Ford Ranger Sport v BYD Shark 6 Premium 2025 comparison

Aussies are familiar with paying higher prices for utes – they just used to be for the pseudo performance variants based off the conventional platform. As an aside, dual cabs were predominately a commercial proposition only. However, with the axing of local production, the ute segment has changed in Australia and dual cabs now need to cover many more bases.

Enter the Australian-developed, Thai-built Ford Ranger. The T6.2 generation (launched in 2022) signalled a defining shift with a more car-like interior and dynamic package mixed in with all the gear you need to work and go off-road. The FOX shock-equipped Raptor also covers the performance element as a Baja bruiser. Yet, if you want a decent specification level, it doesn’t come cheap.

Therefore, price is one of the key factors in this duel and the Chinese 2025 BYD Shark 6 Premium lands an early, and meaningful, blow. At $57,900 plus on-road costs (ORCs) it is a whopping $13,440 cheaper than its rival despite offering expensive plug-in hybrid tech and key advantages for a lifestyle-orientated demographic. And that’s key here because while the Ranger shifted how we live with dual cabs, the Shark 6 is set to transform the game.

Which means the 2025 Ford Ranger Sport wears a sticker of $71,340 (plus ORCs). Yes, we could have selected the four-cylinder twin-turbo diesel Sport ($66,140 plus ORCs) instead of the turbo-diesel V6 to close the monetary ledger, but the powertrain gap would be wider than it already is.

At launch there is only one variant of the Shark 6, which is the Premium. And thanks to its powerful dual electric motors and 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine, it has all the kilowatts necessary to qualify it as a true sporty variant without being marketed as such.

In terms of servicing, the Ranger is covered by Ford’s five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty and servicing is every 12 months or 15,000km. Capped-price servicing is available and for MY25.25 onwards you can expect to pay $1516 in total over five years ($303 on average).

The Shark 6 gains an extra year of warranty, but its plan is limited to 150,000km. The battery is covered for eight years or 160,000km (whichever comes first) and service intervals are longer at 12 months or 20,000km. The BYD is more expensive to run with the total cost coming to $2489 over five years of dealership visits ($489 on average).

It’s also worth reading BYD’s fine print as things like shock absorbers, bushings, wheel bearings and the multimedia system aren’t covered for the entire warranty period. Instead, they drop off the plan after three years/60,000km.

As for rivals, Ford is soon to be offering its own hybrid contender to the BYD this year. However, despite using a bigger 2.3-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine, the Ranger PHEV has a smaller 11.8kWh battery pack. And it’s likely to be significantly more expensive. Although, the fact it retains its braked 3500kg towing capacity is a boon.

An option that’s just landing is the GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV. It’s a little more expensive than the BYD at $63,990 for the Lux and $68,990 for the Ultra – however, they are drive-away prices. It’s an interesting prospect given the combined 300kW/750Nm outputs and larger 37.1kWh battery. And, like the Ranger, it will have proper mechanical four-wheel drive gubbins instead of electronic controls.

Design is subjective, but we reckon both dual cabs are aesthetically pleasing. The 2025 Ford Ranger Sport embraces a fit-for-purpose design with its exterior rear box step being a handy integration.

Some of the standard kit includes LED headlights, daytime running lights and tail-lights, 18-inch alloy wheels, side steps, keyless entry and start, eight-way electrically adjustable driver’s seat, dual-zone climate control and faux-leather trim, but it misses out on items like electric seat adjustment (six-way manual) for the passenger and seat heating.

Something to consider is that the Ranger Sport tested isn’t standard. It comes with optional extras such as $700 metallic paint, $2800 Flexible Rack System and the $1650 Touring Pack, which comprises a trailer reversing assistant, 360-degree cameras, cargo tie-down hooks/rings, puddle lamps and exterior lighting. There’s also the $3355 manual roller shutter fitted as an accessory. That brings the total to $8505 and increases the price to $79,845 (plus ORCs).

At first glance, the 2025 BYD Shark 6 Premium almost looks like a mashup of the Ford Ranger and an F-150. It certainly has presence – and you won’t forget to ‘Build Your Dreams’ given how prominent the badging is. Like the Ford, it has a handsome presence and if both are fitted with all-terrain tyres, they look even tougher.

In terms of equipment, the Shark 6 gains all the gear of the Ranger, but adds goodies like an eight-way power adjustable seat for the driver (with four-way lumbar) and four-way power adjustment for the passenger. Seat heating and ventilation are fitted, too.

