2026 Denza B8 review

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A new badge Denza is the next brand to come as a result of the ongoing Chinese-branded surge in BYD’s push into Australia’S luxury auto segment.

Among many brands under the BYD umbrella, Denza is one of its own namesakes but to keep things simple it’ll be the only brand that sells its premium models outside China. The reassurance of this is expected to be the case for other BYD brands in China, such as Yangwang and Fangchengbao, but their vehicles are being refinished as Denzas (for export).

The result is Denza’s Australian market launch with two large off-road SUVs released off the bat: the B5 and B8. Both feature ladder-frame construction and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) power, but their key drawcard is a claim of significantly improved off-road capability compared to other Australian-delivered BYDs in recent years.

What’s more, the powertrain in the B8 (on test in this review) is expected to preview that of the updated BYD Shark 6, which will be available in Australia soon. The B5, B8, and Shark are closely related, so this will be interesting to those familiar with the first iteration of BYD’s debut ute.

Now known as the local flagship BYD-built model, The B8 is a larger, heavier sibling to the B5 and now serves as an older brother of the original. There’s a key word there, Heavier The B8 weighs in at just under 3; the term “Heaver” is used as an important part of that phrase. 3 tonnes – no doubt making it much more chunkier than anything most Australians will have ever driven.

Similarly Denza is targeting Australia’s long-standing legacy brands on that note, and hopes to become one of the world’S top luxury marques here. That’s what it’ll do to compete with the likes of Lexus and Land Rover, even if its sticker prices don’t reflect that they are on their own.

The B8 is priced from under $100,000 before on-road costs, while the B5 starts from less than $80,000. The relationship between BYD and Denza is effectively the same as that between Toyota and Lexus, but Denza promises to offer Lexus-like luxury for Toyota-style money – and the B8 even undercuts the LandCruiser 300 Series.

But it certainly has the money side of things ticked off, and we’ll see if it’s got the luxury side in this review. The media outlets invited to South Australia for the B5 and B8, including childcareman.xyz, were among those who attended Denza’s Australian launch on-and-off-road.

How does it stack up, and is it the better pick of Denza’s dynamic duo?

How much does the Denza B8 cost?

The Denza B8 is priced at either $91,000 or $97,990 before on-road costs, depending on the variant.

| Model | Price before on-road costs |
| — | — |
| 2026 Denza B8 (seven seats) | $91,000 |
| 2026 Denza B8 (six seats) | $97,990 |

Although no variant names are tacked on (unlike the B5 and B5, respectively), you can tell the two B8s apart by their second-row seats. It’ll either have a three-abreast bench or two captain’s chairs, according to .

The six-seater also has nicer seats, a wider range of seat adjustment and, most importantly, an mechanical front differential lock as well as the rear locker.

As for rivals, the B8’s size and seating capacity positions it below the Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series, which starts at $99,340 before on-roads, and the Land Rover Defender 130 D350 priced at $136,000 before on-roads. Both feature ladder-frame construction, but neither are hybrid.

The B8 is significantly more expensive is the LandCruiser-based Lexus LX (from $164,200 before on-roads), while unibody alternatives include the Audi Q7 priced from $108,815 before on-roads.

To see how the Denza B8 stacks up against its rivals, use our
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What is the Denza B8 like on the inside?

The B8’s interior is not compared to the B5’ because they look so similar. But with that in mind, there are a few fittings to make it slightly less attractive.

A will be noticed before you even enter, as the B8 has electrically retracting door handles. They never really need these, other than a cleaner look; and the B8’s can even be slow to respond when you try to open – immediately after closing it – causing annoying response from the people who have closed their door.

That means that there are buttons inside rather than physical dool-pullings (of course), but the bottle holders of each door have mechanical latches hidden in their bottles. That’s not a ‘premium’ vibe to me, especially when it comes to the massive, strong interior door handles you get in the B5.

Though it does have soft-close doors in the B8, which is certainly nice to have a nice door for . That said, this role may also be a part of the reason for that apparent lag when it is again-opening the doors.

Our other complaint is that there’s no ventilation for the dual wireless phone charging pads, so your phone can get hot while charging. Certainly, there are air vents above the chargers (although we can’t explain why it doesn’T have cooling here as in the B5), but that is not what has been said.

So ok, these aren’t deal-breakers in the scheme of it all. And that’s where the comparison with the cheaper B5 is very useful, and they’re just small complaints which are a bit of weird for e-brand models.

