Our time with the Denza Z9 GT was limited to two laps on track and two laps through a gymkhana/autocross course, which means there are still important questions that can only be answered later, especially ride comfort, road noise, efficiency, charging, and how it feels over imperfect Malaysian roads. But as a first taste of
But as a first taste of what Denza’s flagship EV can do, this was enough to gather an initial impression of the car. It feels like someone dragged both the luxury, tech, and performance sliders all the way to the right, as if Denza is trying to max out everything at the same time.
The version driven here was the full EV tri-motor model in right-hand-drive production specification. On paper, the figures are huge. The Z9 GT EV produces a combined 850 kW, or around 1,156 PS, and 1,210 Nm of torque from one motor at the front and two independently controlled motors at the rear. Denza claims 0-100 km/h in 2.7 seconds and a top speed of 269 km/h, but the way the Z9 GT delivers its performance is not as intimidating as the numbers suggest.
It is fast, but not in that blackout-fast you get from the most aggressive Porsche Turbo EVs. Its 2.8-tonne weight is a factor, but the Z9 GT’s acceleration is smooth, strong and controlled. More importantly, it does not have as much of that slow power ramp-up you feel in many BYD models when you floor the throttle, where the car eases into full output to keep things smooth.
A more direct response is always more satisfying and the Z9 GT feels better judged in this regard, in sport mode at least. Softer modes may still introduce more ramping, but in this setting, the response felt clean and immediate enough, making over 1,000 horses almost too easily accessible. A classic case of a double-edged sword.
The steering is light and there is not much feel through the rim, but it is accurate enough to place the car where you want it. The rear-wheel steering also works better than expected. At low speeds, you can feel the rear end pivoting around, almost like the car is rotating into a low-speed drift. At higher speeds, however, the system feels natural.
Bear in mind that the Z9 GT is not small. It measures over five metres long, yet on track and through the tighter gymkhana section, it never felt like we were piloting something that large. The car shrinks around the driver surprisingly well, and the rear-wheel steering plays a role in disguising its size.
Through corners, the Z9 GT is more interesting than expected. Left alone, especially through the gymkhana section, it will still understeer. That is typical of most modern performance cars, especially heavy all-wheel drive EVs. It wants to push forward if you simply ask too much of the front end.
The difference is that the Z9 GT becomes much more neutral if you introduce weight transfer properly. Get the car loaded correctly, and the rear starts to rotate progressively. There is a bit of BYD Seal-like behaviour here, which is not a bad thing. It is not wildly rear-biased on corner exit, but it is also not the sort of all-wheel drive EV that simply pushes wide and waits for the electronics to sort everything out.
There is some playfulness here. Drivers who understand rear-wheel drive behaviour will appreciate the way the car allows a degree of slip before the systems step in. The surprise is not just that it rotates, but how much it allows before intervening. When the electronics do come in, the intervention feels finessed in controlling the car properly, not simply chopping individual brakes and killing the moment.
The tyres also play a part. The car driven was on Continental EcoContact 7 tyres, which likely explains why the grip limits felt relatively low compared to the enormous performance on offer. In this setting, that was not necessarily a bad thing. Lower limits made it easier to feel what the car was doing, especially during the track session.
As for the brakes, there was nothing troubling to report within the limited drive time. They felt easy enough to modulate and delivered the braking force required. Under hard braking, there was no obvious awkwardness in the transition between regenerative and friction braking, although the session was too short to judge fade resistance.
Where the Z9 GT feels most convincing is in its refinement. Even riding on track kerbs, the car remains very isolated from the road. The suspension keeps the body impressively level, and there is no excessive wallowing despite the car’s size and weight. It feels controlled and composed, although the test surface was very flat, so final judgement on ride comfort will have to wait until we can drive it on normal roads.
Moving inside, there’s soft leather across many of the areas you touch, generous equipment and a generally high-end presentation. There are still a few buttons and switchgear pieces that look familiar from BYD products, but that is not unusual. Even in a Lexus, you can still spot certain Toyota controls. It does not ruin the experience, and the overall impression remains properly upmarket.
The updated interface is another positive. Compared to some earlier BYD efforts, the user interface feels cleaner and more polished, especially the driver’s display. There were also no awkward translations encountered during our time with the car.
The seats were more of a mixed impression. The cushions are soft, but they did not hold the body as evenly as expected, and the back support did not feel perfectly natural during the short session. That could simply be down to adjustment, as there was not much time to fine-tune the seating position before heading out.
Overall, the Z9 GT feels like Denza’s best effort yet. From the way it behaves on the move and the experience within the cabin, it feels like the full luxury BYD experience
It also carries another important point for Malaysia. According to Denza, Malaysia will be the first market in the Asia Pacific region outside China to receive the Z9 GT. In other words, we are not getting this car late, and we are not getting a watered-down product. This is Denza giving us the best it currently has to offer.
The biggest unanswered question remains how it behaves on the road. A track and gymkhana session can show how a car responds when pushed, but a grand tourer also has to prove itself in normal driving, over imperfect surfaces, in traffic, over distance and at realistic speeds.
For now, the first impression is very positive. In fact, even if it were priced against something like a Mercedes-Benz EQS, the Z9 GT would still be the one we would be more interested in. That is not a small statement, especially considering we have yet to drive it on the road.
But based on this first drive, Denza’s best car yet may also be one of the most interesting luxury EVs to arrive in Malaysia.