The Denza B5 and B8 luxury off-road SUVs have officially launched in PH

While it may be a new player in the local luxury vehicle market, Denza Philippines is very keen to make its presence felt. After a couple of previews from before, during, and after its local brand launch, the Chinese luxury automaker has finally launched its B5 and B8 luxury off-road SUVs, its second and third offerings for our market.

For fans of the brand or Chinese cars in general, you’ll know that these are actually renamed versions of the Bao 5 and Bao 8 from BYD’s Fangchengbao sub-brand in China. Odd name aside, these two SUVs will be competing in the premium off-road SUV space with their electrified powertrains, rugged designs, and luxurious interiors.

There is a lot to talk about with these two SUVs, so let’s start with the smaller of the bunch–the B5.

In terms of size, this measures at 4,888mm of length, 1,970mm of width, and 1,920mm of height, putting it at about the same size as the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado, and its luxury Lexus GX sibling, and rides on a 2,800mm wheelbase. Seating capacity is for five occupants (including the driver), and cargo capacity is at 470L behind the second row seats.

The Denza B5 goes for a boxy appearance with chunky bumpers and wheel arches, fit for an off-road SUV. Its LED headlights feature a C-shaped DRL signature, while the rear features a tailgate-mounted spare tire. Inside, it mixes luxurious and rugged touches with its premium soft-touch surfaces and squared-out styling cues.

Standard equipment on the Denza B5 are matrix LED headlights, multi-color ambient lighting, a panoramic sunroof, leather seat upholstery, an in-car refrigerator and heater, 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, a 15.6-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, and an 800W Devialet 18-speaker sound system, among others.

Only one variant of the Denza B5 is available for our market, and it’s priced at Php 3,798,000. Exterior color options are Glacier Blue, Juniper Green, Granite Gray, Eclipse Black, Alpine White, and Leopard Gold.

Meanwhile, the Denza B8 measures at 5,195mm long, 1,994mm wide, and 1,905mm tall. This one will be competing directly with the Toyota Land Cruiser 300 and its more luxurious Lexus LX sibling, and the Jetour Gaia and G700. It’s available in two variants–Dynamic and Premium–with a couple of small differences between them.

Like the B5, it gets a rugged exterior look with chunky bumpers and wheel arches, but is less squared-off with sleeker design touches such as slimmer LED headlights. It also gets a tailgate-mounted spare tire, but wrapped in a panel that also houses its rear license plate.

Standard equipment will be similar to that on the B5 but with the addition of some notable items. This includes tri-zone climate control, a larger 17.3-inch infotainment screen, power-adjustable and folding second and third row seats, and soft closing doors, among others.

The Dynamic features a seven-seater layout in a 2-3-2 configuration, while the Premium features six seats in a 2-2-2 configuration. The Premium also adds some niceties such as Nappa leather seat upholstery, a heads-up display, second row ambient lighting, and a digital rear-view mirror.

As for its price, the Denza B8 Dynamic is priced at Php 4,998,000 while the Premium is priced at Php 5,398,000. Available exterior colors for the Denza B8 are Nebula Silver, Alpine White, Eclipse Black, Emerald Green, and Dawn Gold.

Both the Denza B5 and B8 are powered by dual electric motors and an LFP battery, but they do differ when it comes to engine displacement and outputs, and battery size.

The B5 pairs its motors with a 1.5-liter turbocharged gasoline engine, for a total combined output of 578 horsepower and 760Nm of torque. A 31.8kWh battery allows for an all-electric range of up to 100km, or a total of up to 975km.

The B8, on the other hand, pairs its motors to a larger 2.0-liter turbocharged engine. Combined output is 612 horsepower and the same 670Nm. With a slightly larger 36.8kWh battery, it can drive up to 115km purely on electric power, or a combined total of up to 1,040km.

It is genuinely interesting to see how Chinese automakers have gone from making scrappy, cheap cars to high-performance, luxury off-roaders that can stand toe-to-toe with the best of the best from European and Japanese brands alike. 

Do you think Denza Philippines will be able to succeed with these models?

^{Photos by Sam Surla}