2026 Maxus T70 previews updated LDV T60 ute with available diesel, PHEV power

The refreshed Maxus T70 revealed at this year’s Beijing motor show may preview a second facelift for the LDV T60 ute.

More than just a cosmetic nip-and-tuck, the refreshed ute also features a new turbo-diesel engine, with a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) variant coming.

LDV Australia declined to offer a comment on the chances of the updated ute for our market.

It’s unclear if the PHEV will be offered in Australia, where it would take on models like the BYD Shark 6 and upcoming GWM Cannon Hi4-T, but the diesel T60/T70 could be 12-18 months away if previous local launch timings are any indication.

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While the T60 is now 10 years old, it has been updated during its run and LDV Australia has previously indicated it wants to continue to offer an affordable ute range.

“The ute market is highly competitive in Australia and we remain committed to offering customers a range of vehicles at the value end of the segment,” LDV Australia general manager Dinesh Chinnappa said in February 2025.

The updated T70 upgrades to the turbo-diesel 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine from the larger Terron 9, producing 165kW of power and 520Nm of torque, and mated with either a six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic transmission.

Those outputs are up by 5kW and 20Nm on the bi-turbo 2.0-litre diesel four-cylinder engine in the existing T60, which is offered exclusively with an eight-speed auto in Australia.

Maxus, as LDV is known in China, has yet to release any specifications for the upcoming T70 PHEV. However, at a presentation at the Beijing motor show, it said it had developed a plug-in hybrid powertrain with a mechanical four-wheel drive system and total system outputs of 330kW and 800Nm.

Externally, the T70 has received a nose job but not much else. There are more squared-off lighting elements up front, plus a taller grille and what appears to be a more sculpted bonnet.

There’s been a more comprehensive update inside. Instead of a 10.25-inch touchscreen or dual 12.3-inch displays as in the current Australian-market T60, there’s a larger, free-standing 12.8-inch touchscreen with a row of physical switchgear underneath, as well as a smaller free-standing digital instrument cluster.

The T70 also ditches the two different centre console designs of the current T60 in favour of a more conventional, flat setup which incorporates the airplane-like gear shifter from the MG U9. A wireless charging pad sits at the base of the minimalist centre stack.

The interior can be had in black or with orange upholstery for the seating surfaces and dash.

The T60 was launched here in 2017 and its last facelift was released in Australia late in 2021, bringing not only new front-end styling but also a revised interior and a more powerful engine with an eight-speed automatic transmission.

The budget ute has continued to receive upgrades since then.

A new dashboard design arrived in 2024 alongside more safety equipment and multi-link rear suspension for some variants, while 2025 brought an upgrade to the T60’s braked towing capacity.

The T60 is LDV’s biggest seller in Australia, with 4320 examples reaching Australian customers in 2025. That includes just 19 examples of the slow-selling electric eT60.

Midway through last year, LDV introduced the Terron 9 as a new, larger dual-cab slotting in above the T60.

So far this year, the T60 is outselling its new big brother, with 1071 sold to the end of April against 470 Terron 9s across the same period.

Like the T60/T70, the Terron 9 was also previewed with a plug-in hybrid powertrain in China.

MORE: Explore the LDV T60 showroom