BYD Malaysia announced in September that its Denza luxury sub-brand will be making its debut here on our shores in Q1 2025. As expected, the company has now confirmed that the Denza D9 EV MPV will indeed become its first model in Malaysia, bringing the fight to the Alphard/Vellfire duo, as well as the Zeekr 009.
Unlike the BYD brand, Denza will not be distributed by Sime Darby Motors, but instead through BYD Malaysia themselves. Sime Darby has been appointed as the official importer through its Sime Darby Auto Imports subsidiary, and we presume will likely also remain as a dealer.
The company has not revealed any details or specifications just yet, but has already given the local media a preview of the Denza D9 in right-hand drive (RHD) guise during its first-batch roll-off ceremony in Changsha, China back in August.
Unveiled in Hong Kong earlier this year, the RHD version of the Denza D9 is currently only available in fully electric form. Two powertrain options are available, with the base variant driven by a single motor on the front axle, rated at 313 hp and 360 Nm of torque. That translates to a 0-100 km/h sprint time of 9. 5 seconds.
An all-wheel drive option is also available, with an additional electric motor on the rear axle that brings the total system output up to 374 hp and 470 Nm, thus dropping its century sprint time down to 6.9 seconds.
Both powertrain options are paired to the same 103 kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) “Blade” battery pack, which promises a range of 520 km (WLTP) on the FWD variant, and 480 km (WLTP) on the AWD. Charging support is rated at 11 kW on AC power, and 166 kW using a DC fast charger.
Uniquely, the Denza D9 in China supports parallel charging using two separate charging ports located on both sides of the car, allowing the car to achieve its maximum 166 kW DC fast charging speed using slower chargers. However, that feature is not available on international models using the CCS2 charging port.
READ MORE: RHD Denza D9 spied in Malaysia, EV MPV with up to 620km range
Interior appointment is the name of the game on a luxury MPV, and unsurprising, the Denza D9 is also filled to the brim with premium-grade equipment. These include the twin captain seats in the second row, complete with 10-way power adjustability, 10-point massage functions, as well as heating and ventilation, all controlled via the armrest-mounted touchscreen panel; Nappa leather upholstery and real wood veneer trims, and a large panoramic glass roof.
The Denza D9 is also available with a 14-speaker Dynaudio sound system, a three-zone independent climate control system, three 50W wireless charging pads, including two for the second row “boss seats”, and even a 7.5-litre fridge underneath the front central armrest in case you’re suddenly in the mood for champagne on the move.
Of course, actual equipment availability will have to depend on the local specifications, which in turn will depend on the company’s pricing strategy here, but the model’s pricing an availability in Singapore could give us some hints. The Denza D9 is offered in two variants over in our neighbouring island-nation: the front-wheel drive D9 Elite is priced at SGD296,888 (approx. RM984k), while the D9 Grandeur AWD comes in at SGD341,888 (approx. RM1.13 million), both inclusive of COE.
Those pricing means that the Denza D9 significantly undercuts both the all-new Toyota Vellfire Hybrid (from SGD399,888, approx. RM1.32 million), and the Zeekr 009 (from SGD400,888, approx. RM1.33 million) in Singapore. Could we see a similar pricing strategy from BYD Malaysia? Keep your eyes peeled!
ALSO READ: BYD’s luxury sub-brand Denza to launch D9 in Malaysia Q1 2025?
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