Denza D9 Reviews

The Toyota Prado and LandCruiser have largely been the default choices for family SUVs in rural and remote Australia for decades now but as fuel prices crunch, some alternatives are seeming more desirable than ever.BYD’s premium spin-off brand, Denza, launched in Australia earlier this year with the Prado-sized B5 and LandCruiser 300 Series-rivaling B8 SUVs.Both offer a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) set-up, which combines dual electric motors (one on each axle) with a turbocharged petrol engine that generally acts as a generator to top up the battery pack but is also capable of directly powering the front wheels.Denza claims the B5 and B8 can travel up to 100km and 115km on electric power alone, respectively, according to NEDC testing.If you have the capability to charge at home, whether that be with or without solar, and have a commute of around 100km or less, you can theoretically travel on electric power alone and save massively on fuel costs.Using an electric price of 35c/kWh as a frame of reference, fully charging the B5 and B8’s battery costs $11.13 and $12.88, respectively.For many rural and remote Australians their commutes are considerably longer than 100km and this is where the peace of mind of the petrol engine comes into play.Denza claims the B5 and B8 have a combined range of 975km and 1040km, respectively, both according to the more lenient NEDC testing.The diesel-powered Toyota Prado and LandCruiser 300 Series have theoretical ranges of up to 1392km and 1236km, respectively, when using their ADR 81/02 claimed fuel consumptions.Sure the Denzas offer less overall range on paper, but previous experiences with the Prado and LandCruiser have shown they both consume more fuel than they claim, so expect less overall range between diesel refills.The new Prado also requires AdBlue and, depending on driving style and conditions, consumes around one litre of AdBlue every 500km. This means a full refill could be required every 8500km.Denza claims the B5 and B8 consumes 1.9L/100km and 2.0L/100km, respectively, when the battery pack is between 100 and 25 per cent of charge, according to NEDC testing. These figures are largely arbitrary though as much of the test cycle is driven on EV power.Where the real story is how much fuel is consumed when the battery pack is under 25 per cent charge. Denza claims the B5 and B8 consume 9.5L/100km and 9.9L/100km, respectively.During the media launch for the Denza B5 and B8 where we drove both of these cars on remote highways in the Flinders Ranges locked at 70 per cent battery charge, we saw average fuel consumption figures between 8.0L/100km and 9.0L/100km according to the trip computer read-out.One consideration is that diesel is largely more readily available in remote Australia than petrol. However, both the Denza B5 and B8 only require a minimum of 91 RON regular unleaded petrol.In saying this though, Denza has noted it’s unclear how the B5 and B8 performs on Opal fuel, which is a low-aromatic fuel that doesn’t contain the properties that create a high when sniffed and is more prolific in central Australia.While fuel is a major consideration for budget-conscious car buyers right now, there are a number of other factors that off-road-ready family SUV buyers consider.The Denza B5 has a braked towing capacity of 3000kg, which is slightly under the segment benchmark, however the B8 has a braked towing capacity of 3500kg. The latter matches what the Toyota Prado and LandCruiser offer.Due to the heft of the battery pack, the B5 and B8 are much heavier than the Prado and LandCruiser. Instead of having a kerb weight about 2500kg, the Denzas weigh more than 3000kg.The B8 in particular has a kerb weight of about 3300kg, making it Australia’s heaviest SUV.Payload in the B5 is between 490kg and 600kg, depending on the trim level, which isn’t a great deal as the Prado offers between 580kg and 615kg, depending on the trim level.The B5 only offers a five-seat configuration, whereas the Prado does offer a five- and seven-seat configuration, depending on the trim level.While payload in the B8 is 702kg across the line-up which is more on par with the 650kg-785kg payload the LandCruiser 300 Series offers.The B8 has a six- or seven-seat configuration across three rows, depending on the trim level, whereas the LandCruiser 300 Series has either five or seven seats, depending on the trim level.Both Denzas offer four-wheel drive systems with a low-range mode and, depending on the version, rear and front-locking differentials.Then there’s pricing. The 2026 Denza B5 is priced from $74,990 and $79,990 before on-road costs, whereas the Prado costs between $73,200 and $100,690 before on-road costs.The 2026 Denza B8 is priced between $91,000 and $97,900 before on-road costs, whereas the LandCruiser 300 Series costs between $99,340 and $147,910 before on-road costs.Both Denzas offer a more premium level of specification on par with the likes of Lexus.Where Denza will be fighting an uphill battle against Toyota is with its dealer network. The former is still scaling in Australia and will lean on its connections with BYD to get wide service coverage.Toyota has the largest dealer network out of any carmaker in Australia. It has over 250 locations, whereas Denza is planning to have 25-30 dealers by the end of 2026.While this op-ed has largely focused on the new Denza SUVs, there are a few notable family SUV rivals that also offer PHEV powertrains.Examples include the similarly off-road-ready GWM Tank 300 and Tank 500 PHEVs, as well as more on-road-oriented rivals like the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV and the Chery Tiggo 8 and Tiggo 9 Super Hybrids.