That’s a bit more than that, but everything’ is pretty plush. The steering wheel is well-sized and finished in smooth leather, more of which you’ll find on the centre console; most cabin buttons are satin finish.

The Shark has real buttons, and like in the movie, they are one of the B8’s most premium fittings. centre console is a series of crystal-look switches, including the start/stop button and therefore attract your attention every time you get in the car.

They’re not the first non-BYD car to have anything like these, especially at this price point. It’s not a bad thing to worry that they’re just plastic, or clear. So we have no complaints about them, they look good, feel good and are very easy to use so that s do not need any complaint.

Above they are the gear selector (which automatically extends when you start and stop the car) which automatically retracts after starting and stopping the vehicle. Unlike the handy, height-adjustable cupholders nearby, this gimmick is contrasted with the cooled and heated box below that central armrest of the .

This is a cool feature (pun intended) and it’s another step up from the refrigerated box you’ll see in Toyota’d big SUVs – not to say that it’s much larger. This is a small dial that controls temperature between the cupholders, and it keeps meat pies nice and toasty with ‘toasted-totality’.

Ahead of the driver, a 12-year-old is. The 3-inch digital instrument display, which is very small in the way of customisation but provides a lot of useful information such as trip computers and tyre pressure monitoring. And it’s all navigable with steering wheel buttons.

The biggest isolated infotainment display I’ve ever seen is probably centre stage in the B8, but it may be the largest slang that has been shown. Paraphrasing at 17. A monument to BYD’s passion for tech, 3 inches, what’d be the size difference between this and what is fitted to the B5 immediately obvious.

This review consists of far more than one to detail menus, apps and settings that can be played with here like the B5, as well as many different types of options. However, fortunately, most of the car’s functions are either operated by or access via physical buttons such as drive modes, an EV/HEV mode and safety settings.

Only one big criticism of our complaint is that the climate system is purely physical, with an always-on ribbon at the bottom of the screen. BYD has retained its three-finger swiping gestures for fan speed and temperature at least by At least BNYD.

Other standard, such as Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (with full-screen support) look enormous. USB ports are in the storage tray under the floating centre console if you want to plug your phone in instead.

Another option is the temperature-controlled box, a passenger-side glovebox and holder in the ceiling with ‘a sunglasses Holder’. At either end of the dashboard, you’ll also have strong grab handles.

The front seats, meanwhile, are comfortable and provide heating, ventilation and a massage function; the cherry on top of’very well-appointed cabin’ is the back seat. A big plus is there’s a lot of adjustments, including for the seat base angle.

The beauty of the B8 is that, in six-seat trim, the second row is really just an extension of front. Captain’s chairs are equipped with heating, ventilation and a massage function; they have power adjustment and armrests that can be used to ratchet.

The seven-seat option also has heating, ventilation and power adjustment; all seats are quite comfortable. A touchscreen for the third climate zone is also available on the back of the centre console, which can also open the cool/hot box backwards to allow easy second-row access (e.g.

So it’s all very well-regarded here, with a soft fold-down armrest and cupholders (and an enormous glass sunroof above) Sadly there is more than enough space around the world for and, of course, there’s not much room to say.

A seventh-seat variant has more space than you would imagine, and while the seats themselves are understandably flat, they provide surprisingly usable space for to be in. This is a better fit for the powered seat adjustments, such as ability to raise and lower the third-row seatbacks without breaking any sweat.

If you’re riding behind people who like a joke, front-row occupants can adjust all seats in the second and third rows via the infotainment system (which isn’t great).

USB-C ports, Cup holders on either side and the well-placed side windows make you feel cramped. The use of the third row is a severe reduction in boot space, as its quoted minimum capacity (147-litres) is smaller than the LandCruiser’s 175L.

However, the tailgate opens in a sideways way rather than up and you can program the B8’s hydraulic suspension to automatically lower down for easier boot access. This tailgate has a soft-close function like all other doors, and you have ‘full size spare wheel mounted outside the door’.

| Dimensions | Denza B8 |
| — | — |
| Length | 5195mm |
| Width | 1994mm |
| Height | 1905mm |
| Wheelbase | 2920mm |
| Cargo capacity | 147L (rear seats up, all) 920L (rear seats folded, seven-seater) 902L (rear seats folded, six-seater) |

To see how the Denza B8 stacks up against its rivals, use our
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What’s under the bonnet?

