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Review
2026 MG U9 ute preview: price, specs and release date in Australia
RACV
September 29, 2025
The new MG U9 ute has the Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux in its sights, offering diesel power, 3500kg towing, unique features and low prices. Here’s everything you need to know about MG’s first-ever 4x4 dual-cab ute.
The 2026 MG U9 dual-cab ute is now available to order in Australia ahead of first customer deliveries due in the coming months.
This is a critical addition to the MG stable as the Chinese brand looks to become one of the top three brands Down Under by 2030 – it’s currently 10th – and to reach this goal it needs an entrant that sizes up to the best-selling new vehicles on the market, the Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux.
Utes are second only to medium SUVs as the most popular sales segment overall, opening the door for MG to challenge the heavy hitters in class with its own 4x4 twin-cab that combines sharp pricing with a rich mix of equipment, competitive towing capacity and traditional diesel power.
MG claims the U9 was purpose-built for Aussie conditions, both on-road and off-road.
When does the 2026 MG U9 go on sale in Australia?
The 2026 MG U9 can now be ordered online or through MG Australia’s national dealer network (currently at 110 outlets) but there is no firm timing on first customer deliveries. These are expected to begin from around October 2025.
How much does the MG U9 ute cost?
After heralding a price range of between $55,000 and $65,000 driveaway for the 2026 MG U9, MG Australia has now announced lower price points across the three-tiered dual-cab ute line-up.
At the entry level, the MG U9 Explore is priced from $52,990 driveaway, while another $3000 will bring the mid-spec Explore X from $55,990. At the top of the range, the Explore Pro starts at $60,990 driveaway.
In comparison, the LDV Terron 9, which is based on the same platform as the U9 and shares major components such as its diesel engine, is currently priced from $52,674 driveaway for the entry-level Origin and $57,937 driveaway for the flagship Evolve. Note that these are “limited launch offers” for private buyers, while ABN holders get bigger discounts (Origin from $49,990, Evolve from $54,990 d/a).
Going even lower for a 4x4 twin-cab, the GWM Cannon is available from $38,990 driveaway for Victorian private buyers, the JAC T9 Ute (2024 build) starts $1000 higher at $39,990 and the KGM SsangYong Musso is available from $42,500 (or $41,500 for ABN holders).
Dual-cab 4x4 Ford Ranger models open from $56,619 driveaway but continue through a broad range up to $87,184 d/a for the top-shelf Platinum – or $97,248 d/a for the high-performance Ford Ranger Raptor.
Among the options set down for the MG U9, the top-spec Explore Pro variant has a $5490 ‘MG Smart Hatch’ that opens up a useful area between the cabin and load area. The rear window can retract into the top of the bulkhead, which is attached to the single-piece seatback and can then fold down to create the thoroughfare.
Alpine White exterior paint is standard across the range while all other colours attract an $800 premium: Canyon Grey, Midnight Black, Riverstone Blue, Summit Blue and Highland Green. There are no other major options, but a variety of accessories will be offered for the U9 with wheels, racks, tonneau covers and towing equipment.
Whereas MG passenger cars and SUVs are covered by a seven-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, the company has more restrictive terms for the U9 ute – five years with unlimited kilometres for private buyers and a maximum 160,000km for commercial operators within that period. There is an extended warranty of up to seven years/200,000km in place for private ute owners who stick with an authorised MG dealer for scheduled services, but this is not offered to commercial users.
Service pricing is still to be announced but the intervals start at 12 months/10,000km and then increase to 15,000km distance intervals after the first service within the same annual period.
The MG U9 has a cavernous interior and is packed with features on the Explore Pro flagship shown here.
How big is the MG U9 ute?
As we’ve seen with other Chinese utes, the 2026 MG U9 is a big, imposing vehicle that, in size at least, straddles the top-selling medium-size dual-cab ute segment – where the Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux dominate – and the full-size pick-up class comprising American-bred trucks such as the Ford F-150, Ram 1500, Chevrolet Silverado and Toyota Tundra.
