Denza B5 vs Polestar 4

What's the difference?

Denza has made a huge statement with the B5 and for the most part the hype is deserved. It packs an incredible amount of luxury and tech inside and out which is even more surprising given the impressive asking price.

There are only a few flaws like the busy ride, over-the-top body roll and the occasional infotainment quirk. Hopefully these can be fixed with future over-the-air software updates.

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

Polestar may be a Tesla rival but the Polestar 4 looks and feels much more premium than the Model Y. The brand has taken its time to get the cabin just right and the sustainable materials don’t feel cheap in any way. In fact, this car feels special.

I may not be a fan of some of the tech - the digital rear-view mirror, for example - but many people will be drawn to the car because of these features.

On the road, the Polestar 4 is a cracking EV, with excellent driving range and a fun factor that can’t be denied. That aftersales offer is just the cherry on the cake.

This is Polestar’s best chance yet of being accepted by the masses.

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

It’s worth calling out straight away that the Denza B5 is essentially an SUV version of the BYD Shark 6 as the two share underpinnings, but it’s much more luxurious and blingy.

Externally it has a big, boxy and bluff design that helps it stand out on the road. It looks even tougher when the suspension is in its lifted mode.

I particularly like the front fascia with the big headlights and the prominent Denza badge on the grille, but there are some strange body creases around the side.

While the boxy looks make the B5 stand out, it’s not necessarily unique. There are elements that are reminiscent of the Land Rover Defender, plus many angles look similar to the GWM Tank 300.

Inside is where the luxe is dialled to the max. There are so many soft touches around the cabin that it makes a lovely place to spend time.

Additionally there is a lot of high-quality physical switchgear which is surprising given how prominent the large 15.6-inch central touchscreen is.

Lastly, I like how substantial many of the finishes are. There are large grab handles on either side of the dashboard which you do need to use to hoist yourself into the cabin, plus chunky interior door handle pulls that are satisfying to use.

Polestar pitches itself as a design-led brand and so far that checks out. The Polestar 2 is a striking sedan, the 3 is a bold, boxy, big SUV and now the 4 is the latest sexy addition to the range.

As mentioned, it is technically a medium SUV but it has a distinct fastback look. Polestar calls it a coupe-SUV. Whatever it is, it looks smashing in the metal.

The sleek silhouette pairs nicely with the split LED headlights and low-set front end. While there is an elevated ride height, it manages to sit low enough to the ground to look sporty.

The most interesting angle of the Polestar 4 is the rear. This car does not have a rear windscreen. The tailgate is made up of aluminium panels instead of glass, but the massive panoramic roof stretches back to the top of the tailgate.

The squared-off rear sits up high and houses gorgeous tail-lights that span the width of the car. Even though the rear is controversial given the lack of window, it’s probably the Polestar’s best angle. It’s unique and striking.

The Polestar 4’s interior design is best described as stylish minimalism. It is much more interesting than Tesla’s appliance-like cabin design, and it’s clear a lot of thought has gone into the interior. There are virtually no buttons which helps the look, but that can impact practicality. 

The integrated air vents look stunning as does the flat-bottom steering wheel.

A mix of whites, and light and dark grey materials are broken up by pops of colour like gold seatbelts. 

Recycled material is found throughout including the floor mats, dash toppers and seat upholstery, some of which is inspired by the fashion and sportswear industries. But being Polestar, it’s with a sustainable twist.

Many Chinese cars have lots of bling but lack actual substance when it comes to comfort and usability. This is where the Denza differs.

Take the driver’s seat, for example. In a number of Chinese cars they look plush and comfy, but in reality they are firm after longer drives and lack adjustability.

The B5’s driver’s seat, however, is very comfortable, offering almost limitless adjustment, plus heating, ventilation and even a massage function as standard. The latter is great for longer road trips.

Ahead of the driver the steering wheel has plenty of adjustment, allowing people of different heights and statures to get comfortable behind the wheel. There are also lots of physical buttons and switches that have a satisfying click when pressed.

The digital instrument cluster is high-resolution and clear, and there's a number of different informative pages that you can cycle through. It’s nice to have this level of customisation.

Moving across, the aforementioned 15.6-inch touchscreen multimedia system dominates the dashboard. If you’re familiar with the user interface in other BYD vehicles, it’s virtually identical in the B5.

