Chinese car giant BYD only launched in Australia in earnest in mid-2022, but it has recently had a meteoric rise to be one of the most popular brands locally – including a breakthrough top-five sales position last month.
It’ll now do what many other Chinese brands have done and bring another brand to Australia, announcing the Denza sub-brand will launch locally in November.
Positioned as a slightly more upmarket offering, Denza will roll out the five-seat B5 and seven-seat B8 SUVs, both of which are better known in China as the Fangchengbao Bao 5 and Fangchengbao Bao 8, respectively.
Underpinned by a body-on-frame chassis largely shared with the BYD Shark 6, both SUVs are plug-in hybrids, providing a point of difference to similarly sized rivals such as the Toyota LandCruiser Prado and Ford Everest (Denza B5), and the full-size LandCruiser and Nissan Patrol (Denza B8).
The Denza B5 is powered by a turbocharged 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and two electric motors, a similar arrangement to the Shark 6. However, the B5’s combined outputs of 505kW and 760Nm dwarf the 321kW/650Nm figures of the popular ute, allowing the SUV to sprint from 0-100km/h in just 4.8 seconds.
With the electric motors fed by a 31.8kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery pack, the Denza B5 has a claimed driving range of 1020km on the WLTP test cycle, or 100km in electric-only mode.
Measuring 4890mm long, 1970mm wide and 1920mm high, the Denza B5 is about 24 mm shorter, more than 200mm narrower and sits 78mm taller than the Ford Everest, while its 2800mm wheelbase is 100mm shorter. Its kerb weight of 2890kg makes it about 400kg heavier.
The Denza B8 meanwhile features a larger 2.0-litre petrol engine, with outputs increased to 550kW and 760Nm, resulting in an identical 0-100km/h time. Its higher weight of 3305kg but a slightly larger 36.8kWh battery means a reduced driving range of 984km.
It measures 5195mm long, 1994mm wide, 2002mm high, and rides on a 2920mm wheelbase. For context, a LandCruiser Sahara is 5015mm long, 1980mm wide and 1950mm tall, while underpinned by a 2850mm wheelbase.
The Denza B5 and B8 both feature ‘Disus-P’ adjustable air suspension, providing more or less ground clearance where required.
Australian pricing and specifications are expected to be locked in closer to launch next month.
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