The MG U9 measures 5.5 metres long, more than 2m wide (2045mm, with mirrors folded) and almost 1.9m tall (1874mm), making it bigger than the Ranger and closer to the BYD Shark 6, for example. Along with a 3.3m-long wheelbase, this translates to generous interior room as well as useful loading space in the tub. On the flipside, it also brings a large 13.3m turning circle.
MG says the U9 has 1m of front headroom (1009mm in Explore and Explore X, 979mm in Explore Pro), similar front legroom (1044mm) and 1.5m of front shoulder-room (1583mm). Adult-sized accommodation in the back seat is also provided with comparable dimensions across the rear bench (979/963/1563mm headroom/legroom/shoulder-room).
The tub comes with a painted liner as standard and, at the floor, measures 1600mm long, 1600mm wide (1230mm between the wheel arches) and 535mm high. These dimensions narrow a bit at the top of the tray box and at the rear opening.
The 2025 MG U9 is based on the same ladder-frame platform and shares major components with the LDV Terron 9 but has some notable differences in design and spec. Perhaps the most significant of these is the adoption of a coil-sprung multi-link rear suspension over the more common leaf-sprung solid rear axle, which MG claims delivers “superior ride comfort and capability”. This remains to be seen.
All U9 models are fitted with LED headlights (automatic) and tail-lights, roof rails and side steps, an alarm and engine immobiliser, tailgate lock and lift assistance, cargo slide rail, front and rear parking sensors, keyless entry and push-button start, dual-zone climate control, at least six-way electric driver’s seat adjustment and a microfibre leather-clad steering wheel.
The Explore X and Pro add higher-performing LED headlights, an acoustic front windscreen, two rear LED tub lights, 360-degree camera (upgrading from the single rearview camera), heated front seats/steering wheel and electric front passenger seat adjustment.
The Pro has a panoramic sunroof, 64-colour ambient interior lighting, a higher-definition surround-view camera, leather seat upholstery (rather than faux leather in lower grades), eight-way electric driver’s seat adjustment (with ventilation, massage and position memory), heated rear outboard seats, suede headlining, a rear LED reading light and extra versatility with a 60/40-split rear seat cushion that can fold forward (in addition to the standard backrest split-fold).
This creates a flat area that’s designed to work in conjunction with the backward-folding front passenger seat and the ‘smart hatch’ that’s optional on the Pro and creates a longer loading area when the bulkhead between cabin and tray are lowered. All up, MG claims the U9 can carry items up to 2.4m long with the smart hatch in play, with a total cargo capacity of 1600 litres (up from 1200L).
At the back end, the Pro also gets a power-operated tailgate that opens with the touch of a button. When it lowers, the gate exposes a drop-down step that folds down to provide easier access into the load area.
Optional ‘smart hatch’ is only found on MG U9 Explore Pro.
The MG U9 tray can easily fit a standard Australian pallet.
Electric tailgate on MG U9 Explore Pro with drop-down step.
Lots of room across the back seat of MG U9.
An MG badge sits on a ute for the first time.
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What powers the MG U9 ute?
The 2026 MG U9 is powered by the same 2.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine that’s found in the LDV Terron 9, producing 160kW of power (3kW less than the LDV) and 520Nm of torque. It drives through an eight-speed torque-converter automatic transmission and a part-time (torque-on-demand) four-wheel drive system with low-range gearing and a rear differential lock on all models. A front diff lock is included on the top-spec Explore Pro.
The official combined-cycle fuel consumption for the U9 is 7.9L/100km, based on laboratory testing rather than real-world conditions. On the urban cycle, the figure is 9.5L/100km, reducing to 7.0L/100km for outer-urban/highway scenarios. The fuel tank holds 80 litres, so the ute could theoretically travel 1000km on a single tank in optimum conditions.
The powertrain has Normal, Eco and Sport drive modes, plus off-road modes including Mud, Snow, Sand, Tow and Custom. When in 4L, additional terrain modes are accessible: Rock, Deep Snow, Deep Mud, Wade and Rock Crawl.
What is the towing capacity and payload of MG U9 ute?
The 2025 MG U9 matches its major rivals by offering a 3.5-tonne braked towing capacity. The ute has a Tow driving mode to help when towing a caravan or other loads but a supporting Trailer Reversing Assist function is restricted to the Explore Pro model. System calibration for the latter is also said to be continuing for the Australian market.
