Dongfeng, a large Chinese carmaker with global ambitions has just launched in New Zealand with its affordable electric hatchback, priced from $A26,000.
The Dongfeng Box hatchback was launched this week across the ditch being priced at $NZ29,990 until 31 January 2026 as part of an introductory offer. After that the 4 metre city car will be priced up to $NZ32,990.
Powering the Box is a 70 kW front-mounted motor, which can deliver an acceleration time of 0-50 km/h in 4.6 seconds.
Coming in with a 42.3 kWh battery pack which delivers up to 317 km of WLTP range, it’s come in straight after the launch of the BYD Atto 1, which, in its base trim, delivers 220 km of range.
On the charging front, this battery can be charged with 6.6 kW AC or up to 60 kW on the DC charger, helping it charge from 30-80% in 30 minutes.
Getting inside, the Box comes with a fair few features, including:
- 12″ central infotainment touchscreen with intuitive controls
- 5″ digital instrument cluster
- Apple CarPlay & Android Auto
- 50W ventilated wireless charging
- 6-speaker sound system
On the safety front, it also has a few advanced driver assistance features including automatic parking, 360-drgree camera, lane keep assist, highway assist, hill-start assist and a few more. The full list can be seen at the end of the article.
It’s worth noting that the Dongfeng Box was recently tested by EuroNCAP and received a 3-star rating, as this model is a global model and is sold in several European markets too.
The Box also comes with a 6-year, 200,000 km warranty in New Zealand, which is quite good for a hatchback. Along with that, an 8-year warranty on the battery is also available.
As of November 2025, Dongfeng will be available in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch with plans to expand in other parts of the country in 2026.
This model’s launch comes less than a week after the BYD Atto 1 announcement in New Zealand, with a starting price of $A26,000.
With competition in the entry-level end of the EV market starting to ramp up, it’ll open the market for many drivers looking to make the switch to cleaner cars.
Dongfeng Box Tech & Safety Highlights:
- 360° Surround View Camera & transparent chassis view
- Front & Rear Parking Sensors
- Automatic Parking
- Lane Keeping Assist
- Intelligent Speed Assistance (Camera-based)
- Traffic Jam Assist
- Highway Driving Assist
- Hill-start Assist Control (HAC)
- Brake Assist (BA / BAS / EBA)
Riz is the founder of carloop based in Melbourne, specialising in Australian EV data, insight reports and trends. He is a mechanical engineer who spent the first 7 years of his career building transport infrastructure before starting carloop. He has a passion for cars, particularly EVs and wants to help reduce transport emissions in Australia. He currently drives a red Tesla Model 3.
