2026 MG U9: Australian testing underway for China’s subsequent Ranger, HiLux rival


MG revealed its first ever ute – the U9 – in Melbourne simply over one week in the past, and now the Chinese language carmaker isn’t losing any time in getting ready the important new mannequin for its native launch later this 12 months.

The U9 is already present process native highway testing, with the deliberate regime set to incorporate far-flung areas akin to Broome, Penguin, Albany, and Cooktown.

MG Motor Australia says it’s conducting the testing “to make sure the MG U9 meets the distinctive calls for of Australian roads – whether or not within the metropolis, the bush, or on the worksite”. This system is being led by MG’s in-house engineering group.

A key a part of its plan to develop into a top-three auto model in Australia by the tip of this decade, the U9 will probably be MG’s first mild industrial car Down Underneath when it debuts within the fourth quarter of 2025, as a rival to a number of the nation’s hottest fashions together with the Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux.

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It would additionally function a substitute for the upcoming LDV Terron 9, which shares the identical underpinnings because the MG U9 and China’s Maxus Star X.

LDV started native testing of the Terron 9 final 12 months, specializing in site visitors signal recognition, lane-keep help and different digital driver assist programs in a bid to higher calibrate the ute for Australian highway situations.

The Terron 9 will arrive sooner than its MG twin underneath the pores and skin, across the center of this 12 months.

Each utes will probably be powered by a high-output 164kW 2.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine, and they’ll match the class-leaders with a 3500kg towing capability.

Different confirmed options for the native market U9 embody a massaging driver’s seat, “versatile seat performance to maximise storage and luxury”, and a JBL sound system.

Pricing and full specs will probably be revealed nearer to launch.

The MG U9 will probably be lined by the model’s benchmark 10-year/250,000km guarantee (seven-year/160,000km for industrial consumers).

MORE: 2026 MG U9 dual-cab ute revealed to tackle Ranger, HiLux



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