The MG U9 Black Edition has arrived in Australia and is now available from $57,990 drive-away, with MG Motor Australia saying it will add “incremental growth” to the dual-cab ute’s local sales.
Shown at the 2026 Melbourne Motor Show in April, the U9 Black Edition is positioned below the flagship $59,990 drive-away U9 Explore Pro, but above the entry-level Explore ($52,990 d/a) and mid-spec Explore X ($55,990 d/a). While a limited edition, MG has not said how many Black Edition U9s it will offer here.
Australia will be the first country in the world to receive the U9 Black Edition, which MG Motor Australia marketing lead Dimitri Andreatidis told CarExpert was a decision based on the strength of the local ute market, with the Ford Ranger currently Australia’s best-selling vehicle year-to-date.
“The U9 – it debuted here, and because of the strong affinity Australians have for utes, it just makes sense,” Mr Andreatidis said.
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With order books only opening last September, the U9 has outsold rivals including the KGM Musso, JAC T9 and LDV Terron 9. With the LDV, it shares its underpinnings, 2.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine and ZF eight-speed automatic transmission.
As the name suggests, the Black Edition gives the already imposing U9 a more sinister look, adding a blacked-out grille, badges, wheel caps and exterior trim, including window surrounds and roof rails.
In a U9 first, the 18-inch black alloy wheels are fitted as standard with 265/65 Kumho all-terrain tyres, while the tri-fold electrically operated tailgate features a unique stamped design to further distinguish the model.
From a technical perspective, the U9 Black Edition is the first MG sold in Australia to be fitted with Towing Cruise Control, helping owners make better use of its 3500kg braked towing capacity.
The system modulates the throttle, gearshifts and stability control to better suit towing while cruise control is engaged, improving control and comfort.
“This comes directly from customer feedback on what they want, what they wanted in, in there, so it has stuff like the towing cruise control, it has beefier combo 18-inch tyres,” Mr Andreatidis said.
“One interesting insight that we received from our customers was the interior. Those who are doing more rugged off-road activity, the light-coloured interior wasn’t something that they got dirty, so we’ve introduced in the Black Edition a darker interior trim.”
This includes synthetic leather upholstery and a black headliner and black pillars, all of which are currently unavailable on other model grades. The rear seat also gains a 60:40 split-fold backrest, replacing the single-piece backrest fitted to lower grades.
The Black Edition also adopts the Explore Pro’s front and rear locking differentials, while otherwise matching the Explore X’s equipment list.
That includes the same 160kW/520Nm turbo-diesel powertrain, standard four-wheel drive, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a 360-degree camera.
Mr Andreatidis said the Black Edition will grow overall U9 sales rather than cannibalising demand for other variants.
“The consideration for utes has increased 28 per cent in the last four years, so being part of that was important; showcasing what we can bring to the table, to the market,” the MG marketing lead said.
“Utes are so important and synonymous with Australian consumers that we thought, well, Australia, this is what we think a ute should be.”
Pricing
|
Model |
Drive-away price |
|---|---|
|
2026 MG U9 Explore |
$52,990 |
|
2026 MG U9 Explore X |
$55,990 |
|
2026 MG U9 Black Edition |
$57,990 |
|
2026 MG U9 Explore Pro |
$59,990 |