MG U9 review and buyer's guide
The Australian ute market is a crowded place in 2026 and the MG U9 adds to the burden of choice available to you. Let’s see what the U9 gets right and where it still needs work, against rivals like Ranger, Hilux and Triton.
The MG U9 is the company’s first dual-cab ute in the same way the Tasman is for Kia, and the Australian market has never been hungrier for these vehicles, meaning you have plenty to choose from.
But you’re going to find it very difficult testing 17 different flavours of dual-cab ute on offer in the 4X4 light commercial segment. So the aim of this report is to give you as balanced an assessment as possible, so that you can make an informed choice on buying the U9 - or something else.
You can download the MG U9 full spec sheet here >
The MG U9 is 5.5 metres long - about 30cm shorter than a RAM 1500 - and more to the point, it’s 2 per cent longer than a Ford Ranger Wildtrak, and also 1 per cent wider at 1997mm. It sits 220mm off the deck and has a 3300mm wheelbase, meaning it rides slightly lower to the ground than Ranger and offers 30mm more notional legroom thanks to its wheels being further apart.
The U9 has a generous tub with dimensions that make the Toyota Hilux look like it was designed about 15 years ago (which it was), and its interior offers both cool ideas and practical choices that clearly had the end user in mind.
The engine is a 2.5-litre turbo diesel that makes 160kW of power and as a result, makes 550 Newton-metres of torque. So it’s got similar amounts of grunt compared with the Hilux and Triton, but it is hampered by a kerb weight of 2.45 tonnes.
This is one of the heaviest dual-cab utes on sale, heavier than the 2.3-tonne Ranger Platinum and it’s almost as heavy as the Ford F-150 XLT at 2.47 tonnes.
The payload is also compromised as a direct result of this, which we’ll get into below, but it does still carry a notional 800kg of payload on a multi-link independent, coil-sprung rear suspension setup. Meaning it’s also going to be, supposedly, very comfortable.
The U9 gets a proper front and rear differential, as well as a low-range transfer case, for genuine off-road chops, notionally.
And apparently it’s all yours for $61,000 driveaway. But you should be aware at this point there is an almost idential ute on sale now called the LDV Terron 9 and it is almost a carbon copy of the U9. The key difference is that LDV is sold in Australia by an importer called Ateco, whereas the MG9 is sold my MG itself.
Both brands are manufacturerd and owned by SAIC Motor, formerly the Shanghai Automotive Industrial Corporation. But the MG brand here in Australia is run by the company itself, not a third-party importer.
FEATURES & PRICING
U9 EXPLORE | 2.5L turbo-diesel 4-cyl | dual-cab | $53,000
includes:
18-inch alloy wheels (265/65R18 tyres), full-size spare
Autonomous Emergency Braking
Adaptive Cruise Control
LED: headlights (auto, self-levelling), daytime running light, tailights,
Driver assist: Lane keeping & change assist, lane departure warning, intelligent cruise assist, intelligent speed limit assist, blindspot detection, electric park brake, driver monitoring, fatigue reminder, forward & rear collision warning, rear cross-traffic alert
Door open warning
Tyre pressure monitoring
2 x ISOFIX points, 2 x top tether anchor points
Emergency glass breaker
Front & Rear Parking Sensors
Front Tow Recovery Point
Electrically adjustable, heated (manual folding) door mirrors
Tub liner
Side steps
Roof rails
Lockable tailgate with lift assistance
Blade-type front wiper (rain sensing)
Microfibre leather steering wheel (faux leather)
Driver’s seat: 6-way electrically adjustable
Passenger seat: 4-way manually adjustable
Rear seat backrest 60/40 split
Artificial Leather Seats
Paddleshifters
Proximity smartkey W/ push-button start
Wading Sensor
2 x front cup holders
6-Speaker Sound System, DAB+ radio
12.3" Infotainment Screen
Wireless Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™ Connection
USB Ports x 4 (2x Type-A and 2x Type-C)
EXPLORE X | 2.5L turbo-diesel 4-cyl | dual-cab | $56,000
adds:
19-inch alloy wheels (275/60R19 tyres), full-size spare
Heated steering wheel
Wireless phone charging (15W)
Passenger seat: 6-way electric adjustable
Heated front seats
360-degree camera
Auto-dimming rearview mirror
Acoustic front windshield
Amazon Music
iSMART 12 months complimentary access
Over-The-Air updates
Vehicle APP connectivity
Off-road vehicle information
Voice control
Satellite navigation
EXPLORE PRO | 2.5L turbo-diesel 4-cyl | dual-cab | $61,000
adds:
20-inch alloy wheels (275/55R20 tyres), full-size spare
8-Speaker JBL Sound System
Dual-zone climate control, rear A/C vents
MultiFold seats
Heated rear outboard seats
Leather Seats
Rear seatbase 60/40 split
Driver’s 8-way electric adjustable seat: incl. 4-way electronic lumbar support, ventilation (cooling), massage, position memory
Suede headliner
Electric opening tailgate (lockable)
Retractable rear panel (optional, $5500)
Trailer reversing assist
2 x rear cup holders
ENGINE
The MG U9 uses a 2.5-litre turbocharged 4-cylinder diesel engine that makes 160 kilowatts of peak power at 3800 revs, which is 6 per cent more than the Mitsubishi Triton.