Brand loyalty is being increasingly eroded according to exclusive data in Gumtree Group’s The Next Gear: Australia in Motion report.In a survey of prospective buyers looking at hybrid and plug-in hybrid cars, just three per cent had an exact model in mind and only nine per cent had a preference on brand.The data shows 38 per cent of respondents said they were open to a variety of car options or were undecided, while 25 per cent knew the type of car they wanted, but had no preference on the brand. The data was generated from a survey of nearly 4400 people who visited Gumtree, CarsGuide and Autotrader in 2025.The erosion of brand loyalty has been in part brought on by the significant influx of new players entering the Australian market, with aggressive price-points.This trend has continued into 2026. Already this year, BYD’s luxury sub-brand Denza launched with its B5 and B8 SUVs, while several other brands, including Chery’s sub-brand Lepas are not too far away. These new players will add to the already-diverse list of manufacturers with cars on sale Down Under, with some of those shaking up the established pack. The likes of BYD and Chery, with extensive electric and hybrid options, have made huge strides in the Aussie market at the expense of brands such as Mitsubishi and Subaru.The latest sales data also revealed Chinese manufacturers overtook Japanese manufacturers Down Under for the first time in February 2026.It is a similar story when looking at the best-selling brands, with both Toyota and Mazda experiencing sizeable drops in sales month-to-month, while BYD, GWM and Chery all saw big increases. There are signs now that Chinese brands are beginning to snatch more sales from each other in Australia, with LDV and MG losing out to rivals.The same goes for established brand GWM, which for the first time was overtaken by BYD in the sales charts for Australia last month.Hybrid choices continue to grow in popularity, but petrol sales remain dominant for now. As brands continue to favour hybrid over petrol in their line-ups thanks in no small part to Australia's new vehicle efficiency standards (NVES), the electrified shift with accelerate. Many brands like Toyota have shifted entire product portfolios to hybrid-only, while others are expected to follow suit before long as regulations bite toward the end of the decade.

An upgraded version of the Denza B8 from BYD’s luxury arm has been uncovered in China thanks to a filing with the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.The new version of the B8 large off-roader, which only just launched at the beginning of 2026 in Australia, also has various styling tweaks, like new wheel designs and bumpers, as well as what appears to be an upgraded safety suite for the Chinese market.The new battery pack moves from 36.8kWh, which granted it 115km of range (NEDC), to 46.7kWh, which grants it a range of 150km (according to the WLTC cycle).The new version of the car maintains the same 2.0-litre petrol engine mated to electric motors as before, with the engine producing 200kW and the motors producing 200kW in the front and 300kW in the rear.In Australia the current 2.0-litre dual-motor set-up provides a combined output of 425kW/760Nm.As with all Chinese regulatory filings, the interior of the updated car is yet to be revealed, although a range of wheel types and exterior trims were also revealed.Locally the current car is offered in just one trim level, which starts from $91,000 for the seven-seat version, moving to $97,000 for the more luxurious six-seater.Sales in full are yet to kick off for the B8, with only nine units registered in the first two months of 2026. Meanwhile, a boatload of the smaller Prado-rivalling B5 has arrived, with the brand adding 300 units to its tally.Denza has ambitious plans to be a dominant player in the emerging Chinese luxury car segment, where it will serve as a rival to Geely’s Zeekr, and the upcoming Wey brand from GWM.While the brand offers two more off-road oriented models currently in the B5 and B8, it will also add the D9 people mover and potentially a version of the Z9 GT sports car later in 2026.BYD and Denza’s plans locally aren’t limited to cars either, the brand has also earmarked an expansion into the charging infrastructure game, with the possibility of introducing its new megawatt-level charging stations to Australia.These stations can charge at up to (or even over) 1000kW, even without the requisite grid support thanks to a buffer battery, removing the usual limitations which see most DC chargers in Australia limited to around 350kW.This will serve as an advantage not just for BYD products, but also other vehicles which have charging capabilities beyond that of Australia’s current network.BYD itself has plans to crack the top-three in Australia by the end of 2026, and is on the warpath to doing so, having already overtaken GWM and MG in Australia’s charts so far this year.