It’s very easy to navigate around and if you do get lost there are a number of shortcut buttons at the bottom of the screen that can either take you back home or to other key functions.

One of my favourite features about the screen is the swipe-down control centre menu. You can customise it to have key shortcut functions. It’s much better than having to dig through countless submenus.

It’s clear Denza still has a few kinks to iron out with the translations from Chinese to English as some don’t make sense. Denza will likely sort this with future software updates.

As standard there is wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and it takes up the full screen when connected. It’s a stunning set-up, though reaching the far left-hand side of the screen from the driver’s seat can be a little tricky on the move.

As I touched on earlier, there is a lot of physical switchgear around the cabin which is helpful as you don’t need to solely rely on the touchscreen for key functions. The piano key buttons for the drive and EV/HEV modes are particularly handy, plus the rising gear shift lever is premium-feeling.

In terms of storage up front, there are up to two 50W wireless chargers (depending on the variant you opt for) with ventilation, two cupholders with adjustable depths, some shallow storage under the centre console, plus a fridge/hotbox under the centre armrest.

Moving to the second row there is plenty of space for at least two adults to sit comfortably. Pushing it to three may be a little tight with shoulder room, plus the centre seat is raised compared to the outboard ones. It’s worth noting though that there is a flat floor so you don’t need to fight for foot space.

Second-row amenities include chunky grab handles for easy ingress and egress, air vents on the back of the centre console, as well as heated and ventilated outboard seats in the top-spec Leopard trim. It’s properly luxe.

At the back the tailgate is side-hinged which can be problematic if you reverse into a carpark as you need to allow for space for it to open up. It has a soft-close function which is handy as you don’t need to slam it shut.

There’s 470L of boot space with the rear seats upright, expanding to around 1000L when folded. It’s a decent amount of space and is square with a very minimal load lip.

Amenities include a 12V socket, a wide array of hooks and nets, as well as a small storage space under the boot floor for the charging cables.

Lastly the B5 comes with a full-size spare wheel mounted on the tailgate. This is becoming increasingly rare in electrified vehicles and is very handy if you have a puncture.

Sliding into the driver’s seat, the first thing I notice is how high the centre console sits. This is clearly a Polestar thing because it’s similar to the 2. This adds to the sporty feel of the cabin, but I don’t know if it needs to be that high.

It does however liberate a massive amount of storage space under the console. You could fit a handbag, shoes or other items there, and Polestar offers accessories like bicycle-esque bottle holders. 

There’s more storage in the smallish central bin which also houses two USB-C ports, a half-hidden phone charging pad, and door bins that will fit a larger bottle, but only lying down.

The seats are comfortable and the cloth-like sustainable material in the Singe Motor grade looks great, but it can grip on to clothes a little. The perforated Zinc-coloured ‘animal welfare’ Nappa leather in the Dual Motor is stunning and probably what I would opt for. Which is rare given I am no leather fan. But whatever the material, there’s a decent amount of support on offer. 

If you opt for the Nappa upgrade ($7000) you get Harman Kardon speakers embedded in the front headrests. It’s an interesting addition but it sounds quite cool when you realise where the sound is coming from.

Aside from the ‘play’ dial on the console, there are very few visible buttons. Meaning every function is housed in the central 15.4-inch landscape digital display.

I recently spent some time in another new Geely Group product - the Volvo EX30 - which has a similar set-up.

Thankfully, the menu is easy to navigate and the main screen is split between nav (running Google Maps of course) and up to four other functions, including apps like Spotify, a quick link to often-used controls and whatever else you want to customise.

Aside from the visually appealing graphics and colours, the display is crisp and easy to get your head around. The air con is easy to access and you use the screen to change the direction of the vents, which oscillate on the passenger side. 

The ambient lighting which is solar system themed is pretty cool, too. You pick the colour by planet. And the ‘Hey Google’ command appears to work well.

However, functions like opening the glove box should still be a physical button. There is no reason it needs to be housed in the screen. Also, adjusting the exterior mirrors and steering wheel required a lesson from the Polestar team. You can do it via the screen, or by using the smart controls on the steering wheel that change depending on what function you need. 

