The BYD Shark 6 is a big boy—2,700kg of Oxford-educated Man Meat, combining EV serenity with the occasional hum of its petrol generator (after 100km of ghostly gliding). Like Nissan’s e-Power, the Shark normally drives both axles with no mechanical link—only thick orange cables and whiffs of engineering marvel binding front to rear. Unlike the Nissan, the BYD’s engine can power the front wheels directly in some circumstances.

Our mid-week with the Shark 6 opened with what shall forever be known as the AC cable fiasco. The home charging lead—supposed to live politely beside the VTL two-outlet adaptor—wasn’t merely misplaced. It was absent, like a one-nighter at brekky time. With the 30kWh battery drained after weekend errands, we were forced into hybrid mode. A PHEV without its AC cable is like a drag queen without lashes: operational, yes, but robbed of all true glamour. And without nightly charging, the promised 2L/100km economy becomes a myth told to small children.

Price & Positioning

The one and only Shark 6 model comes in at $62,000 drive-away. That lands it comfortably in the mid-range for almost all legacy-brand utes, which should frighten the pants off them. Ignore Chinese competitors at your peril: legacy brands now risk looking like dinosaurs in leather seats. Holden once dismissed cheaper alternatives, and we all know how that worked out; vanished into petrol-scented oblivion.

What We Love

The Shark 6 is genuinely handsome, and for the price, it delivers value that legacy utes rarely match. The bold grille, the confident BYD badge (no more “Build Your Dreams” to elicit groans), and its sheer presence give it a charisma that settles deeper with time. It looks expensive but isn’t, relatively speaking. It doesn’t feel overpriced.

Inside, the cabin is roomy and well-judged. Rear passengers aren’t punished like they’ve been sentenced to hard labour. The dashboard feels modern without descending into techno-theatre. Luxury touches abound: heated and cooled front seats, quality materials, and a sonorous 12-speaker Dynaudio premium sound system with enough richness to make even established mastheads shudder in the gusty winds of change.

Above: This Week’s VIDEO Review – 2025 Nissan Qashqai Review: Specs, Features & Hybrid Performance

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BYD_Shark 6 phev FRONT
BYD_Shark 6 phev FRONT

ABOVE: Shark 6

And speaking of competitors: place the Shark 6 beside a Ranger PHEV and you could swear the Ford was still waiting for someone to finish it. As for the Hilux, its stout reliability can’t hide the fact it looks like the frumpy chaperone at a school dance—worthy, but hopelessly outclassed. The Shark 6 makes them seem like they arrived dressed for the wrong decade.

BYD’s rotating infotainment screen remains a delightful blend of utility and camp indulgence. And the drive? Pure EV silk. With no gearbox or driveshaft, motion is serene. The 5.7-second sprint doesn’t feel dramatic, but torque is immediate and abundant. Steering is smooth and silvery. The ride is plush yet disciplined. The all-round double-wishbone suspension makes the Shark 6 feel surprisingly agile for a vehicle of its substantial stature.

Ground clearance is generous; the side step is essential. The sprayed tub liner is excellent. The electric-release tailgate—controllable both physically and virtually—is the sort of thoughtful inclusion legacy brands refuse to offer without a ceremony and surcharge.

Room for Improvement

The infotainment UI is generally well composed but not without peccadilloes. Voice control works—until it chucks a hissy fit and comes over all officious and German. Radio favourites, meanwhile, are buried like family secrets.

BYD could solve this with a simple, elegant gesture: a slide-out favourites panel; a narrow vertical bar glides in from the right-hand side—over whatever app is active—housing essentials such as favourite stations and heated/cooled seat controls. It could be always present, always accessible.,visible with a swipe. Such a panel prevents hapless drivers from fumbling about in the gusset of technology like teens on their first frolic. As it is, fumbles abound.

The 100km EV-only range is optimistic. And 55kW DC “fast” charging—while better than most AC-only PHEVs—still feels modest in 2025. The 1.5L engine can power the front wheels but this is rare with the electric motors doing almost all the work.

Dispelling the Doubters

Arguments about towing and hardcore rock-crawling are mostly dick-swinging pub boasts. Who cares? Most utes tow nothing heavier than a layer of dust. A well-charged PHEV blends EV grace with long-range confidence—a truth I only accepted after living with one daily and using it as designed. Although the engine can power the front wheels it usually has no connection, running only as an EV.

As an off-grid companion for queer adventurers with a taste for solitude and air-conditioning, the Shark 6 could be quietly brilliant. Think climate-controlled pop-top chockers full of Cristal and, if you’re lucky, a bit of Oxford man-meat for company.

I didn’t expect to admire it this deeply, but the Shark 6 charms patiently and thoroughly. Competent, calm, comfortable—it’s a limousine in hiking boots, and I would very happily have one.

although there are off-road modes there is no low range.

FULL REVIEW SOON

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