BYD is supersizing its luxury Denza plug-in hybrids.The Chinese brand isn’t resting on its laurels, and is already advancing some of its newest Denza branded models with some mega upgrades.In China the Denza N9 and N8L large plug-in hybrid SUVs are getting new batteries that would make most EVs jealous.The Range Rover rivalling models get a 40 per cent electric driving range boost thanks to a new circa-75kWh Lithium-Ferro-Phosphate (LFP) battery.BYD claims it pushes driving range up to 315km in the N9 and 320km in the N8L.That new battery is bigger than what is found in most EVs, and is about three to four times bigger than what is found in most plug-in hybrids.The extra battery capacity pushes the two SUV's weight above three tonnes. That extra weight will mean the bigger battery will be more inefficient as it has to move around the extra bulk.Other technical details have not been revealed, but it is likely to maintain the same set-up as the current version.The N9 uses a​​ 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine mated to three electric motors, which pump out a combined 680kW and allow it to hit 100km/h in just 3.9 seconds. It takes aim at the European luxury establishment with top-notch items such as dual-chamber air suspension, rear-wheel steering, a refrigerated centre console box and a 17.3-inch screen which folds down from the roof to provide entertainment for the second and third row.The N9 is more road-focused compared to the Denza B5 and B8 premium off-roaders which have recently gone on sale in Australia.There is no word yet on whether the Denz N9 or N8L will come to Australia, but out of the two the N9 would be the most likely.BYD is aggressively expanding its line-up in Australia, including via its Denza high-end sub brand, which opens the door to the N9 coming Down Under.

Is the ‘uncool’ people mover on the verge of a renaissance?New arrivals and rising sales suggest the once daggy family transport could become the new battleground in the Australian market.While large, seven-seat SUVs remain the preferred option for Australian families, people mover sales were up 9.2 per cent in 2025 and have started 2026 with a surge, a whopping 41.1 per cent jump on last year.While the Kia Carnival remains the undisputed champion of people movers, accounting for approximately 80 per cent of its market, there is a new wave of more premium rivals that are catering to a specific audience looking for spacious and luxurious travel.The Chinese brands are, unsurprisingly, leading this charge, as people movers are a much more popular choice in its native market. The likes of the Zeekr 009, LDV Mifa, GAC M8 PHEV and upcoming Denza D9 are all offering space and premium features for both family and business buyers.These add to the likes of the Lexus LM, which is available with an opulent four-seat layout, as well as the Mercedes-Benz Vito and V-Class, giving buyers more choice.Meanwhile in the more family/fleet-orientated segment of the market, the Carnival competes against the Hyundai Staria, new Ford Tourneo and Volkswagen’s new-generation Multivan and Caddy.And, if that’s not enough, there are the all-electric Volkswagen ID.Buzz and Mercedes-Benz EQV to expand the appeal of the people mover even further.So what makes people movers so popular, especially the Carnival?According to Roland Rivero, Kia Australia’s head of product planning, it’s the simple fact they are bigger and more practical than a seven-seat SUV for families that need the space.“I think our dealers do a pretty good job of conveying that while there might be a high desirability of an SUV, because everyone has got one… but for most families a Carnival is a better proposition,” explains Rivero.“For a family, fundamentally a Carnival does a better job.”The combination of more interior space, especially in the third row and a practical boot, as well as the sliding rear doors, are the standout areas where a people mover has the edge over an SUV, says Rivero.“For the most part dealers are able to convey the benefits of the Carnival over an SUV, unless the buyer has a need for four-wheel drive,” he said. “It’s probably the marketing that has driven that SUV popularity.”Rivero added: “Those that discovered the benefits of a people mover, those who have a family, realise quickly how good it can be.”Speaking to CarsGuide in August 2025, Zeekr Australia boss Frank Li admitted he was surprised by the initial slow uptake for the 009 given its popularity in overseas markets but expressed confidence in its long-term prospects.“Before actually, we valued the Australian market very much as well, but you know previously we only had two models and that is quite a niche segment in Australia,” Li explained.“Even though 009 performance is very good – it’s brilliant in south east Asia, like Hong Kong, Malay Thailand, we’re dominating this segment in this market – but the Australian market is obviously not a traditional people mover market. We believe that slowly, slowly our customers will love 009, but that takes time.”The more premium end of the market is a growing space for these more luxurious people movers, and it’s a key reason why Denza (BYD’s luxury sub-brand) is going to launch the D9 in Australia.Paul Ellis, spokesperson for Denza, said the brand’s move into the market is less about attracting fleet buyers and instead a more corporate audience, smaller operators that do luxury transfers and upmarket hotels, as well as families looking for space and comfort.“They’re a niche product, but within that niche there is quite a lot of demand for them,” Ellis told CarsGuide.

