MG Motor Australia confirms it is evaluating a hybrid edition of the U9 dual-cab ute for local dealerships to compete with models such as the BYD Shark 6, Ford Ranger Hybrid and GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV.

The MG U9 reached Australian showrooms last September with a 160kW/520Nm 2.5-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder engine inside a 5500mm-long body, making it longer than most major rivals, though the Shark 6 sits close at 5457mm.

MG has already announced the upcoming U9 EV to rival the new Toyota HiLux BEV, with regulatory filings showing a 325kW dual-motor all-wheel drive setup.

While EVs hit a record 23.3 per cent market share in June 2026, hybrids including plug-in hybrids and standard hybrids together reached 26.2 per cent.

Leading the segment, the BYD Shark 6 with its PHEV system combining a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine and dual electric motors more than doubled sales from 1244 units in May to 3398 in June.

That performance positioned the Shark 6 as Australia's top-selling PHEV, sixth overall and the third most popular ute after the Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux.

When questioned by CarExpert about a possible hybrid U9, marketing lead Dimitri Andreatidis stayed guarded yet indicated the brand is assessing the option.

“We cannot discuss the next steps for the U9, but hybrid technology is important in this segment where rivals are achieving strong results and earning their success,” he said.

The U9 uses the same platform and powertrains in diesel and EV forms as the LDV Terron 9 and eTerron 9, both under SAIC ownership.

The Terron 9 appeared in PHEV guise at the Beijing motor show in April 2026 and is set to begin production in 2027 on the shared platform, though Australian plans remain unconfirmed.

When CarExpert noted the U9 would cover diesel and EV ends of the market yet skip the popular hybrid segment, Mr Andreatidis agreed without confirming future additions.

“That is a fair observation; we look forward to sharing updates as the U9 story develops,” he said.

“At present we are concentrating on the diesel, followed by the EV arriving late this year, after which we can advance the U9 narrative and see what comes next.”

MG delivered 122 diesel U9s in June 2026, its strongest month so far, after recently introducing the limited-run U9 Black Edition as a fourth grade.

Overall MG ranked ninth among brands in June with 5001 sales, rising 6.8 per cent from June 2025 and moving ahead of Chery into tenth place.

The ZS SUV led MG sales with 1827 units, followed by the MG 4 EV Urban with 1015 and the MG 3 hatchback with 898.