Chinese car-making colossus BYD has come and had a go. Is its Defender-fighting tough guy hard enough?
You might not feel like you know Denza – the new ‘technologically-oriented’ premium brand of burgeoning Chinese car-making powerhouse BYD – very well at present. But if you’re headed to the Goodwood Festival of Speed, you might just end the weekend feeling like you know it quite a lot better than you used to. That’s because Denza has erected the biggest Goodwood show stand in ‘FOS’ history to mark its emergence in the European market in 2026. And taking centre stage on that stand is the Denza Bao 5: a tough-looking, mid-sized, capability-centred SUV which is one of the brand’s introductory models.This car is set to use plug-in hybrid power, a bespoke offroading-orientated model platform, hardcore active hydraulic suspension and more to prove that Denza can be considered alongside marques like Land Rover, Toyota, Mercedes-Benz, Jeep and others. Can be taken seriously as a maker of the most capable off-roaders in the world. Evidently, it’s aiming to do it uncompromisingly, from a standing start, to make up for lost time.But has it bitten off more than it can chew?