Japan has lost its crown as the number one source of new cars for Australia - and it could be for good.

There’s now officially a new best-selling Chinese brand in Australia.

BYD has revealed its new "Blade" battery capable of charging its electric vehicles in rapid time, according to reports.It is the second generation of the signature Blade battery, which is found on all of BYD’s electrified vehicles.Targeted charge times range from 10-70 per cent in five minutes, with a charge from 10-97 per cent taking just nine minutes.For reference, the BYD Sealion 7 currently on sale in Australia charges from 10-80 per cent in 38 minutes, so BYD’s latest battery offers a marked improvement.The battery has also been given some other boosts, including a five per cent higher energy density.One of the models it will debut on is the Denza Z9 GT, which is an all-electric wagon earmarked for Australia within the next year. It features a 122kWh unit offering a driving range of more than 1000km according to the more lenient CLTC measuring process.The Denza Z9 GT will take a little more than 5 minutes to charge from 10-70 per cent on a charger capable of the required output, while a 10-97 per cent charge will take roughly nine minutes.The brand said its new battery can also operate effectively in extreme temperatures, with 20-97 per cent charges at -20-degrees and -30-degrees both taking 12 minutes.The boosted charging times on these new batteries are in tandem with BYD’s recently-unveiled T-shaped megawatt-level charger. It is capable of adding around 400km of driving range in five minutes or a charging speed of two kilometres every second.It is claimed this new charging system is the first mass-produced liquid-cooled megawatt terminal for passenger vehicles. It has an overall bigger design, with dual-plug charging ability, which is enabled by the use of a buffer battery to operate without megawatt grid support.Even without the use of these super fast chargers, BYD claimed its new Blade battery charges 30-50 per cent faster than conventional EV batteries.BYD is targeting 20,000 of these new ‘Flash’ charging stations by the end of 2026, giving the brand a greater charging infrastructure landscape compared to rivals such as Tesla.Locally the boss of its Denza luxury arm has earmarked the possibility of BYD entering the charging hardware game, specifically to deploy the tech-leading megawatt-level chargers.Stay tuned for more on BYD's ambitious plans in 2026 as it plots a top-three finish for the year. The brand has already leapfrogged GWM in the first two months of the year to become Australia's current favourite Chinese brand.

