If you’re looking for a large off-road SUV with plug-in hybrid (PHEV) power to reduce your carbon footprint, you’re pretty much limited to the Land Rover Defender or the GWM Tank 500 PHEVs.
That narrows further if you need three rows of seats, as the pair of Defender 110 plug-in hybrids on sale in Australia offer up to six seats across two rows – whereas petrol and diesel variants offer the option of two extra seats out back.
So, the recently launched GWM Tank 500 Hi4-T PHEV is your only bet if you want something as large as a Toyota LandCruiser with three rows of seating and zero-emissions capability around town, at least until very, very soon…
Meet the Denza B8, one of two new PHEV off-road SUVs launching under BYD’s new luxury sister brand. It boasts meatier power outputs and performance claims than its fellow Chinese rival, as well as a higher towing capacity.
That’s based on the preliminary specs we’ve been given ahead of the B8’s market launch, with orders to open in November ahead of customer deliveries likely commencing very early in the new year.
Denza Australia gave us a very quick taste of the new Denza B5 and B8 at the old Holden proving ground in Lang Lang, where we had our first look at early Australian production cars, and a tried out its off-road chops.
Should you be hanging out for BYD’s new LandCruiser hunter?
How much does the Denza B8 cost?
Short answer – we don’t know. The Denza B8 will be offered in one high-spec trim level with the option of six or seven seats, and we’re anticipating a starting price in the $90,000-$100,000 realm.
| Model | Price before on-rado costs |
|---|---|
| 2026 Denza B8 6S | $TBC |
| 2026 Denza B8 7S | $TBC |
While that projected price range is a lot of money for an all-new, unproven product in a segment with plenty of brand loyalty, Denza is promising the B8 will be a proper luxury SUV with performance and specs to match much more expensive metal.
For reference, a high-spec LandCruiser 300 will set you back over $150,000, and a Defender PHEV starts from $131,000 – both excluding on-road costs.
The GWM Tank 500 PHEV drives a harder bargain, asking for $79,990 plus on-road costs, which basically gives it the sub-$100,000 plug-on off-road SUV market all to itself.
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What is the Denza B8 like on the inside?
Just like the smaller B5, if not moreso, the Denza B8 cloaks its upright, utilitarian cabin design elements in swathes of supple leather, lashings of chrome and metal-look accents, and tasteful contrast top-stitching.
Headline acts include the big 12.3-inch digital instrument panel and 15.6-inch rotating touchscreen, shared with the smaller B5.
There’s also Nappa leather upholstery throughout, laminated soundproof glass, soft-close doors, and a big ol’ panoramic sunroof that stretches right back into the cabin.
In six-seat configuration as shown here, it’s quite plush and a little different to the more rugged and hard-wearing interiors offered by most rivals.
There’s an 18-speaker ‘Devialet’ premium sound system too, but like most other cabin elements we weren’t able to test it properly given the brief time we had with the vehicle.
It’s all very nicely executed, and I appreciate the chunky toggle-style switches on the centre console, and the bright red start/stop button which, as James May would put it, “looks like a boiled sweet”.
The couch-like front chairs offer full electric adjustment and perch you nice and high – if you like that sort of thing – and the general ambience feels quite posh.
Space in the second and third rows is pretty good for the segment, given a lot of ladder-frame rivals struggle to put proper adult-sized seats in the third row.
Again, I didn’t spend enough time in the B8 to get proper interior impressions, but during my off-road stints it was quiet, comfortable and nicely distinguished in character from other offerings in the market.
Much of the in-car functionality is built into the touchscreen, including the climate controls, as with most other BYD products.
There’s a permanent taskbar at the base of the display, and the interface is still very BYD, which means it often flashes animations and changes menus with the press of key buttons, and the menu structure can be a little convoluted.
Storage is also decent should you need snacks and other supplies during a luxurious expedition, including a stowage cubby under the bridge-like centre console.
Boot capacity for the three-row off-roader is quoted at 166 litres with all three rows in use, expanding to a massive 1130L with the third row folded.
| Dimensions | Denza B8 |
|---|---|
| Length | 5180mm |
| Width | 1994mm |
| Height | 1905mm |
| Wheelbase | 2900mm |
| Cargo capacity | 166L-1130L |
What’s under the bonnet?
The Denza B8 gets BYD’s ‘2.0T DM-O Super Hybrid’ PHEV system, which incorporates a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine teamed with two electric motors fed by a 31.8kWh LFP battery.
| Specifications | BYD Denza B8 |
|---|---|
| Drivetrain | 2.0L 4cyl turbo-petrol PHEV |
| System outputs | 450kW + 760Nm |
| Battery | 31.8kWh BYD Blade LFP |
| Transmission | e-CVT |
| Drive type | All-wheel drive with 4L Front, rear electromechanical diff locks |
| Kerb weight | 3290kg |
| 0-100km/h (claimed) | 4.8 seconds |
| Electric driving range (PHEV) | TBC |
| Max DC charge rate | 120kW |
| Maximum combined range | 905km |
| Fuel tank capacity | 91.5L |
Full specifications will be available closer to the Denza B8’s on-sale date in November.
