Denza B8 6-Seat vs Land Rover Defender 110 SE P300e

The B8 is the value pick, and it is not close on the numbers. At $97,990 before on-road costs, the six-seat B8 undercuts the Defender 110 SE P300e's roughly $147,000 by close to $40,000 driveaway, and it still hands you more power, more seats, a fresher safety rating and a bigger screen. The Defender's price buys intangibles instead: a proven badge, a dealer and resale network, a lighter body and sharper off-road hardware. So on features and performance per dollar the B8 wins clearly, but a Defender buyer is paying for pedigree and proof rather than the spec sheet. Value depends which of those you weigh.

The B8 wins on outright power, and by a large margin. Its plug-in-hybrid drivetrain combines a petrol engine with front and rear electric motors and a 36.8kWh battery for 425kW and 760Nm, against the Defender P300e's 221kW and 625Nm from its own petrol-electric setup. That lets the B8 claim a 4.8-second run to 100km/h to the Land Rover's 7.6, despite carrying nearly 750kg more mass. The Defender is no slouch and its outputs suit a heavy tourer, but nothing here answers the Denza for straight-line pace. If acceleration and headline power lead your list, the B8 is the clear choice of the two.

Both are five-star cars, so neither is a weak link, but the B8 has the newer result. Its five-star ANCAP rating was published in early 2026 to the latest criteria and scores higher on every pillar, including 95 per cent for child occupant protection to the Defender's 88 and 86 for adult to its 85. The Defender's own five-star rating dates to 2020 under an older protocol. The B8 also spreads side and head airbags across all three rows, where the Defender lists six airbags. Both run the expected driver aids as standard. On crash-test currency and scores, the B8 edges it.

The Defender is the more focused off-roader, mostly on geometry. It brings a 37.5-degree approach and a 41.9-degree departure angle to the B8's 34 and 35, plus height-adjustable air suspension that lets it lift the body over obstacles. The B8 is no token effort: it runs a dual-range 4WD system, 310mm of ground clearance, which actually beats the Defender's 292, and near-identical 890mm wading. But its 3290kg mass and lower angles count against it on technical ground. Both will handle most touring. For serious rock and rut work the Defender's angles and suspension lead; for clearance and traction the B8 stays close.

It splits cleanly. The B8 seats six across three rows on second-row captain's chairs, where the Defender 110 SE P300e is a five-seater. So for carrying people, the B8 wins. For cargo it reverses: the Defender holds 853 litres behind its second row and 2127 folded, against the B8's 147 litres behind its raised third row and 902 folded. The B8's third row eats its boot, so with all six seats up there is barely room for the weekly shop. Fold that row and it frees up to 902 litres. A six-person family takes the B8; a five-seat family that hauls gear takes the Defender.

It is closer than the price gap suggests. Both are plug-in hybrids that can run short trips on electricity, but the Defender is the more frugal on paper at 3.1L/100km to the B8's 3.9, and it carries five years of roadside assistance as standard. The B8 answers with a longer six-year, 150,000km warranty to the Defender's five years, and its lower purchase price leaves plenty in hand. Land Rover servicing and parts have a reputation for costing more than a mainstream brand's, though the B8 is too new here to have a settled servicing record. On fuel the Defender wins narrowly; on warranty and buy-in the B8 does.

This is the heart of the decision. The B8 is a new nameplate whose first Australian cars arrived in early 2026, so it has no local resale history and no long-term reliability record, and Denza's dealer and service network is still young. The Defender, whatever its own reliability reputation, is an established model with a known dealer footprint and a resale market. The B8 counters with a six-year warranty and a far lower price, which cushions some of the early-adopter risk. If you need proven ownership and predictable resale, the Defender earns its premium; if the value and warranty offset the unknowns, the B8 makes a strong case.

It comes down to head versus heritage. Take the B8 6-Seat if you want the most car on paper for the money: 425kW, six seats, a fresher five-star rating and a big screen for a lot less money, and you are comfortable owning a brand-new nameplate. Take the Defender 110 SE P300e if you want a proven badge, superior off-road geometry, a lighter and more capable body and a much bigger boot, and you will pay the premium for pedigree over outputs. One sells you the spec sheet and value; the other sells you proof and off-road pedigree. Match it to what you actually weigh.