The Story
The headline from TopGear — Denza Bao 5 review: Chinese Defender rival gets 537bhp and many screens Reviews 2026 - Top Gear — sets up a notable development in the car world. Here’s the breakdown:
Certainly looks like it could be either of those, doesn’t it? It’s a boxy, ladder-frame SUV with a bluff front end, square arches, extending side steps and a spare wheel on the back, but it’s neither a Toyota nor a Defender. It’s actually a BYD.
In other words, well actual BYDs haven’t had that written out in full since someone realised it was a terrible idea five minutes after the Chinese megacorp launched in the UK, but it’s also missing here because this is a Denza.
That is — quick bit of context – Denza describes itself as the “premium technology-oriented automotive brand of the BYD Group” and we’ll see its cars on UK roads from October this year as the first customers take delivery of their Taycan-rivalling Z9 GTs. This car’s full name for the UK will be the Denza Bao 5 (we previously knew it as…
To put it simply, it’s not, but there’s still a fairly hefty 31.8kWh battery mounted underneath. That and two electric motors allow for 56 miles of all-electric, all-wheel drive running. But this is a plug-in hybrid, so there’s also a 1.5-litre turbo four-pot under the bonnet which primarily charges the battery to allow for a combined…
Breaking this down, the two power sources can also combine for a total of 537bhp and 561lb ft of torque, and should you so desire this big old bus will do 0-62mph in 4.8 seconds in its most basic trim. Top speed is 112mph.
Now, well, Denza gave us a very quick early go in a Bao 5 just before the Goodwood Festival of Speed. And by ‘very quick’, we mean we drove it on a few country lanes and round a couple of roundabouts for a maximum of 10 minutes, so hardly enough for a thorough review. Still, first impressions do count for something, so here goes….
Why It Matters
This story resonates because it marks a notable moment for the industry. Industry watchers often read such moves as signals — for the general landscape this could suggest a shift toward younger, digitised audiences.
CarMotion Daily’s Take
Our read: Denza Bao 5 review: Chinese Defender rival gets 537bhp and many screens Revie… is more than a headline — it indicates a deliberate move from the parties involved’s playbook. Watch the next 60 days for follow-through.
📝 Source & Copyright Notice
This story was first reported by TopGear. For the full article with original photography and complete coverage, visit the source: Read the full story at TopGear →