2025 BYD Denza B5 spied in Australia: Hybrid off-road Prado rival testing
01/02/2025 01:00 PM
The BYD Shark 6 ute’s high-power SUV sibling is set for Australian showrooms, if a photo of a left-hand-drive prototype – with export-market branding – testing locally is a guide.
BYD’s plug-in hybrid challenger to the Toyota Prado – the Fangchengbao Bao 5 – is all but confirmed for Australia after a disguised prototype was spotted testing on local roads this week.
It is set to ditch its home-market name – which translates to ‘Formula Leopard Leopard 5’ – for BYD Denza B5, as part of the Australian launch of the Chinese firm’s Denza luxury sub-brand.
The Bao 5/Denza B5 is a large five-seat, off-road, plug-in hybrid SUV similar in size to a Ford Everest or Isuzu MU-X, and slightly shorter nose to tail than a new Toyota Prado.
MORE: 2024 Fangchengbao Bao 5 review
The example spotted in Melbourne by BYD EV Owners Australia Facebook group member Brian is left-hand drive, and disguised in a black wrap, but a search of its NSW registration plate confirms the Denza B5 name.
It is closely related to the new BYD Shark 6 ute, with a similar ladder-frame chassis and plug-in hybrid drivetrain comprised of a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine and two electric motors.
But where the Shark 6 produces 321kW/650Nm, the Denza B5 develops 505kW and 760Nm thanks to higher-output electric and petrol power sources.
BYD claims a 0-100km/h acceleration time of 4.8 seconds, in a vehicle weighing close to 2.9 tonnes.
MORE: Hybrid, plug-in hybrid and mild hybrid: What's the difference?
The 31.8kWh battery – up from 29.6kWh in the Shark 6 – claims 125km of electric-only driving range, though it is based on Chinese test procedures which are more lenient than the WLTP standard used in Europe and common in Australia.
It is fitted with height-adjustable hydraulic suspension, electronic front and rear differential locks, a series of drive modes including a low-range-esque setting, and a choice of 18- or 20-inch wheels.
Despite producing significantly more power than the Shark 6, the Denza B5 is limited to the same 2500kg braked towing capacity, down on the 3500kg of the diesel Prado, Everest and MU-X.
In China, the most affordable Bao 5 is the same price as a top-of-the-range BYD Seal electric sedan, which in Australia retails for $68,748 plus on-road costs.
Flagship versions of the 4WD cost the equivalent of $85,000 to $90,000 before on-road costs, or close to $100,000 drive-away.
Available features inside the Denza B5 include a 15.6-inch touchscreen, 12.3-inch instrument display, 50-inch head-up display, 18-speaker stereo, four-zone climate control, nappa leather and suede seats, and a panoramic sunroof.
More details of the BYD Denza B5 are due closer to its Australian launch, which could occur as soon as the second half of 2025.
The Denza brand could also include a rebadged version of the Yangwang U8, a full-sized hybrid 4WD sold in China that has been seen testing in right-hand drive.
CEO of BYD’s Australian distributor EVDirect, David Smitherman, recently told Drive “some of the other brands [in BYD’s global portfolio] will definitely come to market” locally.
In October 2024, he said: “We want to have a vehicle for every segment, and if we look at our aspirations as a brand, we need to have large SUVs.
“We need to have an array of products for every segment, and that's what we will deliver.”
The post 2025 BYD Denza B5 spied in Australia: Hybrid off-road Prado rival testing appeared first on Drive.
