2025 BYD Shark 6 review (video)

When a new ute arrives in town, everyone looks up. That’s because the segment, particularly the 4×4 class, makes up a huge chunk of the new-car market. You’d be mad not to offer an option here as a mainstream carmaker.

There are now more and more options being introduced, including from new-age brands such as GWM and LDV, as well as Kia with its infamous Tasman. Now, BYD has entered the scene with something it calls the Shark 6. The pressure is on.

It arrives as the first plug-in hybrid ute on sale in Australia, but it will be chased down by the GWM Alpha PHEV and Ford Ranger PHEV later this year. The main question is, do traditional/existing ute buyers want a plug-in hybrid? Or will this pull in a new wave of buyers?

2025 BYD Shark 6: Specifications

*Figures as tested by Driving Enthusiast on the day. Manufacturers’ claims may be different

2025 BYD Shark 6: How much does it cost?

BYD is launching the Shark 6 in a single, albeit highly-specced trim level. Prices start from $57,900 (excluding on-road costs), making it one of the most affordable top-spec packages in its class.

For reference, the Toyota HiLux SR5 starts from $60,250, the Isuzu D-Max LS-U starts from $59,500, the Mitsubishi Triton GSR starts from $63,840, and the Ford Ranger Sport 2.0L starts from $66,140 (all excluding on-roads).

So, although the Shark is cheap, it’s going up against some very tough and very established competition. One thing is certain, this will shake up the industry and provoke thought and further innovation.

2025 BYD Shark 6: Interior & packaging

Inside, this cabin leans heavily into modern tech while balancing some rugged practicality. The layout is dominated by a 15.6-inch rotating touch-screen running BYD’s DiLink infotainment system, offering crisp visuals and a wide range of in-built apps and services, including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Spotify and Amazon Music.

A 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster provides key driving data, but it is often scattered with symbols and notifications. It takes a little bit of time to get used to, just like many of the rival systems. You’ve got options to toggle through readouts and gauges for the left and right sides, but overall it does look a bit generic, especially as the screen is simply tacked onto the dash and doesn’t sit within any sort of enclosure.

Material quality is respectable for the segment, with soft-touch surfaces on the dash and doors, contrasted by harder plastics in lower areas. The leatherette seats provide good comfort and support, with power-adjustment for convenience. Heated and ventilated front seats are included, which adds to the premium feel.

Cabin storage is generous, with a large centre console, multiple cupholders, and a wireless charging pad positioned within easy reach. The rear seats offer decent space for a dual-cab ute, with adequate legroom and headroom for adults, with an almost flat floor opening up the space. Rear passengers also get USB charging ports and air vents, which aren’t always guaranteed in this segment.

Practicality extends to the tub, which features a spray-in liner and tie-down points to secure cargo. The payload rating of 790kg is lower than some rivals, and the gross combination mass (GCM) of 5750kg means you’re left with around 540kg once you hook up a maximum 2500kg trailer and minus the hefty 2710kg kerb weight. The GVM is 3500kg.

2025 BYD Shark 6: Powertrain & handling

The Shark 6’s powertrain comprises a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine, paired with two electric motors (front and rear). The electric motors do all of the pushing, however, the petrol engine can provide power directly to the front axle at speeds above 70km/h when needed.

So, in a sense, this is like a fully electric ute but it comes with a small petrol engine which acts as a generator to keep the battery nourished, to extend the range. A fully electric range, speaking of which, is listed at 100km on the NEDC cycle. That’s provided by a 30kWh battery under the cabin.

As you can probably tell this is a complex and unique package for the ute segment, but it promises some impressive numbers. The front electric motor produces 170kW and 310Nm, while the rear develops 150kW and 340Nm. Combined, you’ve got a massive 321kW and 650Nm at the ready.

During our usual performance testing with the Vbox we found there is a difference in acceleration between a low battery and a full battery. Our best result for the 0-100km/h sprint was 5.67 seconds, matching BYD’s claim of 5.7, and our slowest result was 7.03 seconds when isolating to EV mode.

With the battery level at 0km range (equates to 20% battery), we clocked the sprint in 6.94 seconds. Does this matter? Well, not really but you might notice this drop in performance during trips, especially if you’re carrying a load or towing. In our experience conducting performance tests, this variance is common in some hybrids and PHEVs, but not all. Some are able to maintain consistent performance through most of the battery range.

Obviously 0-100km/h performance is not important to the common 4×4 ute buyer, but BYD does market the sprint time as one of the main facts on its website. Also, for driving enthusiasts, it might be good to know this is the quickest ute we’ve ever tested in this specific class (excluding big American pickup trucks).