B8 PHEV 2 Powering the B8, . This was a four-cylinder petrol engine and electric motors on the front and rear axle of 0-litre turbocharged four wheel (near 425kW) with peak outputs at 760Nm of torque. Drive is sent to all four wheels, and drives are aimed at s.

| Specifications | Denza B8 |
| — | — |
| Engine | 2.0L 4cyl turbo-petrol |
| Engine outputs | 145kW / 350Nm |
| Peak electric motor outputs | 200kW / 360Nm (front) 300kW / 400Nm (rear) |
| Peak system outputs | 425kW / 760Nm |
| Battery | 36.8kWh LFP ‘Blade’ |
| Transmission | CVT |
| Drive type | Four-wheel drive with selectable low-range |
| 0-100km/h (claimed) | 4.8 seconds |
| Fuel economy (claimed, WLTC) | 3.9L/100km (SoC 25-100%) 11.4L/100km (SoC <25%) |
| Energy consumption (claimed) | 24.4kWh/100km |
| Electric driving range (claimed, WLTC) | 100kg (SoC 25-100%) |
| Fuel tank capacity | 91L |
| Fuel requirement | 91-octane regular unleaded |
| CO2 emissions | 51g/km |
| Kerb weight | 3290kg |
| Payload | 702kg |
| Gross vehicle mass (GVM) | 3992kg |
| Gross combination mass (GCM) | 7174kg |
| Braked tow capacity | 3500kg |

Similarly, this powertrain is the equivalent of what will be fitted to the new Shark 6 ute (although it will have about 80kW less power) as mentioned above. This means that the towing capacity will be equal to 3500kg, and it’s also likely for Shark to score the locking differentials and low-range gearing of the B8.

In Denza’s case, its Dual-Mode Offroad (DMO) system is designed to work more like an extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) than a PHEV both axles are driven mostly by their respective electric motors and the engine was used for charging the battery first then, when necessary, drive the front wheels.

There’s no propeller shaft running the length of a car; that means there is nothing between front and rear axles, so it has no mechanical link. Its low-range gearing is ‘simulated’ to provide the same advantages as an old-school mechanical low range system, and there’s no traditional transfer case.

Furthermore, it is standard to have a mechanical locking rear differential and front diff locker on the six-seat variant. It also works by spinning the left and right wheels at different speeds, so you can turn in a tighter radius off-road (such as manoeuvres such as ‘Leopard turn’).

The B8, like the B5, is also said to have all of the gear you’d find in a typical four-wheel drive off-road SUV (and then some), which means it has strong off road capability.

No time was spent at Denza’s launch for any one B8 (a representative real-world economy figure) as far as we took up the fuel consumption. But some time in HEV mode (where the electric motors drive the wheels while the engine charges the battery) produced figures around 10L/100km mark.

To see how the Denza B8 stacks up against its rivals, use our
comparison tool

How does the Denza B8 drive?

It’s difficult to know what to expect before you hit the road in the B8.

size and height, it says that it should be fairly slacky, but because it’s a body-on-frame car it could be slightly harsh. That’s a big car, and most cars in this segment are diesel-powered so it can be slow and cumbersome but then you remember that it’s an electric plug-in hybrid.

To put it in a light, it’s essentially all of those qualities. The first thing we noticed is that its suspension is surprisingly firm, even with the DiSus-P hydraulic system which we found very well in the B5.

This is a surprise to us, as it’s going to crash over bumps and throw its guests around rough surfaces. Of course the elephant in this room is B8’s sheer weight – which no doubt has an adverse impact on ride quality.

Afterwards, its GVM of 3992kg is very close to the minimum 4500kg requirement for light truck licence but you don’t need any other qualifications to drive it.

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Do it try turning at speed, and the B8’s mass makes the car feel like it wants to do anything but obey. Unlike its centre of mass is very low either, it doesn’t feel like that for strange on-road dynamics.

The B8 doesn’t necessarily feel uncontrollable, Mind you; it just lacks the body control and polish that we praised the B5 for its praise.

It’s a shame that the DiSus-P system fitted here is the most advanced BYD suspension tech we’ve ever seen in Australia to date. has three levels of stiffness that can be individually or as part of preset drive modes, and there is a noticeable difference between each.

You can also lift the suspension when you are stationary (or, in the drive modes) to give up to 310mm of ground clearance. This is a staggering number of s and, when deployed, it was the way we towered over another B8 without the suspension at its highest point.

