New Denza Bao 5 looks like a Land Rover Defender, and is also priced like one
The Bao 5 aims to storm premium off-roader market with loads of kit and rugged looks
Those after a cut-price Land Rover Defender might be disappointed, because the Denza Bao 5 is now on sale for a mere £2,000 less than its British rival. The Chinese plug-in hybrid 4x4 is offered in two trim levels – the £69,500 Elegance and the £78,880 Ultimate – boasting a rugged ladder-frame chassis and, on top models, adjustable off-road suspension.
Denza is the luxury sub-brand of Chinese giant BYD and the Bao 5 is intended as a competitor for the aforementioned Land Rover Defender, as well as the Toyota Land Cruiser and Ineos Grenadier, plus more road-focused large SUVs such as the BMW X5 and Mercedes GLE.
While the majority of those cars come with long and expensive option lists, the entry-level Denza Bao 5 comes loaded with kit. Standard equipment includes 18-inch alloy wheels, heated, ventilated and massaging leather front seats, a heated steering wheel and rear seats, an 18-speaker Devialet sound system, a 50W wireless phone charger, a panoramic sunroof and a unique food storage unit, which can chill or even warm up meals. Buyers can choose from three interior colours – Eclipse Blue, Shoal Green, and Tarim Desert Beige – while there’s also a variety of optional paint shades.
Costing an extra £9,380, the top-spec Bao 5 Ultimate takes things even further with 20-inch wheels, Nappa leather upholstery, deployable side steps, ventilated rear seats and another wireless phone charger. Also exclusive to the Ultimate is a DiSus-P suspension set-up, which features continuous damping and an adjustable ride height that can rise 90mm above its regular setting, and drop 50mm down.
Special off-road PHEV powertrain
All Denza Bao 5s come with the same powertrain: a plug-in hybrid set-up 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 and, in what Denza says is a first for any plug-in hybrid, it’s mounted longitudinally. Then there are two electric motors – one for each axle – that take the 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 sprint from 0-62mph in 4.8 seconds (five seconds for the heavier Ultimate), before topping out at 112mph.
The bulk of the drivetrain’s power output is derived from the electric side and the two motors are powered by quite a hefty battery by plug-in hybrid standards. The 31.8kWh unit uses the same ‘Blade’ technology as 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 the battery from 30 to 80 per cent in 16 minutes. There is also 11kW AC charging that can manage a 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.
According to Stella Li, BYD Executive Vice President, “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 a clever electric system. This includes front and rear electronic differential locks, which work with a central torque-distribution system designed to adapt to conditions 30 times quicker than a mechanical set-up.
The Bao 5 also gets double-wishbone suspension front and rear, while as mentioned, the Ultimate version gains the DiSus-P 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.
Thanks to 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. This system means ground clearance goes up to 310mm (almost 20mm more than in a Land Rover Defender), with approach and departure angles at 39 degrees and 34 degrees respectively - five degrees more than in the Elegance version.
Interior and technology
Inside the Denza Bao 5 you’ll find 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 - although we’re not sure if a microphone is an optional extra. As for space inside, the boot capacity stands at 475 litres for both models with 1,069 litres available with the rear seats folded. This is all accessed via a side-opening door – much like the Defender which, through the Auto Express Buy a Car service, can be had with average savings of £4,000.
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