Our BYD doesn’t have any options or accessories (even the white hue is a no-cost colour), yet there is a selection of the latter to choose from including wheels, tyres, bars, roof racks, cargo covers, weather protection, tint, floor mats and seat covers.

The 2025 Ford Ranger Sport carries a five-star ANCAP safety rating, which was awarded in 2022. Alternatively, the 2025 BYD Shark 6 Premium is yet to be tested.

With nine, the Ranger wins the airbag count against the Shark 6’s seven, while both are fitted with dual ISOFIX points and top-tether anchorages.

Both include extensive active safety with autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with cyclist and pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning with assistance, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, driver fatigue monitoring, parking sensors, 360-degree cameras (optional on Ranger), tyre pressure monitoring and road sign recognition. The BYD adds front cross-traffic alert and a clear head-up display.

In terms of calibration, both have positives and negatives. The Ranger Sport’s lane keeping assist isn’t as eager most of the time, but the later intervention isn’t always smooth. The Shark 6 Premium has all the active tech, too, it just deploys more audible warnings that are tougher to silence. The active lane keeping is also a little more, ahem, active – which can frustrate.

The BYD’s cameras offer a 3D adjust mode as well as greater visual clarity and variety of angles.

Dual-cab utes are heading into a new era. No longer are they rudimentary commercial vehicles with the bare minimum of gadgetry. The 2025 Ford Ranger Sport has been at the forefront of this movement.

It’s 10.1-inch portrait-style infotainment touch-screen is easy to navigate and is powered by Ford’s impressive SYNC 4A operating system with an in-built modem. There’s even a drawing feature that’s like Microsoft paint that the kids will love. Ahead of the driver is an informative 8.0-inch digital instrument cluster, too.

The 2025 BYD Shark 6 Premium’s 15.6-inch infotainment touch-screen dwarfs the Ranger’s item. Plus, while it might be a bit of a novel gimmick, the screen can electronically swivel to be in either a landscape or portrait orientation. It also uses Google-based sat-nav and supports dedicated apps for things like Spotify.

The digital instrument cluster is also bigger at 10.25 inches and the overall graphics are a bit more modern as well.

Other standard tech for both includes wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a wireless charging pad, DAB+ digital radio, Bluetooth, USB-A/USB-C ports and voice control – the Shark 6 takes the latter further by accepting voice commands.

Remote access to perform various tasks via an app is present in both (FordPass Connect for the Ranger), while the BYD also comes with provisions for over-the-air (OTA) updates. Additionally, if tunes are important to you, the Shark 6 is fitted with a 12-speaker Dynaudio sound system.

Forget just about everything you know about traditional utes because the BYD throws out the rulebook. But the real question is, can its plug-in hybrid tech overthrow the tried-and-tested turbo-diesel?

So, is diesel dead? Not according to those at Broadmeadows. The 2025 Ford Ranger Sport’s 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel engine is worthy of praise, generating a hearty 184kW and 600Nm. It’s enough to shift the 2353kg Ranger Sport to 100km/h in 7.9 seconds.

Drive is sent to the full-time four-wheel drive system via a 10-speed automatic transmission – of which feels most at home in the Ranger compared to other Ford products. You can select between two-wheel drive as well as 4H, 4L and Auto via the central control wheel. The same dial is used for the drive modes (Eco, Normal, Tow/Haul, Slippery and Sand) and Pro Trailer Backup Assist.

Move over Ranger Raptor, there’s a new chief in town. Although, how the 2025 BYD Shark 6 achieves its headline power figure isn’t straightforward. Essentially it pairs dual permanent magnet synchronous electric motors with a 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine, the latter of which has a main purpose of being a generator for the former.

Interestingly, the e-motor on the front axle has the most power with 170kW/310Nm, while the rear-mounted item has more torque at 340Nm (and 150kW). The turbo engine generates 135kW and 260Nm for a combined system output of 321kW and 650Nm.

These kinds of figures are rather rare in the segment, but the real headline is the 0-100km/h time of 5.7 seconds. We’ve become desensitised to the rapid acceleration of EVs, but when you’re piloting a 2.7-tonne dual cab it makes you take notice.

The Shark 6 predominately drives as an EV with the e-motors sourcing energy from the 29.6kWh BYD Blade battery. Above 70km/h the boosted 1.5-litre engine chimes in to add additional drive, likewise when the powertrain is under heavy load.

It’s all very clever and very new for the dual-cab segment. However, BYD’s tech works and it has real-world benefits that not only increase the performance, but how you interact with it, too.

If you look at official quoted figures, the 2025 Ford Ranger Sport has no chance of upsetting the apple cart here. It’s on-paper number of 8.4L/100km simply can’t match its Chinese rival. However, there’s more to the story.

