Spotted! BYD Denza B5 Testing in Sydney Ahead of Expected End-of-Year Arrival
Published: 24 Jul 2025
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Upcoming Denza B5 targets Ford Everest, Toyota Prado SUV buyers
Ladder‑frame SUV packs 100 km EV range, 505 kW, 0‑100 km/h 4.8 s
Denza B5 pricing expected near AUD $80k, Australian launch expected before 2025‑end
Chinese-made cars have continued to assert their dominance on the new car market in Australia, squeezing the sales of household names like Subaru, Mitsubishi, Ford, and even Toyota. Despite a slowing market, Chinese brands have seen an uptick in sales, with the 102,938 cars sold through June 2025 representing a 6,323 increase over the same period last year.
While most new Chinese car brands are unrecognisable to the average punter, one reigns supreme, BYD. Their sales have continued to climb in a tough market with the BYD Shark 6, Sealion 6, and Sealion 7 BEV challenging each of the top-selling car brands category leaders in the Ford Ranger, Toyota RAV4, and Tesla Model Y. Now, they're coming for the Ford Everest and Toyota Prado with the soon-to-be-released BYD Denza B5.
The Denza B5 sits on a ladder frame chassis like the Shark 6 and features a 31.8kWh Blade battery capable of 100km of electric-only driving range. This battery is backed by a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol 4-cylinder engine that keeps the battery charged, and works as a generator for the majority of the time. When power is combined, however, you'll be able to unleash a combined 505kW and 760Nm of torque, which is good for 0-100km/h in 4.8 seconds. Of course, these figures have not been confirmed for our market.
BYD Denza B5 | Image: The Driven / Adam C
Known as the Fang Cheng Bao Leopard Bao 5 in China, the B5 off-roader will likely be sold under the new Denza brand in Australia, although the name is yet to be confirmed.
BYD Australia senior product manager Sajid Hasan confirmed to Chasing Cars that the BYD Denza B5 will be the first model for the brand, but stopped before confirming its arrival timing. 'The B5 will be the first model…I'm confirming it now.' He then stated that the Bao 8 4×4, Denza N9 large SUV, Z9 GT sports wagon, and D9 luxury people mover and on the wish list, too.
We spotted the camo-covered Denza B5 cruising along the Pacific Highway near Chatswood in busy peak-hour traffic, and then a reader of The Driven shared photos with the publication showcasing the vehicle charging at a Tesla Supercharger in the same area, likely just after we snapped these photos.
BYD Denza B5 | Image: Supplied
BYD Denza B5 | Image: Supplied
With a combined 505kW of power and 760Nm of torque from a 285kW rear electric motor, 200kW front motor, and a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol 4-cylinder engine, the 0-100km/h acceleration time of 4.8 seconds will entice key decision makers in the buying process.
It's likely the Denza B5 will follow the Shark 6s lead in giving the large SUV segment a significant shake-up. Indeed, many Ford Everest and Toyota Prado buyers wouldn't bat an eye at a dual electric motor powered 'Super Hybrid' off-roader because of concerns about reliability off the beaten path. However, the same was previously said about the BYD Shark 6, and that car has proven to be nothing but a dominant sales success for the Chinese car brand with 10,424 vehicles sold through June 2025.
Measuring 4,890mm long, 1,970mm wide, 1,920mm tall and with a 2800mm wheelbase, the B5 is slightly shorter than the Toyota Prado, which is considered to be a main competitor. It's slightly larger than the GWM Tank 300, which is another Chinese-made hybrid off-roader you can buy right now.
The main thing to keep in mind with the Denza label is that, like the recently unveiled IM MG sub-brand, Denza is a premium brand under the BYD umbrella. That means the pricing for the Denza B5 is very likely going to land in the AUD$80,000 drive-away region, which makes it more expensive than cars like the Ford Everest, Toyota Prado, and ISUZU MU-X, at least in base specification.
We expected the BYD Denza B5 to arrive before the end of 2025, and with a test mule cruising around Sydney streets, it looks like that's a very strong possibility. We then expect to see the larger, Denza B8 to arrive sometime next year with a 550kW powertrain and 3305kg kerb weight.
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