In recent years, with the comprehensive outbreak of new energy vehicles, consumers have many options when choosing new energy cars, including sedans and SUVs. However, there are always few new energy MPVs in the market. With the opening of the national birth policy, more and more families with two or three children have emerged, and the demand for new energy MPVs is constantly rising.
Recently, the joint venture brand TANK from BYD and Mercedes-Benz launched their new energy MPV – TANK D9. How is the product power of this car? Is it really the “ceiling of domestic MPVs” in the mouths of some people? Today, we will experience this car statically.
Introduction and Q&A
Upon entering the exhibition area, the TANK staff introduced the TANK brand and D9. It is worth mentioning that the Sales General Manager of TANK, Zhao Changjiang, also came to the scene that day, which shows the importance of this event to TANK.
Shanghai Stores and Exhibition Cars
Currently, TANK is accelerating the construction of stores in Shanghai. They plan to build a total of 11 TANK stores, including 9 TANK experience stores and 2 TANK centers. And all these stores are directly operated by TANK, which is also a big difference between TANK and traditional BYD stores. Another difference is that Zhao Changjiang said that TANK will not invest heavily in advertising, but will put this part of the budget into the product itself. Moreover, TANK will listen to user feedback more in the product design process, forming a mode of co-creation with users.
In response to the problem of few exhibition cars in Shanghai, Zhao Changjiang said that there will be 2-3 more cars coming to the store around the 10th of this month, and test drives will be available in mid-September. Also, the vehicles will be delivered by the end of this month at the latest for users who order before September 30th. TANK is confident that they will achieve a monthly delivery volume of over 10,000 units of D9 in December this year and a full-year delivery target of 23,000 to 30,000 units in 2022.
DM-i and EV Models
The DM-i version is available in two-wheel and four-wheel drive versions. The longest comprehensive range of 190km version NEDC can reach 1040 km, and the maximum pure electric range of NEDC can reach 190 km. The 50 km pure electric version NEDC energy consumption per 100 kilometers is as low as 5.9 L. The DM-i version supports a maximum of 80 kW DC fast charging, which is very good for hybrid models with small battery capacity.The EV version is built on the BYD e-platform 3.0 and equipped with BYD blade batteries. The single-motor version CLTC has a maximum range of up to 620 kilometers, and the four-wheel drive version has a 0-100 km/h acceleration time of 6.9 seconds. The EV version also supports “double gun charging” for the first time. When connected to two fast charging piles at the same time, the maximum charging power can reach 166 kW, and 230 km can be charged in just 15 minutes.
OTA Upgrade
Regarding the concern about intelligence, Zhao Changjiang promised that OTA upgrades will be conducted every quarter after vehicle delivery, and the OTA content planning will be based on user feedback and new needs.
Subsequent Product Planning
The official of DENZA said that they will release seven new models in the next three years. In addition to the DENZA D9 released this year, a large five-seat SUV will also be launched. The third model will be a mid-to-large six-seat SUV, followed by sedans, coupe cars, and large SUVs.
Zhao Changjiang also mentioned INCEPTION, DENZA’s midsize coupe SUV to be launched in the future. Although the launch date is uncertain, Zhao revealed several features of this car, including “one-key drift mode”, “professional makeup mirror for co-driver”, “20-inch suitcase can be placed in the front trunk”, and “powerful performance”.
Appearance
After the opening introduction, the staff finally uncovered the car cover on the exhibition car. I almost thought I saw a Toyota Alphard.
However, when I took a closer look at the front of the DENZA D9, I realized that compared with the Alphard, the D9 has a more imposing front face. The large and domineering grille occupies most of the front of the car, coupled with the split-type headlights on both sides, giving a subtle leopard feeling.
The roofline on the side of the car gradually rises from the front of the car, then gradually descends after the B-pillar and can also be found on the Xpeng Linmeng Dreamer. The side design does not include waistlines like those on the Buick GL8. Personally, I prefer the side design of the GL8.
Moving to the back of the car, the D9’s taillights use a penetrating design, which is part of BYD’s family design. Compared with the split-type taillights of other MPVs, I personally prefer the design of the taillights that penetrate the entire car.
When it comes to MPV, interior space is crucial, which is largely determined by the three-dimensional size of the vehicle. The body size of DENZA D9 is 5,250 mm x 1,960 mm x 1,920 mm, with a wheelbase of 3,110 mm, which has certain advantages over Alphard and Buick GL8 in terms of body size and wheelbase.
D9 is equipped with Michelin or Pirelli tires with a size of 235/60 R18. It is worth mentioning that the top-of-the-line version will use silent self-repairing tires.
The charging port of D9 is located at the right rear of the car, where fast charging and slow charging are available in one location and both have rubber protection covers. As this is the DM-i version on display, the left side is the fuel tank cover. If it were the EV version, another fast charging interface for 166 kW dual-gun fast charging function can be seen at this location.
After talking about the exterior, let’s now enter the car and experience the comfort of a luxurious MPV.
Interior
Sitting in the front row, I am satisfied with the comfortably soft and hard seat. The displayed car’s interior is in white, which also looks quite advanced.
The steering wheel, instrument panel, central control screen and central armrest may give you a familiar feeling if you usually pay attention to BYD or already own one.
But I want to point out that DENZA D9 is equipped with DENZA Link car system, which is somewhat different from the previous BYD models, especially in the setting interface and the response of the car system. It has a little taste of new energy car system. Unfortunately, the displayed car was not connected to the network, so I could not further experience the various functions of the car system.