But it’s also making 520 Newton-metres of peak torque, and despite MG Australia neglecting to publish at what rev range it’s producing all that torque, we can look at the newly released LDV Terron 9 for that info because they’re built by the same parent company (Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation).
The identical engine in the Terron 9 makes the same 530Nm at 1500-2500 RPM, which is substantial. It is a profound amount of low-RPM power, and it’s just as well, because the U9 is pretty heavy for this medium-sized ute segment.
The LDV Terron 9 and MG U9 use the same powertrain with the same power output
The power-to-weight ratio on even the lowest-spec version , the ‘Explore’, is 66 kilowatts per tonne - which is 3 less than the so-called underpowered Kia Tasman X-Line at 69kW/t.
But what’s even more interesting about this powertrain combination is when we look at the thermal efficiency hack called brake mean effective pressure. BMEP measures the average pressure measurable across the piston to produce torque at the crankshaft.
From the 2498cc and 520Nm we find the U9 has a BMEP of 2616 kilopascals (kPa), but the Mitsubishi Triton’s 2.4 bi-turbo (470Nm) makes 2418kPa, the Kia Tasman’s 2.2 turbo-diesel only makes 2570kPa, and the Ford Ranger’s 2L bi-turbo (500Nm) makes 3148kPa.
So the U9 beats most of the mid-range utes on thermal efficiency, generally. Except for its dyzygotic twin, the Terron 9, which has a slightly better power-to-weight ratio of 69kW/t thanks to its slightly lighter kerb weight of 2499kg.
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TRANSMISSION
MG (and LDV) have sourced a BorgWarner low-range transmission for the off-roading component of the U9 (and Terron 9), while also sourcing the 8-speed high-range transmission from the German specialists ZF.
But just because SAIC is sourcing and installing German driveline components does not mean they’ve been well integrated. And with the relative newness of these models into a very demanding market segment, it would be premature to suggest the transmission and low-range transfer case are going to be reliable.
The U9 might not go like an FA-18 Super Hornet, but that shouldn’t stop you from feeling like Pete ‘Maverick’ Mitchell
The ‘innovative’ DSG gearbox from Volkswagen and dual-clutch from Ford in the early 2010s were reliability failures, so let’s not go presuming MG and LDV have nailed it on the reliability front here - yet.
What we can surmise is that they have probably done a pretty good job on the calibration of these systems, because ultimately it is the manufacturer doing the integration here.
By most early accounts of the way U9 puts its power down, it seems relatively capable in light off-roading conditions. What remains to be seen is how effective it is at towing, in more aggressive terrain such as the Victorian High Country, and in hotter ambient conditions.
The MG U9 is literally only a few months into its sales efforts and should be treated as something of an unknown entity until the runs are on the board and we have 6-12 months of sales data to determine if it’s going to be a good long-term option. Especially in the context of other big-name utes in the market like Hilux, Ranger, Triton, BT-50 and GWM Cannon.
What’s interesting about this particular transmission is that it offers both front and rear differential locks, but it uses them in an on-demand configuration. So selecting the ‘all-terrain’ modes allows the low-range gearset to engage and also gives you the option to lock the diffs, lock only the rear diff, or leave them unlocked, which you can also do on the fly.
But doing this means interacting with both the main touchscreen and the selector dial on the centre console, which is a curious design choice considering most off-road drivers would probably prefer one or the other - all buttons or all screen icons.
TOWING
The towing capacity of the U9 is 3500kg with a maximum permissible towball download limit of 350kg.
