2026 Denza B8 review: First road test

The Denza B8 – a big four-wheel-drive wagon with three rows of seating and an incredible array of technology – wants to lure Australians away from the most desired and iconic nameplate on our automotive landscape.

I’m talking about – of course – the Toyota LandCruiser. A vehicle that has intertwined itself into the very psyche and fabric of Australia so much, it’s even hiding on one of the pages of our passports.

Once upon a time, Japanese car makers like Toyota were seen as an unproven and somewhat strange option in the Australian market, and were forced to prove their mettle over the ensuing decades.

Sounds familiar? That is exactly what a brand like Denza (and its parent company BYD) is facing in our market. Chinese car brands had an inauspicious start in Australia, with patchy quality and no shortage of controversy (including the discovery of asbestos).

The quality and quantity of Chinese cars have both increased in orders of magnitude in the last 20-odd years, as the global car industry grapples with reducing emissions, improving safety and growing complexity.

Nothing shows the improving quality and standing of Chinese cars more than Denza, and the B8 in particular.

It’s a vehicle not without its foibles, and has some points that will quickly rule it out for many Australian four-wheel-drive buyers.

But at the same time, there’s a whole lot to like about this flagship Denza offering. Let’s have a closer look.

Whereas Chinese cars have mostly been competing in lower price brackets, Denza has flipped the script. 

There are two trim levels to choose from with the Denza B8, and the entry-level 7S variant makes the most sense for Australian family buyers. 

Priced from $91,000 plus on-road costs, this seven-seat big-rig forgoes the fancier captain’s chair arrangement in the second row for an extra pew in total. 

With a price that comfortably undercuts the entry-level LandCruiser 300 Series GX on price, you have a dizzying array of standard equipment.

It features leather seats with electric adjustment up front, along with heating, ventilation, memory and massaging. There’s heating, ventilation and electric adjustment for the second row as well. 

The infotainment display is huge at 17.3 inches, while the digital instrument cluster measures a more-normal 12.3 inches. Climate control covers three zones, and the centre cubby can cool to -6 degrees Celsius and heat to 50 degrees Celsius.

The wheels are 20 inches in size, the headlights are automatic matrix LED units, the third row deploys electrically, there are three zones of climate control with a PM2.5 filter and air purifier, six USB power outlets and twin wireless charging pads. 

The sound system is fancy as well, with an 18-speaker Devialet-branded setup with 800 watts at the ready.

So I think you’re getting the message here: the Denza B8 is very well specced.

Even more so when you opt for the top-spec six-seater ‘6S’ model. This gets more stuff, like a head-up display, night vision system, digital rear-view camera, and a mechanically locking front differential (along with the rear diff lock of the 7S).

Inside, the regular three-seat second row gets swapped for two more salubrious separate seats. These get adjustable leg rests and massaging, as well as a bit of space in between to scooch into the third row.

The front-row seats also get bolstering and leg rest adjustment, and all seats receive nappa leather in this grade. The asking price sticks to under six figures below on-road costs as well, at $97,990.

Under the bonnet of the Denza B8 only tells part of the powertrain story. There’s a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine here, which sets this car apart from the smaller Denza B5 and BYD Shark 6.

There’s 145kW and 350Nm available from this fuel-burning lump, whose main job is supplying power back into the big 36.8kWh battery pack.

The petrol engine can spin the front wheels directly via a clutch at higher speeds, but it’s the two electric motors that provide most of the motivation.

Its 425kW and 760Nm – both huge figures in comparison to the competition – come from two electric motors. At the rear, you’ve got a 300kW and 400Nm electric motor that runs through a two-speed gearbox (more on that later).

Up front is a 200kW and 360Nm electric motor with a single-speed reduction gear.

Denza claims a 100km electric-only driving range for the B8, while a 91-litre fuel tank provides a combined driving range of 905km (claimed).

Acceleration is fast as well, with a claimed 4.8-second sprint when launch mode is engaged. That's impressive when you consider the prodigious amount of weight we’re moving here.

Whereas a Toyota LandCruiser (no lightweight on its own) weighs 2620kg in GR Sport form, the combination of petrol and electric power, along with all of the technical gizmos, means this Denza B8 is significantly heavier.

Its 3290kg of kerb weight makes it 670kg heavier overall than the LandCruiser, and the heaviest SUV getting around on Australian roads.

Only some of the big and heavy-duty American trucks (like the Ram 2500) might be heavier.

That kind of weight comes with problems. The tyres need a huge load rating to be applicable, the brakes need to be big as well, and your suspension needs to be tuned to cope with the load.

The payload can’t be that massive either when you’re starting with such a high number. The spec sheet tells us a 3992kg gross vehicle mass is acceptable, meaning there is a 702kg payload available.

That means you could fit seven 100kg adults into the car and stay legal, but no more than that. 

The gross combination mass of 7174kg – matched with a 3500kg braked towing capacity – means you’ve got solid towing capabilities on offer. 

Towing at that maximum does eat into your real-world available payload, however, so keeping an eye on your ball weight, available payload and rear axle maximum load (2255kg, by the way) is crucial.

