Global debut: Chinese PHEV ute avalanche continues with MG U9 dual cab 4×4 rival for BYD Shark 6, GWM Cannon Alpha and Ford Ranger PHEV
Leading Chinese car maker MG has joined the plug-in hybrid ute rush in Australia.
Its contender to rival the BYD Shark 6 and a rapidly growing number of rivals will be the U9 dual cab 4×4 ute that made its global debut at the Melbourne motor show last night (Friday April 4).
A turbo-diesel U9 will be on-sale before the end of 2024, with the PHEV to arrive in 2026.
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So far no details of the U9 PHEV have been announced.
Instead, MG focussed on its 164kW 2.4-litre turbo-diesel for its Melbourne debut.
The MG U9 shares a fair slab of exterior sheetmetal with the LDV Terron 9 ute and eTerron 9 EV that launches in Australia around mid-year.
It’s also been confirmed the two utes share the same underpinning architecture and diesel powertrain.
Like the Terron 9, the U9 has been tested locally and they will have slightly different driving tunes.
Like MG, LDV – or Maxus as it is known in other markets – is a subsidiary of the giant Chinese SAIC Motor conglomerate.
But while LDV has already confirmed it will launch an eTerron 9 battery electric ute, MG has no plans to expand into BEVs with the U9 because of the practical payload, towing and range limitations imposed by going full BEV.
“Having a ute in Australia rounds out a brand’s portfolio. Until you have one it feels like something’s missing,” said MG Motors Australia chief commercial officer Giles Belcher.
“I think I was asked 18 months about a ute and I said at that time ‘yes we would bring one but it has to be the right one’.
“This is the right one.”
The U9 will be the seventh and final new model launch from MGMA in 2026, six of which feature on its MMS stand this weekend.
The others are the MGS5 compact electric SUV, the seven-seat QS large SUV, hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions of the HS medium SUV and the foundation IM5 and IM6 models from its IM Motors premium electric spin-off.
The missing vehicle is the MG7 Toyota Camry fighter, which MGMA couldn’t organise for its stand, although it is confirmed to arrive here in 2025.
MG’s local product avalanche reflects its local sales ambitions to rise intro the top five sellers by 2027 and the top three by 2030.
A ute is critical to those ambitions as the segment is Australia’s second largest, although MGMA is being conservative on sales expectations as it won’t have 4×2, cab chassis and single cabs to lower the price entry point.
The U9 was one of three Chinese PHEV utes to debut in Melbourne. The JAC T9 Hunter also made its global debut.