The gross vehicle mass of 3320kg also means you’re left with a payload limit of 770kg in a top-spec Explore Pro when you take the kerb weight from the GVM. Once you then take the notionaly 350kg towball download from the payload (because the towball download is considered payload borne by the vehicle), you’ve got just 420kg of remaining payload.
(The 420kg of payload becomes 520kg if you look at the Explore base model with fewer features and less kerb weight, obviously.)
If you think of this as a safe working limit, the U9 is really at the limit of be unfeasibly and overly ambitiously laden in this situation. Obviously this is at the extreme end of what’s likely to be happening with most U9 owners, potentially. But it’s important to be aware of what’s allowed and what’s safe - knowing that these are two mutually exclusive concepts.
Cranking up the weight and loads in this manner does not equal safe, conservative or practical. But it’s still possible and very much allowed.
But it should also indicate that the U9 is not gong to be very functional in this state because you might hypothetically want to take the enormous caravan or fishing boat. By putting all that towball download on the back, you’re restricted to potentially taking just four adults (or thereabouts) at 100kg each.
A more reasonable towing assignment for the ‘Explore Pro’ of, say, a 2500kg camper or twin-engined boat, is going to leave you with 520kg of payload in this instance with 250kg of towball download. It also leaves you with a much greater safety margin when it comes to overloading.
What does work quite well for the MG U9 (and LDV Terron 9, for that matter) is being 2.45-2.55 tonnes in kerb weight means inherent dynamic stability under heavy towing is going to be a piece of cake as far as restraining the trailer is concerned.
FUNCTIONALITY
One of the advantages of the MG U9 in terms of lunladen ride quality is the result of having independent rear suspension, including coil springs, which makes for comfortable long-distance driving.
It alsop means good wheel articulation in off-road conditions. But there’s a trade-off because adding a trailer is going to load up those springs and sag the rear end compared with a torsion beam and leaf springs (which of course are worse for refinement and driving comfort.
Thankfully, that heavy tailgate is damped, on all variants; rear tie down points are mounted low, but not the front points
But if you’re more about how practical the U9 is in terms of working in, on and around it on a regular basis, consider the clever design of the rear tailgate which incorporates a hinged drop-step.
This allows you to step up into the tray with whatever bulky, heavy items you may be carrying and reduces the risk of slips and falls trying to clamber into the tray via the side tub or calmbering up the tailgate - none of which are safe to do on any significant gradient like on a farm or in a paddock etc.
What’s more is that you can also just shorten the tailgate impost by dropping the step-box section by keeping the step itself stowed, allowing you to step about a foot closer to the tray itself, meaning you can place heavy boxes or whatever much easier directly into the tray. it avoids awkward bending and stretching which can cause lower back injuries.
Sliding heavy objects into and out of the tray is made considerably easier on your lower back thanks to a 50% reduction of how far you have to stretch; the price is a heavy tailgate…
When you look at the tailgate and see the additional weight they’ve had to add due to the additional hinges, and then you go to the collapsable bulkhead behind the rear seats and see the engineering that’s gone into making that reality - you can start to understand why this thing weighs 2.5 tonnes.
Then you climb underneath and see the girth of the rear suspension components, the massive 20-inch wheels on the Pro, and remember it’s 2 per cent longer and 1 per cent wider than a Ranger - and it becomes evident why the U9 is so podgy.
But at least it uses disc brakes on the rear, offers an 80-litre fuel tank, and gives you a sliding, adjustable rack tie down system inside that massive tray.
It’s also useful of MG to provide full officially measured dimensions of the tray, unlike some brands. Width between the wheelarces is 1230mm, which is among the best of the mainstream utes. In fact, it’s 13mm wider than a Ranger, it’s 95mm wider than a Triton and only 40mm narrower than on a RAM 1500 costing $80,000 more.
Here are the rest of the U9’s tray (tub) internal dimensions for your reference:
Tub box width: 1600mm
Tub box aperture width: 1500mm
Tub height (axle centreline): 535mm
Tub length (floor): 1600mm
Tub length (box top): 1561mm
Tub width (between wheelarches): 1230mm
INTERIOR
The cockpit layout is fairly typical of the new breed of Chinese brands: sweeping dashboard design with a landscape oriented panoramic touschreen stuck to the top of it. It’s getting pretty unoriginal at this point and most motoring outlets will suggest it’s modern and minimalistic and futuristic, but it’s kinda the same as everyone else, really.