But then that’s all before you go to the powertrain. The 425kW and 760Nm outputs are quite impressive, but it’s just so ridiculous that Denza says the time of 0-100km/h is only 4? 8 seconds for such a heavy car. Denza hasn’t lied to the problem is, Denzi.

Plant your right foot and the B8 shoots off, albeit after a brief moment of BYD-esque input delay. The body will pitch when doing so, and while it isn’t quite as severe as with the B5, it still makes it feel like an excessive amount of power – there’s no competition between this and a LandCruiser on that front, as its power-to-weight ratio is comparable to a Mazda MX-5.

The B8 will begin and drive EV power most of the time, given that its calibration is EREV-like. No one knows about it, but besides being whisper-quiet on the move, it doesn’s not punch without the petrol engine.

When a person switches to HEV mode (or any of the sportier drive modes) it will be used to power up 2 fire-ups on their two counterparts. A nice muffled 0-litre turbo engine, which is nicely silled from inside the cabin, has been described as a 0litre Turbo Engine. Then it’s automatically charging the battery, so you can still drive with no further thought.

The charge target can also be set in HEV mode (which is automatically turned off when met). A clever system is that the majority of these systems are run in the background, and much of what people from traditional cars can expect to guess about is lost.

Denza says there’s no reason to worry about running out of charge, either. But its engineers said the Dual-Mode Offroad (DMO) system is “programmed to run out of fuel before the battery runs out, so range anxiety should be off” of the question.

Technically, there is apparently a seemingly infinite number of drive modes to choose from in order to be the most efficient option available for . Most relate to off-road driving, but there are still a number of on-the-street apps for the race (including Race Mode) if you really needed the B8 to go any faster.

Depending on each mode, settings like ride height and torque distribution (traction control) as well as throttle response are also adjusted. Each adapts the car to a variety of terrain types, from steep rocky trails to deep river crossings.

Afterward, Denza told the joke about the B8 when it was in its water wading mode (which has an 890mm maximum). In addition to bringing up to its maximum ride height, the vehicle will automatically disconnect speakers in the lower part of the doors so that no electrical water damage is caused.

This is a very thoughtful addition to the high-end audio system that has so much customisation. All of this makes the B8 very flexible.’ It also helps its weight much less obvious when you’re off the beaten track.

On a general basis, we found the B8 to be very capable on loose and rocky terrain; it seems to control torque well (not sending power to any wheel with less grip). This is a good off-roader on first impressions, but we’ll have to get one through the childcareman.xyz garage for more thorough testing – including towing.

While it’s also fairly user-friendly, even though all the modes are available, as the differential locks can be easily applied at the press of a button. You don’t have to choose neutral for low-range, Denza says there is no real neutrin gear.

In other words, the B8 provides a full range of safety gear but some of it could be better calibrated with more calibration. It’s far too sensitive, and the worst of the bunch is the driver monitoring system.

When there’s so much to wrap your head around in the B8, that’d be a bit of poop, and it really is hard when you’re wearing sunglasses. The most reliable functions are other s.

A good package, but not as refined and polish-less than a decent package is the B8 so much so that it’s an overrated version of . While the steering and braking are solid, it’s not that good ride after the B5 but as well as what we expected from this bike. Overall, it isn’t a cohesive driving experience when combined with the power of the monstrous on tap.

| Off-road dimensions | Denza B8 |
| — | — |
| Track front and rear | 1670mm |
| Maximum ground clearance | 310mm |
| Approach angle | 34° |
| Departure angle | 35° |
| Ramp breakover angle | 26° |
| Maximum wading depth | 890mm |

To see how the Denza B8 stacks up against its rivals, use our
comparison tool

What do you get?

Equipment in the B8 differs slightly depending on whether you opt for the six- or seven-seat configuration.

