Denza B8 vs Range Rover Velar

What's the difference?

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 Range Rover Velar P400e looks damn sexy and is large enough to house your family comfortably while still being easy to manoeuvre around town.

But I’m not a fan of these luxury brands forcing you to pay extra for what should be standard features when you’re at this grade level and price point. This is a model I’d pay close attention to in terms of the optional trims required to maintain a high-end feel.

But the powertrain works quite well here and it has pleasant on-road manners.

The B8 is a behemoth, with a strong on-road presence defined by its boxy, chunky styling, side steps, 20-inch Michelin tyres and rear-mounted spare wheel. It channels clear Defender-like cues without feeling like a Temu copy, and overall, it works.

Inside, the cabin leans heavily into a premium feel, with a standout dashboard design that incorporates practical handholds, storage and ambient lighting. The large central display takes centre stage, but it’s the physical gear 'switches' that give the cockpit an aviation-inspired feel.

The gear selector also adds a bit of theatre, tucking itself away into the console when the vehicle is switched off.

Nappa leather upholstery feels soft and high-quality, and the panoramic sunroof makes it feel airy and welcoming. Overall, there’s a strong emphasis on tactile surfaces, and most touchpoints feel appropriately premium.

Land Rover hasn’t updated the exterior looks of the Velar and for good reason. It is almost flawless in how sleek and sexy it looks. It hovers between its larger Ranger Rover siblings and the more nimble-looking Discovery Sport.

There is still a distinctly ‘Range Rover’ vibe but it looks more agile and fun than its bigger siblings. But while its external looks are beautiful, the cabin loses me.

It’s even more pared back now than the pre-facelifted model and while the minimalistic style will appeal to some it doesn’t tick the luxury factor box for me.

There are too many plain and empty spaces in the dashboard and doors. The multimedia system has been updated to the cool 11.4-inch floating-effect screen but all the buttons and dials are gone. So, there’s even less going on and it makes you 100 per cent reliant on the screen.

And funnily enough, the grey knit fabric and synthetic material that’s used in the upholstery and trims is an optional extra and replaces Windsor leather. The knit-fabric adds some warmth but the black synthetic stuff is awful to touch or clean and reminds me too much of neoprene-style wetsuit material.

The large panoramic sunroof keeps the cabin feeling bright and cheery when it's open, though.

The front row is spacious, and the seats are downright comfortable on longer drives. With the added functions, it’s easy to feel fresh after a road trip, although the heated seat function runs quite hot even on its lowest setting, making it hard to use for extended periods.

Access to the front row feels more like a step up than a slide in, but it’s still relatively easy thanks to the grab handles and wide side steps. The internal push-button door release is less convincing, though, and can be awkward to locate and use, particularly in low light.

The media system is a highlight, with crisp graphics and a responsive touchscreen. It feels more intuitive than many systems from emerging Chinese brands and connects easily to wireless Apple CarPlay. While integrated climate controls aren’t usually my preference, the shortcut 'three-finger' gesture for temperature and fan speed helps offset some of that frustration.

Up front, storage is bountiful with a large glovebox, a sunglasses holder, a middle console that doubles as a fridge or hotbox, and a large centre console that houses dual wireless charging pads and a handy shelf underneath for smaller items, although this is where the USB-C ports and 12-volt socket are tucked away and they can be a bit fiddly to access.

The second row is just as comfortable as the front, with generous space and supportive seating. The extendable under-thigh support and adjustable armrests add to the comfort, while walk-through access to the third row is useful. That said, families may miss a middle seat, and there are only two top tether anchor points in the whole car.

Features in the second row are well-covered, including climate control, directional airvents and access to the centre console fridge via an electrically sliding drawer, which is ideal for drinks and snacks. The only real omission here is sunblinds but it's not a dealbreaker.

The third row is best suited to children, with limited legroom but still usable for short trips. It does, however, include USB-C ports and directional air vents.

Boot space is generous with up to 902L of capacity with the third row folded and up to 147L with all three rows in place. With the third row folded, it easily swallowed larger items such as a road bike (with the front wheel removed), along with school bags and luggage. The swing tailgate can be a little awkward in tight car parks as it opens towards the road, rather than the kerb, but the soft-close function is a nice bonus.

Practicality on a whole is pretty good in the Velar and that comes down mostly to the space provided for each occupant and the high-end tech.

Up front, there is a lot of head- and legroom for my 168cm height and even when you have a co-pilot you’re not jockeying for elbow room.

The seats are very comfortable as they’re well-cushioned and feature excellent lumbar support. I miss a seat heat function on colder days but you can easily do a long trip in the Velar and not feel too fatigued.

The 214mm ground clearance has made it an easy SUV to get in and out of, for me and my seven-year old. Annoyingly, though, some of the doors don't close properly unless you slam them.

