Denza B8 Reviews

The new COO of BYD premium brand Denza says Holden could have pioneered the sale of Chinese vehicles in Australia, but executives were convinced Australians would never buy Chinese vehicles.

BYD’s Denza has updated its D9 electric people mover once again bringing more power, a bigger battery, plus refreshed looks.A new listing on China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), as reported by Car News China, shows the 2026 Denza D9 EV now makes more power than ever.The single, front-mounted electric motor in the front-wheel drive version now produces 340kW, which is an increase of 110kW over the outgoing model.The all-wheel drive version also has a total system output of 410kW, which is an increase of 135kW over the outgoing model.While the battery specifications and claimed range figures are yet to be revealed, the MIIT filing notes the D9’s kerb weight has increased by 100kg to 3015kg. This indicates it may feature a larger battery, meaning more range.The D9 EV currently comes with a 103.4kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) Blade battery which allows for up to 620km of range, according to lenient CLTC testing.It’s worth noting the D9 also comes with plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powertrains, however Denza technically treats it as a different model and hasn’t revealed any new updates for it yet.Beyond the changes under the skin, the D9’s exterior has received a minor refresh. The most obvious change is the front grille design.The MIIT filing also details a range of different grille and alloy wheel designs that are available.The D9 EV continues to measure in at 5250mm long, 1960mm wide and 1900mm tall with a 3110mm wheelbase. This makes it just a little bit larger than a Kia Carnival.It’s unclear whether there are any changes or updates to the interior.At this stage Denza hasn’t officially confirmed if or when the D9 will come to Australia. However, it does feature on the company’s local website, along with what appears to be the Z9 GT, in blurred images that are captioned ‘Coming Soon’.Camouflaged prototypes of the D9 have also been spied testing around Australia. It’s unclear whether they are fully electric or PHEV versions.The luxurious people mover space has been taking off in Australia over the last 12 to 18 months. A step above the mainstream Kia Carnival, the electric Zeekr 009 was one of the first, along with the hybrid Lexus LM.Now there’s also the GAC M8 PHEV people mover which is arguably the closest rival to the Denza D9.

BYD has added a fully electric variant to its Ti7 large SUV range ahead of the model’s potential arrival in Australia.Sold in China under BYD’s off-road focused Fang Cheng Bao brand the Ti7 is likely to wear a Denza badge if and when it arrives in Australia. Until now the Toyota LandCruiser Prado sized Ti7 has been available as plug-in hybrid only.The electric Ti7 will be offered in two layouts: a rear-wheel drive with a single motor making 300kW variant and an all-wheel drive with dual motors producing 515kW version. Neither the battery capacity nor range has been announced yet.The current Ti7 line-up is PHEV-only and has a 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine teamed up with one electric motor in the FWD variant and adds a rear motor in the AWD.The Ti7 has similar dimensions to the Prado at 4999mm long, 1995mm tall and 1865mm wide, but looks more like a Land Rover Defender with its long, high bonnet, tall windows and blocky stature. The Ti7 is a large SUV, but it's understood the cabin has two rows for five seats only.BYD has already brought other models from its Fang Cheng Bao range to Australia including the B5 and B8 rugged SUVS.Both PHEVs, the B5 starts at $74,990 while the B8 has an entry price of $91,000.The B5 is approximately 4900mm long while the B8 stretches almost 5200mm in length.The Ti7 has a similar interior to both the B5 and B8, and in its home market comes with an array of luxury standard and optional features including a 15.6-inch media screen, a  26-inch head up display, plus 13-inch seat back tablets in the second row. There’s also a 20-speaker sound system, 4.5-litre fridge and even a roof-mounted drone.Cargo space looks excellent with a boot that BYD says has a capacity of 1000 litres.Denza has yet to confirm if the Ti7 will come to Australia.

