. I particularly like the amount of soft-touch finishes around the cabin and the overall lack of glossy piano black.

While luxurious, there’s also a rugged edge to the interior. This is most present in the large grab handles which you do need to use when getting in and out.

The amount of physical buttons and switches inside is a nice touch as you don’t need to relate on the touchscreen all the time. The fact the gear shift lever rises up when you turn on the car also adds to the special, luxurious feel.

My family found the X1 xDrive20i to be one of the most practical small SUVs we’ve lived with thanks to its spacious interior, clever cabin storage and plenty of convenient features.

I need to point out the door pockets - they’re the biggest I’ve ever seen. They’re more door buckets than pockets and super helpful over the week not just for bottles but for everything else that I needed to dump out of my own pockets and into them.

The floating centre armrest up front looks like an ironing board and has a tonne of storage underneath.

The wireless charging is handy but the holster is a bit un-user friendly in terms of access, but it held the phone tight and stopped it becoming a projectile when driving, which is what you want.

There are power outlets galore, too, proximity unlocking, and a gesture tailgate.

Legroom in the back is excellent and there’s so much headroom throughout. 

The X1’s 540-litre boot capacity is excellent for the class and meant we could fit our baby’s big pram and the seven-year old’s scooter and still have room for the grocery shopping.

Hopping into the B8 you need to acquaint yourself with how the flush door handles operate. Generally they pop open when you unlock the car but sometimes they can be a little delayed.

Also inside the car there are electronic door release buttons which are nowhere near as intuitive as regular door pull handles. Sure you’d likely get used to this over time but you’ll need to explain it to new passengers all the time.

The seats in Chinese cars usually look nice but aren’t that comfortable or supportive for long-distance journeys. The B8’s are the opposite, offering great support and almost limitless adjustability. Adding to this is the standard heating, ventilation and massage functions.

Ahead of the driver is a leather-wrapped steering wheel which feels nice and has plenty of physical buttons with a tactile click when pressed.

Behind this, the digital instrument cluster is clear and high-resolution and offers a number of different layouts and informative pages you can cycle through. This allows you to customise the display.

In the centre of the dashboard is the mammoth 17.3-inch touchscreen multimedia system which is the largest central screen I have seen in a car to date. It’s a big screen for a big car and Apple CarPlay satisfyingly takes up the entire screen.

Thankfully, the screen is snappy and has a native user interface that is easy to navigate around without getting lost. I particularly like the swipe-down control centre menu that allows you to change key settings without diving into sub-menus.

My only hassle with the screen is I struggle to reach the far left-hand side due to its overall size. Perhaps a trackpad would solve this.

As I noted previously, the amount of physical switchgear around the cabin makes adjusting key functions easy. Examples include physical buttons to change the drive mode, activate the surround-view camera, adjust the suspension position and switch between EV and hybrid driving.

In terms of storage up front there are two non-ventilated 50W wireless phone chargers, two cupholders with adjustable depths, a shallow storage section under the centre console, plus a fridge/hotbox under the centre armrest.

Moving to the second row and the luxury continues. The seven-seat model features a three-seat bench that three people can easily fit across as the floor is flat, whereas the six-seat model gets uber-plush captain’s chairs.

Regardless of variant, there’s plenty of room in the second row, even for adults.

Second-row amenities include a small screen on the back of the centre console box that allows you to change the climate control and change the seat heating/ventilation, among other functions.

There’s also a button that opens the fridge/coolbox so the second-row passengers can access it. This is a nifty touch though you’d want to make sure small fingers don’t get caught as the anti-pinch function isn’t the strongest.

A feature that’s unique to the six-seat version is a massaging function on the second-row captain’s chairs. This is a very cool touch that no other SUV at this price point offers.

Accessing the third row in the six-seat version is rather easy as you only need to walk down between the captain’s chairs. It’s also simple enough in the seven-seat version as long as you access it from the kerb side.

Third-row space is decent for adults, but this shouldn’t be surprising as the B8 is such a hulking vehicle. The backrests also recline allowing for extra comfort. Amenities include air vents in the headliner, USB-C ports and scattered storage. It’s enough for seats that will likely only get occasional use.

Around the back the B8 has a side-hinged tailgate which is a little problematic as you need to allow space for it to open up in parking spaces. This is hard when the car is already 5.2m long…

With all three rows upright there is 147L of boot space, which is fine, but this expands to a much more usable 920L with the third row folded.

