It’s BYD’s Shark and it’s coming for you.
At least it is if you’re in the market for a ute because the Shark, or Shark 6 to be
exact, has been a runaway success for the Chinese company.
BYD has sold more than 10,000 examples of the dual cab utility since launch 12
months ago and just to set the record straight, it’s not an electric vehicle — but rather
a plug-in hybrid (PHEV).
That makes the Shark rather special but not quite unique with competitors such as
the Ford Ranger and GWM Cannon Alpha which also come as PHEVs.
STYLING
There’s just the one grade offered, priced from $57,900 plus on-road costs. Premium
paint adds $700.
Although the styling breaks no new ground, it’s a good-looking bus, especially at
night with its full width LED light arrays front and back.
Interestingly, when you see one behind you in the traffic, it’s difficult to make out the
brand because the BYD lettering is reversed in the mirror.
LOL.
Standard kit includes artificial leather trim, dual zone climate air with rear vents, a
leather-clad steering wheel and power-adjust front seats that are heated and cooled.
There’s also side steps, 18-inch alloys, head-up display, adaptive cruise control, auto
high beam, traffic sign recognition, blingy LED head and tail lights, auto-dimming
interior mirror, rain-sensing wipers, keyless entry and start, front and rear parking
sensors.
Shark is covered by a 6-year/150,000km warranty.
A separate eight-year warranty is offered on the battery, along with roadside
assistance for the duration.
INFOTAINMENT
Infotainment centres on a huge 15.6-inch centre touchscreen, with a separate 10.25-
inch digital instrument.
There’s Bluetooth, voice control, FM and DAB+ digital radio, built-in navigation,
wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as well as a 12-speaker Dynaudio sound.
The cameras and navigation look great on the big screen, but the computer voice
that delivers the directions is diabolical, almost unintelligible at times.
The directions are also a bit hit and miss, sometimes warning you not to take turn
outs and at other times completely ignoring side roads.
USB A + C ports are provided front and back, along with wireless phone charging
and over-the-air updates.
It also has vehicle-to-load (V2L) capability, with three power plugs in the tray and
another three-pin plug in the cabin.
SAFETY
Shark gets a full five stars for safety from the ANCAP organisation.
Seven airbags, including a centre airbag are standard, plus reversing and 360-
degree cameras and auto braking are standard (Car-to-Car, Vulnerable Road User,
Junction & Crossing, Backover and Head-On).
There’s also a lane support system, with lane keep assist (LKA), lane departure
warning (LDW) and emergency lane keeping (ELK), Blind Spot Detection (BSD) and
an advanced speed assistance system (SAS).
Two ISOFix and top tether child seat anchors are supplied, but it’s a juggling act to fit
the tether to the rear anchor.
ENGINES / TRANSMISSIONS
The hybrid system consists of a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine,
together with electric motors for the front and rear axles and a 30 kWh battery.
Combined output is an impressive 321kW of power and 650Nm of torque, with drive
to all four wheels via a reduction style one-speed automatic transmission.
DRIVING
Shark is 5457mm long with a 3260mm wheelbase, which makes it longer than
Ranger.
It weighs a hefty 2710kg, with a big 13.5 metre turning circle, ground clearance of
230mm and a wading depth of 700mm.
Tow capacity falls well short of the mark at 2500kg, while the load capacity is cited at
790kg.
The cabin has an upmarket feel, with artificial leather trim, contrast stitching and
bright, metallic orange garnishes.
The seats are reasonably comfortable and rear legroom is good, with aircon outlets
for rear seat passengers.
The rear seat flips forward to provide access to child seat tether points, but it is
almost impossible to pull the webbing taut to make it secure.
There’s USB A and C ports front and back, with a 12 volt outlet front and a 240 volt
outlet in the back — plus wireless phone charging.
The Shark’s hybrid system is a bit of a mixed bag, operating in both series and
parallel modes.
Below 70km/h it operates in electric only mode, above this speed the petrol engine
kicks in to provide extra grunt to the front wheels.
Like the Nissan e-Power system the petrol engine acts as a range extender,
recharging the battery on the go — up to a point.
Shark is surprisingly quick off the mark, with the dash from 0-100km/h taking only 5.7
seconds.
Drive modes include Normal, Eco and Sport, along with the addition of Mud, Sand,
Snow and Mountain all-terrain options (not sure what Mountain is all about).
In Eco mode the rear electric motor basically shuts down.
With a 60-litre tank range is a combined 800km, or it can travel up to 80km on
electric power alone.
Like most plug-in hybrids it has claimed fuel consumption of 2.0L/100km.
Energy or power consumption is rated at 21.2 kWh/100km.
But this low fuel consumption figure is entirely dependent on the support of the
battery, which in effect means stopping and recharging the vehicle every 100km.
The battery takes its charge from the petrol engine, as well as regenerative braking
and of course when it is actually plugged into a wall charger.
That makes it a fairly clever system.
Around town it operates mainly in electric mode, which makes the ute quick and
quiet.
