Australia-bound rugged off-road brand to release Denza B8 PHEV rival

Chinese off-road vehicle brand 212 is launching a new, large off-road SUV, and it could be the model it enters the Australian market with.

Just months after a diesel-powered version of the new X03 ladder-frame off-road SUV appeared in a Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) filing in August, a petrol plug-in hybrid (PHEV) variant has appeared in the latest round of MIIT filings.

The official documents list a 152kW turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and a 160kW electric motor, as well as a ternary lithium battery sourced from CATL.

The X03 measures 5095mm long, 2038mm wide and 1945mm tall on a 2950mm wheelbase. That makes it 100mm shorter than the Denza B8, albeit on a 30mm longer wheelbase.

It has a kerb weight of 2935kg, up 365kg on the 140kW 2.3-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel variant that appeared in an earlier MIIT filing. This engine was understood to have a torque figure of 500Nm.

Despite its size, the X03 – regardless of powertrain – seats only five occupants.

The X03 is a departure from 212's other models, which look like the Jeep Wrangler and Gladiator but are actually designed to resemble the old BAW BJ212 that entered production in 1965 and was commonly used by Chinese armed forces.

The name of the brand, established in 2024, was taken from this old military vehicle.

It’s unclear if the X03 will come to Australia, however, a spokesperson for the company told CarExpert in February 2026: “For our next generation model we will develop right-hand drive.”

The X03 has yet to go on sale in China, but it's the first new model line that 212 has revealed outside of its wider T01 range and the brand says it's "being launched globally", though it hasn't explicitly confirmed right-hand drive production.

At this year's Paris motor show, 212 displayed two new models: the T01-derived Mavero three-door off-road SUV and the X03.

Unlike 212's other vehicles, which use a platform called Cavalier, the X03 rides a new platform called Xpedition, which 212 says offers off-road capability but with "the space, comfort and intelligent features needed for long-distance journeys".

212 says it uses a mechanical four-wheel drive system and three differential locks, offering a wading depth of 850mm.

Inside, it features a more upscale interior than other 212 models, with the Paris show car featuring an unusual two-tone black and green cabin. There are rugged design elements, however, including what appear to be exposed screw holes.

The X03 features a wide but slim infotainment touchscreen and a BMW-esque pillar-to-pillar digital display at the base of the windscreen.

However, there's an emphasis on physical switchgear, including a row of buttons on the dash and various controls and dials on the centre console near the wireless phone charging pads and gear shifter.

Per German website Autonotizen, the X03 – which may receive a different name outside China – features double-wishbone front and multi-link rear suspension.

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