Impressively, on our test route that included more highway driving than city sections, the Ranger Sport achieved its official 8.4L/100km target. Essentially, the torquey V6 is rather frugal when it’s able to settle in at highway speeds and has a theoretical 1067km of range from its 80-litre tank.

Yet, it can’t match the 2025 BYD Shark 6 Premium’s 2.0L/100km claim. Actually, even the Shark 6 can’t. On the same test route, the hybrid dual cab returned 10.2L/100km. However, we didn’t start with 100 per cent battery and we also decided not to preserve a certain state of charge (SoC) while remaining in HEV mode.

Returning to the confines of the city and suburbia where the BYD can really utilise its EV status, the Shark 6’s average dropped to less than 9.0L/100km. That’s far closer to the company’s real-world claim of 7.9L/100km. In turn, the Ranger’s usage crept to slightly more than 9.0L/100km.

We also charged the 29.6kWh lithium-ion battery to 100 per cent using a DC fast charger – it can replenish at the rate of 55kW. Using pure EV mode, we managed to squeeze out 81km before the petrol engine kicked in. It’s an impressive result given BYD claims a 100km range from the less stringent NEDC measures.

For reference, the Shark 6 won’t allow the SoC to drop below 25 per cent. It’s also capable of charging back up to 70 per cent using the petrol engine as a generator while on the move using HEV mode. It’s clever tech and means you could seldom use the petrol engine or its 60L tank – although there’s a claimed 800km range if you do.

This is what we’ve been waiting for, getting the BYD on the black stuff to see what it’s like to drive. Sampling what it’s up against first is important.

The 2025 Ford Ranger Sport sets a lofty dual-cab yardstick in terms of dynamics. For a vehicle of its size and weight, the way the Blue Oval ute handles defies its workmanlike underpinnings. While it obviously isn’t the final word in engagement (nor does it need to be), you won’t be feeling out of sorts if the road becomes twisty.

Retaining a ladder-frame chassis and leaf-sprung rear suspension should be a detraction, but the unladen primary ride quality is adept at soaking up bigger potholes and speed bumps. In terms of its secondary ride the Sport can tend to skip over smaller, consecutive lumps and bumps, somewhat unsettling the rear if you encounter them mid-corner.

For a dual cab, there’s a sense of agility at play and the way in which the Ranger deals with its mass is impressive. Body control is largely kept in check and it changes direction better than a car with such a high centre of gravity should. Essentially, it’s contextually light on its feet.

As for the steering, it retains a slower rack for better off-road confidence, but it doesn’t come at the detriment of on-road competence. It feels appropriate for the vehicle type – as are the brakes, with the pedal returning a natural sensation given the Ranger is devoid of the energy regeneration found in the BYD. Overall, the Ranger is a well-honed driving experience.

Switching from the driver’s seat of the Ranger to the 2025 BYD Shark 6 Premium is like bedding in a new couch groove. It all feels familiar, but different. Right from the start there’s a tangible sturdiness and the steering wheel is clad in finer threads. Like the Ford, it also rides on a ladder-frame chassis.

It’s noticeably bigger in terms of dimensions, too. Being 5457mm in length, 1971mm in width and 1925mm in height, the BYD is 87mm longer, 53mm wider and 39mm taller than the Ford. Yet, at slow speeds, the slightly quicker steering makes the Shark appear nimbler – it also has a far tighter turning circle. To be fair, both are appreciably easy to drive within city limits, defying their respective physical size.

Although, the Shark 6 can’t escape its weight – all 2710kg of it. And it makes its presence felt on changes of direction. Although, it must be said that once the body settles into its movement, roll isn’t omnipresent. It also harnesses a novel (for a dual cab) multi-link rear suspension setup with passive damping, resulting in greater-than-expected rebound control.

With wider 265-section rubber (255/65 R18 Goodyear Wrangler tyres for the Ranger and 265/65 R18 Continental CrossContact tyres for the Shark 6), the BYD turns in nicely and has more front-end grip than the Ford. However, it ultimately doesn’t feel as dynamic.

The BYD takes a minor edge in terms of ride quality. Yes, like all dual cabs, its secondary ride isn’t perfect and the Shark will have a little shimmy over corrugations, but it deals with big hits slightly better than the Ranger thanks to its more sophisticated suspension. With softer springs and an extra 357kg, the Shark 6 really uses its vertical travel, but it is the more comfortable of the pair over a greater variety of surfaces.