BYD has updated its tough looking SUV, the all-electric Fang Cheng Bao Titanium 3.The Titanium 3 is the more road-focused little brother to the capable Denza B5 and B8 4WDs, which have just launched in Australia.There is no word on if the Titanium 3 will come to Australia, but BYD and Denza — which draws in models from a range of BYD sub brands such as Fang Cheng Bao in Australia — have made clear they want to aggressively expand their line-ups and grow sales.The Titanium 3 is fully electric, where the B5 and B8 are plug-in hybrids.Despite only being revealed last year the Titanium 3 has been given a big power boost, with single motor versions making 240kW, a rise of 80kW.Dual motor, all-wheel drive examples now make 375kW and 510Nm, a jump of 65kW.Battery size is not yet known, but the outgoing versions used a circa-65kWh in single motor versions and a roughly 72kWh or 79kWh pack for all-wheel drive variants.Fang Cheng Bao claims every model had a driving range of about 500km, but this was calculated by the generous China Light-duty Test Cycle (CLTC) rather than the benchmark WLTP test cycle.One of the other big upgrades in China is the addition of Lidar technology. This tech is crucial for semi-autonomous driving, which is a must-have feature in China.The Titanium 3 is a mid-size SUV, with about the same proportions as a Toyota RAV4.It has tough exterior styling that gives it strong off-road appeal, but it isn’t nearly as capable as the B5 and B8 sold in Australia. Think of it more as an SUV with the ability to handle a dirt road.BYD has had huge success with its Fang Cheng Bao range in China. The larger Titanium 7 sold 50,000 units in just 80 days. BYD has debuted the Titanium 7 in Thailand at the Bangkok motor show, which bodes well for an Aussie arrival in the future as Thailand is also right-hand drive.BYD also builds some Aussie-bound vehicles in Thailand, which could expand to the Titanium 7.The Titanium 7 is much bigger than the 3 at almost five metres long.It also ditches full electric power for plug-in hybrid grunt. It uses a familiar set-up with a 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and two electric motors. A 35.6 kWh battery pack provides up to 200km of electric driving range.

BYD premium brand Denza says its B5 and B8 rugged SUVs will take the fight to the Toyota LandCruiser Prado, the LC300 and the Nissan Patrol, insisting the Chinese brand has the best technology and powertrains in the world.Asked if Denza was capable of taking on the 4WD household names in Australia, the company's local Chief Operating Officer, Mark Harland replied simply: "I know we can"."It's going to be one customer at a time," he says. "My confidence comes from doing extensive driving of the cars – the B5 and B8."We know we deliver on the luxury. We know we deliver on off-road capability. And the best technology in the world is coming out of China right now, right?"So the things that I know that are important to Australians, we deliver on that."The B5 (from $74,990) and B8 (from $91,000) both occupy an interesting space, in which they will target both mainstream players (Toyota and Nissan), as well as premium offerings, like from Lexus.And that, Mr Harland says, only increases Denza's opportunity Down Under, with the executive suggesting "there are a lot of brands that we can have a crack at"."I also see the market opportunity because at that price point, I think it's just a matter of getting on people's radars and getting them in for a drive," he says."I think that's what's going to be the determining factor, and our powertrain. No one else really has that powertrain. So that's the market opportunity."We've got luxury, we've got the tech, and we've got a powertrain that no one else is really delivering on right now."

