05/07/2026

Contributing Editor Keshy Dhillon / keshy@piston.my Editorial

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SUNDAY | JULY 5, 2026

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Drift mode allows it to do massive skids.

Luxury & speed Denza’s powerful flagship EV very easy to zoom BY SHAUN LEE

OUR time with the Denza Z9 GT was lim ited to two laps on track and two laps through a gymkhana/autocross course, which means there are still important ques tions that can only be answered later, espe cially ride comfort, road noise, efficiency, charging, and how it feels over imperfect Malaysian roads. But as a first taste of what Denza’s flag ship 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 maximise everything at the same time. The version driven here was the full EV tri-motor model in right-hand-drive pro duction specification. On paper, the figures are huge. The car produces a combined 850kW, or

Surprisingly adjustable at the limits.

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 bet ter 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 5m 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 sur prisingly 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, espe cially through the gymkhana section, it will still understeer. That is typical of most modern perform ance cars, especially heavy all-wheel drive EVs. It wants to push forward if you simply ask too much of the front end.

around 1,156PS, and 1,210Nm of torque from one motor at the front and two inde pendently controlled motors at the rear. Denza claims 0-100kph in 2.7 seconds and a top speed of 269kph, 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 accessi ble. A classic case of a double-edged sword.

1,210Nm of torque in action.