New Denza D9 facelift leaked in China ahead of debut

KUALA LUMPUR: BYD’s premium sub-brand Denza caused a stir in the Malaysian EV market with the launch of the D9 MPV in early 2025. The brand sold a total of 1,200 units of the MPV last year, positioning it as one of the most desirable luxury MPVs in the local market. Well, the D9 is due for its first update in China for 2026.

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While the official details are yet to surface, China’s MIIT (Ministry of Industry and Information Technology) has released the images and some key details about the upcoming Denza D9 facelift, as reported by Autohome.

2026 Denza D9 facelift: What’s new?

Exterior mostly unchanged

The upgraded MPV looks almost similar to the current model with subtle visual changes. It now features a new front grille design identical to the one found on the vehicle’s plug-in hybrid version. Instead of vertical silver stripes, it now comes with rows of flag-shaped inserts.

Other than that, the new Denza D9 continues to feature the same rose-gold LED headlights, bumper designs and full-width LED tail lights.

Minor interior updates 

The cabin gets minor revisions for a fresh and modern vibe. With the same cabin layout and feature pack as earlier, the new D9 is expected to get new upholstery colours and trim options.

Massive power increase

The biggest change lies under the skin, where the updated EV benefits from more powerful drivetrains. As per the leaked documents, the 2026 Denza D9 will be offered with a new front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive setup, generating a maximum power of 462 PS and 557 PS, respectively. It represents a significant increase of 149 PS and 190 PS over the outgoing versions.

As for battery and charging, there is no information yet available; however, we can expect a larger unit offering better range and faster charging speeds. For context, the existing version features a 103.6 kWh Blade LFP pack that enables the EV to cruise up to 480 km (WLTP) on a single charge. 

BYD’s “God’s Eye” 5.0 ADAS 

The China-spec Denza D9 is also expected to get the brand’s “God’s Eye 5.0” ADAS system for 2026. Backed by a roof-mounted lidar sensor, the system will offer improved autonomous emergency braking, better evasive steering assist, and more advanced city & highway autonomous driving.

The Denza D9 EV facelift is expected to hit Chinese roads later this year, with other global markets likely to follow soon after. 

Also read: Denza D9 Malaysia price stays RM259k to RM309k in 2026, anniversary perks worth up to RM15k