It’s a 12.3-inch touchscreen which, typical of all these brands that have never had a ute in their inventory until now, does not offer any binnacle to protect the driver’s screen from glare or direct sunlight, and that also means it’s going to get extremely hot during Australian summers. Can’t be a good sign for long-term durability.
There’s a generous amount of legroom thanks to the 3.3-metre wheelbase which is longer than a Kia Carnival or LandCruiser, and the back seats in particular are the biggest benefactor as a result.
The rear seats, again on the Explore Pro, lift up and tilt forward to make for a raised-floor but also flat-floor space to stow bulky things, and can be used in addition to the collapsing rear bulkhead hatch option.
The front seats are faux leather on the Explore and Explore X, but become genuine on the Explore Pro. But having said that, the design itself isn’t overly supportive with fairly light bolstering on the sides, meaning bigger, taller occupants are going to be less supported, as well as smaller occupants being more prone to sliding under lateral forces.
When you notice the cabin is quite wide and start to think it feels a bit like an American pick-up, that’s pretty normal. Most people are going to appreciate, or at least recognise, the abundance of space.
The steering wheel has a flat bottom for no particular advantage or necessity, and there’s a very generous amount of storage space to put your things once you do clamber aboard.
The light grey/cream headlining is going to get especially filthy if you’re using this thing for drity work in earnest, and there is a general sense that the buyer they’re aiming for here is a bit more posh than your typical jobsite labourer. It’s up to you to decide if that works for your or not.
The rear seats can collapse in order to provide flat, open storage space for equipment or tools you’d like to keep dry at all times but still need quick access to (without having to get into the tray to retreive it). And this option comes with Explore Pro top-spec while also being available regardless of whether you get the rear collapsing bulkhead option.
So you can more-or-less get the greater benefit of a super-cab or a king-cab, with the inherent family-focussed versatility of a conventional dual-cab. This is a major advantage over pretty much all the other dual-cab utes from the established brands.
You might also notice there are no overhead grab handles for holding on while enduring gnarly terrain, but the pillar-mounted ones are useful for pulling yourself up into the cabin. Fortunately, side steps are standard on the base model to assist with ingress/egress.
DRAWBACKS
Most of the gripes with the U9 are niggles and quirks typical of a carmaker having a crack at its first ute.
The lack of overhead grab handles is a face-palm in the domain of off-roading where we all know it’s the sideways, lateral jiggles that we need restraining from as much as any fore-aft related impacts.
The collapsable rear bulkhead option is, arguabky, a bit of a gimmick in terms of feasibility to actually use it. Surfboards: they usually just go diagonally in the tray, or flat with the fins hanging out the back. But sure, maybe being able to slide them all the way into the back row is going to reduce the likelihood of them ending up as Beach Rd ornaments.
The kerb weight is a problem. It’s the result of the overall dimensions in conjunction with the novelties they’ve added like additional hinges and structural inclusions, as well as the independent rear suspension.
A coil sprung rear end is an advantage off-road and for on-road comfort, but lacks the lightness of leaf springs
Nissan Navara was, for a long time, the odd-one-out in the mainstream utes because they chose to go with heavier, more articulate and towing-compromised independent rear suspension (to please Mercedes with the defunct X-Class).
The problem here is that when you introduce a heavy payload or hitch a heavy trailer, the coil springs sag much more dramatically than a leaf spring rear suspension set-up.
The upside here is that the MG U9 is going to have a much more plush ride when empty or lightly-to-moderately laden. So if you’re not looking for a maxed-out pack-mule, but you do have genuine use for a dual-cab ute, such as for things like cabinet making or handyman-type carpentary or gardening services, then IRS has its place.