Again, this is very clever tech, but is it that necessary? Just because Tesla does something, doesn’t mean every other EV brand on the planet needs to follow suit. 

Then we get to the digital interior rearview mirror. While the lack of a rear windscreen does not impact the look of the car negatively, it’s another element that feels like tech for tech’s sake. Is there really enough of a benefit to interior space to justify this radical change to the car?

The display is clear but when you look at it then the exterior mirrors, the object in the display seems closer than the mirrors. There’s also no washer for the camera, with Polestar suggesting the angle means it doesn’t need one. The question remains, what happens if it malfunctions? 

I realise you can’t see out the back of plenty of vehicles, like trucks and, often, delivery vans. It’s also something you have to navigate when you pack your car full of gear for holiday and can’t see past all the luggage. And I appreciate many more people will be drawn in by the tech of it all. But for me it remains the answer to a question no one asked.

Moving to the rear, the slightly bucketed seats are plush and supportive and there is acres of legroom thanks to the Polestar 4’s 4.8-metre wheelbase. It is a spacious cabin no doubt, but the placement of the battery pack under the floor means your knees sit up higher than they would in an ICE car. It’s a similar phenomenon in Tesla models. There’s also no toe room under the front seats. 

You can, however, recline the rear seats slightly, making for a more relaxed vibe back there. There are amenities like rear digital climate controls, more USB-C ports, chest and knee-level air vents, and a fold-down arm-rest with cupholders, but big bottles won’t fit in the doors.

The boot appears shallow but there is under-floor storage where you can house the charging cable as well as flatter items. All up you get up to 526 litres of cargo space (that includes 31L under-floor), increasing to 1536L with the 60/40 split rear seats folded, while a front cargo space swallows 15L.

Polestar only offers a tyre repair kit for the 4, so no temporary spare. 

Polestar announced prices at the start of the year but the company lowered pricing by between $3000 and $4700 per grade ahead of the vehicle's arrival on Australian shores. That was enough of a drop to ensure it slides in under the Luxury Car Tax threshold.

Two grades are on offer initially, including the Long Range Single Motor real-wheel drive at $78,500, before on-road costs, and the Long Range Dual Motor all-wheel drive from $88,350.

Tesla’s Model Y starts at around $56,000 and tops out at about $83,000 for the Performance, so pricing for the Polestar 4 is aligned with something more premium. 

Other similarly positioned EVs include the Hyundai Ioniq 5 ($69,800-$91,300), Kia EV6 ($72,590-$99,590), Skoda Enyaq ($69,990-$83,990) and the Subaru Solterra ($69,990-$76,990).

In a smart move, both grades come with an identical standard features list. The key difference is the powertrain.

The healthy standard equipment list includes the Android Automotive operating system, 'Google Built-in', wireless Apple CarPlay, eight-speaker audio, a 15.4-inch multimedia display, solar system-inspired ambient lighting, eight-way power driver’s seat and six-way powered passenger seat, 20-inch aero wheels and the camera-based interior mirror that replaces the rear windscreen - more on that later. 

They also come with rain-sensing wipers, a digital key, keyless entry and drive, wireless device charging, heated front seats, digital radio and a panoramic glass roof.

There are a number of option packs available for both grades that bundle in features. The $8000 'Plus Pack' has the most features including increased AC charging from 11kW to 22kW, heated steering wheel and rear seats and a lot more.

There’s also a 'Pro Pack' ($2500), a Nappa leather upgrade ($7000) and the 'Performance Pack' ($7200) but that’s only available for the Dual Motor. There are also a number of individual options. 

While the 4 comes with a decent level of kit, features like a head-up display are only available in the option packs. This and a few other items should be standard at this price.

Power comes from plug-in hybrid set-up combining dual electric motors (one on each axle) and a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine.

It’s a similar set-up to the BYD Shark 6, but the B5 has more power. Total system outputs are a meaty 400kW and 760Nm, which is good for a claimed 0-100km/h sprint in just 4.8 seconds.

Power is sent to all four wheels and for added peace of mind off-road there are front and rear mechanical diff locks as standard, plus a wide range of drive and terrain modes, including a low-range mode.

Backing this up is a 3000kg braked towing capacity and up to 600kg of payload.