BYD has officially thrown the covers off of its upcoming flagship hybrid SUV via its Chinese social media channels.Previously known as the Dynasty D in pre-reveal form, and suspected to be called the Tang 9 since then, the large SUV, which BYD dubs the ‘Great Tang’ is well over five meters long and competes in an emerging luxury large SUV battleground.Not only will the new SUV be BYD’s largest new car (even larger than the LandCruiser-rivalling Denza B8), but it will also use the company’s new 'Super e' platform which supports a 1000-volt architecture with charging speed targeting 1MW to match the brand’s new ultra-fast charging stacks.While no further spec details of the flagship SUV were revealed, the brand recently told Chinese media its launch would be delayed until the second quarter of 2026 as the company moves to make improvements to ensure its offering is better than its competitors in this emerging Chinese luxury large SUV space.It was spotted in pre-production form recently wearing a 4.9S badge, which in BYD parlance usually indicates the 0-100km/h sprint speed. Some specs, revealed thanks to the vehicle’s filing with the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, indicate that it will weigh nearly three tonnes and offer a seven-seat configuration.It will offer either a single motor RWD version with a 300kW output, or a dual-motor version offering a 370kW rear motor and a 215kW front motor.Other features include either 20- or 21-inch alloy wheels, a panoramic sunroof, and the option of air suspension. At this stage it is unclear if BYD will take this flagship offering in Australia, or whether it will leave space for its Denza luxury arm. Chinese media is speculating the Great Tang will cost in excess of A$90,000 in China, which would put this SUV in significant overlap with Denza’s local offerings.In China, the Great Tang will face off against some much-hyped competition like the Zeekr 9X, IM LS9, Leapmotor D16, and the upcoming GWM flagship SUV. All of which are over five-meters long and are plotted to be luxury flagships.Locally, BYD will continue to launch a flurry of new models into the Australian market as it targets at least one car in every segment in order to compete with Toyota.Stay tuned for more on BYD’s plans in Australia later this year.

Denza, the luxury arm of BYD, has unveiled an updated version of its earmarked-for-Australia Z9 GT, with a staggering driving range in excess of 1000km.The Denza Z9 GT electric wagon boasts a driving range of 1036km, from its 122kWh battery, which makes it one of the longest-range EVs in the world. It should be noted that this figure is using the CLTC testing system, which is known for being significantly more lenient than other testing methods. Even using a more stringent testing method, the Z9 GT still has an eye-catching driving range in the EV space, as Chinese automakers compete for the biggest number in each category.The Xiaomi SU7, for instance, has seen its driving range also upgraded to more than 900km, according to CLTC testing.For reference, the longest range EV sold in Australia as of publishing is the Tesla Model 3 Long Range, which has a driving range of around 750km on a single charge, although this is to the more accurate WLTP testing cycle.The Z9 GT could be set for an Australian launch, given it has already been confirmed for right-hand drive production. Denza Australia Chief Operating Officer Mark Harland also recently told CarsGuide the car could make its way to Australia within the next year. "If you look to Europe, they have launched the Z9 GT, and that will be available in right-hand drive as well," Harland said. "We haven't confirmed that, but that is one of the cars that is available to me within the next 12 months. And that's a car where if we go 'we see some volume in Australia', which I think there is, then that's definitely the car that I can get here."In Australia it would shape up as a rival for the Porsche Taycan or Audi e-Tron GT.The battery used in the Z9 GT is one of BYD's signature 'Blade' batteries, which means it is made in-house has a lithium-iron-phosphate make-up. It was previously thought that a new type of battery technology was needed to achieve such high driving ranges, such as solid-state or semi solid state, which not only BYD, but Chery and others have announced projects in. The LFP battery from BYD demonstrates 1000km-plus driving ranges are possible without the use of solid-state, which have proved costly to implement. It is not clear which variants of the Z9 GT might be available in Australia, but in China, there are rear-wheel and all-wheel drive variants.Along with the 122kWh battery, there is a smaller 102kWh battery, with driving range sitting in the 800km bracket according to CLTC numbers. The rear-wheel drive variant has a single electric motor, producing 370kW, while the all-wheel drive has three motors, producing a combined 850kW.There is also a plug-in hybrid version available in China.Stay tuned for more on Denza's range expansion imminently. Currently the brand offers the B5 and B8 off-road plug-in hybrid SUVs, and has just announced pricing for its D9 luxury people mover.It plots five models on sale (meaning two more to be confirmed) before the end of 2026.