Words: Andrew Sluys | Photos: Alex Schultz
Published 28 December 2025
MG ventures into the competitive and often parochial double cab ute market. Is the U9 up to the challenge?
For over a decade now, double-cab utes have dominated the best selling vehicles list in New Zealand. The Ford Ranger has been the best seller for the past decade, usually with Toyota’s Hilux in second place. Though extremely popular, utes share one underwhelming factor — the ride quality provided by leaf spring rear suspension.
The general consensus is that leaf springs are used instead of a coil sprung set-up on the rear to prioritise towing ability, and to hit that magic 3.5-tonne number that everyone thinks they need. And while leaves are good at suspending large loads, they have a tendency, when unladen, to provide an extremely fussy ride over all sorts of surfaces.
Enter the MGU9. Now before you write this off as another Chinese vehicle attempting to steal the spotlight, it’s clear the Australasian MG team has put a lot of thought into what an everyday ute should offer. Arguably the biggest differentiating factor between this ute and the remainder of the segment is its rear suspension, which uses a multilink set-up. Impressively this hasn’t come at the cost of towing ability, because it will still haul 3.5-tonnes quite happily. The compromise is a payload ranging between 770-870kg, which feels like a sensible trade-off. So before we dive into how it drives with its trick suspension system, let’s look at how much it costs, and what you get.
The breakdown
The MGU9 range starts with the Explore at $60,990. It’s powered by a four-cylinder 2.5-litre turbodiesel making 160kW and 520Nm. This is paired with an eight-speed auto, and a Borg Warner four-wheel drive system. It gets an electronic rear locking differential, 18-inch alloy wheels, and a full size spare. On the inside, it uses a pair of 12.3-inch displays, one for the infotainment system, and one for the digital cluster. Wireless Apple Carplay and Android Auto come standard, as does the six-speaker sound system.
Next in the local line-up is the Explore X at $63,990. This adds 19-inch wheels and electric folding mirrors that are also heated. On the inside it adds a heated steering wheel and heated front seats, as well as a wireless phone charger.
Starting from $68,990 is the Explore Pro, which is the top-spec variant. This gets 20-inch wheels, a front locking differential, and a panoramic sunroof. It also gets the fancy dual-step opening tailgate, and the smart hatch is offered as an optional extra at $6,190. This is the real talking point of the MGU9, as it allows the middle partition of the ute to be folded down, allowing access between the cabin and tray. This could come in handy if you are needing to transport long items that are too big for the standard tray, or are just after a better indoor/outdoor flow with your ute.
As for warranties, MG Motor New Zealand will cover the MGU9 for up to five years/unlimited mileage on the standard plan, or up to seven years/200,000km with the extended plan (which means completing your scheduled services with an authorised MG dealer during that period).
At this price point, the MGU9 is about $5,000 more expensive than the LDV Terron 9, of which it shares a fair bit with (but not the rear suspension). In saying this, the local MG team were quick to point out how much their ute differs from its LDV-badged counterpart with the added features such as the tray step and smart hatch.
It’s big
Size is one area where the MGU9 punches above its weight. It’s longer, wider, and has a larger wheelbase than a Ford Ranger. With its squared-off styling, this makes for quite an imposing vehicle, and I have to say I’m a fan of how it looks.
Despite being the range-topping Explore Pro variant, the smart hatch wasn’t fitted to the MGU9 we tested, as apparently they are due on the next shipment of vehicles. The smart step however was present, and it seemed like an incredibly innovative idea perfectly executed. As well as being a step, this contraption also provides extended load space, as the bottom step functions as a lip to hold objects such as planks of wood in place.
On the inside, it feels basic yet nice. Faux leather covers the majority of surfaces, and the seats feel adequate. A large, space ship-looking gear shifter takes centre stage between the seats, and gives you a “THUNDERBIRDS ARE GO” type of feeling every time you set off.
Compared to a lot of new Chinese vehicles, the centre display doesn’t dominate the dash. Wireless Apple CarPlay works well once you are connected, but I did find myself having to manually start the process more times than not. I am a fan of the buttons beneath this display, as you don’t have to go digging into menu screens to adjust the climate control.