The battery electric Polestar 4 comes with two powertrain options. 

As its name suggests, the Long Range Single Motor has one motor driving the rear wheels only, and it pumps out 200kW of power and 343Nm of torque. That’s enough to help propel the SUV from zero to 100km/h in 7.1 seconds, on the way to a 200km/h top speed. 

The Long Range Dual Motor has a second motor on the front axle for all-wheel-drive grip, and the power and torque is bumped to 400kW and 686Nm, respectively. You’ll get to 100km/h a lot quicker at 3.8 seconds, too.

Feeding the electric motors is a 31.8kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) Blade battery which Denza claims to allow the B5 to travel up to 100km on electric power alone, according to NEDC testing.

There’s also vehicle-to-load (V2L) capability with 6.6kW output through the charging port using an adapter. This allows you to use the battery charge to power appliances. It’s handy if you go camping, for example.

The battery can be AC charged at rates up to 11kW or DC fast-charged at rates up to 100kW.

There’s also an 83L fuel tank. Denza claims the B5 has a total range of 975km, according to NEDC testing.

Fuel consumption depends on whether or not you charge up the battery. Denza claims you’ll use 1.9L/100km from 100 to 25 per cent battery charge and 9.5L/100km under 25 per cent battery charge, both according to NEDC testing. Regardless, this is better than similarly sized diesel-powered SUVs.

The Polestar 4 uses a 400-volt, 100kWh lithium-ion battery.

The Long Range Single Motor has a healthy EV driving range of up to 620km on the WLTP standard, and energy consumption ranges from 17.8 to 18.1 kilowatt hours per 100 kilometres.

Range in the Dual Motor drops to a still very useful 590km and efficiency sits between 18.7 and 21.7kWh/100km.

We were in and out of different grades at the launch so didn’t capture real-world efficiency but we will when we do a full review soon.

AC charging is at a rate of 11kW, but if you opt for the $8000 Plus Pack that increases to an impressive 22kW which ensures a zero to 100 per cent home charge (32-amp) in just five and a half hours.

DC charging capacity is up to 200kW and Polestar says you should be able to get from 10 to 80 per cent full in about 30 minutes. 

These add up to solid figures for the price and segment. 

It comes with a type 2 and CCS2 charge port and a home charging cable.

Behind the wheel the Denza B5 primarily operates as an electric vehicle (EV) first up, meaning it’s largely quiet inside the cabin when driving around normally.

Once the charge starts to drop, 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 actually tell whether it’s on or off.

In some cases where you floor the throttle or go up a steep hill, the engine revs can flare and that’s when it makes its presence known in the cabin.

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 purposefully leaves at least 25 per cent battery charge in reserve.

With 400kW and 760Nm thanks to the combination of the dual electric motors and the 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine, the B5 absolutely hauls. The peppy feel is largely due 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 a bit harder and when the car actually accelerates. This is reduced in the sport drive mode.

Despite the juicy outputs, the B5 does feel its weight. When you accelerate hard it pitches back extensively, much like the Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk. This never failed to make me smile though.

It’s surprising as we only drove the top-spec B5 Leopard on this launch and it comes fitted with the DiSus-P adaptive hydraulic suspension system which has a self-levelling function.

In the bends the B5 gets a considerable amount of body roll regardless of the drive mode. This is common for many Chinese cars as they typically prioritise floaty comfort-oriented tunes over a firmer and more dynamic-feeling ride.

Despite this, once it leans over it’ll comfortably hold and grip, largely thanks to the chunky 275/55 R20 Pirelli Scorpion tyres that come standard on the top-spec Leopard trim.

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

The steering, while direct enough, can have a vague and artificial feeling. Depending on the drive mode it either artificially adds or reduces the resistance.

Unlike the related BYD Shark 6, the B5 gets a low-range mode which uses a clutch pack on the rear electric motor to allow for more controlled low-speed crawling, plus front and rear mechanical diff locks. This can make a big difference once the going gets really tough.

Additionally, the DiSus-P hydraulic suspension allows for a total of 140mm of travel. In the highest position there’s a wading depth of up to 790mm.

Lastly in terms of noise, vibration and harshness (NVH), the B5 is a very quiet car to drive. As I mentioned above, the electric-first nature automatically makes this a quiet car.