The Shark 6 has Sport mode (as well as Eco and Normal), which does perk up the throttle response considerably and utilises all three powertrains – it’s very brisk. Flick it into Eco mode and the rear e-motor is shut down for less resistance and greater efficiency.

The steering also has two modes (Comfort and Sport) but there’s little need to use Sport as it only adds an unnaturally heavy weight. The responses are lighter in Comfort, but it’s a much more cohesive setup and pairs well with the fairly quick rack (for a dual cab).

Due to the Shark 6’s regenerative braking (of which its effect can be increased or decreased), the brake pedal isn’t as progressive as the Ranger – and it feels a little more wooden, too. They engage well, but if you access the BYD’s pace you must remember you’re trying to arrest 2.7 tonnes.

Ultimately, a key factor in the Ranger’s success has been because of its on-road competency. Nothing has changed in this regard. For BYD to come as close as it does dynamically straight out of the gates is a noteworthy achievement.

This is where the 2025 Ford Ranger Sport really comes into its own. If tackling difficult off-road tracks is important to you, then it will be the default option.

The Ranger Sport’s 4WD system also comes with a low-range transfer case and a rear diff lock to assist in complicated situations. It also enjoys 234mm of ground clearance as well as a wading depth of 800mm. It retains its tarmac prowess on dirt tracks with confidence-inspiring agility.

Yes, you can engage its locker and low-range settings, but so comprehensive is the Ranger’s capability that you rarely need to venture away from 4WD Auto, even with the road-biased tyres. It can spin its treads a bit and cock a wheel from time to time, but its lusty V6 and smooth throttle calibration aid progress – there aren’t too many situations that’ll leave it flustered or stranded.

Don’t write the 2025 BYD Shark 6 Premium off too quickly, though. Despite relying on its tricky electronics to gain more traction and not customary mechanical fare, the BYD is surprisingly capable.

On paper the Shark 6 is deficient in a few areas – both its ground clearance of 230mm and 700mm wading depth are less than the Ranger’s. Its 19.3-degree departure angle is worse by 3.7 degrees and its breakover angle of 17.0 degrees is 4.0 degrees less than the Ranger despite a shorter wheelbase. It claws back some ground by virtue of a better (by 1.0 degree) 31.0-degree approach angle.

A few issues arise off-road, the main being a lack of traction and exacerbated articulation from the multi-link rear-end. On a low-grip rocky section we ended up breaking traction Summernats style. You also need to wait until the motion of the ocean stops rocking in the Shark 6 for the best purchase. Keeping a constant, slower speed assists no end.

Speaking of help, the off-road modes (Mud, Sand, Gravel, Snow and Mountain) generate a palpable difference to the BYD’s behaviour. Mountain mode tends to produce the best results, especially if you’re trying to clamber up inclines, as it manipulates the all-wheel drive by sending torque to the wheel with the most adhesion.

The Shark 6 can’t fully compensate for its lack of mechanical off-road hardware or its enormous weight. It doesn’t have the same off-road effortlessness of its V6-powered rival and you also must be more judicious with throttle modulation. Yet, it got through everything the Ranger dispatched. You just have to pick your line with more caution and know its limitations.

Ultimately, the Ranger Sport is remarkably talented off-road and it probably isn’t given enough credit for how easily it conquers defiant terrain.

Whether or not a dual cab has a 3500kg braked towing capacity seems to be a sticking point for some punters – irrespective of the fact they might not take advantage of the total pulling power.

And in this regard, the 2025 Ford Ranger Sport meets expectation. Adding to its 3.5-tonne capability is a payload of 927kg and a wide tub that can fit a (Euro-sized) pallet. With eight tie-down points, roller shutter and sliding load system (albeit optional), the Ranger takes the cake if your use case demands these requirements.

Yet, if your dual cab doesn’t need to be as adept, the 2025 BYD Shark 6 Premium is still endowed with a 2500kg braked towing capacity and a payload rating of 790kg. Yes, we understand that both are significantly down on the Ranger and could be crucial in your decision.

The BYD also has fewer adjustable hooks and tie-down points in the tub. Yet, while it measures equally between the rear wheelarches and enjoys the same pallet-swallowing ability, dimensionally it wins out. The rear opening is wider and the tray is both longer and taller.

A Shark 6 party trick the Ranger Sport can’t match is its vehicle to load (V2L) capability and its trio of 230V power sockets in the tub (Ford gets a 180V socket). Essentially, you could pull up at your campground and power a mini disco or bush dance all night off the BYD Blade battery. As a bonus, you’d still have energy in reserve to boil the kettle or microwave some porridge in the morning.

