Launched in Malaysia almost exactly a year ago, the Denza D9 is proving to be quite a frequent sight here, but a 2026 model year update is already being planned over in China. Not much is being changed visually, but a ministry of industry and information technology (MIIT) filing is hinting at a massive upgrade under the skin, according to Autohome. The electric version of the D9 has always been set apart from the plug-in hybrid version through the vertical silver bars on its closed-off grille. However, it looks like Denza will unify the lineup by giving the EV the same grille as its petrol-electric sibling, featuring rows of flag-shaped inserts. It appears there will also be a version of the car with vertical “shards”, presumably a higher-end “luxury” model. Otherwise, the exterior looks practically identical to before, with the same rose gold-accented headlights, sail-like silver D-pillars, full-width taillights and rear bumper design. Even the 18-inch multi-spoke alloy wheels have been retained, albeit joined by new design options. Expect a few minor trim and colour options on the inside to help modernise the D9’s luxurious cabin. The big news, however, is under the bonnet, where the D9 now sports close to double the power. Even the single-motor front-wheel-drive version makes 462 PS (340 kW), more than even the current dual-motor all-wheel-drive model and a whopping 149 PS (110 kW) increase over its predecessor. Meanwhile, the AWD variant gains an also-uprated 95 PS (70 kW) rear motor for an astonishing 557 PS (410 kW), a jump of 190 PS (140 kW). The vastly-increased outputs should deliver a welcome boost in acceleration; for reference, the current D9 gets from zero to 100 km/h in 9.5 seconds for the FWD model and 6.9 seconds with AWD. No other technical details have been released, but we hope that the D9 will gain a larger battery (the outgoing model already has a sizeable 103.6 kWh Blade LFP pack) to suit the uprated powertrain, increasing range and aiding its long-distance credentials. This was the one complaint we had with the outgoing AWD model which, by the way, can travel up to 480 km on a single charge on the WLTP cycle. Also, a bump in DC fast charging input (currently 166 kW max) wouldn’t go amiss. One thing that isn’t expected for our market is BYD’s China-exclusive God’s Eye suite of driver assists, upgraded to version 5.0. This will deliver improvements to the autonomous emergency braking and evasive steering assist functions with better detection of vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists, in addition to providing highly-automated city and highway driving. This makes use of an increased number of cameras and a roof-mounted lidar sensor, already fitted to the Chinese-market D9. GALLERY: 2025 Denza D9 Premium AWD in Malaysia Compare prices between different insurer providers to save the most on your car insurance renewal compared to other competing services. Many payment method supported and you can pay with instalment using Atome, Grab PayLater or Shopee SPayLater.