The MG U9 is available in three trim levels - Explore, Explore X and Explore Pro.

The Explore comes with 18-inch alloy wheels, side steps, painted tub liner, synthetic leather seats, keyless entry and ignition and a six-speaker stereo with digital radio and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. 

The U9 Explore X gets 19-inch alloys, a cargo slide rail with a hook in the tray, heated front seats, acoustic glass, vehicle app connectivity, voice command, a wireless smartphone charging pad, satellite navigation, Amazon Music and the ability for over-the-air updates.

The Explore Pro adds 20-inch alloy wheels, an eight-speaker JBL sound system, a panoramic sunroof, suede headlining, heated outboard rear seats and a tailgate step.

The MG has a big, broad exterior but on the inside it follows the modern trend of looking less like a hard-working utility vehicle and more like a family-friendly SUV. There are double digital screens, with SUV-like trim materials used throughout to create a more premium feel. While the large centre console and jet-style gear selector add a bit of ‘toughness’ to the interior design.

The MG U9 range is powered by a 160kW/520Nm 2.5-litre, four-cylinder, turbo-diesel engine. It's paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and four-wheel drive system with front and rear locking differentials.

The MG U9 is a five-seat ute across all variants.

MG doesn't offer a claimed 0-100km/h time for the U9 and without testing it it's hard to estimate a time, but somewhere between eight and 10 seconds is likely. The top speed of the U9 is a claimed 180km/h.

The MG U9 has a claimed fuel consumption of 7.9L/100km on the combined (urban/extra-urban) cycle and an 80-litre fuel tank, so it has a theoretical driving range of more than 1000km.