MAIN COMPETITORS
FORD RANGER (Wildtrak)
ENGINE: 3L bi-turbo-diesel V6 | POWER: 184kW @ 3250 RPM | TORQUE: 600Nm @ 1750-2250 RPM
Kerb wt: 2388kg (Wildtrak) | Power-weight ratio: 79kw/t
Max. potential payload: 962kg (Wildtrak)
GVM: 3350kg | GCM: 6400kg
Driveline: 10-spd epicyclic auto trans, electromechanical clutch pack (acts as front diff), rear differential, row-range transfer case, 4-high on-road use
Brakes: ventilated front discs, ventilated rear discs
Front / rear axle limit: 1490kg / 1959kg
Approach / breakover / departure angle: 30 / 21 / 23 degrees
Ground clearance / wading depth: 234mm / 800mm
Tray length: 1464mm | width (b/w w/arches) 1217mm | height: 525mm
Front / rear overhang: 865 mm | 1215 mm || Turning circle: 12.9m
Wheelbase: 3270mm | Total length: 5370mm | Width: 1918mm (excl. mirrors) | Height: 1886mm
PRO: V6 towing grunt (600Nm), all-wheel driveline system, heavy kerb weight makes heavy towing safer at speed
CON: Below-average customer support from Ford Australia, expensive range, 2L bi-turbo is a bit highly strung
Comment:
Ranger is undeniably the most masculine ute on the market, and it certainly gets an all-access pass to every building site, every High Country campground and has the towing cajones for mass market appeal.
The reliability isn’t as good as it should be, and Ford Australia needs to up its game in terms of customer service, but at least you can drive it in 4H on high-traction surfaces such as in heavy rain or good-quality gravel backroads. Range is also very expensive, making the Triton look like a bargain.
Click here for more on Ford Ranger >>
KIA TASMAN
ENGINE: 2.2L turbo-diesel 4-cyl | POWER: 154kW @ 3800 RPM | TORQUE: 440Nm @ 1750-2750 RPM
Kerb wt: 2223kg (X-Line) | Power-weight ratio: 69kw/t
Max. potential payload: 1027kg (X-Line)
GVM: 3250kg | GCM: 6200kg
Driveline: 8-spd epicyclic auto trans, front differential, rear differential
Brakes: ventilated front & rear discs
Front / rear axle limit: 1450kg / 2040kg
Approach / breakover / departure angle: 28/ 23 / 25 degrees
Ground clearance / wading depth: 224mm / 800mm
Tray length: 1512mm | width (b/w w/arches) 1186mm | height: 540mm
Front / rear overhang: 855 mm | 1285 mm || Turning circle: 12.3m
Wheelbase: 3270mm | Total length: 5410mm | Width: 1930mm (excl. mirrors) | Height: 1890mm
Comment:
Tasman is the newest ute platform in this group, with the exception of Tunland. And despite its face and the notional lack of grunt, it’s actually the best powertrain integration of all the mainstream dual-cab utes on sale today. The transmission is perfect - and that’s a word that extremely rarely gets bandied around on AutoExpert.
Tasman offers a reliable 2.2-litre turbo-diesel engine and a brilliant off-road prowess you probably wouldn’t expect ‘from a Kia’. It’s not the same primitive 4WD system as D-Max whereby 4H cannot be used on-road. You can drive Tasman in 4-High on wet tarmac, gravel roads or steep driveways without ever worrying about breaking anything.
The interior kicks Mazda’s and Ford’s efforts to the kerb, too.
MITSUBISHI TRITON (GSR)
ENGINE: 2.4L bi-turbo-diesel 4-cyl | POWER: 150kW @ 3500 RPM | TORQUE: 470Nm @ 1500-2750 RPM
Kerb wt: 2170kg | Power-weight ratio: 70kW/t
Max. potential payload: 910kg (GSR)
GVM: 3080kg | GCM: 6250kg
Driveline: 6-spd epicyclic auto trans., centre and rear differentials, row-range transfer case, 4-high on-road use
Brakes: ventilated front discs, rear drums
Front / rear axle limit: 1580kg / 2040kg
Approach / breakover / departure angle: 30/ 23 / 22 degrees
Ground clearance / wading depth: 228 mm / 800mm
Tray length: 1555mm | width (b/w w/arches) 1135mm | height: 525mm
Front / rear overhang: TBC | TBC || Turning circle: 12.7m
Wheelbase: 3130mm | Total length: 5320mm | Width: 1930mm (excl. mirrors) | Height: 1795mm
Comment:
If you want the best fuel economy, equal towing capability, all-wheel drive 4H use on sealed roads (but in poor driving conditions) but you also want good brand support while also being a whopping $15,000 cheaper than the equivalent Ranger - Triton is unrivalled. Clever centre diff and all-wheel driveline allows high-traction surface use, excellent value, competitor rivalling towing capacity, more frugal than most equivalent utes.
Triton is also the only ute to be tested against the latest, more stringent crash testing protocols, and yet can also offer a comfortable, practical interior that caters to both long-distance touring and daily-driver tradie commuter practicality.
