MG Australia mulling premium extended-range electric SUV for 2026

The IM Motors LS9 SUV could be coming to Australia in 2026, with the Chinese brand’s local arm confirming it’s eyeing up a large SUV as its third model for our market.

Officially named IM Presented by MG Motor – and sold here through parent company MG’s showrooms – the brand confirmed it’s looking into a large SUV to join its first two models, the IM5 sedan and IM6 SUV, both arriving here in September 2025. 

“We have already begun looking at opportunities, which may include a large SUV, for a third model in 2026 or beyond, under the IM Presented by MG Motor brand,” a statement from the company to CarExpert said. 

The comment comes as the automaker’s new Stellar super range extender hybrid powertrains begin arriving in the Chinese-market version of the IM6 premium SUV next month, where it’s badged as the IM LS6.

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A range-extender powertrain typically uses an internal combustion engine to charge a battery pack, which feeds electric motors to provide drive to the wheels. 

Such a powertrain is also being used in the IM LS9 – likely to be badged IM9 if sold here – a large six-seat SUV slightly bigger than a Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series and due in Chinese dealerships by the end of this year.

The LS9 offers up to 450km of electric-only driving and a total of 1500km (CLTC, equating to 1230km WLTP) from its petrol engine and electric motor combination. 

It uses a 114kW 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine that acts as a generator to power front and rear electric motors, with a total system output of more than 502kW.

The LS9 has all-wheel drive, as well as four-wheel steering and four-wheel torque vectoring – while inside it seats its six occupants in a 2-2-2 layout. 

More details are expected ahead of the LS9’s arrival in Chinese showrooms, with IM Motors’ Australian arm stopping short of confirming the model for local showrooms just yet. 

In the meantime, the IM5 and IM6 will take on the Tesla Model 3 and the Tesla Model Y, respectively, as the brand looks to establish itself in Australia. 

IM Motors vehicles form part of MG Australia’s strategy of having models at multiple price points, with MG’s overall sales target being 60,000 vehicles in Australia this year – although how many of these will be IMs hasn’t been specified.

Having recently launched the QS SUV – a large SUV to challenge the Toyota Kluger and Kia Sorento – MG will launch the U9 dual-cab ute, a twin of the already on sale LDV Terron 9, in Australia before the end of the year. 

MG was the twelfth-most popular brand in July 2025, having been knocked out of the top ten by rivals including GWM and BYD, who were seventh and eighth respectively.

Year-to-date (end of July) sales have fallen 14 per cent compared to the first seven months of 2024. 

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