Denza Z9 GT EV review

BYD brand positions seriously potent EV as a premium challenger

Chapter 1: Introduction

This Denza Z9 GT EV is not quite like any Chinese car that has gone before it. 

You can - and I would - argue that other Chinese cars aim to beat the competition by offering more: more power, more tech, and more space, all for less money.

However, Denza is offering more for, well, more. Prices are yet to be confirmed, but this electric car will cost around £100,000 at least. In France, it will be similar. In Australia - £55,000 to £60,000, and in China, about £45,000.

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DESIGN & STYLING

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It has a curious, estate-like shape. It’s not unhandsome and comes in some lovely, bright colours.

The front is slightly generic, but there are some ornate creases along the sides and a lovely, shooting brake-like rear with large tail-lights that evoke 1960s Americana.

It’s not anonymous, but it doesn't stop you in your tracks either.
Murray Scullion
Digital editor

The EV (a Denza Z9 GT PHEV will follow) uses a 309bhp motor on the front axle and twin 416bhp motors on the rear, producing a combined output of 1140bhp. 

Fully independent rear wheels give it a few party tricks, including "crab walking" and turning the rear wheels in tandem to parallel park for you -  simply drive nose-first, and the rear follows you in.

The rear wheel steering is ace in a tight spot - but it makes the steering quite heavy and grainy when you engage it at low speeds - like you need to push past some kind of mechanical barrier.

There is Lidar on the roof, futureproofing the car for autonomous driving. Denza is banking on governments changing legislation to allow for higher levels of autonomy; when they do, unlocking it should merely be a case of a software update.

It has a 372-mile range, which is so-so. But Denza is hoping its new charging network will make up for that - and it becomes its Tesla Supercharger eureka moment. Dare I say, it really needs one, because the car is just good. It is better than fine, but not great.

INTERIOR

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Inside, the quality is largely good. Stella Li, the executive vice-president, made numerous references to not wanting leather in her new Denza showrooms, which should arrive in the UK around July. 

Yet, this Z9 is full of cowhide. There is even a fetching, purplish colour option that I imagine very few will buy.

There is a shallow underfloor compartment in the boot and a 53-litre "frunk' is just about big enough to store your charging cables.

Space for passengers in the rear is top-notch. There are only four seats, but all four get heating, cooling, and massage functions, and the rear two can also recline. The boot is actually on the small and narrow side, but there is a bit of underfloor storage and a "frunk" too.

ENGINES & PERFORMANCE

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To drive, it is bloody quick. Pull the paddle behind the steering wheel to activate boost mode, and you can believe that sub-3.0-second 0-62mph time. The pace tails off beyond that, however.

While from a standstill it is galvanic, its accelerative ability feels more subdued at every other speed. I think this is because of its weight.

Even after more than an hour of driving, I still found it pretty hard to modulate.
Murray Scullion
Digital editor

Internet commenters, get your typing finger ready: it weighs 2.9 tonnes. Being this heavy has a profound effect on everything. When it accelerates hard, the nose lifts significantly.

Then there are the brakes. With three tonnes and 1100bhp, you need good ones, and the carbon ceramics are strong. But the pedal has just too much travel before you hit the full anchors. 

RIDE & HANDLING

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The dual-chamber air suspension has a few different settings, though its firmest is still pretty bloody soft.

It could do with a touch more damping for UK tastes. It has a habit of burying itself deeply into undulations and emerging on the other side quite slowly. 

There's not a great deal of feedback through the steering wheel or seat.
Murray Scullion
Digital editor

At motorway speeds on roads in good condition, it is really pretty comfortable; you could do serious mileage comfortably. But at lower speeds, there’s the jittery pitter-patter of a car that has a lot going on underneath it.

Handling is pretty good. At low speeds it’s artificially light, but it actually gets quite heavy when the speed increases. It feels natural at these faster speeds -  and you can make it even heavier in the menus. 

MPG & RUNNING COSTS

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It will be able to accept power at a rapid 1500kW, allowing it to charge from 10 to 97 per cent (stopping short of 100 per cent to extend the life of the battery) in just nine minutes.

I watched it do this in a demonstration, and it is mesmerising. I drive a lot of EVs, and I very rarely need to charge from 10 to 90%. If I am rapid-charging, I am more likely to charge from 10 to 30% - just enough to get me home, where I will plug in because it is much cheaper. With this car, that will take a mere couple of minutes.

It's genuinely quite impressive that I managed to achieve the WLTP efficiency score.
Murray Scullion
Digital editor

Denza reckons it will crack 3.0 miles per kWh, and on my testing, it pretty much did just that. 

It’s not bad for a car of this size and power, but the Germans are getting much better results, admittedly with less power.

VERDICT

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It’s a bit of a feeler, this car. It has 1100bhp - but does it feel that quick? It has the empirical hallmarks of luxury, but does it feel premium? It costs £100,000, but does it feel like a £100,000 car? I don’t think so. 

Ultimately there are oddities that prevent it feeling like a Porsche rival. The doors are electrically operated and the aperture it opens up is sometimes inconsistent, there are very unassured bits if you look (like the vanity mirror cover held up via magnet) and the touchscreen, while useful, has pretty standard fonts from an Android operating system, a few erroneous capital letters and there’s even a file manager - a bit like when the McDonald’s ordering screens aren’t working and it defaults to its operating system. 

Murray Scullion

Murray Scullion
Title: Digital editor

Murray has been a journalist for more than a decade. During that time he’s written for magazines, newspapers and websites, but he now finds himself as Autocar’s digital editor.

He leads the output of the website and contributes to all other digital aspects, including the social media channels, podcasts and videos. During his time he has reviewed cars ranging from £50 - £500,000, including Austin Allegros and Ferrari 812 Superfasts. He has also interviewed F1 megastars, knows his PCPs from his HPs and has written, researched and experimented with behavioural surplus and driverless technology.

Murray graduated from the University of Derby with a BA in Journalism in 2014 and has previously written for Classic Car Weekly, Modern Classics Magazine, buyacar.co.uk, parkers.co.uk and CAR Magazine, as well as carmagazine.co.uk.