Denza formally makes PH debut, launches D9 luxury minivan for Php 4.298M

Denza, you’ve probably already heard about it. The brand is the luxury arm of BYD that was founded in 2010 in partnership with Daimler AG (now the Mercedes-Benz Group). Think of it as something like what Lexus is to Toyota.

Well, after several announcements and teasing, it has formally made its Philippine debut as Denza Philippines at a grand launch held at the Shangri-La at the Fort, Manila. It’s under the management of BYD Philippines, a direct subsidiary of the BYD Group from China. 

The Philippines is actually Denza’s 13th market in the Asia-Pacific Region. And with its local launch also comes its first offering for our market–the Denza D9 luxury minivan–which effectively will also be its flagship model once the company expands its lineup. More on that later.

For its dealerships, three are already operational and have been formally inaugurated, while one will be opening in the coming months.

The first is Denza Makati, under the management of Harmony New Energy Auto Service (Philippines) Ltd. Corp. Both under the management of ACMobility Premium Dealership, Inc., a newly established subsidiary of BYD Cars Philippines distributor ACMobility, are Denza Alabang and Denza Cebu.

Finally, soon to open is Denza Greenhills under E-Vantage Motors, Inc. A temporary pop-up store for this dealership is currently operational at the Greenhills Mall.

Now back to the brand’s first offering in our market, the Denza D9. This plug-in hybrid (PHEV) minivan comes in a sole Premium AWD variant, and is related to the BYD eMax 9 DM-i which was introduced locally last year. It is poised to take on the likes of the Toyota Alphard and its luxury Lexus LM counterpart. 

It’s also properly set apart from its mainstream cousin.

The Denza D9 wears what the automaker calls a π-Motion (Pi-Motion) front face, featuring a diamond-patterned grille flanked by LED headlights. At the back is a full-width light bar, dubbed as Star Feather taillights, and it rides on 18-inch multi-spoke two-tone alloy wheels. 

As for its dimensions, it measures at a length of 5,250mm, width of 1,960mm, and height of 1,920mm, and rides on a 3,110mm wheelbase. Available exterior colors are Cosmos Black, Arctic White, Starry Night Gray, and Whale Sea Blue.

In such a luxury minivan, the interior is the place to be. Second row passengers will enjoy the Denza D9’s opulent Zero Gravity captain seats that are wrapped in Nappa leather upholstery, and come with electric legrests, 10-way power adjustment, 10-point massage function, heating and ventilation, and butterfly headrests.

Other features include second-row tray tables, natural wood veneer trim that’s unique to every vehicle, a 15.6-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 14-speaker Dynaudio sound system, a panoramic sunroof, 12-inch heads-up display, and even an in-car refrigerator which includes freezer or heater functionalities.

Powering the Denza D9 Premium AWD is the fifth generation of BYD’s DM-i powertrain. This combines a 1.5-liter turbocharged engine and dual electric motors, producing a combined output of a healthy 407 horsepower and 681Nm of torque. It’s also quoted to have a 0 to 100kph acceleration time of 7.9 seconds.

With a 40.06kWh BYD Blade Battery (lithium iron phosphate), it can drive up to 180km on pure electricity, or up to 980km on a single full tank of gas and full battery charge. Charging the battery takes an estimated 25 minutes from 30-80% through 80kW CCS2 DC charging.

All occupants will also appreciate the DiSus-C adaptive suspension which adjusts the vehicle’s suspension depending on the driving mode and conditions. It also comes standard with advanced driver-assist systems (ADAS) under the brand’s DiPilot 300 suite.

Now you may be wondering how much the Denza D9 costs. Its retail price is set at Php 4,298,000. It’s also being offered at an introductory price of Php 3,998,000 for the first 300 buyers.

Customers will also be able to take advantage of a six-year or 150,000km vehicle warranty, an eight-year or 150,000km battery warranty, three-year complimentary PMS, and 24/7 Roadside Assistance.
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As for its next steps, Denza Philippines is already confirmed to be launching three more models within the year, previewed at the launch. These are the Denza B5, a midsize SUV that could be aiming for the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado and Lexus GX, and the Denza B8, a full-size SUV that could go for the Toyota Land Cruiser 300 and Lexus LX. Also previewed was the Denza Z9 GT shooting brake wagon 

READ: This is what we can expect from Denza PH

Based on available information, the Denza B5 will be powered by a 1.5-liter engine and dual electric motors that form its Dual Mode Off-Road (DMO) powertrain. This will be capable of driving up to 90km on pure electric power, and 0 to 100kph in just 4.8 seconds. It will also be equipped with a Devialet premium sound system among other features.

Meanwhile, the Denza B8 will get a larger 2.0-liter engine, also with dual electric motors, capable of 100km of pure electric driving. It will also get a Devialet sound system, and will also be a DiSus-P Intelligent Hydraulic Suspension that has self-leveling capability and 140mm of travel.

Finally, there’s the Denza Z9 GT that’s aiming for the likes of the Porsche Taycan. No information on this is available yet, but other markets get it with either full EV or plug-in hybrid powertrains.

With Denza’s entry into the Philippines, it shows that BYD as a whole is aggressive in their expansion, and their hopes to dominate the local market, whether it’s in the mainstream or luxury vehicle scenes. Only time will tell, but do you think the Denza brand will find success in the Philippines?

_{Photos by Sam Surla and Julian Panlilio}