Denza D9: everything about Maíra Cardi and Thiago Nigro's new car

Influencer Maíra Cardi once again made waves on social media by showing off her newest vehicle, a gift from her husband, Thiago Nigro. This is the BYD Denza D9, a highly luxurious executive van valued at around R$800,000, with only one unit registered in Brazil.

Although Maíra joked about the car's appearance, saying that, from the outside, "it looks like a basin or a bathtub", the model is BYD's bet for the premium segment and is the hook found by the Chinese company to meet the phenomenon of Asian luxury minivans that have begun to invade the global market.

What is the Denza D9?
BYD's luxury sub-brand. The D9 is a seven-seater vehicle, distributed in a 2+2+3 configuration, designed to offer maximum urban and road comfort for at least 3 passengers.

Measuring 5.25 meters in length, 3.11 meters in wheelbase and 1.92 meters in height, its external dimensions are close to traditional commercial vans, but the purpose here is purely executive and high-end family. The model comes standard with Level 2 driving assistance (including adaptive cruise control - ACC) and nine airbags.

The look: The imposing front grille divides opinions. BYD uses a visual trick to differentiate the engines: the hybrid versions have horizontal elements at the front, while the 100% electric variants adopt vertical trims. In top-of-the-line configurations, the chrome on the frames gives way to LED strips.

"First class" cabin
If the exterior is strange to some, the interior justifies the price of almost one million reais. The cabin is covered with wood and aluminum, featuring a 10.2-inch digital panel, a 15.6-inch multimedia center and a head-up display system.

The real highlight, however, is the second row of seats, designed to emulate first class on a commercial airliner:

- Central seats: the two central seats recline completely and have massage, heating and ventilation functions.
- Controls: each passenger has access to a 5.5-inch screen integrated into the armrest, similar to a fixed smartphone, to manage seat functions.
- Entertainment: additional 12.8-inch screens are placed in front of the passengers and serve to control the rear climate control, the panoramic sunroof or even as a mirror. There is also a central screen on the ceiling, between the driver and passenger seats, which provides a general entertainment experience for all passengers.
- Smart refrigerator: the van has a thermal compartment capable of varying from -6 °C to 50 °C, which remains operational for up to 12 hours even with the vehicle's engine turned off.
- Sleep Mode: the car's system allows you to program a rest period, adjusting the personalized lights, the starry roof and tilting the seats, waking the passenger gently at the end of the schedule.

The third row accommodates three people on reclining rails and also offers individual air conditioning outlets and outlets.

Motorization
The Denza D9 is sold globally on two distinct mechanical fronts:

- Plug-in Hybrid (D9 DM-i): combines a 138 hp 1.5 turbo engine with an electric motor mounted on the front axle, 231 hp. Together, they deliver 300 hp and 58.2 kgfm of torque and, thanks to the 20.4 kWh battery, the model runs up to 103 km purely electrically and reaches a combined range of 965 km (CLTC).
- Fully Electric (D9 EV): uses a 103 kWh battery pack and varies the motorization depending on the traction. In the front-wheel drive version, the D9 has only one engine on the front axle, which produces 312 hp and a range of 620 km. In the all-wheel drive version, there are two electric motors (one on each axle) that generate a combined 374 hp, travel 600 km and accelerate from 0 to 100 in 6.9 seconds.

Price
In China, the Denza D9 varies between 330,000 yuan (in the entry-level hybrid version) and 460,000 yuan (in the top-of-the-line electric version), which would be equivalent to a direct range of R$247,000 to R$345,000. However, for the Brazilian market, the addition of import taxes and premium positioning should double the final price. The unit brought in advance by the couple cost around R$800,000.

BYD in Brazil: see the models that are gaining a national version

Source: CNN