When it comes to the “DENZA” (腾势) brand, the vehicle that immediately comes to mind is the SUV that’s reminiscent of the BYD Tang. As for the MPV category, the first vehicles that come to mind may be the “Elfa” and the “GL8” — vehicles primarily used for business purposes. But to combine these two categories together is beyond imagination. DENZA has created an MPV that is well-balanced and competent in every aspect. I recently had the opportunity to test-drive this vehicle for two days with the team at Garage 42. As a proud owner of the ideal “One” vehicle, let me share my thoughts on this amazing creation.

Dimensions

The DENZA D9 is the first MPV that I have encountered, and compared to my ideal “One” vehicle, it’s significantly larger in size. The front of the vehicle is very attractive and imposing. The driver’s seat is positioned quite high, which gives me the feeling that I am driving a large vehicle. The sightlines are quite good, which makes driving the car quite easy. The sliding side doors in the second row are the most ceremonial part of the vehicle that I have ever experienced–and it’s quite fun too.

The wireless charging pad above the gearshift can be called the benchmark in the industry. It’s common knowledge that wireless charging pads tend to overheat when charging a phone, which slows the charging speed and generates more heat. However, DENZA has added a cooling function to this area, demonstrating that the designers of this vehicle were meticulous with detail. There are three areas in the vehicle that support wireless charging with a peak charging speed of 50w, which is definitely a heartwarming feature in the industry.

Space

One of the critical factors in evaluating a vehicle today is space. As more and more families have two children, the demand for vehicle space has increased. The DENZA D9 has a sufficient amount of space for regular use with four passengers. With the third row open, it does not feel cramped even when the vehicle is full. The length of the car is 5,250 meters, which provides a certain level of comfort in terms of space.## Performance

As an MPV, under the premise of stable and smooth driving, how to make this car perform better? When driving at a high speed of 120 km/h, the NVH control is very good, which exceeds expectations. The noise outside the car is almost inaudible inside. The overall suspension performance is comfortable, and even speed bumps can be easily handled with good rebound. The chassis is somewhat loose, causing some shaking when changing lanes. The power performance exceeds my expectations. The acceleration is steady and linear, without sudden accelerations that might make passengers feel uncomfortable. When switching between gasoline and electric power, there is no jarring and the transition is very smooth. The brakes are a bit soft, but the degree of softness or firmness can be adjusted through the parameters on the car’s multimedia system. The engineers of DENZA Link deserve a thumbs-up for their ingenious design.

Entertainment

The DENZA Link system is installed in the car, and there are two screens in the rear, which can provide entertainment for the passengers in the second row while they enjoy the ride. Both screens have independent speaker systems, and one screen can be slid to the other. In addition, there is a camera above the screen, which can be used for remote meetings when necessary. This camera can also be controlled from the driver’s seat in the front row, which is convenient for family outings, as the father at the driver’s seat can see the situation of the children in the back seat.

However, I would like to criticize the second-row seats. Although the very atmospheric first-class aircraft seats were chosen, compromises were made in the width of the second-row seats for the convenience of third-row passengers, resulting in the second-row seats being not wide enough and somewhat hard. I have also experienced the second-row seats of the Ideal L9, which give people a feeling of sitting on a sofa, being soft and very comfortable. The controller on the armrest takes some time to get used to after the first ride, but once adapted, it is easy to use.

When the first three rows are occupied, the space in the trunk is very spacious, which can accommodate two suitcases and three carry-on bags, and also ensures the safety of the third-row passengers to some extent.

# DENZA Link

One of the major advantages of DENZA Link is its voice wake-up feature, which I have found to be the most responsive. It almost gives a real-time response within 1 second of closing my mouth. For example, when I say “DENZA, where should I go?”, it will display the corresponding coordinates on the screen within 1 second. It also supports multi-scenario continuous dialogue, which can simultaneously meet the needs of multiple passengers in different directions.

Summary

This car meets the two major needs of both business and family use. As for the shortcomings, besides what was mentioned above, there are three other points that I am not satisfied with. First, the capacitive keys are not very convenient to press, as they have a slow and unresponsive feedback compared to physical and touch keys. Second, the two-stage steps when getting on the second row are not friendly to elderly people and children, as it is easy to trip if not careful. If these shortcomings can be improved in the next model, the DENZA D9 will become the preferred choice for users as a family and business MPV. At least from my experience, its overall performance is very good.

This article is a translation by ChatGPT of a Chinese report from 42HOW. If you have any questions about it, please email bd@42how.com.