Verdict
We can’t make any meaningful conclusions about the Denza Z9GT at this stage due to our incredibly short time behind the wheel and there being a lot of unknowns. However we hope its effortless, wafting sensation isn’t lost by the engineers’ efforts to mimic the driving experience of established German cars, as we think this would be a much better selling point than the somewhat interesting, but rather pointless, manoeuvring capabilities or the design.
Most Chinese brands make their introduction to the UK market with something mainstream, family-friendly and value-focused. Stuff like the BYD Atto 3, XPeng G6, Leapmotor C10 and Jaecoo 7, which all happen to be SUVs.
Denza, however, is going after the upper echelons of European carmakers, like BMW, Mercedes and even Porsche, and firmly believes it can match the best on design, interior quality and technology. Needless to say, a small, affordable crossover wasn’t going to cut it.
Enter the Denza Z9GT. This shooting brake estate was launched last year in China, and will touch down in mainland Europe by the end of the year before crossing the Channel some time in early 2026.
It sits on the ‘e3’ platform – pronounced ‘e cube’ – that’s exclusive to Denza and allows the Z9GT to feature a tri-motor powertrain, with one electric motor on the front axle and two at the rear. Every model gets this set-up, but buyers will have a choice of plug-in hybrid or all-electric versions.
The EV delivers 952bhp and 1,150 Nm of torque, which is sufficient to propel the nearly three-tonne wagon from 0-62mph in 3.4 seconds. Meanwhile, its 100kWh battery provides up to 391 miles of range on the Chinese CLTC test cycle, but we expect that figure to drop to around 300-350 miles when measured on the WLTP standard.