We’ve already looked at the most important cars coming in 2026, but what about the ones that may not be big sellers but will generate a lot of excitement?Well, there’s plenty of those to choose from (because there’s no shortage of new models to choose from in the jam-packed Australian new car market anyway), but we’ve narrowed it down to the five most notable examples. These may not be the most popular newcomers, but they are the new offerings that make the biggest statement about the brand’s intent. Toyota RAV4 PHEVToyota was adamant for over a decade that its conventional hybrid system was all it needed to keep buyers happy. But with plug-in hybrid sales more than doubling in 2025 it has finally decided that the time is right to join the party.The RAV4 PHEV won’t land until later in the year, months after the rest of the range goes on sale, but it will bring with it a new flagship GR Sport variant. This will be powered by a dual-motor all-wheel drive plug-in hybrid powertrain that will make 227kW and be capable of driving up to 100km on electric power alone.There will also be a single-motor, front-wheel drive option, on the more affordable mid-spec XSE trim line, which should ensure the PHEV has appeal to a reasonable amount of the market.The biggest challenge for Toyota will be ensuring the RAV4 PHEV is price-competitive against its Chinese rivals, such as the BYD Sealion 6 (from $42,990), GWM Haval H6 (from $44,990) and MG HS (from $49,690).Mazda 6e Will it be second time’s a charm for Mazda with electric cars? And, perhaps even more curiously, is there still a market for the sedan?Local management has made no secret that its first electric offering, the MX-30, was a niche player that had limited appeal at its size and price. But that’s not the case for the 6e, which is a very different proposition on every level and therefore holds great potential - for better or worse - for the brand.For starters, the 6e is the product of Mazda’s partnership with Chinese carmaker Changan, makers of Deepal. That has allowed Mazda to confirm a starting price of “less than $55,000” for the 6e, which is pretty competitive for a mid-size sedan, regardless of powertrain. However, both electric cars and mid-size sedans are still niche propositions, so the combination of both makes for a significant challenge for Mazda to overcome. If the price and specification levels are appealing, perhaps the Mazda badge can help lure buyers away from a Tesla Model 3 and BYD Seal, but even if it does that successfully the 6e will likely be a modest seller.But what makes it so exciting is the potential it has to define Mazda’s future. If it does well, Mazda will likely continue to explore more EV options. But if it doesn’t, the brand will need to pivot and focus on its PHEV powertrains for the foreseeable future.Hyundai Palisade XRT ProHaving enjoyed huge success with its sporty ‘N’ brand, Hyundai is trying to expand its portfolio into the off-road space with ‘XRT’. We’ve already seen accessories packs for the Santa Fe, but in 2026 the brand will take the next step and offer the Palisade XRT Pro as a specific trim grade.While the Santa Fe XRT package was style focused, the Palisade XRT Pro takes everything a step further. There’s a unique grille and lower bumper that incorporates twin, chassis-mounted tow hooks, as well as new side skirts and rear bumper, all of which improves its approach, breakover and departure angles.There is a new XRT Pro-exclusive rear electronic limited-slip differential for better off-road capability as well as downhill brake control and new terrain modes for mud, sand and snow, plus 18-inch alloy wheels with all-terrain tyres. But Hyundai has stopped short of modifying the suspension, so it is unlikely to convince true off-roaders to make the switch.But it shows Hyundai is serious about making XRT Pro another element of its arsenal and we’ve seen there is scope for more XRT and XRT Pro models in the future, assuming the Palisade makes an impact.Denza B5 and B8 Perhaps the biggest problem Hyundai faces competing with the LandCruiser and Everest is actually these two new arrivals. Denza, a spin-off from BYD, is also aiming to become an alternative to the current large SUV kings.The Prado-sized B5 and LandCruiser rivaling B8 are both powered by potent plug-in hybrid powertrains while still being capable of towing up to 3000kg and 3500kg, respectively.As evidenced by the success of the BYD Shark 6, Australians are open-minded about plug-in hybrid utes, so it makes sense for Denza to see if the same is true for the rugged SUV market.With the entire range all priced below $100,000, and the B5 kicking off from a highly-competitive $74,990, Denza has positioned itself well to try and attract Aussie adventures to its new offerings.Nissan PatrolIt’s been a long, long time coming but the Patrol is inching closer to Australia. It’s still not 100 per cent locked in for a 2026 showroom arrival, but it’s still the most exciting new model for Nissan in a long time.After a difficult 2025 thanks to the company's financial troubles, Nissan Australia could do with a positive boost this year. The new Patrol drops the old V8 and replaces it with a twin-turbo V6 that makes even more performance, a very healthy 317kW/700Nm.It may not be Nissan’s biggest seller, but the new Patrol will be a big and, more importantly, positive addition to the line-up which makes it very exciting.

2025 was the year of the new car brand in Australia, though things don't appear to be slowing down anytime soon.

It will come as no surprise that 2025 was a massive year for new-model launches. The sheer number of new cars arriving in Australian showrooms has been unprecedented.

BYD has confirmed two new flagship models will launch in early 2026 to top out its range in China.

This potential BYD model could be the brand's next big hit in Oz.