For everyone else, it means the drive is effortless, quiet and very smooth. There is no transmission, so no gear changes, and when the petrol engine automatically fires up, it is seamless and still very quiet as it doesn’t rev out like a traditional powertrain during regular driving.

Around town the Shark 6 is a pleasure to drive. Visibility is great and the driving position is high and commanding, while the steering and suspension are straight-forward and manageable. Although, measuring 5457mm long and 1971mm wide, it is one of the biggest utes in its class. About 90mm longer and 50mm wider than a Ranger, in fact.

This means parking can be an issue. You need to have clearance at the back to overhang the rear end in order for it to fit in regular car parking spaces. Parallel parking is easy though, helped out by a comprehensive surround-view camera system with selectable views.

Out in the country is where things go a bit pear-shaped. The ride is intolerably stiff. So much so that the passenger seat shakes around noticeably, the seatbelt latch clatters into the B-pillar, and the driver’s door vibrates in the frame – all could be isolated to this test vehicle.

Commercial vehicles usually have a firm ride because they feature heavy-duty suspension so they can carry things. But this is the stiffest we’ve experienced in this class. And let’s not forget, the towing and low-carrying abilities are under par to begin with. So why the stiff ride?

The handling on a winding road is respectable. Not class-leading and not bad, but good enough for this segment and for this vehicle’s intended purpose. We’d like a little more steering feel, with Comfort and Sport modes really only changing the weight, not the communication.

But overall it does its job. There is some minor front corner lean when encountering bends but, again, for this class it’s not worth noting as a bad thing. It’s just that there are better handling utes out there if that is a high priority to you (Ford Ranger, Isuzu D-Max and Toyota HiLux spring to mind).

With that stiff ride, driving on dirt roads, especially corrugated ones, it is alarmingly shaky. The cabin is rattled and so are your bones. This needs more work in our opinion as 4×4 ute buyers typically venture off road from time to time. That’s with the tyres at the placard-recommended 36psi. Letting them down a bit could help.

Deeper off road and it seems to get worse. Mainly in terms of capability rather than the ride. There are a handful of driving modes, including Muddy Land, Mountain, Sand Land, and Snow Land, which all configure the drive system and traction control systems to suit accordingly. Up our usual little hill climb, the Shark 6 simply could not get up.

It seems to overload the electric motors which then causes them to give up. In all modes. We noticed there is slightly more wheelspin let through in Sand and Snow modes, which makes sense. However, when the platform is under diagonal stress, with a wheel in the air, and up an incline, the system simply can’t comprehend what to do. At least in our tests. We were feeding in full throttle and the powertrain just sat, almost like it was on idle or standby.

For reference, we have climbed this very same hill on the same line in an Isuzu D-Max and various grades of Toyota Prado with no issue. Wheel articulation and suspension travel is limited here, so it is quick to lift a wheel. This, we feel, puts further stress on the traction/drive system as it tries to sort out what to do.

Overall, the Shark 6 is an impressive bit of kit, make no mistake. It is very quick and quiet, which is totally the opposite to all diesel rivals. The technology showcased here is also superb. But the suspension and ride need further tuning, preferably in local conditions, and the off-road drive modes need more work if it wants to meet the class standards.

As a result, this is a great value urban ute. The light towing and load capacities will suffice, the ride isn’t as much of an issue, and the electric power is likely to come in handy more often to squirt around traffic.

Fuel consumption is going to be better in the city as well, as electric motors are not running at their efficient prime during highway speeds – we averaged around 8.7L/100km during our test, in mixed conditions and charging the battery twice within around 500-600km of testing.

2025 BYD Shark 6: Key attractions/reasons to buy

• Exciting proposition: The overall package is turning out to be one of the most sought after utes on sale.
• Quickest ute in its class: With an official 0-100km/h claim of 5.7 seconds and a tested 5.67 seconds, it is the quickest option on sale.
• Interior practicality: Lots of storage options and some physical controls make for a great everyday package. Passenger space is good, too.
• Vehicle-to-load functionality: You’ve got three power sockets in the tray area and another at the back seat.
• Cheap: This is one of the most affordable options in its class, especially at top-spec form.

2025 BYD Shark 6: Key considerations before you buy

• Off road modes need calibration: They simply did not work during our tests.
• Performance depends on battery level: We saw varying 0-100 times at different states of charge. It’s not consistent.
• Very firm ride: Again, it seems like further calibration is needed here. This is far too stiff, even compared with the stiffest of rivals.
• Dealer network and limited long-term reliability history: BYD is still a relatively new brand in Australia.

2025 BYD Shark 6: Video