New Denza Bao 5 aims to be a “huge hit”, and that should worry Land Rover
The Bao 5 aims to storm premium off-roader market with loads of kit and rugged looks
Denza has announced its first SUV built for Europe - the Bao 5. A big, bulky premium off-roader, the Denza Bao 5 will start to arrive on customers’ driveways before the end of the year with orders opening in the next few weeks. Two trim levels will be offered - the £69,500 Elegance and the £78,880 Ultimate.
Denza, a sub-brand of Chinese automotive giant BYD, calls itself a “premium technology-oriented automotive brand” and the new Bao 5 is designed to go up against the Land Rover Defender, Toyota Land Cruiser, Ineos Grenadier - plus the usual mix of less off-road focused large SUVs like the BMW X5 and Mercedes GLE.
We’ve already driven the Bao 5 in its Chinese ‘Denza B5’ form last year, going for a brief test drive on BYD’s bespoke off-road course. The latest chapter in the Bao 5 story comes as Denza takes the wraps off its rugged-looking SUV at Goodwood Festival of Speed and furnishes us with final specifications for the UK market.
Special off-road PHEV powertrain
All Denza Bao 5s come with the same powertrain. It’s a plug-in hybrid that Denza says is “specifically designed for use in rougher conditions”. There’s a 148bhp 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine under that vast bonnet. The engine is mounted longitudinally in what is a first for any plug-in hybrid, according to Denza. Then there are two electric motors - one for each axle that takes total output up to 536bhp and 760Nm of torque.
Despite a kerbweight of 2,940kg (3,035kg for the Ultimate), the five-metre long Denza can reach 62mph in 4.8 seconds (five seconds for the heavier Ultimate), before topping out at 112mph.
The drivetrain’s power output is derived heavily from the electric side and the two motors are powered by quite a hefty battery by plug-in hybrid standards. It’s a 31.8kWh unit with the same ‘Blade’ technology you find in BYD’s fully-electric models. Under WLTP testing the Bao 5 can reach 56 miles on electric power alone with a 100kW maximum charge speed topping up 30 to 80 per cent in 16 minutes. There is also 11kW AC charging to replenish 15 to 100 per cent charge in just over three hours. Denza says that with a completely drained battery the Bao 5’s petrol engine will return an average of 26.4mpg.
Stella Li, BYD Executive Vice President, spoke about the expectations behind the Bao 5: “Premium customers in Europe love SUVs, so we're confident that the DENZA BAO 5 will be a huge hit here. Its sophisticated design, high-quality cabin and advanced DMO plug-in hybrid powertrain make it the perfect choice for buyers who want off-road ability without compromise on interior comforts and technologies.”
Real off-road ability built-in
That off-road ability comes from a mix of a relatively old-school ladder-frame construction and clever electric system which should give the Bao 5 real credentials over the rough stuff. There are front and rear electronic differential locks, which work in conjunction with a central torque distribution system designed to adapt to environments 30 times quicker than a mechanical setup.
The Bao 5 also gets double-wishbone suspension front and rear with the Ultimate version gaining ‘DiSus-P’ - a body-control system that we’ve already experienced in the all-electric Denza Z9 GT. It monitors steering angle, pedal position, tyre pressure and tyre temperature to provide better dynamic responses.
With the hydraulic suspension system that comes with DiSus-P, the Bao 5 can reduce body roll on the move by adjusting its configuration - but it can also withstand a drop of 1.5 metres, so you can rest assured it’ll be able to survive any steep city centre curbs you might encounter. With this system, ground clearance goes up to 310mm (almost 20mm more than a Land Rover Defender) with approach and departure angles at 39 degrees and 34 degrees respectively - five degrees more than the Elegance version.
Interior and technology
Inside the Denza Bao 5 you’ll find a total of three screens and a head-up display for the driver. The massive 15.6-inch touchscreen on the dash comes with Google built-in, meaning it has access to Google Maps, Google Assistant (voice command) and the Google Play Store to download more apps.
The front passenger’s screen can operate the car’s settings (as long as they're not associated with the drive), the app store, browser and even a karaoke function - though we’re not sure if a microphone is an optional extra. There’s an 18-speaker sound system from French company Devialet too, a refrigerator in the centre console, plus four USB sockets, a wireless smartphone charger (two in the Ultimate) and massaging seats for the front occupants.
As for space inside, the boot capacity stands at 475 litres for both models with 1,069 litres available with the rear seats folded. The Ultimate also adds front and rear seat heating and ventilation, plus the front passenger seat can fold down completely to provide an “extended footrest for the rear passenger sitting behind”, according to Denza. The standard Elegance gets leather upholstery inside while the Ultimate gets Nappa-grade leather instead.
The Bao 5 comes with seven exterior colours to choose from, including six metallic options - black, white, grey, blue, green and gold. There’s also a matte finish called ‘Mineral Purple’. The interior can also be finished in blue, green, or beige. Prices starting from under £70,000 put the Bao 5 head-to-head with the Land Rover Defender 110, which opens at £72,000 for the plug-in hybrid model. On the Auto Express Buy A Car service the Defender 110 can currently be had with an average saving of over £4,000.
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