The individual storage is a bit less than you might expect as there's not a lot of centre console storage for little items but you still get a small glove box and middle console, two cupholders, two drink bottle holders and a phone cubby up front.

The back seat offers enough space for me to be comfortable but I did have a comment from my dad, who is 183cm, that it was a smidge squishy for him.

The seats are comfortable and amenities are good with two USB-C ports, a 12-volt socket, directional air vents, map pockets and a fold-down armrest with two cupholders. There are storage bins but they're very shallow.

Because of the sleek rear shaping, the boot space is smaller than most of its rivals at 625L when all seats are in use. It’s large enough for my gear and you should still be able to stack luggage easily for a road trip.

The technology on offer is pretty darn good. The multimedia system takes a while to get used to but once you do, it's an easy enough system to get around but not having any buttons/dials means you tend to look at it more than I like while on the go.

Unlike the Disco Sport I was just in, which features the same system, there have been no issues with connectivity with my iPhone with the Bluetooth or wireless Apple CarPlay. There’s also Android Auto and the built-in satellite navigation is top-notch.

I've already mentioned the rear charging options but up front you're spoiled for choice with a USB-A port, three USB-C ports and a wireless charging pad.

The Velar is offered in three variants with a choice of four powertrains spread between them. The model I'm testing is the plug-in hybrid mid-level HSE Dynamic in P400e form, which sits right behind the flagship Autobiography.

The P400e is priced from $143,508, before on-road costs, and sits close to the middle of the pack compared to its rivals.

The Volvo XC90 Recharge Ultimate PHEV comes in as the most affordable at $128,990 MSRP, then the BMW X5 xDrive50e M Sport PHEV at $149,900 MSRP.

Even with our model's optioned extras, the Porsche Cayenne S E-Hybrid PHEV sits a country-mile above them all at $178,300 MSRP (thus it's a 'stretch').

Our test model has a few optioned extras, including a 'Dynamic Handling Pack' for $1750, a black contrast roof ($1420), ash veneer trim ($930), rear privacy glass ($890), 21-inch diamond turned alloys ($780), non-leather premium steering wheel ($750), black synthetic leather upholstery ($700), cabin lighting ($540), rear seat remote levers ($300) and 'Terrain Response' ($430).

That all equates to an extra $8490 and brings the total before on-roads costs price tag to $151,565.

Standard technology features that are included are an 11.4-inch touchscreen multimedia system, 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, built-in satellite navigation, wireless connectivity for Apple CarPlay, wired Android Auto, Amazon Alexa app, dual-zone climate control, a wireless charging pad, five USB-C ports, one USB-A port, two 12-volt sockets and a Meridian sound system with digital radio.

Other features include pixel LED headlights, panoramic sunroof, keyless-entry, push-button start, rear fog lights, powered front seats, run-flat tyres, a powered boot lid and a tyre pressure monitoring system.

Annoyingly, a lot of luxury features have to be added at additional cost and given the price tag it's odd there are no heat or ventilation functions for the seats, no heat function for the steering wheel, no climate control for the rear or even a head-up display.

So, it feels a bit bare on features once you start to compare the Velar to some of its rivals, like the well-specified and more affordable Volvo.

The B8 6S is a plug-in hybrid, four-wheel drive that pairs a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine with two electric motors. Together, they produce up to 425kW and 760Nm.

That output supports a braked towing capacity of up to 3.5 tonnes, making it suitable for serious towing duties, if required.

While it doesn’t feature a traditional mechanical low-range transfer case (it has simulated low-range gearing), it does offer 16 drive and terrain modes, along with a claimed wading depth of up to 890mm for more demanding conditions.

The PHEV combo also gives it a claimed 0-100km/h sprint of just 4.8-seconds but in real-world conditions, initial acceleration off the line can feel a little underwhelming in everyday driving.

The Range Rover Velar P400e's plug-in hybrid powertrain combines a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine with an electric motor to deliver 297kW of power and 640Nm of torque.

The Velar features an eight-speed auto transmission and is an AWD. With that optioned Terrain Response feature, it can do some mild off-road adventuring or tackle a trip to the ski-fields with relative ease.

The B8 offers a claimed WLTP electric-only range of up to 100km, with an overall driving range of around 905km. If you keep the battery topped up regularly, it can significantly extend the time between fuel stops in everyday use.

My trip computer reading of 7.2L/100km reflects a week of more demanding driving, including highway and mountain roads. That puts it a fair way off the claimed combined consumption figure of 3.9L/100km, although not unexpectedly given the conditions.

Charging is handled via a Type 2 CCS port, allowing both AC and DC charging. It supports up to 120kW DC fast charging, which is uncommon for a plug-in hybrid and a welcome inclusion here.

While official charging times aren’t quoted, my testing saw a 20 to 100 per cent charge completed in around 38 minutes on a 150kW charger.