All of that exterior sheetmetal yields excellent interior space. But beyond the cabin acreage we have, there is plenty to like in usability. 

Firstly, the general sense of quality in this cabin is excellent. This kind of price bracket is new ground for Chinese cars in the Australian market, but the Denza feels like it delivers beyond adding a whole lot of features.

Seating material and comfort are good, there is plenty of adjustment available for comfort, and the attention to detail around materials and fitment is mostly excellent. I noticed a piece of trim on the dashboard in front of the passenger that looks a little out of place, but that covers the space where an optional third screen goes in some other markets.

Never mind, the massive 17.3-inch screen in this B8 is plenty enough. It's an impressive screen, with a huge array of functions and features for users to dig through. It can be a bit dizzying, though, with similar functions in separate locations and menus.

If you've spent time with other BYD vehicles in recent years, you will be a little familiar with the Denza infotainment experience. Shark 6 owners will notice the array of buttons and dials around the gear shifter, as well as on the steering wheel.

In the second row of the Denza B8, there is plenty of space. Opting for the six-seat setup increases the opulence levels, and gives a small lane for kids to skip through into the third row. However, family buyers would likely prefer the three-seat second row for obvious reasons. There are air vents and power outlets aplenty, along with electric adjustments and creature comforts in the seats.

The embedded fridge and hotbox in the centre console can be accessed from the back as well, sliding out electrically for good access.

The third row of the B8 is also good. There isn't a stack of boot space left over when you're in full passenger mode, but comfort is good with leg room, head room, adjustable tilting, air vents and power outlets.

It's worth noting, though, that the swing tailgate comes out in quite a large arc and is hinged on the passenger side. Prados and Pajeros are on the driver's side.

Mostly, the Denza B8 is quite serene. There's clearly a lot of sound deadening that has gone into this vehicle, which is whisper quiet when cruising along under electric power. The petrol engine chimes in with a faint hum, and coming in and out with varying revs as required. But at no point would I call it intrusive.

Its performance is impressive considering the weight. The B8 doesn't snap your neck like other performance EVs, rolling torque on progressively and smoothly rather than all at once. Rolling acceleration from 80km/h and upwards (often the bane of a heavy electric car) is done well here, allowing us to overtake confidently on two-lane highways.

Engage race mode for launch control, and you do unlock very fast acceleration out of the hole. However, doing so disengages traction and stability control so it cannot be recommended. Outside of that, the car is a bit less rapid.

Thoughts on the weight of the vehicle are never too far away, though, and the demands of physics fight against the sophisticated suspension setup. Denza's engineers have tuned this big rig away from feeling like a tub of lard, using the hydraulic suspension for impressive body control.

But it can feel a bit firm at times, refusing to settle on uneven surfaces. It's a persistent jiggle, which does upset the otherwise impressive driving experience. Wallowing highway roads can transmit into the cabin noticeably as well, rather than be soaked up by the chassis.

Although, the driver monitoring aids can be a bit tough to live with. It's the usual story with attention monitors, lane-keep assistance and traffic sign recognition often stumbling over each other to serenade you. This test was in northern South Australia as well, so there is a chance that the experience would be different (better or worse) in a more urban setting.

Tip this behemoth into a corner, and the steering is surprisingly well sorted. The body stays relatively flat, but the tyres start howling in protest as they fight against the demands of lateral grip.

Similarly to the on-road story, off-road performance is good – mostly. Once again, weight – the enemy of off-road performance – is always there, forcing the car to work harder than others would on moderately challenging tracks.

Locking differentials help no doubt, and the introduction of low-range on the rear axle is a massive improvement (compared to a Shark 6). Off-road driving modes are good as well, if you're not using the locking differentials.

But the Denza B8 never really feels naturally at home on rough and rutted tracks. It did all of our tests and challenges, and never got stuck, but the overall weight and stiffness made it a less natural and enjoyable experience from behind the wheel.

This is not just a BYD Shark 6 with a big engine and a fancy dress on. The Denza B8 does have a sense of quality in the cabin and driving experience that tells you there is a bit of the real deal going on here.

It's not perfect, though. Ride quality can be a let-down at times, and the sheer mass of the vehicle holds it back from the dynamic and off-road capability of other big four-wheel-drive wagons.

But weigh up the amount of metal, glass and rubber you're getting for your money, along with all of the trinkets and features, and even staunch LandCruiser owners would want to poke their heads in for a quick look.

For so many, diesel will still reign supreme through something like a Toyota LandCruiser, Prado or Land Rover Defender. But this plug-in hybrid brute from China will certainly provide a different point of view and experience to the status quo.

Sam Purcell has been writing about cars, four-wheel driving and camping since 2013, and obsessed with anything that goes brum-brum longer than he can remember. Sam joined the team at CarAdvice/Drive as the off-road Editor in 2018, after cutting his teeth at Unsealed 4X4 and Pat Callinan’s 4X4 Adventures. Off-road writer of the Year, Winner - Sam Purcell

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