Denza launches into key Aussie segments

DENZA – a premium offshoot of Chinese new energy vehicle manufacturer BYD – has launched into the Australian market this week with a pair of plug-in hybrid four-wheel drive SUVs named the B5 and B8.

Featuring Blade Battery technology and turbocharged petrol engines familiar to the BYD range, the Denza B5 and B8 compare favourably with the Toyota LandCruiser Prado and Land Rover Defender 130 in terms of size, offering five- and the choice of six- or seven-seat cabin configurations respectively.

The premium segment duo is said by its manufacturer to bring a transformative combination of performance, capability, driving comfort, and safety to the luxury off-road market.

The Denza B5 is powered by the combination of a turbocharged 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and dual electric motors, with the combination of an 83-litre fuel tank and 31.8kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery providing a quoted driving range of up to 975km (NEDC) – 100km on electric power alone.

Total output is listed at 400kW/760Nm delivered with a permanent four-wheel drive system.

For the larger B8 (from $91,000) we find a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and dual electric motors joining a larger 36.8kWh LFP battery and 91-litre fuel tank for a combined driving range of 1040km (NEDC) – with 115km on electric power alone.

Total output is quoted at 425kW/760Nm, delivered to the road again via a permanent four-wheel drive system.

Both engines are compatible with standard 91RON unleaded petrol.

Denza quotes a 0-100km/h time of 4.8 seconds for each model, despite respective kerb weights of 2897kg for the entry-grade B5 and 3290kg for the standard B8.

Both the Denza B5 and B8 are fitted as standard with a heavy-duty tow bar and 12-pin connector. The B5 offers a braked towing capacity of 3000kg and the larger B8 a class competitive 3500kg.

Ventilated disc brakes are fitted front and rear on both the B5 and B8, with long-travel double wishbone suspension on both axles. A full-size spare wheel is standard equipment on all variants.

The Denza B5 is offered as a five-seater in two trim grades – the B5 and B5 Leopard – while the flagship B8 arrives in six- and seven-seat configurations, named simply the 6S and 7S.

All offer regenerative braking and bi-directional vehicle-to-load (V2L) functionality, and all are built on Denza’s innovative ladder-type cell-to-chassis (CTC) architecture which encircles and protects the Blade Battery in a ring of high-strength steel.

Front, side, curtain, knee, and centre airbags take the total offering to 11 in the B5 and 13 in the B8 ensuring all seating rows are provided with SRS coverage.

A full complement of ADAS technologies is present in both models, with safety feature highlights including adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, blind spot monitoring, front- and rear cross-traffic alert, lane keeping assistance, and a 360-degree camera system.

Both models score a full five-star ANCAP safety rating.

In fitting with the models’ premium position, both the Denza B5 and B8 are equipped with “detailed” noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH) damping qualities. Multiple pairs of cabin-isolating rubber bushings, active engine mounts, sound-deadening glass, and significant noise abatement materials feature as standard, joining an extensive list of premium features.

Available features include heated, cooled, and massaging seats with electronic adjustment in all rows, soft-close doors, nappa leather upholstery, a seven-litre fridge/hotbox between the front seats, panoramic roof, Connected Services app, keyless entry and start, and a driver’s head-up display.

Infotainment screens measure 15.6 inches for the B5 and 17.3 inches for the B8 with both offering wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, 4G in-car connection (with 2GB of data included per month for two years), and a French-made Devialet premium audio system with up to 18 speakers.

Both the Denza B5 and B8 are equipped with a grip-sensing, multi-mode all-wheel drive system with a clutched low-range ratio on the rear electric motor, locking mechanical rear differential (and front locker for the B8 7S), tank-style turn functionality dubbed Leopard Turn, selectable drive modes – Comfort, Eco, and Sport – and selectable terrain modes – Snow, Sand, Mud, Mountain, Rock, Intelligent, and others, including one specifically for recovering other vehicles.

Active suspension, known as DiSus-P, is offered in combination with adaptive dampers as standard on both models, the system providing both self-levelling technology and the ability to adjust each wheel independently.

Ride height is adjustable through 140mm, increasing ground clearance up to 310mm at the push of a button.

Denza quotes an approach, departure, and break-over angle of up to 39 degrees, 35 degrees, and 27 degrees for the B5 with ground clearance and wading depth measurements of 310mm and 790mm respectively.

Those figures for the larger B8 are 34 degrees, 35 degrees, 26 degrees, 310mm, and 890mm respectively.

Visually, the B5 and B8 are differentiated by what Denza describes as “unique but familiar design aesthetics”, each embracing functional off-roader elements accentuated by a bold front-end with full LED lighting, bevelled bumpers, integrated side steps, flared guards with exposed fasteners, raised roof rails, exposed retrieval points, and “practical” door pulls.

The B8 adds “starship” design aesthetics includes running lights that create “the outline of wings of an interplanetary starship” and tail-lights that provide “an afterburner effect, giving the illusion of a futuristic jet engine exhaust”. The planetary motif continues in the spare wheel cover, with two distinct lines top and bottom to symbolise Saturn’s rings.

The B8’s soft-close doors have flush-mounted handles to provide a clean body silhouette.

Alloy wheel sizes for the B5 measure 18 inches in diameter while the B5 Leopard wears 20-inch alloys. The B8 rides on 20-inch wheels irrespective of grade.

Denza will replicate BYD’s Australian warranty, providing six years/150,000km vehicle coverage with a separate eight year/160,000km battery warranty. Capped service pricing is still being finalised.

Visit GoAuto again soon for our Australian launch review of the 2026 Denza B5 and B8 ranges.

2026 Denza B5 pricing*:

2026 Denza B8 pricing*:

*Pricing excludes on-road costs.