MGU9 – go okay off-road?
At the launch of this MGU9 in New Zealand, the drive was primarily off-road. Though the ute was able to show its capabilities across rough terrain, it obviously did nothing to show how it performs on the road — where it will be used 95 per cent of the time. With the front and rear locking differentials engaged, we were able to scale some reasonable terrain, in-line with what you’d expect from any 4×4 ute.
During this off-road route, we were also able to sample the various off-road modes and diff locks. These functioned exactly as intended on the serious terrain, providing a satisfying sense of confidence.
And on-road?
Once we got the vehicle for our usual week-long test, we finally got to drive it on-road. The verdict? It’s adequate. With this suspension system, the MGU9 handles itself better than the majority of leaf sprung utes, but it’s not the silver bullet to ute ride quality woes. During a drive at speed on a gravel road, there weren’t any in-cab jitters, which can plague other utes that are less refined. Considering the MGU9 retains a towing capacity of 3.5-tonnes with these coil springs, it was always going to be somewhat compromised, but I was hoping for more.
On the road, the sheer size of the MGU9 quickly becomes apparent. This isn’t to the same effect of those big American trucks, but it does feel bigger than your regular double-cab ute. The high driving position helps with visibility on this front, but it’s not an easy thing to park at the shopping centre.
The driving assistance systems can be overbearing — especially the lane-keep assist on a curvy back road. I’ve never had a vehicle attempt to snatch the steering wheel from my grip quite like this MGU9 did, which was genuinely worrying, and needs to be addressed. Because of this, I found myself turning off as much as I could within the menus.
Suspension aside, I was impressed by the level of grunt offered by the 2.5-litre engine. The launch route took us over some semi-serious off-road obstacles, and the MGU9 certainly has enough torque to pull it out of trouble. I was surprised to see a redline of 4500rpm on the dash, and the engine did spend a fair chunk of time above the 3000rpm mark, making quite a rev-happy mill. Considering this, reliability will be something worth keeping an eye on with these engines, but MG’s warranty offers peace of mind for the first owner at least.
MGU9 – Worthy?
As a whole, this MGU9 feels like a fun offering in an otherwise boring segment. MG has seemingly nailed the fundamentals of the humble double-cab ute, while bringing new innovation and features that we never knew we needed.
I’d argue the biggest obstacle MG will have to overcome with this ute is its price point. Though it might not be the case anymore in 2025, Chinese vehicles have long been seen as cheaper alternatives to more established brands. In the case of this MGU9, its price point puts it at the top of the updated Toyota Hilux range, and near the top of the many Ford Ranger offerings. It does get a couple of fun additions in the smart hatch and tailgate step, but fully loaded Explore Pro costs over $75,000, which is almost at the level of a Ford Ranger Wildtrak with its much-loved V6 powerplant. Despite the coil-sprung rear of the MGU9, I’m not sure there’s going to be much cross-shopping between the two.
But with the peace-of-mind offered by the five year warranty, I’d encourage Kiwi buyers to think outside the box, and could find themselves pleasantly surprised.
MGU9 Explore Pro
$68,990 / 7.9L/100km / 208g/km
0-100 km/h 10.7s
Engine 2498cc / IL4 / T / DI
Max power 160kW@3250rpm
Max torque 520Nm@1500-2500rpm
Drivetrain 8-speed auto / switchable 4×4
Front suspension Wishbones / swaybar
Rear suspension Multilink / swaybar
Turning circle 13.3m
Front brakes Ventilated discs
Rear brakes Discs
Stability systems ABS, ESP
Safety AEB, ACC, LDW, RCTA , LKA, BSM
Tyre size 275/55R20
Wheelbase 3300mm
L/W/H 5500 / 2265 / 1874mm
Track f-1685mm r-1685mm
Fuel capacity 80L
Payload 770kg
Tow rating 750kg (3500 braked)
Service intervals 12 months / 10,000km
Warranty 5yrs / unlimited km
ANCAP rating ★★★★★ (2024)
Weight (claimed) 2550kg
