BYD Shark 6 Premium reassessed as the plug-in hybrid benchmark faces new rivals

Back to the original Shark

The BYD Shark 6 has been one of the arrivals of the decade in Australian dual-cabs, launching in late 2024 and consistently placing in the top-20 sales charts. With the line-up since expanded to include an entry-level Dynamic cab-chassis and a more powerful Performance flagship, CarExpert has returned to the vehicle that started it all, the Shark 6 Premium, for a week of commuting through Melbourne's peak-hour traffic and suburbs. The review, carried by PerthNow, is credited to CarExpert's Ben Zachariah. ¹

The Premium combines a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine (135kW/260Nm) with dual electric motors producing 170kW/310Nm at the front and 150kW/340Nm at the rear, for combined outputs of 321kW and 650Nm. CarExpert lists the kerb weight at 2710kg and the claimed 0-100km/h time at 5.7 seconds. BYD quotes the electric-only range as up to 100km on the NEDC cycle, though CarExpert notes the Performance's 80km figure under the stricter WLTP standard suggests the Premium's real-world figure likely falls somewhere between the two. ¹²³

Cabin and equipment

CarExpert's assessment puts the Premium's interior among the best in the segment. The outlet describes build quality as exceptionally good, with solid, well-insulated panels and no hollow or scratchy plastics, comparing the overall solidity to that found in vehicles like the Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series. The 15.6-inch infotainment screen is described as quick and responsive, the 12-speaker Dynaudio system benefits from the insulation, and the Premium retains the aircraft-style pusher switches and T-bar shifter that were dropped from the Performance. ¹

Rear passengers get a reclined backrest, decent legroom, a household power outlet and USB ports, while the tub carries a spray-in liner. CarExpert notes the Premium is well equipped as the first variant to market, adding Continental tyres, a head-up display, heated and ventilated front seats, rear privacy glass and a 15.6-inch screen over the Dynamic's specification. A Thaumas Black interior with orange highlights is standard, with Great White the standard paint and several colours, including Mist Grey exclusive to the Premium, available for an additional $700. ¹

On the road and at the pump

CarExpert's commuting week found the Premium easy to place on the road despite its size, with well-weighted steering and pedal inputs helped by the Continental tyres, which the outlet rates as a clear improvement over the Dynamic's Giti rubber. The suspension errs firm but stays comfortable, and the outlet found the big plug-in hybrid surprisingly predictable in corners. The 1.5-litre engine is louder and works harder than the Performance's 2.0-litre unit, but CarExpert judged the driver-assist systems well tuned and not overbearing. ¹⁶

On efficiency, BYD claims 2.0L/100km when the battery holds more than 25 per cent charge. CarExpert recorded 7.2L/100km over its week with a depleted battery, slightly better than BYD's 7.9L/100km depleted-battery figure and less than the 8.0L/100km it recorded in a Ford Ranger PHEV under the same conditions. The outlet also notes the Performance is only 0.2 seconds quicker to 100km/h despite its greater power, which it reads as a compliment to the Premium's calibration. ¹

Dimensions

CarExpert's specification data for the Australian-market Shark 6 Premium lists an overall length of 5457mm, width of 1971mm, height of 1925mm and a 3260mm wheelbase, with a kerb-to-kerb turning circle of 13.5 metres and 230mm unladen ground clearance. The tub measures 1520mm wide by 1500mm long and 517mm deep, a 1200-litre volume per CarExpert's figures, which cite the manufacturer's own measurement standard. The 1971mm width is listed without a stated mirror basis, so no exclusion can be inferred. ³⁴⁵⁶

Pricing, safety and ownership

CarExpert lists the Shark 6 Premium from $57,900 before on-road costs, or $63,838 drive-away based on a Sydney location, and the review notes it now sits $2000 above the Dynamic and $5000 below the Performance. In the plug-in hybrid segment it lines up against the Ford Ranger PHEV, GWM Cannon Alpha Ultra PHEV and JAC Hunter X PHEV, with the GWM Cannon Hi4-T, Chery Stockman and Nissan Navara Pro arriving in the near term. ¹³⁵

ANCAP awarded the Shark 6 a five-star rating based on 2025 testing, scoring in the mid-80s for three of four categories and 74 per cent for vulnerable road users, with the rating running to the end of 2031 according to CarExpert's data. BYD provides a six-year/150,000km vehicle warranty and an eight-year/160,000km battery warranty, plus 12 months of roadside assistance, with servicing every 12 months or 20,000km and capped-price servicing averaging $550 per visit up to 11 years or 220,000km. ¹³

The verdict and what's coming

CarExpert concludes the Shark 6 Premium remains one of the most impressive dual-cabs on sale and the benchmark for plug-in hybrid utes, praising the powertrain, on-road dynamics and a cabin it rates above even the newer Performance's. Its criticisms are limited to a louder and whinier 1.5-litre engine than the flagship, less off-road capability than some rivals, and exterior styling that already looks a little bland for a two-year-old design. The Performance's superior powertrain, it notes, could justify the extra spend for some buyers. ¹⁶

The outlet cautions that the benchmark may be short-lived as the GWM Cannon Hi4-T, Chery Stockman and Nissan Navara Pro arrive with the Shark firmly in their sights. Separately, CarExpert reports that BYD will bring the Performance's Crawl Mode to the Premium and Dynamic in a future over-the-air software update, softening one of the Premium's off-road shortcomings. ¹⁶