The steering wheel and central button area feature pressure-sensitive buttons with normal pressure sensitivity. However, because pressure-sensitive buttons are not suitable for blind operation, I personally do not like this design.
For MPV, the second row is the most important. And the DENZA D9 has done a pretty good job in this regard.
The padding of the second-row seats is relatively soft, and the riding experience is very comfortable. There are many adjustable options for the seats. You can adjust the seats in 10 directions through the touch screen on the armrest. In addition, the headrest can provide 6-way adjustment. Adjust the seat to your comfortable position, lift up the electric leg rest, and turn on the seat massage to enjoy the feeling of being a boss.
There is a entertainment screen in front of each of the two seats in the second row, which used to be more common in million-level executive cars.
There are three extendable modules in the central area of the second row. From top to bottom, they are a cup holder, an electric tray, and a dual-temperature refrigerator with a range from 5 to 55 degrees. Unfortunately, the texture of the refrigerator’s outer shell is not very good. There is also a cup holder on each of the left and right door panels, a foldable cup holder on the left side of the right seat, and a 50W wireless charging slot under each of the outer armrests in the second row. The storage space is definitely sufficient.
From the specifications, it can also be seen that the DENZA D9 has certain advantages compared to the Elfa and GL8.
As for the third row, this is the biggest difference between MPV and SUV. Many SUVs can only be said to have a third row, and if you really want to seat people, you can only let children do it. Some designs are very inconvenient even to reach the third row.
I have experienced the third row of the LI L9 before, which is considered to be well-designed among SUVs, but there is still a considerable gap compared to real MPVs.The third row of the DENZA D9 also supports both front and back adjustment as well as backrest angle adjustment, meaning even passengers seated at the third row can experience a comfortable sitting position. Each side of the third row also has two cup holders and a small storage compartment at the bottom.
Likewise, the third row of DENZA D9 still maintains its advantage over its competitors.
Trunk storage has always been a weak point for MPVs, but DENZA showcases its “7+7” space, allowing for seven 180 cm male passengers in the car and seven cabin-sized suitcases in the trunk. This space is considered quite good for an MPV, and even with the luggage compartment fully packed with 7 suitcases, there is still space for small luggage. If the third row is not occupied, it can be folded down, providing even larger storage space.
In addition, DENZA D9 is fully equipped with an 7.1.4 channel Denon sound system, with 14 speakers throughout the car.
Intelligent Driving Technology
DENZA D9 is fully equipped with DENZA Pilot L2-level intelligent driving assistance system, with the following hardware specifications:
- 1 front monocular camera
- 4 surround cameras
- 3 millimeter-wave radars
- 8 ultrasonic radars
The top-of-the-line model is equipped with L2+-level intelligent driving assistance system, with 5 millimeter-wave radars, 12 ultrasonic radars, an additional intelligent driving domain controller, DMS driver monitoring assistance, and support for HMS high-speed assistance functions on top of other versions’ hardware capabilities. This hardware configuration is considered outstanding among MPVs of the same level. Additionally, DENZA D9 uses DENZA’s self-developed intelligent driving algorithms. The actual driving experience is yet to be seen and awaited.
The Only Competitor in the Same Price Range?When looking at the MPV market in the same price range, the JIKE 009 is far from being officially launched, and the only competitor that can compare with the DENZA D9 seems to be the Voyah Dream Weaver.
Compared to Dream Weaver, the D9 hybrid version has two obvious advantages. First, the DM-i version of the D9 supports fast charging, while Dream Weaver does not. Secondly, the D9 uses 92 gasoline, while Voyah uses 95 gasoline. However, Voyah’s advantage lies in its stronger performance, with the hybrid version reaching a speed of 6.6 seconds per hundred kilometers.
In comparison, the D9 pure electric version still boasts a charging advantage, supporting a dual gun maximum 166 kW charging, with faster energy supplementation. However, Voyah’s advantage still lies in its performance, with the pure electric version reaching a speed of 5.8 seconds per hundred kilometers.
Apart from this, Dream Weaver comes with a standard 20-inch wheel, which looks better than the 18-inch DENZA D9. So which one would you choose? You can leave your opinion in the comments section.
Conclusion
After experiencing both cars in a static environment, I found that the DENZA D9 not only did not fall behind in basic experiences such as comfortable seat riding and in-car storage space compared to old-school MPVs such as the Buick GL8 and Toyota Alphard, but it even outperforms them. In terms of intelligence, the D9 has indeed achieved a more modern experience than previous MPVs as the official said. First, the fluidity and functionality of the D9’s car machine is clearly better than that of the GL8 and Alphard. Moreover, it is equipped with a set of better driving assistance hardware, which can effectively reduce the driver’s burden during long or short trips with the family if the system performs well enough.
As the first new car model of DENZA’s relaunch, the success of DENZA D9’s re-entry into the market is undoubtedly crucial. When asked why DENZA chose a luxury MPV to return to the market, Zhao Changjiang said that first of all, many products in the MPV market are not modern enough, secondly, DENZA has BYD’s technology as a backing, and thirdly, to meet the travel needs of large families at present.
If DENZA D9 can open up the domestic new energy MPV market, achieve the official expected monthly delivery volume of more than 10,000 units, then BYD will undoubtedly take another big step forward with DENZA’s help to impact high-end market.
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.