But without electrical assistance, fuel consumption will revert to that of a
conventional petrol vehicle.
We didn’t have the time or necessary access to recharge the battery. As such we
were getting 6.8L/100km after just over 600km of driving, but that’s still pretty good
for a vehicle this size.
We’re not sure why there’s a need for such a big touchscreen? Sure, it’s a selling
point, but at 15.6 inches the one in the Shark is almost too big.
The screen rotates between portrait and landscape, but Android Auto and we
presume Apple CarPlay doesn’t work in portrait mode.
Nor will you be able to see it in this mode if you are wearing polarised sunglasses.
A smaller, separate 10.25-inch screen sits in front of the driver.
Voice control implies that Big Brother is listening and listening indeed it was as we
discovered.
We were discussing travel plans and maybe the Cook Islands while driving along the
motorway when Google suddenly piped up, declaring that it could help us with these
plans — or words to that effect.
OMG?
There are physical roller volume controls, on the wheel and in the centre console,
but for temperature control you have to access the screen.
The Shark impresses with its strong off the mark performance and lack of
background cabin noise.
We can imagine passengers turning and saying: “Wow. This is all right. How much is
it, again?”
It’s not until you get the ute out of town and on to some rougher roads that its poorly
sorted suspension comes to the fore.
The setup features double wishbones and coil springs front and rear, promising
better on-road performance.
But it’s jittery, juddery and crashes over larger bumps in the road.
The Tasman feels like a magic carpet in comparison.
The brakes are ventilated disc front and back and sophisticated for a ute.
They slow the vehicle smoothly, but tend to jerk it to a stop right at the end — it’s
quite annoying.
Off-road? That’s another story altogether.
Although Shark is all-wheel drive, it’s an unusual setup without the option of low
range.
The Dual Mode Off-Road (DMO) system is designed to provide a balance of power,
efficiency and off-road capability, making it suitable for diverse driving conditions.
Sure, it turns all four wheels, but without low range any physical connection between
the front and rear wheels, there’s no apportioning of torque between the front and
rear wheels (nor side to side for that matter).
So, despite the requisite ground clearance and approach/departure angles, this will
be a limiting factor off road, with lots of wheel spin and a lack of forward progress.
A lack of suspension travel and what are basically Continental road tyres won’t be
any help either.
Long story short, we wouldn’t be planning any major off-road expeditions in this
vehicle.
The tub has a liner, but does not come with a tonneau, not just to cover the load but
to keep out air turbulence from creating drag (which drives up fuel consumption).
A basic tonneau is $1162, a sports bar $1382 or a bullbar $3892.
There are six tie-down points, rear tray lights, and a damped tailgate, with three
household power outlets for accessories.
A full-size spare wheel is fitted as standard.
SUMMING UP
It’s hard to get past the price and impressive levels of equipment offered by the
Shark.
It’s a looker too, although we’d gladly dispense with the glitzy, brightly coloured
interior trim.
But does the touchscreen really need to be that big? You could attach a keyboard
and call it a laptop for God’s sake?
Our main gripe however concerns the woeful ride quality.
There’s plenty of shudder and shake, even on relatively smooth, well-formed roads.
And without low range and any differential locks, Shark is going to be a bit of a show
pony off-road.
Guys, the suspension really needs some work!
RATINGS:
Looks: 7.5
Performance: 7.5
Safety: 7.5
Thirst: 7.5
Practicality: 7.5
Comfort: 7
Tech: 7.5
Value: 8
Overall: 7.5
AT A GLANCE
MODEL LINE-UP
Shark 6 PHEV, priced from $57,900
Note: This price does not include government or dealer delivery charges. Contact
your local BYD dealer for the drive-away price.
SPECIFICATIONS (BYD Shark 6 Plug-in Hybrid, five-seat dual cab utility)
HYBRID POWERTRAIN
Petrol engine: 1.5-litre, four cylinders inline, turbocharged
Maximum power: 135 kW @ 5400 rpm
Maximum torque: 260 Nm @ 2000-4000 rpm
Front electric motor: Permanent magnet synchronous motor
Maximum power: 170 kW
Maximum torque: 310 kW
Rear electric motor: Permanent magnet synchronous motor
Maximum power: 150 kW
Maximum torque: 340 kW
Combined output: 321 kW and 650 Nm
Fuel type: Petrol 95 RON
Combined fuel cycle: (ADR 81/02) 2.0 L/100km
Battery: Lithium-Iron Phosphate (LFP) 30 kWh
Energy consumption (WLTP): 21.2 kWh/100km
CO2 emissions 46 g/km
DRIVELINE:
Single-speed reduction gear, all-wheel drive
DIMENSIONS, WEIGHT, AND CAPACITIES
Length: 5457 mm
Width: 1971 mm
Height: 1925 mm
Wheelbase: 3260 mm
Kerb weight: 2710 kg
Turning circle: 13.5 m
Fuel tank: 60
BRAKES
Front: Ventilated disc
Rear: Ventilated disc
STANDARD WARRANTY
Six years/150,000km
Eight years on battery
