BYD wants to leave a mark in the luxury MPV segment in Southeast Asia. The Chinese automaker has made its intentions clear with its Denza D9. Making its public debut in Thailand and premiere in Southeast Asia, it has its sights aimed squarely at the Toyota Alphard.
The Denza D9 is BYD’s flagship MPV. Over in Thailand, there are two variants available and only come with electric power.
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In the Land of Smiles, the two variants on hand are the Premium and Performance AWD. The Premium uses a single motor that makes 308hp and 360Nm. Opt for the top-spec variant and it adds an additional motor that powers the rear wheels for a total output of 369hp and 470Nm.
For those curious how far these will go on a charge, both Premium and Performance AWD use a 103.36kWh battery pack that uses BYD Blade technology. Range for the Premium is rated at 600km, while the Performance AWD has slightly less at 580km based on NEDC
(New European Driving Cycle) testing methods.
Interestingly, there are also range extender versions of the Denza D9. It’s not offered in Thailand, but it would be an interesting option if this luxury minivan were to be sold in the Philippines. Dubbed the D9 DM-i, it pairs a 1.5-liter turbo to an electric drive system. There are three configurations available, namely a standard model that has a range of up to 965km, a long-range model that can do over 1,000km, and an all-wheel drive version that gives this minivan around 400hp and a cruising range of 970km.
As it’s positioned as a luxury MPV, one can expect a plush and lounge-like interior. Of course, there’s acres of leather and expensive-looking trims inside, along with a barrage of screens. There are two in front, two at the back for the entertainment system, and a pair of smaller screens that control various functions from the captain’s chairs.
The first two rows of seats can also be adjusted electrically, plus there’s a 14-speaker Dynaudio sound system. As one would expect from an MPV like this, the seats are also ventilated. And if that’s still not enough, there’s a built-in mini refrigerator for those seated at the back.
There have been reports that Denza could be introduced in the Philippines sometime in 2025. Should AC Mobility, the local distributor of BYD vehicles in the country, be authorized to sell Denza here, there’s a good chance that the D9 could be one of the first models to be introduced. If so, it will be interesting to see if the D9 will come with pure electric power or as a range extender EV.
