BYD baby Shark 5 monitored for Australia

Despite the stellar sales success of the BYD Shark 6 ute, its smaller brother is not part of the hugely ambitious Chinese brand’s locked-in product roll-out for Australia.

Referred to variously as the ‘baby Shark’ or BYD Shark 5, this new ute is understood to be based on the Sealion 6 SUV’s 1.5-litre petrol-electric plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powertrain rather than being a cut-down version of the Shark 6.

Having been spotted testing in China in mid-2025 and again in Brazil – where production is expected at a new BYD factory – the model is due for a 2026 launch.

Spy photos from Brazil show a similar dashboard to the Sealion 6.

Patent images have also been lodged with the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) that show the vehicle’s exterior design and smaller size than the 5.45-metre-long Shark 6.

The Shark 5 is understood to measure up around 4.8 metres long.

As seen, it’s a dual-cab, but with less volume in its cargo box than the Shark 6 and undoubtedly less payload.

“We have been consulted on that model [BYD Shark 5] and I guess… we're not ruling it out,” said BYD Australia’s head of product Sajid Hasan.

“But I'd like to see how it goes in… South America.

“It's more of just how it [Shark 5] resonates with customers and how it goes against the ladder frame chassis variants that are also on sale.”

Australia traditionally prefers larger, ladder-frame diesel utes, and there are currently no smaller unibody models on sale here. By contrast, in the US the Ford Maverick has become a major hit.

Hasan admitted a personal curiosity about the Shark 6 and whether it would entice an audience that used to buy car-based Ford Falcon and Holden Commodore-based utes.

“The segment doesn't really exist anymore. It went out with local manufacturing. But I am curious how many customers would come back to that segment.”

As much as BYD Australia is committed to expanding its line-up as it chases top-three sales status, Hasan cautions that “we can't be a kid in the candy store”.

“We have to be very pragmatic and judicious in how we roll out the products,” Hasan said.

“So, I think at this point in time, our focus is on the tried and tested segments and vehicle configurations that are ready at hand.”

By that, Hasan is referring to the SUVs and utes that remain the key sellers in BYD’s line-up.

The Shark 6 range will expand in 2026 to include a cab chassis and 2.0-litre model with more towing and off-road capability.

The Sealion 8 and Sealion 5 PHEV SUVs have just launched, while the Atto 2 electric SUV and the Atto 1 electric mini-car that went on sale in late 2025 are also counted among the seven to eight new models BYD says it will launch in Australia in 2026.

* Digital images created with AI assistance

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