How does the Denza B8 drive?
We only got a very short time behind the wheel of the Denza range, limited to the off-road trails and obstacles at the Lang Lang proving ground.
Having done the rutted hillclimb, offset moguls, water crossing and boulders in the B5, I set out to do similar with the larger B8 while capturing video content at the same time – and in the end it was even more brief.
If the B5 is already big and heavy, the B8 is enormous. The added length, width, wheelbase and weight make it feel like a plug-in luxury tank – not to be confused with the GWM, however.
While that all sounds like it will translate to a series of compromises, over Lang Lang’s off-road obstacles the B8 actually proved to be the calmer and more comfortable companion.
It felt more stable and assured over the boulders and various undulations, and more planted on its feet (or tyres) when the hydraulic suspension was set to its tallest setting.
That ‘tank’ feeling I mentioned earlier was actually a positive when tackling all of the various obstacles the B8 had to traverse – it slowly but surely climbs over anything and everything, save for the odd knock of the towbar over sharp dips.
There are no fewer than 16 drive modes you can flick through to tackle difficult terrain, including an adaptive mode that tailors the drivetrain to whatever conditions it senses. Each come with a funky animation and change of theme on both the central touchscreen and driver instrument cluster for dramatic effect.
You can also flick through HEV and EV powertrain settings, choose 4L low-range gearing – via a two-speed transfer case on the rear axle – and in the Leopard flagship there’s a switch to toggle the different ride heights for the aforementioned DiSus-P hydraulic suspension.
Left to its own devices, the B8 will often silently plug through obstacles in EV mode, but if you need a bit more grunt or lock it into certain modes, it will fire up the petrol engine. The 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine under the bonnet fires up with less vibration and coarseness when cold compared to the B5, and doesn’t send sudden shunts through the cabin.
The hill descent control system can be a little jerky on the brakes and hard to modulate with the actual brake pedal – resulting in a bit of rocking back and forth.
Denza says the B8’s adjustable suspension allows 220mm of ground clearance in its standard setting, and can be raised to offer a lofty 310mm.
The approach, departure and breakover angles are up to 34/35/20 degrees respectively with the suspension in its tallest setting, which isn’t quite as good as the B5, and for reference a LandCruiser 300 quotes approach and departure angles of 32 and 25 degrees.
While we didn’t experience any issues during this brief first local drive, we got no wheel time on asphalt to get a feel for the B8’s on-road performance on public roads. We look forward to getting a proper road drive in real-world conditions in the coming months.
| Off-road dimensions | Denza B8 |
|---|---|
| Ground clearance | 220mm-310mm |
| Approach angle | 34 degrees* |
| Departure angle | 35 degrees* |
| Ramp breakover angle | 20 degrees* |
*Chinese specifications with DiSus-P in highest setting
What do you get?
We’re still waiting on final specifications, but Denza has drip-fed some of the preliminary headlines.
2026 Denza B8 equipment highlights:
- 20-inch alloy wheels
- 275/55 R20 Michelin tyres
- Electromechanical differential locks – front, rear
- DiSus-P hydraulic suspension
- 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster
- 15.6-inch touchscreen
- Wireless Apple CarPlay
- Wireless Android Auto
- 18-speaker Devialet premium sound system
- Nappa leather upholstery
- Laminated soundproof glass
- Soft-close doors
- 16 selectable drive modes
Is the Denza B8 safe?
The Denza B5 doesn’t have an ANCAP or Euro NCAP rating, giving its newness to markets outside of China.
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Denza B8 highlights:
- 14 airbags
- 360-degree cameras
- ‘Advanced Driving Assistance System’
How much does the Denza B8 cost to run?
Denza hasn’t confirmed its warranty program as yet, though we expect the luxury arm to follow a similar format to its BYD parent, which offers a six-year, 150,000km warranty for the vehicle, and eight-year, 160,000km battery cover.
| Servicing and Warranty | Denza B8 |
|---|---|
| Warranty | 6 years or 150,000km – vehicle 8 years or 160,000km – battery |
| Roadside assistance | 12 months then service activated |
| Service intervals | TBC |
| Capped-price servicing | TBC |
| Total capped-price service cost | TBC |
CarExpert’s Take on the Denza B8
I think a suitable rating or verdict here would be “to be continued…”
Our limited time behind the wheel in controlled conditions makes it hard to say whether the B8 is a genuine challenger for the Defenders and LandCruiser 300s of the world, and we don’t even know how much it’ll cost yet.
But if the Denza B8 opens for orders next month with a price starting with an ‘8’ or a ‘9’, it could be a very tempting proposition for Australian families who don’t want to spend well over $100k for a plush and efficient large off-road SUV that can also tow a big load.
Pending our assessment of its on-road manners and towing capabilities, the Denza B8’s final specs and promising early signs off the beaten track make it one to watch, and it could prove to be a very capable Chinese challenger if BYD’s new premium brand gets the price right.
We’ll hopefully know more in the coming weeks, so stay tuned!
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MORE: Explore the BYD showroom