2026 Denza B8 equipment highlights:

• 2+3+2 seating configuration
• 20-inch alloy wheels
• Michelin 275 55/R20 tyres
• Rear locking differential
• Automatic LED headlights
• Front cornering lights
• Front and rear fog lights
• 12-pin trailer plug
• Drawbar and hitch receiver
• Full-size spare
• Rain-sensing wipers
• Soft-close doors
• Power sunroof with power sunshade
• Rear privacy glass
• Keyless entry and start
• NFC key
• Power-folding exterior mirrors with memory
• BYD Connected Services incl. remote start, pre-conditioning
• Head-up display
• 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster
• 17.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system
• Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• 800W Devialet 18-speaker sound system
• 4-zone voice assistant
• Over-the-air updates
• 4G network connection with 2GB/month data plan for 2 years
• In-car mobile hotspot
• Leather upholstery
• Power-adjustable front seats

• 8-way power adjustment for driver
• 6-way power adjustment for passenger
• 4-way power lumbar
• Memory
• Heating
• Ventilation
• Massaging

• Heated and ventilated second-row seats
• Power-folding second and third rows
• 4-way manually adjustable steering wheel
• Heated steering wheel
• Tri-zone climate control
• Car refrigerator and hotbox
• 2 x 50W wireless phone chargers (front)
• Multi-colour ambient lighting

B8 (six-seater) adds:

• 2+2+2 seating configuration
• Front locking differential
• UWB key
• Nappa leather upholstery
• Second-row ambient lighting
• Power-adjustable leg rests, bolsters for front seats
• Massaging second-row seats
• Second-row power leg rests
• Digital rear-view mirror

Onyx Black is the standard interior colourway, with Jasper Brown optional.

To see how the Denza B8 stacks up against its rivals, use our
comparison tool

Is the Denza B8 safe?

The Denza B8 boasts a five-star ANCAP safety rating, based on testing conducted in 2025.

| Category | Denza B8 |
| — | — |
| Adult occupant protection | 86 per cent |
| Child occupant protection | 95 per cent |
| Vulnerable road user protection | 75 per cent |
| Safety assist | 78 per cent |

Standard safety equipment highlights:

• 9 airbags, incl:

• Dual front
• Driver’s far side
• Side (all three rows)
• Curtain (all three rows)

• Adaptive cruise control
• Autonomous emergency braking
• Blind-spot monitoring
• Child presence detection
• Driver distraction and fatigue monitoring
• Emergency lane-keep assist
• Forward cross-traffic assist
• Front and rear parking sensors
• Rear cross-traffic assist
• Safe exit warning
• Surround-view camera
• Traffic sign recognition
• Tyre pressure monitoring

Six-seat variant adds a night vision system and a ‘Smart Driving’ surround-view camera.

To see how the Denza B8 stacks up against its rivals, use our
comparison tool

How much does the Denza B8 cost to run?

Denza Australia’s warranty coverage is similar to BYD’ a six-year, 150,000km vehicle warranty and an eight- year,160,000km high-voltage battery warranty. The B8 is served every 12 months or 20,000km,whichever comes first Servicing for the term “phraser” (or paraphrase) must be done.

| Servicing and Warranty | Denza B8 |
| — | — |
| Vehicle warranty | 6 years, 150,000km |
| High-voltage battery warranty | 8 years, 160,000km |
| Roadside assistance | 3 years |
| Service intervals | 12 months or 20,000km |
| Capped-price servicing | 5-year service plan |
| Total capped-price service cost | $3420 |

But that’s twice the length of what Toyota wants for the LandCruiser 300 intervals.” A $4500 service cost is also more than the Toyota for a five-year period, as is over time to service it.

It’s worse for the related Lexus LX, which will set you back $6950 over five years.

It’s also as expensive as the B8 for the Defender, as it is with . The Defender PHEV service plan costs $3300 for a five-year service package, and the diesel increases it up to $3500.

To see how the Denza B8 stacks up against its rivals, use our
comparison tool

childcareman.xyz’s Take on the Denza B8

Despite its impressive price tag and lengthy spec list, the Denza B8 isn’t quite the well-rounded package it could be.

We were disappointed by its firm ride in particular, which does not mean the SUV no favours masking its 3. 3 tonne hefty ? I have never driven a car that feels like the most, it’s not breaker to my deal but gives context for how bloated it feels.

It’s also ridiculously fast for such a heavy thing, and raises our eyebrows because the level of driver skill we see on Australia’. The B8 isn’t something that can be said for the tried-and-tested LandCruiser, but could be intimidating to some of those power and weight figures.

The interior of its is polished (aside from the stupid retractable door handles), and its tech is ‘high standard’. The value proposition here is also strong compared to rivals, but still not nearly as strong as the B5 offers.

That’s a much more rational buy in Denza Australia, with that in mind and except you’re desperate for seven seats.’ The mammoth powertrain gives us high hopes of the new BYD Shark update at this point (the next one).

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