It’s this extra lifestyle element that will appeal to many and is another reason that makes the Shark 6 such a welcome and refreshing way of approaching dual-cab ownership.

It’s a common theme here, which further proves how much of a benchmark the Ford offering is, but the Ranger rewrote the book on cabin quality and ‘luxury’ when it landed three years ago. Rudimentary was replaced with a classiness the dual-cab ute wasn’t previously privy to.

In a modern context, the 2025 Ford Ranger Sport continues to prove itself. Fit and finish is decent, there are soft-touch materials mixed in with hard-wearing plastics and the new e-Shifter will amaze your mates. We also like the fact that there’s key physical switchgear for the climate and volume controls.

It’s a shame the Sport misses out on the Ranger’s double glovebox and the front door bins can’t accommodate large bottles. Although, general storage is decent – and you can’t forget the French-fry holder.

Space in the rear is great for heads, legs, knees and toes, while the Ranger offers rear air vents, USB-C ports, map pockets, door bins and a fold-down centre arm rest with cupholders. The seat base also flips up to liberate further in-cabin storage.

However, if the Ranger Sport is a touchstone, then the 2025 BYD Shark 6 Premium is playing a different, erm, sport. The Chinese-built ute has a remarkable cabin, one that wouldn’t be out of place in a higher-end SUV.

There’s a great feeling of solidity, too, with a pleasing thud when you close the door and plusher, more comfy seats. The design is next level for a dual cab, with intricate toggle controls, coloured accents and a general sense of tactility. And you can fit one-litre bottles in the door cards.

Its only real blight is some ill-stitched faux leather in places on the seats and it can’t match the Ranger’s relative ergonomic simplicity. Such a heavy reliance on the oversized, swivelling touch-screen will see some buyers baulk initially – but time increases familiarisation. It’s almost like it needs a laymen’s cheat sheet for first-time users.

Rear-seat occupants don’t miss out on luxe, either. The seat back not only offers more recline compared to the Ranger, but the seats are also more supple and more comfortable, too. Plus, they’re sculpted, which only increases the sink-in factor. There’s slightly less legroom than the Ranger, but headroom is generous and another 230V power outlet is available for charging electronics.

Overall, the refinement is palpable and the Shark 6’s mostly silent plug-in hybrid setup only adds to the hushed cabin acoustics.

We get it. A portion of buyers aren’t even going to consider the 2025 BYD Shark 6 Premium given its towing and payload shortcomings compared to the 2025 Ford Ranger Sport. However, preconceptions in this market run rife and discounting the fresh Chinese contender without experiencing it simply because of its origin is shortsighted.

The Ford Ranger remains an accomplished off-roader of the highest order with its mix of comfort, performance and capability. The Blue Oval ute has long set a line in the sand which the dual-cab segment has been scrambling to match. However, it all comes at a price.

The BYD is a shock victor in this comparison, yet it doesn’t win merely for the extra $13K (excluding options/accessories) you keep in your wallet. After all, given the workhorse case dual cabs make as a business asset, they’re usually used as a tax offset.

However, the Shark 6 presents as a true lifestyle vehicle, one that the segment’s purchasing habits are pivoting towards instead of SUVs. Racking up more than 5000 pre-orders before any test drives had taken place is no mean feat.

It comes down to the buyer’s intended use case. And the BYD presents with a revolutionary level of interior tech, extravagance and liveability that humble utes largely have yet to offer. The Shark 6 resolutely stands as a different way of doing things. It’s the real deal, proving no brand can remain complacent.

The fact this isn’t the result anyone expected doesn’t render the BYD Shark 6 any less of a worthy winner. Ultimately, this is the first salvo in a dual-cab battle that will have myriad forms of renewed resistance – especially with the Ranger PHEV on the horizon and more potential Shark variants. So, it’s a case of see ya soon, rather than see ya later.

2025 Ford Ranger Sport at a glance:
Price: $71,340 before on-road costs
Available: Now
Engine: 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel
Output: 184kW/600Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Fuel: 8.4L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 222g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five stars (ANCAP)

2025 BYD Shark 6 at a glance:
Price: $57,900 plus on-road costs
Available: Now
Engine: 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 135kW/260Nm (front electric motor: 170kW/310Nm; rear electric motor: 150kW/340Nm)
Transmission: Single-speed reduction gear
Battery: 29.58kWh LFP lithium-ion
Range: 81km (tested)
Energy consumption: 15kWh/100km (estimated)
Fuel: 2.0L/100km (battery SOC above 25%); 7.9L/100km (battery SOC below 25%) (estimate)
CO2: 46g/km (estimate)
Safety rating: Five stars (ANCAP)

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