The official combined fuel-cycle consumption figure is 2.2L/100km and my real-world usage came out at 6.0L/100km after doing mostly open-road trips with some urban stuff thrown in.

I have charged it to full twice with a few (small) charging moments scattered in between as that’s been realistic for life this week. 

Claimed pure electric driving range is 69km but expect closer to 50km in the real-world. 

Based on my real-world consumption and the 69L fuel tank, expect a theoretical driving range of 1150km.

The only draw back with a PHEV is the charging element as you get the best economy if you charge it to full every time you drive, and that's not always realistic!

The P400e has a Type 2 CCS charging port, so you can hook it up to a fast charger. On a 50kW system you can go from 0-80 per cent in 30 minutes and on a 7.0kW system, you can go from 0-100 per cent in two-hours and 12-minutes.

On a standard domestic socket, expect to leave on overnight for a 0-100 per cent fill.

Land Rover recommends a minimum 95 RON premium unleaded petrol for the Velar.

Despite its impressive claimed performance figures, the Denza B8 can feel like a heavy vehicle off the line, with its 3.3-tonne mass noticeable when accelerating into traffic or making quick directional changes.

Once underway, it settles into a more comfortable rhythm. There’s enough performance on tap for everyday driving and hill climbs, where it feels more responsive and capable of keeping pace with traffic. However, under heavier throttle, the power delivery can feel a little unsettled.

Handling is more of a mixed experience. The steering is lighter than expected, which can make the B8 feel slightly vague through turns and at lower speeds. There’s also a noticeable level of vibration through the steering wheel and body, which takes some shine off its premium aspirations.

The double-wishbone suspension does a good job of absorbing larger bumps, but in corners it can feel a touch floaty, with some body roll evident. Visibility is generally good through the front, although the A- and B-pillars are quite thick, with the B-pillar particularly intrusive on the driver’s side.

On the positive side, cabin refinement is strong. Road and wind noise are well contained, even at higher speeds, making it easy to hold conversations across all three rows and appreciate the sound system.

Practicality in tight spaces is another strength. The camera system activates automatically in confined conditions, which is especially useful in car parks and ramps. The 360-degree camera is also impressively clear on the large central display, and it has a sharp 12m turning circle, making the B8 easier to place than its size might suggest.

The P400e has a deep well of power to dip into and fantastic pick up when you need to overtake or get up to speed.

Like other plug-in hybrids I’ve sampled from Land Rover there's a little lag sometimes when you accelerate from a full stop but it’s not as pronounced in this model as others. 

The back brakes seem to hold a couple seconds longer than they should and if you accelerate as you would in any other car, there is a ker-clunk sound and you shift forward in your seat until they release.

This was most noticeable in stop-start city traffic and to be fair might just be a quirk on our test car and not on the model as a whole.

The switch between the electric and petrol components is mostly smooth and the cabin is refined because it’s so quiet. Pretty much no external noise makes its way inside.

I did a trip with my father-in-law this week and he said riding in the back seat was smooth, comfortable and very quiet. In fact, he fell asleep not long after we left! A high compliment, indeed.

The wide windows and higher ride have ensure excellent visibility but you only get a reversing camera. Yes, it’s great quality and clear but a 360-degree view system should come standard on a large SUV like this, especially considering its price tag. That being said, the P400e is still pretty easy to park.

The plug-in hybrid variant is not rated with ANCAP yet but features a good number of safety features, like blind-spot monitoring, driver attention alert, tyre pressure monitoring, rear collision warning, forward collision warning, AEB, DRLs, rear cross-traffic alert, lane keeping aid, traffic sign recognition, intelligent seatbelt warning, adaptive cruise control, reversing camera, as well as front and rear parking sensors.

It does miss out on lane departure warning and only has six airbags, which is low for a large SUV but all of the other safety tech seems well-tuned and not intrusive on everyday driving.

For any families, the Velar has ISOFIX mounts on the rear outboard seats plus three top tethers. You might get three seats installed if they’re not too big but two will fit best.

The B8 is covered by Denza’s six-year/150,000km warranty, which sits in line with expectations for the segment. A pre-purchased five-year servicing plan is available for $3745.50, which is reasonable given the vehicle’s positioning.

Servicing is required every 12 months or 20,000km, whichever comes first. The B8 also supports BYD connected services via an app, including remote vehicle start.

Denza currently has a limited physical footprint, with seven service centres nationwide.

The Range Rover Velar comes with a five-year/unlimited km warranty and the battery is covered by an eight-year/ 160,000km warranty, which is a usual term for the class now.

There is a five-year capped-price servicing program which costs a flat $2100, or $420 per service, and is more affordable than a pay-as-you-go option.

Servicing intervals are very reasonable at every 12 months or 20,400km, whichever occurs first.

You also get five years roadside assistance through Assist Australia as a part of your servicing plan.