mPreview: DENZA B5 – Way More Than Just A Pavement Princess
We had a go in the all-new DENZA B5 on a gruelling off-road course at BYD’s All-Terrain Racetrack in Zhengzhou, China. The B5 is part of BYD's premium sub-brand, DENZA, which was recently launched in the Philippines.
First seen at the 2026 Singapore Motorshow, the DENZA B5 stood out from the crowd, quite literally in fact, thanks to its being over 1.9 metres tall. We pick up with the all-new B5 at BYD’s equally new facility in Zhengzhou, China.
The Zhengzhou All-Terrain Racetrack is essentially BYD Disneyland. Opened in September 2025, the compound consists of a 1.75km-long handling circuit, a simulated ice track, a 15,300m² multi-functional zone, an extensive off-road course, and the world’s largest and highest sand-climbing test facility.
We got to experience the DENZA B5 traversing those last two items, and were rather pleasantly surprised with how it fared.
The DENZA B5 might be positioned as a luxury SUV, but it’s more than just a pretty face, refusing to compromise on either comfort or capability. Under the brawny exterior, the B5 is built with cell-to-chassis technology, incorporating the battery system of its plug-in hybrid powertrain directly into the chassis for increased strength and rigidity. It also has the added benefit of giving the B5 a 50:50 weight distribution.
As tested, the DENZA B5 is powered by a 1.5-litre, 4-cylinder engine mated to two electric motors, one on each axle, for a total of 400kW (536hp) and 760Nm of torque sent to all four wheels. The plug-in hybrid system utilises a 31.8kWh BYD Blade battery for up to 850km of combined range on the WLTC scale. Though the final spec of the B5 may vary once it goes on sale in the Philippines, it's unlikely to be too far off these figures.
BYD’s off-road course was made up of 27 off-road elements that BYD says were designed to replicate well-known mountainous and off-road routes in China. These included potholes, gravel, valleys, protusions, a water crossing, and substantial inclines.
The B5 runs on DiSus-P adaptive suspension, allowing quick and easy switching of ride heights and damper stiffness depending on which of the (many) drive modes you’re in. In “Normal”, the ride is rather plush and can already conquer light off-roading work with ease, but for more serious trail driving, there’s also “Mountain” and “Rock” available for you to choose from.
"Rock" is one of nine available drive modes and offers all the info you could need on your screen.
Throughout the course, the B5 was unfazed, ushering all of its passengers through rather lairy terrain without fuss or complaint. We’re talking roller-coaster levels of roll and pitch angle, a deep wading pool, and even a giant metal see-saw, par for the course, I suppose, here at BYD Disneyland.
Roughly the size of a 10-storey building, this is the largest and highest sand-climbing test facility in the world, purpose-built to test the mettle of cars like the DENZA B5.
When it came to the 29.6-metre-high sand incline, the B5 powered straight up it with barely any run-up, making it to the top without breaking a sweat, and it even did a U-turn in the middle of the slope without any side slippage whatsoever.
The best part is that the B5 can do all of this off-roading lark while its passengers are still coccooned in Nappa leather upholstery and have heated and ventilated massaging seats to keep themselves as refreshed as can be.
The DENZA brand and the DENZA D9 luxury MPV have been officially launched in the Philippines, with the DENZA B5 not far behind. Stay tuned for more information on the B5's arrival later this year.
