Denza B8 review: big, brash and better than it has any right to be

If you had to pick only one thing to say about the Denza B8, then it is this: it is a vehicle of impressive scale and ambition, that plants a very large flag at the very top of its brand's SUV lineup.

And that’s not just figuratively speaking either, as the B8 is a thoroughly massive 5.2 metre long ladder-chassis 4X4 that shares its underpinnings with the BYD Shark 6 ute, albeit with the powertrain outputs cranked up to a higher level.

While the smaller Denza B5 uses the Shark’s 1.5-litre plug-in hybrid drivetrain cranked up to 400kW/760Nm (over the Shark’s 321kW/650Nm), the B8 packs the more potent 2.0-litre variant found in the Shark 6 Performance, where it produces 350kW and 700Nm.

However, the B8 winds things up to eleven, with a hefty 425kW and 760Nm on offer, which will propel the massive 3.3-tonne SUV to 100km/h in an entirely unnecessary 4.8 seconds.

Initially intended to land in New Zealand under the BYD umbrella (it is, after all, BYD’s luxury nameplate), Denza went its own way, with a separate local distributor and showrooms, creating space between the luxury presentation of its SUVs and their BYD ute underpinnings.

In its home market, the B8 is second only to the utterly magnificent hyper-luxury Yangwang U8 in BYD’s “massive luxury SUVs with everything imaginable, yes, including drones” range that blend old-school, rugged capability with thoroughly modern luxury and remarkably amounts of technology (yes, genuinely including on-board drones), a combination that makes for a fascinating proposition in today's crowded SUV market.

While we don’t get the deployable drone option here, the Denza B8 is otherwise packed with cutting-edge tech layered over its properly capable ladder chassis underpinnings, something you will immediately notice thanks to the utterly enormous 17.3-inch screen that dominates proceedings in the B8’s cabin.

This mix of high-tech, supreme luxury and genuinely tough off-road underpinnings is actually something of a rarity these days, as your properly luxurious 4X4s like Range Rover remain incredibly capable off road, but with sophisticated unibody platforms, leaving really only the Lexus LX as a ladder chassis competitor to the B8.

From the outside, the B8 doesn't try to reinvent the wheel, and that’s a good thing.

Considering the Lexus is considerably more expensive, less powerful and not as refined or packed with as much tech as the B8, means the Denza genuinely is in a class of its own.

On the outside: what are the Denza B8's main design features?

From the outside, the B8 doesn't try to reinvent the wheel, and that’s a good thing. It embraces a very traditional, squared-off, and chunky SUV aesthetic that gives it a genuinely commanding presence.

The B8 leans into a design that is a bit beefier and more imposing than its smaller B5 counterpart, projecting an image of handsome, conventional ruggedness. While it features a lot of gloss black trim, which can often be a polarising choice, it actually seems to suit the vehicle's character rather than detract from it in this case.

The B8 also incorporates a few modern (and very Chinese-market) embellishments like flush, pop-out door handles, which add a touch of contemporary flair (and, to be fair, controversy) to an otherwise classic off-roader silhouette.

Ultimately though, the B8’s design is big and handsome, with a conventional silhouette that packs enough more modern design cues to give it a fresh, contemporary feel amid a sea of bland, apologetic crossover SUVs.

Step inside the B8, and the vibe switches from “handsome, traditional 4X4” to “proper luxury vehicle”.

And that squared-off shape is not just for looks, as it also provides the practical benefit of making it easy to judge the vehicle’s extremities when manoeuvring, both on and off road.

OVERVIEW

On the inside: what's the Denza B8's cabin like?

Step inside the B8, and the vibe switches from “handsome, traditional 4X4” to “proper luxury vehicle”.

The cabin is where the B8 truly transcends its price point, offering a level of luxury that genuinely feels several classes above its $118k price tag. The quality of the materials is superb, the craftsmanship is wonderful, and the whole interior is beautifully put together.

The B8’s cabin makes it feel like a proper luxury vehicle, equipped with everything you could want, including two wireless charging pads, an enormous central touchscreen, along with a welcome number of physical controls for key functions.

There are a few slightly cheesy touches, like the gear selector that elegantly rises from the centre console and a red crystal power switch, but they come across as charming rather than tacky.

I genuinely like the Denza B8. It successfully merges an old-school, traditional big SUV feel with brutally modern technology in a way that is genuinely compelling.

As the top-spec six-seater, this model features two captain's chairs in the second row. While not quite full-size recliners, they are exceptionally comfortable, luxurious, and come with their own separate controls.

The front seats are equally superb - supportive, comfortable, and wrapped in high-quality leather - while the third-row seats are a bit smaller, and when they're in use, boot space is significantly compromised.

