The Denza D9, BYD’s premium electric minivan offering, has received a 2024 update in China, complete with minor tweaks and some surprisingly welcome price cuts. Last year, it was China’s top-selling minivan, so there must be something to it, even if it’s not exactly groundbreaking.
If you thought the Denza D9 looked a bit like a Toyota Alphard on steroids, you wouldn’t be alone. That massive chrome grille on the front is still very much present, but hey, some people like ostentatious. The rear keeps the “connected” taillight trend alive, and BYD has thrown in electric suction doors as a standard feature. At least those are genuinely useful!
What has changed
Inside is where some interesting, even if minor, changes have happened. The interior still offers seven-seat and ultra-luxurious four-seat options. But BYD has mercifully ditched those gimmicky touch-sensitive steering wheel buttons in favor of actual physical controls.
There are now more physical buttons on the center console too, presumably because someone had a word with the design team.
The minivan also got some software-based updates including a new game center app (we’re not sure why you’d want to game in a minivan, but okay), and a customizable voice assistant wake word. The new interior color shade also has a quirky-sounding name “旷达米” which translates to “Broad-minded Rice.”
The luxurious ‘Pioneer’ variant
If you fancy all the bells and whistles, the four-seat D9 Pioneer is where BYD’s crammed all the goodies — fancy air purification, ridiculous 18-way adjustable massaging seats, and a massive screen for rear passengers. But you’ll have to wait a bit for its deliveries to begin – they’re expected to start around the second quarter of 2024.
The Denza D9 is available in both hybrid (DM-i) and fully electric (EV) setups. There are now three hybrid options and two EV configurations. Here’s the breakdown:
- PHEV (Plug-in Hybrid)
- DM-i 970: 102-kW 1.5-liter engine, 170-kW motor, FWD, estimated 64-mile EV range
- DM-i 1050: 102-kW 1.5-liter engine, 170-kW motor, FWD, estimated 124-mile EV range
- DM-i 980: 102-kW 1.5-liter engine, 170-kW + 45-kW motors, AWD, estimated 118-mile EV range
- BEV (Pure Electric)
- EV 620: 230-kW motor, FWD, estimated 385-mile range
- EV 600: 230-kW + 45-kW motor, AWD, estimated 373-mile range
The best part is that BYD has actually lowered the starting price across the range. Quite surprising in the current automotive market!
The 2024 Denza D9 kicks off at 339,800 yuan (~ USD 47,200). That means BYD has reduced the starting price for its PHEV models by about USD 1,000, and a significant USD 4,235 for the EV version. The most expensive trim tops out at 600,600 yuan or roughly USD 84,300.
More of a Mild Refresh
Overall, this doesn’t feel like a major refresh for the Denza D9 this year. The changes are welcome but it feels more like BYD is responding to customer feedback.
So if you were expecting something revolutionary, you may be probably disappointed. Still, the D9 was successful for a reason, and these price cuts might interest even more customers to buy it, especially in the Chinese market.
