Review: The 2025 BYD Shark 6 — The Pickup That Doesn't Play by the Rules

Pickup trucks in Brunei have always meant diesel, turbo, and not much else. So when BYD rolled in with a plug-in hybrid that hits 0–100 in 5.7 seconds, we had to take a closer look at this Shark.

Pickup trucks in Brunei have always meant diesel. Hilux, Triton, Ranger — reliable, rugged, not exactly exciting. Now BYD, distributed locally by Maju Motors, has arrived with the Shark 6: a plug-in hybrid pickup with 430 horsepower and the kind of spec sheet that makes you read it twice. It's the first PHEV pickup in the country, and the most powerful. But can it deliver? Let's break it down.

First Impressions

The Shark 6 looks nothing like the pickups we're used to seeing here. At 5,457mm long with a 3,260mm wheelbase and 230mm of ground clearance, it's a proper full-size truck, but the design leans modern and muscular rather than utilitarian. The front end is bold — a wide grille flanked by angular LED headlights, sitting lower and wider than the typical Hilux or Ranger. It doesn't look like a work truck. It looks like something you'd want parked in your driveway.

In Brunei, the Shark 6 comes in three colours: Atlantis Grey, Cosmos Black and Arctic White. The Atlantis Grey has a subtle blue tint that gives it a more distinctive feel — a nice change from the usual monochrome pickup lineup.

Inside the Cabin

Step inside and the Shark 6 immediately sets itself apart. Soft-touch materials wrap the dashboard, the seats are finished in synthetic leather, and the layout is clean and digital. The centrepiece is a 12.8-inch rotating touchscreen paired with a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster. It's a far cry from the hard plastics you'll find in most diesel pickups at this price.

You get wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, 50W wireless charging with a cooling vent, and a 12-speaker Dynaudio sound system that genuinely delivers. There's also dual-zone climate control and USB ports throughout the cabin.

Seating is a five-seat dual-cab layout with powered, heated and ventilated front seats. One practical bonus: vehicle-to-load (V2L) outlets, including a plug socket in the cargo bed, so you can run tools or gear on a campsite without a generator.

The Driving Experience

Under the bonnet sits a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine paired with two electric motors — one on each axle — creating an all-wheel-drive system that puts out a combined 321kW and 650Nm. Those are numbers you'd expect from a performance SUV, not a pickup. It hits 0–100 km/h in 5.7 seconds, making it the quickest truck you can buy in Brunei. BYD's DMO (Dual Mode Off-Road) platform means the motors can drive the wheels independently or work with the engine, with multiple modes for different terrain.

On Brunei roads, it feels composed and refined. Around Gadong and through to Jln Tutong, it rides quietly on its independent coil-spring rear suspension — a big departure from the leaf springs in most rivals. The steering is light in carparks, and on the highway out to KB it cruises smoothly with minimal road noise, especially in EV mode. It doesn't feel like a truck to drive. That's either a huge selling point or a dealbreaker, depending on what you want from a pickup.

Safety and Tech

Safety is comprehensive and all standard. The Shark 6 comes with ADAS (advanced driver assistance systems) including adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, blind spot detection, autonomous emergency braking, a 360-degree camera, driver fatigue monitoring and seven airbags. It's earned a five-star ANCAP safety rating — the first PHEV pickup to do so. For a vehicle that carries families as much as cargo, that's reassuring.

Value for Money

At BND 53,888 on the road, the Shark 6 undercuts most comparably equipped diesel pickups while offering significantly more tech and performance. Try finding another pickup in Brunei with 430 horsepower, a premium audio system, ventilated seats and a five-star safety rating at this price. A top-spec Ranger Wildtrak or loaded Hilux costs more and gives you less kit. The trade-off is towing: the Shark 6 maxes out at 2,500kg, fine for most owners but short of the 3,500kg some diesel rivals offer. For everyone else, the value equation is hard to argue with.

Final Thoughts

The BYD Shark 6 isn't trying to be another diesel workhorse. It's a pickup for buyers who want modern tech, real performance, and lower running costs without giving up the practicality of a truck bed. The BYD brand is still relatively new in Brunei, and the service network is smaller than Toyota or Ford. But if you can look past the badge, what you're getting for the money is impressive.

The word for it is disruptive.

You can view the Shark 6 at the Maju Motors showroom at Beribi Telanai, with test drives available on request.