Denza, the premium new energy vehicle brand under BYD, has officially launched the D9 DM-i, a plug-in hybrid seven-seater minivan that’s set to go up against the likes of the Toyota Alphard and Lexus LM. Denza Philippines said that the D9 is engineered for “superior comfort and performance.”
The 2026 Denza D9 DM-i features a bold, confident-looking exterior design, most evident in its front end. It has a large grille with silver trims, which resembles the Alphard’s fascia. The Denza D9 also has a chrome or silver trim surround on the grille, resulting in a more composed front end. The angular front bumper further adds to the D9’s confident demeanor, while the LED headlights give a sharp finish.
Turning at the side, the Denza D9 has crisp character lines that flow from the front to the rear. Denza’s challenger in the premium minivan segment also features electrically folding side mirrors, privacy glass, 18-inch wheels, and prominent wheel arches. The D9 has disc brakes on all four wheels.
In terms of dimensions, the Denza D9 measures 5,250mm long, 1,960mm wide, and 1,920mm tall, along with a wheelbase of 3,110mm. Compared with the Toyota Alphard, the Denza D9 is 240mm longer, 110mm wider, and 10mm taller. This means that the D9 is a larger minivan than the Alphard.
The D9’s rear features distinctive wraparound LED taillights that extend and occupy the whole vehicle’s width. This creates a seamless, sleek appearance when viewed from the back. It also has a roof-mounted spoiler, a shark fin antenna, and a massive tailgate, which features a power function with position memory.
Inside, the Denza D9 features a modern, premium interior theme, highlighted by real wood trim for an added luxurious finish. It has black and brown Nappa leather seats, and a 15.6-inch infotainment system is stacked at the center of the dashboard, with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility. The driver gets a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster display.
The Denza D9 also has a heated and cooled storage box, which can function as a freezer. The list of features continues, with the D9 integrated with 14-speaker Dynaudio, tri-zone climate control, sunroof, 128-color ambient lighting options, six USB ports, and wireless smartphone charging (one on the front row and two on the second row).
The best seats inside the D9 are in the second row, which have captain seats with features such as massage and ventilation, and tablet-like controls on the armrest.
In terms of safety, the Denza D9 is equipped with DiPilot, the brand’s advanced intelligent driver assistance systems, which include adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, rear collision warning, rear cross-traffic alert, blind spot detection, and emergency lane-keeping assist, among others.
The Denza D9 is equipped with a 1.5-liter gasoline engine paired with two electric motors and a 40 kWh battery. The D9’s combined power output is 401 horsepower and 681 Nm of torque, along with an all-wheel drive configuration. Denza said the D9 offers a combined maximum range of 980 kilometers, with a full-electric range of 180 kilometers.
The 2026 Denza D9 comes with a price tag of P4,298,000 and is now officially available in the Philippines. Even better, the company is offering a huge discount to early buyers: the first 300 buyers get a P300,000 discount, bringing the introductory price to P3,998,000.
Autocar’s Take
The local minivan segment is getting more tightly contested as the Denza D9 made its official debut in the Philippines. The D9 is set to go up against the likes of the Toyota Alphard, making the segment even more interesting due to the wide range of vehicle options. Aside from the Alphard, the D9 will slug it out with the Lexus LM, Kia Carnival, Hyundai Staria, and GAC M8, among others.
The Denza D9 is equipped with features that could enable it to challenge the stalwarts in the minivan arena. The exterior design looks good, the interior solid, and its tech features notable.
