What's the difference?
There’s a new name in the luxury upper-large SUV segment and it’s one many buyers will be unfamiliar with. Enter the Denza B8, a brand positioned to BYD much like Genesis is to Hyundai, or Lexus to Toyota.
The flagship B8 6S leans heavily into luxury, space and rugged, squared-off styling, but the big question is whether it does enough to stand out against established heavy hitters like the Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series, Land Rover Defender and Audi Q7.
And then there’s the bigger question - do we actually need an XL SUV with a plug-in hybrid powertrain? More to the point, who exactly is this pitched at?
In a camper-trailer market seemingly in danger of being swamped by cheap products of dubious build quality, it is refreshing to see a local mob, Australia’s Cub Campers, persisting with well-built and highly functional camper-trailers packed with standard features and with plenty of optional extras.
The company's 2.2m rear-fold* line-up includes the Weekender, Explorer and Brumby; its 3.6m line-up includes the Traveller, Escape and Longreach. (* When the trailer is static, its roof can be unfolded to the rear to become the hard floor of the camper’s entry-way. Check out the accompanying photos to better understand the process.)
Our test Brumby was a standard model (from $29,490) with an Adventure Pack ($1300) and draught skirt ($225), giving it a $31,015 price-tag.
The Denza B8 6S is a luxurious and well-equipped entry into the upper-large SUV segment, with space, comfort and technology that make it a serious contender. Even in six-seat form, it delivers strong family practicality and a level of kit that will appeal to buyers looking for something different in this space.
While the driving experience isn’t always fully convincing, particularly in terms of refinement and handling, its pricing and overall package do a lot of the heavy lifting.
On that basis, it’s a newcomer the established rivals will be wise to keep an eye on.
The Brumby is a fine example of top-notch design and manufacturing at a reasonable price.
It looks great, tows well, is very easy to set up and take down and does everything Cub Campers claims it’ll do – with no fuss.Â
Any issues in this camper are really only a matter of nit-picking and can easily be rectified with Cub options or adjustments.
The attention to detail is superb and, as a built-for-purpose camper, the Brumby certainly hits the mark.