Click here for more on Mitsubishi Triton >>
TOYOTA HILUX (Rogue)
ENGINE: 2.8L turbo-diesel 4-cyl | POWER: 150kW @ 3000 RPM | TORQUE: 500Nm @ 1600-2800 RPM
Kerb wt: 2231kg (Rogue) | Power-weight ratio: 68kw/t
Max. potential payload: 854kg (Rogue)
GVM: 3050kg | GCM: 5850kg
Driveline: 6-spd epicyclic auto trans, front differential, rear differential
Brakes: ventilated front discs, rear drums
Front / rear axle limit: 1450kg / 1700kg
Approach / breakover* / departure angle: 31/ 39*/ 23 degrees (*based on old Rogue, before 265mm ground clearance gain of 20mm in current version which Toyota Aust. does not state breakover)
Ground clearance / wading depth: 265mm / 700mm
Tray length: 1570mm | width (b/w w/arches) 1105mm | height: 495mm
Front / rear overhang: 997 mm | 1245 mm || Turning circle: 11.8m
Wheelbase: 3085mm | Total length: 5320mm | Width: 2020mm (excl. mirrors) | Height: 1870mm
Comment:
Hilux is the oldest ute platform in this group - and by significant margin. The last time Hilux was given a substantive update was 2018, even though Toyota Australia has tried to sex it up with the ‘GR’ pack.
Hilux has the best resale value, but that’s hinged on their religious brand presence in Australia. It’s a fairly bland ute with little to distinguish it from the rest, and in fact relies on the same primitive 4WD system as D-Max whereby 4H cannot be used on-road.
ISUZU D-MAX (X-Terrain) / MAZDA BT-50 (SP)
ENGINE: 3L turbo-diesel 4-cyl | POWER: 140kW @ 3600 RPM | TORQUE: 450Nm @ 1600-2600 RPM
Kerb wt: 2170kg | Power-weight ratio: 66kW/t
Max. potential payload: 910kg (GSR)
GVM: 3080kg | GCM: 6250kg
Driveline: 6-spd epicyclic auto trans., centre and rear differentials, row-range transfer case, 4-high on-road use
Brakes: ventilated front discs, rear drums
Front / rear axle limit: 1450kg / 1910kg
Approach / breakover / departure angle: 27 / 22 / 19 degrees
Ground clearance / wading depth: 240 mm / 800mm
Tray length: 1570mm | width (b/w w/arches) 1122mm | height: 490mm
Front / rear overhang: 905 mm | 1255mm || Turning circle: 12.5m
Wheelbase: 3125mm | Total length: 5310mm | Width: 1880mm (excl. mirrors) | Height: 1810mm
Comment:
D-Max has loads of rusted on fans and that’s quite okay, because it does get plenty of aggressive styling. But that’s about where it stops being unique or compelling.
Sure, that Isuzu diesel engine is reliable, and they have tidied up the driveline compared with the old model, but it’s still a very rattly, vibrating powertrain that Mazda BT-50 also shares. Not being able to use that 4WD system in ways that more modern and future-proofed dual-cab utes have been enabled, such as on-road in heavy rain while towing, is a big drawback when a top-spec D-Max Blade wants $78,000.
Click here for more on Mazda BT-50 >>
Click here for more on Isuzu D-Max >>
CONCLUSION
MG Australia has demonstrated that it’s possible to make a big, capable, practical dual-cab ute - that’s also affordable.
The MG U9 is extremely good value and seems quite functional, without being anything particularly revolutionary or innovative; but you can see they’ve actually tried.
The U9 offers tight-budget buyers an opportunity to afford a very comfortable, reasonably capable and decent looking ute, but the compromise is not knowing how good it’s going to be in the long term. That’s the burden of innovation.
If you’d prefer a brand with a solid reputation for customer support, MG Australia seems to be doing a decent job of that, too. They’re wholly owned by the brand, not some cowboy importer.
So if you’re willing to take an informed bet on the MG U9, all power to you - but be aware that this is an entirely new platform venture for SAIC Motor.
But if you’re still on the fence for now, it’s not a bad place to be until you at least have 6-12 months worth of sale data to go by to establish if the U9 is as good as it promises to be. The last thing you want is to be left with a ute nobody wants.
If nothing else, the U9 is a compelling low-budget ute for anybody who simply needs to get themselves a replacement workhorse for light to moderate duties. And hey, it might actually turn out to be an unpolished gem.
