MG 5

The Malaysian-spec version of the MG5 is being offered with an all-black theme for the cabin, with the contrast red accents on the door panels and satin silver touches on the steering wheel, centre console, and inner door handles elevating its premium appeal. A unique touch to the cabin is the crystal-themed trim finish for the dashboard panel on the co-passenger side.

For its price, the MG5 impresses with the modern design and equipment levels in its cabin, with the driver’s cockpit having a flat-bottom multi-functional steering wheel and a 7-inch fully-digital instrument console behind it. The centre console, which is slightly tilted towards the driver, accommodates a 10.25-inch rectangular touchscreen infotainment system. The centre console houses slim buttons for the audio and automatic climate control system, with trapezoidal AC vents placed below them. 

The cabin of the MG5 further gets a sunroof, 6-way powered driver’s seat, 6-speaker audio system, air purifier, rear AC vents, cruise control, electronic parking brake, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and leather upholstery for the seats and steering wheel. The presence of all these features makes the MG5 one of the best-equipped sedans in its class.

When it comes to exterior appearance, there are very few compact cars that come close to the rightly proportioned and dynamic-looking MG5. With a fastback-inspired design, the MG5 turns heads, which is a rare thing for an entry-level compact car.

Featuring MG’s third-generation design language, the MG5 has a swooping grille at the front with vertical slats and a large MG logo in the middle. The front bumper corners also have scoop-shaped housings for the fog lamps, while above them, there are sleek-looking triangular all-LED headlamps with LED DRLs. 

The dynamic essence of the MG5 is at its best when the car is viewed from the side, with the sedan exhibiting its slightly sloping roofline. The MG5 has 17-inch dual-tone ‘Tomahawk’ alloy wheels, which further elevates its sportiness. 

The steeply raked windscreen and roofline towards the rear make the MG5 an absolute stunner when viewed from the back. This sedan gets waterfall-themed LED inserts for the angular tail lamps placed on the edges of the rear fender. The rear bumper also looks sporty with dual faux exhaust ports that get chrome accents. 

With independent suspension at both ends – Macpherson struts with a stabiliser at the front and a torsion beam with a stabiliser at the rear, which has slightly stiffer springs, the MG5 has a dynamic driving setup if not as involving as the German sedans. Thanks to its aerodynamic styling and 17-inch tyres, the MG5 maintains composure at higher speeds, offering decently comfortable ride quality too. 

The MG5 has a 1.5-litre four-cylinder naturally-aspirated petrol engine under its hood, which also powers a range of other SAIC products available globally. Paired with a CVT as standard, this engine produces a maximum power output of 114 PS and a maximum torque output of 150 Nm. While the engine feels refined for most of the part, the power delivery doesn’t feel as exciting and energetic as the rest of the design of the MG5. However, for daily urban usage, the performance is more than enough.

The MG5 is the brand’s most affordable product to get the MG Pilot suite of ADAS features, which includes assistance features like blind spot monitoring, lane change assist, rear cross-traffic alert, and rear collision warning. The sedan also gets six airbags, a 360-degree parking camera, front and rear parking sensors, ABS with EBD, tyre pressure monitoring system, hill hold assist, electronic stability control, and traction control. 

The dynamic styling and premium and feature-equipped interior of the MG5 are enough to attract the core audience of youth buyers, who will be impressed by just the way it looks. The dynamic handling is an added bonus, with the MG5 also scoring decent in performance and ride quality, if not being the best.