There is very little road and wind noise. This is surprising as the B5 is essentially a 3.0-tonne box on wheels. It seems Denza has put a lot of effort into sound insulation.

Some EVs tend to blend into one another when it comes to the drive experience. Thankfully, that’s not the case with the Polestar 4, which is the fastest Polestar model to date.

I drove the Single Motor and Dual Motor with the Performance Pack back to back, and both hold appeal for different reasons. 

The Single Motor is the everyday Polestar 4 and it is the one I would choose. There is ample power and torque on offer and that 7.1-second 0-100km/h sprint time is nothing to be sniffed at.

Riding on the standard 20-inch aero wheels with a high sidewall, the Single Motor is composed with a comfortable ride quality. The drive from Adelaide via various winding and pockmarked roads to the Barossa Valley highlighted how well the Single Motor can handle these sorts of surfaces. It’s not as comfy as a Camry, but Polestar has ironed out most of the firmness.

Steering feels light but super sharp in the Single Motor and while there is a hint of body roll, it is still exceptionally capable on the twisty stuff. It also doesn’t feel anywhere near its 2230kg kerb weight.

The Dual Motor is a different beast, especially when paired with the Performance Pack. That pack adds, among other items, Brembo brake callipers and a ‘Polestar Engineered’ chassis tune.

It is brutally quick from a standing start. Like ‘pull your face back’ quick. Zero to 100km/h in 3.8sec to be precise. It’s a hoot, but it is much more than just a straight-line speed machine. 

The Dual Motor carves up corners, again with slight roll, but it has no business being this sharp given its dimensions and weight. We sprinted (safely) through bends better suited to a tiny performance hatch with ease. 

You can adjust the chassis to your preference. Suspension runs from 'Standard' to 'Nimble' and 'Firm', and steering is either Standard or Firm, the latter adding quite a bit of weight to the steering. Power delivery is either 'Range' or 'Performance'. Obviously, the latter is the most fun. 

Even in Standard suspension mode, the ride is much firmer than the Single Motor, which isn’t helped by the massive 22-inch wheels. It is, however, never unbearable. In fact, it’s more than fine on some of the average roads we encountered. 

The Polestar 4 is well insulated, ensuring a hushed cabin. 

The Polestar 4 is yet to be assessed by ANCAP or Euro NCAP so it’s unrated for now.

But it comes with an extensive list of standard safety gear, including the latest advanced driver assist systems. That’s one of the benefits of sitting under the Geely umbrella next to Volvo.

This includes adaptive cruise control, ‘Collision Avoidance and Mitigation’, ‘Run-off Road Mitigation’, forward collision warning, lane keeping aid, ‘Post Impact Braking’, road sign recognition and ‘Driver Alert Control’.

Other gear includes ‘Blind Spot Information System (BLIS) with steer assist’, a cross-traffic alert with brake support and a rear collision warning and mitigation.

The Polestar 4 is fitted with 11 exterior cameras, 12 ultrasonic sensors and one front radar to help keep you safe.

It also comes standard with the 'Pilot Pack' that includes lane change assist and pilot assist, which is semi autonomous driving.

Denza B5 owners are covered by a six-year, 150,000km warranty, whereas the high-voltage battery is covered for eight years or 160,000km. Owners also receive three years of roadside assistance.

This warranty length is fairly standard in the mainstream segment, but in the luxury segment it pushes past the current five-year benchmark.

Logbook servicing is required every 12 months or 20,000km, whichever comes first. The first five years of servicing totals $3542, which averages out to just over $700 per service. This does seem like a lot, but in the premium space this is rather competitive, especially once you consider both the electric and combustion components are being serviced.

There are currently seven Denza dealers around Australia and it plans to have a total of 20 by the end of 2026. It’s also planning to allow certain BYD dealers to service Denza cars.

Covering the Polestar 4 is a five-year, unlimited kilometre new-vehicle warranty, and an eight year, or 160,000km battery warranty. 

Complimentary roadside assist covers you for five years too.

The service schedule is every two years or 30,000km.

But the big news is that Polestar won’t charge you a cent for servicing for the first five years, or 100,000km of ownership, whichever comes first - it’s complementary.

This is an outstanding aftersales offer.