What's the difference?
Large SUVs like the Toyota LandCruiser, Nissan Patrol and Land Rover Defender have dominated in Australia for decades now, however there’s now something new to shake up the segment.
BYD’s luxury spin-off brand, Denza, has launched in Australia with two plug-in hybrid (PHEV) off-road SUVs. The B8, which is the larger of the two, is on test here.
With three rows of seating, a bucketload of standard equipment and a jaw-dropping starting price, the B8 is being pitched as a PHEV alternative to the currently diesel-only LandCruiser 300 Series among other more premium alternatives like the Land Rover Discovery and Mercedes-Benz GLS.
We’ve already driven the B8 over in China and this is the first time we’re getting to test it out on Australian roads, so let’s see how it stacks up.
The Audi A5 has done something naughty. It’s replaced the Audi A4.
Or at least that’s the case for now after the Ingolstadt brand made a bit of a mess of its naming strategy.
Essentially, the Audi A5 is now available as a sedan or a wagon, and the next A4 coming soon will be electric. The previous A5 was a swoopier two-door coupe or four-door gran coupe style model. So the A5 is now effectively Audi’s main BMW 3 Series or Mercedes C-Class and CLA rival.
Plus, the Audi S5 is also here to cater to performance car fans.
Can a new platform, a sleek, fresh look and a techy interior do the job?
We’ve been pedalling around the Victorian countryside in the hopes of finding out.
Stick with me, and I reckon we’ll get to the bottom of it. The question about the car, that is, not the bottom of Victoria.
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.
The Audi A5 remains a convincing option in the premium mid-size sedan category, even with the near-$10K price increase over its equivalent grade A4 predecessor.
Even in its base spec, it’s a lovely thing to drive and adds enough new kit to be a reasonable option when it comes to value. In terms of tech usability, it stands out from rivals. Practicality is still king for Audi.
But for the heart-over-head types, the S5 is fast and fun while remaining a comfortable cruiser and the price is decent. On a personal note, a six-cylinder wagon? That's a big yes from me.
For the time it’s available, it’s hard to go past the value on offer in the S5 Edition One. Getting an AWD V6 with that kind of capability for under $100K is something that's sure to tempt buyers. If it doesn’t, we need to take a good look at ourselves.
Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with meals provided.