The boot space is square and usable, though there is a large load lip which is body-coloured and would easily get scratched if you drop something on it. Not the best in a family-oriented vehicle.

Boot-related amenities include buttons to electronically fold the second and third row seats and lower the suspension to make things easier to load into the boot, a 12V socket, scattered hooks, as well as a small underfloor section to store the changing cables.

Although it stands out like a sore thumb, it’s great to have a full-size spare wheel on the back of the tailgate. This is very helpful in the unlikely and unfortunate event you get a puncture.

The 2026 Denza B8 line-up starts at $91,000, before on-road costs, for the seven-seat version, which is strategically just under the Luxury Car Tax (LCT) threshold, whereas the flagship six-seat version is $97,990, before on-road costs.

Despite nearing $100K, this notably undercuts key rivals like the Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series and Land Rover Defender by a considerable margin, especially once you take the level of standard equipment into account.

The B8’s closest rival is currently the slightly smaller GWM Tank 500 PHEV which is priced even more competitively at $77,990, drive-away.

As a base there are 20-inch alloy wheels, adaptive LED headlights, soft-close doors, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, a 17.3-inch touchscreen multimedia system, 18-speaker Devialet sound system, tri-zone climate control, leather upholstery, plus heated and ventilated seats in the first and second row.

Moving up to the six-seat version brings second-row captain’s chairs with adjustable legrests and a massage function, as well as a digital rear-view mirror, head-up display and Nappa leather upholstery.

This amount of standard equipment in a car that’s under $100K is wild and should definitely be enough to put in your consideration list if you’re after a big, three-row SUV. The smaller B5 offers similar levels of specification but goes without the third row.

The X1 xDrive20i M Sport has a more powerful engine than the grades below it in the range - it’s a 2.0-litre, turbo-petrol, four-cylinder making 150kW and 300Nm.

A seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission does the shifting for you.   

This is also the only all-wheel drive X1 currently in the range.

Power comes from a plug-in hybrid set-up combining dual electric motors and a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine.

Total system outputs are a meaty 425kW and 760Nm. They need to be, as the B8 has a kerb weight of 3.3 tonnes. Despite this, Denza claims it can still do the 0-100km/h sprint in just 4.8 seconds.

Power is sent to all four wheels with a rear mechanical diff lock as standard across the line-up. A front diff lock is only offered on the six-seat version.

What’s most surprising about this big beast is it offers a segment-meeting 3500kg braked towing capacity. It also has up to 700kg of payload, depending on the variant.

BMW says that after a combination of open and urban roads the X1 xDrive20i M Sport will use 7.4L/100km.

In my own testing my driving was mainly city and suburban, which uses quite a lot of fuel. We did dashes to birthday parties, the grocery shopping, school drop offs and all of it in busy traffic.  

I recorded 8.9L/100km, but that’s not overly thirsty considering I was carrying two car seats with children, and all the gear that goes with them. 

A small 45 litre tank means the xDrive 20i M Sport has a range of about 608km, which is on the shorter side.

Feeding the dual electric motors is a 36.8kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery. Denza claims it allows for an electric range of 115km, according to NEDC testing.

The battery can also be used as a power source for appliances using vehicle-to-load (V2L) functionality at rates up to 6.6kW.

AC charging is offered at rates up to 11kW, whereas DC fast-charging is offered at rates up to 120kW.

Additionally, there’s a 91L fuel tank. Denza claims this allows the B8 to have a total range of 1040km (NEDC).

Fuel consumption depends on how often you charge the battery. Denza claims the B8 will use 2.0L/100km from 100 to 25 per cent battery charge and 9.9L/100km under 25 per cent battery charge, both according to NEDC testing. Regardless, this is better than all similarly sized petrol- or diesel-powered SUVs.

Only a week before testing the X1 xDrive20i M Sport I’d been reviewing a BMW 330e and going from the 3 Series to the SUV was like changing my seating position from being in a bathtub to sitting on a bar stool. 

Actually, the X1’s seat is far more comfortable than a stool and the refined quality is what you’d expect from BMW.

But compared to the low slung 330e the visibility and the upright driving angle of the X1 is very different.

It’s something you want in an SUV that puts practicality before performance.