However, with the third row folded down, the cargo area is absolutely enormous. It's a trade-off, but for those who won't be carrying six people and their luggage on a regular basis, it's a perfectly acceptable one.

INTERIOR

On the road: what's the Denza B8 like to drive?

While the B8 still convincingly comes across as a luxury vehicle out on the road, there's no hiding its heritage, and it drives and rides very much like the truck-like, ladder-chassis off-roader it is. Just a big, luxurious one.

This is partly due to its sophisticated DiSus-P hydraulic body control system, which provides brutal off-road capability but contributes a slight brittleness to the ride at lower speeds, while never feeling quite as plush as some air suspension systems can at higher speeds. It feels like a big, comfortable, and very luxurious truck, but a truck nonetheless.

The plug-in hybrid drivetrain offers a perplexing array of drive modes. In its Eco setting in pure EV mode, it is quite sluggish off the line, making it best suited for gentle around-town cruising. Fortunately, for a more responsive experience, the Normal setting in Hybrid mode is the sweet spot, intelligently blending electric and petrol power, while popping it into Sport sharpens things up considerably, making this massive machine feel surprisingly quick.

Then there’s the improbably named Race mode, which lowers the suspension right down, dials up the full power of the engine and electric motors, and turns the B8 into a big, very luxurious truck that accelerates and handles far better than it has any right to.

After a mix of urban driving, open road commuting and a somewhat more spirited open-road thrashing, the trip computer showed a combined fuel consumption of 11.2l/100km, which breaks down into an impressive 8.1l/100km for the petrol engine and 10.6kWh/100km for the electric side. That's remarkably frugal for something this enormous being driving in this way.

While the multitude of modes could be more intuitive, they are undeniably effective, while leaving it in Hybrid and Normal or Sport modes lets the B8 do its thing, and it just does it very well.

SPECIFICATIONS

On ownership: what's the Denza B8's warranty and servicing situation?

The B8 comes with Denza's standard warranty of 6 years/150,000km on the vehicle and 8 years/160,000km on the high-voltage battery, while 3 years of 24/7 roadside assist is also standard. Service intervals for the B8 are set at every 12 months or 20,000 kilometres.

On the whole: what do we think of the Denza B8?

I genuinely like the Denza B8. It successfully merges an old-school, traditional big SUV feel with brutally modern technology in a way that is genuinely compelling.

It's a package that feels surprisingly agile, willing, and utterly impressive both on and off the road.

Every time you climb aboard, it just feels good. Yes, it's absolutely enormous, but its square design makes it surprisingly easy to place on the road and to park. While its ride is undeniably trucky, it's a compromise that feels worthwhile when you consider the immense off-road capability you get in return, and it also genuinely suits the B8’s character.

For $118,000, you are getting an incredible amount of vehicle for your money: a huge, comfortable, supremely high-end luxury SUV that also happens to be insanely capable when the pavement ends. It's a package that feels surprisingly agile, willing, and utterly impressive both on and off the road.

If you go in expecting the on-road manners of a car-based luxury crossover, you might be disappointed. But if you appreciate the blend of rugged capability and high-end luxury, the B8 offers the best of both worlds in a package that is actually incredible value for money.

Denza B8 FAQs

What kind of car is the Denza B8?

A large luxury six-seater SUV.

Does the Denza B8 have hybrid or EV technology?

The B8 is a range-extender style plug-in hybrid.

What’s the fuel economy of the Denza B8?

Denza's combined claim of 3.9l/100km is the "official" figure, but the real world is significantly more complicated, with the B8 displaying a combined figure that it calculates from both the petrol consumption and battery consumption.

During our week with it we saw 8.1l/100km for the petrol engine and 10.6kWh/100km for the electric motors, with a combined average total equivalent of 11.2l/100km, which is deeply impressive for a 3.3 tonne SUV that sprints from o to 100km/h in 4.8 seconds, and did so frequently...

Is the Denza B8 safe?

The B8 has a 5 Star safety rating from ANCAP and features 11 airbags, including front and side airbags for driver and passenger, a driver far side airbag, side airbags in the second and third row, and dual full-length curtain airbags.

What safety and assistance features does the Denza B8 have?

What are the Denza B8's main rivals?

• Lexus LX 500d Limited ($196,900): the closest competitor in terms of luxury, quality and off-road ability. Not price though.
• GMC Yukon Denali ($186,990): plenty of power and plenty of room, but the American definition of luxury falls short.
• Land Rover Discovery Landmark ($164,900): incredibly capable off and on the road, but down on spec and tech, and up on price.
• Cadillac Vistiq Platinum ($127,430): fully electric, but won't go as far off road. Better on it though.
• Nissan Patrol Ti-L ($118,990): a competitor on price only. Older, thirstier and slower, but still capable off road.