In the payload department, the U9 fails to match some of its competitors, in part due to the adoption of a fully independent multilink rear suspension with coil springs compared to the class-norm rigid rear axle with leaf springs. That sees maximum payload in the U9 Explore Pro limited to 770kg, while the carrying capacity of the Explore (870kg) and Explore X (835kg) models is also below 900kg.
All MG U9 variants have a 6500kg gross combination mass (GCM) and 3320kg gross vehicle mass (GVM). Kerb weight is around 2500kg (2450kg Explore, 2485kg X, 2550kg Pro) and tare weight 2.4-2.5t, depending on the variant. MG says the front/rear axle load is 1600kg/2100kg respectively.
The MG U9 relies on a 2.5-litre turbo-diesel engine.
Aircraft-style transmission lever in the MG U9 ute.
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How good is the MG U9 ute off-road?
Production versions of the 2026 MG U9 have not yet reached Australia, so the off-road (and on-road) capabilities for the 4x4 ute are still to be properly assessed. But MG Australia has published key off-road figures, including a 220mm ground clearance (unladen, 180mm at maximum load), 29-degree approach angle, 25-degree departure angle and 20-degree rampover angle.
MG says the maximum angle the (unladen) vehicle can manage when climbing is 31 degrees, while wading depth is 550mm across the range. There’s also a wading sensor onboard and specific off-road vehicle information, including ‘track approach’ (showing front clearance) and a ‘transparent chassis’ that’s designed to improve driver visibility in rugged conditions.
All U9 variants share the same part-time 4WD system, low-range gearing, hill descent control, electronic off-road modes and rear differential lock, with the Explore Pro adding a front diff lock.
Pre-production versions of the MG U9 have been fitted with Continental CrossContact RX ‘winter’ tyres with an M+S (Mud and Snow) marking, which are designed to perform better than a regular tyre in snow conditions. The standard tyre size is 265/65R18 for Explore, 275/60R19 for Explore X and 275/55R20 for Explore Pro.
There is no shortage of safety features on the 2026 MG U9, which covers plenty of ground in terms of occupant protection measures and advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). This is reflected in the U9 receiving a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating, based on testing conducted by Euro NCAP in 2024 on the battery-electric version of the related Maxus (LDV) Terron 9 sold overseas.
The U9 has dual front, side chest-protecting and side head-protecting airbags as standard, along with a further airbag in between the driver and front passenger. It does not, however, include an emergency call system (eCall) that’s becoming a common feature on new cars, automatically connecting the vehicle to an emergency response centre in the event of a serious collision.
Two rear ISOFIX connections with top tether strap anchor points are provided, so parents will not be able to fit three child restraints across the rear.
The ADAS suite includes autonomous emergency braking (AEB) – operating in forward and reverse, at junctions and detecting vulnerable road users – and lane support measures such as lane keep assist, lane departure warning and emergency lane keeping. The U9 is also fitted with adaptive cruise control, speed sign recognition, blind spot detection and driver fatigue monitoring.
A highlight of the U9 cabin is the inclusion of dual 12.3-inch digital screens for the centre touchscreen and driver’s instrument display. All models have digital radio (as well as AM/FM bands), Bluetooth, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone mirroring and four USB ports (two USB-A and two USB-C).
The Explore X and Pro have extra tech features such as a wireless phone charging pad, voice control, satellite navigation, Amazon Music, the ability to receive over-the-air (OTA) software updates and access to connected services via the iSmart app. Complimentary for 12 months, these services include location tracking, remote lock/unlock and checking vehicle status.
The Pro goes the extra mile with a digital rearview mirror and an eight-speaker JBL audio system (up from the unbranded six-speaker unit).
The information provided is general advice only. Before making any decisions please consider your own circumstances and the Product Disclosure Statement and Target Market Determinations. For copies, visit racv.com.au. As distributor, RACV Insurance Services Pty Ltd AFS Licence No. 230039 receives commission for each policy sold or renewed. Product(s) issued by Insurance Manufacturers of Australia Pty Ltd ABN 93 004 208 084 AFS Licence No. 227678.
