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Photos: BYD Auto

CHANGSHA, CHINA

Among a handful of mainstream Chinese automakers, BYD, which Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway once held 20 percent ownership of, is one of the brands which have made the biggest waves globally. Back home, where our market is small, but holds significant influence within the region, BYD has dominated in EV sales, growing from 786 registrations in a year, back in 2022, to almost twice that number in 2023. It is not even the end of 2024 just yet, but BYD has already trumped sales the year before, registering around 2,600 vehicles – almost twice of last year’s sales figures.

While BYD is already on a roll, they are not stopping, as their next big thing for Singapore is Denza.

A Denza D9 has got nothing to do with Tonys, though we had an Antony in our group

Denza is one of the three other sub brands under the BYD umbrella, along with Yangwang and Formula Bao. Perhaps loosely, you could think along the lines of VAG.

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The D9 is the brand’s first car that will arrive on our shores. This is a luxury electric MPV, which will compete directly with the Toyota Vellfire, and also the Maxus Mifa 9, the latter together with its MG M9 clone. Zeekr, another newly-introduced Chinese brand here, will also be launching the 009 MPV, which will also add to competition (no news if it’s Volvo sibling the EM 90 will see the light of day here just yet).

At 5,250mm long, 1,960mm wide and 1,920mm in height, the D9 is large by Singapore standards. This, with a 3,100mm wheelbase, contributes to impressive interior space, to which Denza coins their “777” concept. A tall order in vehicle design, where seven adults, each 180cm tall, are able to comfortably sit in the vehicle, while the cargo area is still able to accommodate up to seven 20-inch suitcases and seven business backpacks.

What truly strikes me is the quality of the D9’s interior, since it is fitted with real wood veneers, Nappa leather upholstery, and given the large number of fittings, it did surprise me that there are no squeaks. Up in the front, there is a 15.6-inch central control screen, which is quick to react to your inputs. The middle row captain’s chairs each have their own touchscreens, to toggle seat settings, and other comfort settings. The second row also has access to the DENZA Link voice command system, which allows for added convenience in working the car’s features.

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Speaking of quality, I could not help opening and closing the second row tables several times, since they do come across as sturdy; and I do particularly like the polished metal hinging. Quality audio is via a 14-speaker Dynaudio system, and for those who appreciate a quiet interior, Denza have boldly mentioned that the cabin can remain peaceful, even up to speeds of 120km/h.

While we had time constraints, I managed to snag quick driving impressions of the electric MPV around a small test area. Denza seems to have nailed the driving position pretty well, as it looks like you can drive this car for longer distances without much fatigue. Like any EV, you bet the D9 is quick off-the-line. Overall, it rides well around the bends, in-part thanks to the BYD’s Disus-C intelligent damping vehicle body control system; where the suspension, while being tested on the track, comes across as set for comfort, whilst body roll seems minimal. This definitely shows plenty of promise.

I checked in with James Ng, the brand’s Managing Director for Singapore and the Philippines, and he has confirmed that given no large fluctuations in COE prices, the Denza D9 will start just below $300,000, which would put it around Vellfire money. Additionally, we also confirmed that while Denza does have a hybrid variant of their MPV, only the electric version of the D9 will make its way to the Singapore market. 

The D9 is just the tip of the iceberg for Denza. Other models which could make their way here over time, include the N7 midsize coupe-SUV, and the Z9 Executive Sedan.

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