As much as I liked the sporty sedan, as a dad I preferred being able to see better when parking in the X1, and this made life a lot easier.

Easy is a good word to describe what the X1 xDrive20i M Sport is like to drive - from that visibility to the light steering, comfortable ride and that great engine with all-wheel drive.

That 2.0-litre four-cylinder has more than enough grunt to run up the steep hills in my neighbourhood without struggling, the transmission is smooth and the all-wheel drive system adds a bit more reassurance in the wet weather.

All of this makes for an easy, enjoyable drive. 

Behind the wheel, the Denza B8 primarily acts as an electric vehicle (EV), meaning it’s largely quiet inside the cabin when driving around normally.

Once the battery charge gets down lower, the petrol engine typically switches on to top up the battery. It largely acts as a generator and a lot of the time you can’t tell whether it’s on or off.

You’ll likely only notice it if you floor the accelerator or go up a steeper hill. Even then the engine largely stays quiet and in the background.

When the battery charge gets down low enough and you gun it, the petrol engine can directly power the front wheels. This is rare, though, because the car leaves at least 25 per cent battery charge in reserve.

With 425kW and 760Nm thanks to the dual electric motors and 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine, the B8 is far from slow. In fact, for a 3.3-tonne beast it absolutely hauls thanks to the instantaneous torque the electric motors provide.

However in the standard drive mode there is a noticeable input lag from when you push the accelerator pedal hard and when the car starts accelerating. This is reduced in the 'Sport' drive mode.

Although the B8 may produce lots of power and torque, it feels its weight. When you accelerate hard it pitches back dramatically, much like the Jeep Grand Cherokee. It’s much more pronounced than in the smaller B5, but still smile-inducing.

As standard, the B8 line-up gets an adaptive hydraulic suspension system that is claimed to be able to self-level the car. Despite this, the B8 gets a considerable amount of body roll regardless of which drive mode you select.

Many Chinese cars have floaty, comfort-oriented suspension tunes over firmer and a more dynamic-feeling ride, and the B8 is no exception. It feels like a 3300kg+ SUV.

The kicker is, like many body-on-frame vehicles, the ride gets busy on harsher roads with more frequent bumps. As a passenger you get jostled about in the cabin.

The steering tries to disguise the overall heft of this SUV but as a result it can feel overly assisted and vague at certain points. Depending on the drive it either artificially adds or reduces resistance.

Unlike the related BYD Shark 6, the B8 gets diff locks and a low-range mode which uses a clutch pack on the rear electric motor to allow for more controlled, low-speed crawling.

The adaptive hydraulic suspension allows the car to be lowered down or lifted up. In its highest mode there is a 890mm maximum wading depth.

Interestingly, compared to the smaller B5, the B8 feels more sorted off the beaten path. Its added heft helps round off bumps more easily, plus there’s added momentum behind it.

Lastly, in terms of noise, vibration and harshness (NVH), the B8 is a very quiet car to drive. As I mentioned above, the electric-first nature automatically makes this a quiet car.

Surprisingly, given the B8 is a huge 3.3-tonne box on wheels, there is very little road and wind noise. It seems Denza has put a big emphasis on sound insulation.

The Denza B8 received a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating based on testing conducted on the related B5 in 2025.

There are 14 airbags which notably includes coverage for the third row, plus autonomous emergency braking (AEB), blind-spot monitoring, front and rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, front and rear parking sensors and a surround-view camera.

The majority of the active safety systems do a good job, remaining in the background and only activating when absolutely necessary. However, the driver attention monitor is over zealous and struggles to detect your eyes when you’re wearing sunglasses.

Thankfully, you can turn this off using the touchscreen but it needs to be done every single time you drive the car.

The X1 xDrive20i M Sport is covered by BMW’s five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty.

A five-year/80,000km service plan through BMW will cost $2150. You’ll be looking to pay an average of $430 per service every 12 months. 

The Denza B8 is covered by a six-year, 150,000km warranty, whereas the battery pack is covered by an eight-year, 160,000km warranty. There’s also three years of roadside assistance.

This isn’t a standout warranty in the mainstream market, though compared to premium marques it’s a notable step up.

Logbook servicing is required every 12 months or 20,000km, whichever comes first.

The first five years' of servicing totals $3762, which averages out to just over $750 per service. This is just a tad more than the smaller B5, but it’s much cheaper than premium rivals.