Denza Bao 5 driven: is this Chinese luxury off-roader worth more than a Defender?
Car changing is a big deal
This is the new Denza Bao 5 – a £70,000 luxury off-roader which is aimed squarely at the Land Rover Defender and Mercedes G-Class. Does it have what it takes to go toe-to-toe with those cars? Rory White has been driving it to find out.
We’re all used to Chinese cars undercutting European models on price by now, but this is the first time in my experience that a Chinese brand has been confident enough to price a luxury model at more than the competition.
It’s a ballsy move; Denza is launching its five-seat, boxy-but-bougie Bao 5 in the UK at a starting price of near-as-dammit £70,000. Or in other words, more than the starting price of the Land Rover Defender it so obviously apes.
That £70k gets you a 1.5-litre petrol engine and an electric motor on each axle for a total power output of 544hp and 760Nm of torque. Good enough, Denza says, for a 0-60mph time of less than five seconds – although my very short road drive wasn’t the place to test it.
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But it was enough time to get a sense that the Bao 5 is no slouch. Its engine doesn’t power the wheels directly – rather it charges a 31.8kWh battery which powers the electric motors – so you have EV-like instant acceleration on demand.
Stamping on the throttle sends the bonnet pointing towards the sky as the Bao 5 leans back, giving the impression it will be a soft and comfy cruiser. Not so. The Bao 5’s old-school ladder chassis will make it tough away from the Tarmac but even with modern independent suspension it struggles to contain its mass on craggy British roads the way a Defender does so well.
And there is some considerable heft to the big Bao; depending on its spec either just below or just in excess of three whole tonnes. This means that, while the steering is precise, this big 4×4 just doesn’t like to be hustled down a country road.
That’s fine though, because most owners won’t bother anyway, and very few will test the Bao’s undeniably impressive off-road tech. This includes no fewer than three locking differentials, (optional) suspension that can be adjusted up and down over 14cm and a long list of off-road specific driving modes to get you out of trouble.
Like the 0-60mph time, this off-roading capability will have to be assessed another time, but the Bao’s interior space and quality were ready to be scrutinised.
Let’s start with the good news, which is that the Bao feels suitably upmarket inside – certainly worth its price tag. The plastics don’t creak, the leather feels plush and in the current tradition of ‘premium’ meaning more screens, you get four. Sigh.
But for such a huge machine (the Bao is longer than a Defender 110) its interior space is nothing to write home about. Four adults will sit comfortably, but three across the back will be rubbing shoulders and I can’t quite work out how the boot is quite so average in such a large car.
Still, going back to the price, for £69,500 the Bao’s entry-level Elegance trim comes stacked with just about every last feature you can think of. For £8,500 more, range-topping Ultimate trim adds the adjustable suspension, a fridge, side steps and massaging seats, most of which won’t be necessary.
Clearly, while a Defender starts at less than these prices, by the time you’ve specced one up to the same level of equipment the Land Rover will be more expensive by a margin. Regardless, Denza is being very brave even wandering into this territory, especially in a market that takes badge snobbiness very seriously indeed.
It’s still too early to say for sure, but based on the evidence so far it might have a job on its hands tempting Land Rover fans away.
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